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the first one -- the previous one -- the next one -- the most recent one
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
by Rajan Khanna
For some who don't like fantasy novels, what they don't like is the setting, and to be honest, medieval fantasies are a dime a dozen in the genre. While there are people doing interesting things in that milieu, George R. R. Martin to name one, even I have experienced this kind of setting fatigue.
That isn't the problem with the two examples I'm about to mention. These not only chose the modern over the medieval, they also draw on a different cultural background, Chinese to be precise. Both do it in their own way, and draw on that background while containing their own unique touches.
The Snake Agent
Recently I completed a novel by Liz Williams called, The Snake Agent. What initially drew me to this book was the stunning cover by artist Jon Foster. It is a work of art. When I learned that it was about a detective in a world of Chinese mythology with demons and gods and magic, I was snared.
I was familiar with Liz Williams through her novel, Poison Master, as well as some of her short work in places such as Electric Velocipede, so I knew she could tell a good story.
Snake Agent takes place in an alternate Singapore, where magic is real, as are the gods and demons of Chinese lore. Detective Inspector Chen Wei works for the police force, but unlike the majority of the officers, who deal with more mundane threats, Chen is an expert in the occult, possessed of his own spiritual powers.
Williams' Singapore is a blend of the mystical and the scientific, indeed blurring the genres. Not only are there demons and goddesses, but there are high-tech computers and human-based virtual networks. It's an interesting blend, familiar enough to remind us of our present world, but containing wonders of many kinds.
Williams draws heavily on pulp and noir influences here. The novel starts with a kind of cliffhanger and then goes back to explain how our characters got there. Detective Chen is a world-weary detective, torn between his duty to his patron goddess and his devotion to his wife, a demon who escaped Hell. His dance to try to honor both of those obligations, and those to his superiors on the police force is at times both humorous and dramatic.
Humor is something that this book has plenty of, by the way. Particularly when concerning another character, the demon Zhu Irzh. Zhu's path intertwines with Chen's throughout the book, but whereas Chen's path seems to be liberally strewn with guilt and drama, Zhu's part of the novel tends to the more whimsical and funny.
The plot moves quickly, and involves Chen investigating the death of a young girl who has become a ghost rather than moving on to the afterlife. In the course of his investigation, Chen travels to Hell itself, and meets Zhu Irzh. Meanwhile, a famed demon hunter comes on the scene and takes interest in Chen's demon wife, Inari.
The narrative jumps around, mostly between Chen, Zhu Irzh and Inari and the plot moves at a pretty fast clip. But it's easy to read and it's full of action and monsters and magic. There is depth here, but perhaps not as much as one might like. Still, it is the first in a series of novels (now numbering four) all featuring Detective Inspector Chen. In further novels Williams will no doubt delve further into the main characters, their pasts and their relationships.
And the book is just gorgeous to look at.
9Tail Fox
Jon Courtenay Grimwood's 9-Tail Fox is a different animal than Snake Agent. While Snake Agent concerns a fantastical world of magic and futuristic science, 9Tail Fox is rooted much more firmly in the present day.
Here the Chinese mystical element is much more subtle, more of a shading rather than a full-on color. But the central symbol, the nine-tail fox, is pulled right from Chinese mythology and plays a central theme here.
9-Tail Fox is set in San Francisco and the city inhabits all parts of the novel. In many ways it seems like a love letter to San Francisco, delighting in its peculiar corners. It follows Bobby Zha, a cop in San Francisco who seems to be on the fringes of everything, including his marriage and family life. Bobby is investigating the murder of a burglar, reportedly by a young girl, when he is killed.
To be honest, the first part of this book dragged for me. I found myself wondering if I indeed wanted to finish it. It was only when Bobby Zha died that things started to pick up for me. Especially when he wakes up in New York in another body. From that point on, I couldn't put it down.
The rest of the novel concerns Bobby, now in a new body, trying to track down his murderer while coming to terms with what has happened to him. He learns a lot about himself in the process as well, most of it not very flattering. These two tracks continue throughout the rest of the novel, and while the crime mystery is engaging, it is Bobby's search for what happened to him, what that means in terms of his identity, that is the most compelling.
Throughout the straightforward crime/cop story, the ghostly nine-tail fox constantly lurks in the background teasing us with its significance. There are fantastical elements underlying the story, but they are not accents or add-ons. They are pivotal to the story and yet almost invisible. Grimwood has done a great job of making everything feel organic.
Grimwood's style might not be for everyone. While he clearly knows how to write, I found his style initially off-putting. I don't know why, I don't know that I could describe my reaction, but I didn't take to it immediately. But I have to say that I was soon swept along and it eventually became almost invisible in the end.
Those who like their books neatly wrapped up might not like the way this book ends. While usually crime novels end with everything explained and some kind of victory, Grimwood implies a lot here and leaves a lot for you to figure out. That's not to say that things aren't resolved. The straightforward crime plot elements are resolved. Almost too quickly I would say. But the larger mysteries, the bigger picture, is left up to the reader. I actually enjoyed that, but your mileage may vary.
For more on Grimwood, see our previous interview with him.
Here, then, are two alternatives to standard fantasies, both of which I think would be worthy additions to anyone's library. Coincidentally, mind you, both books are published by Nightshade Books, a publisher that is doing some great work with book designs.
Next time, an anthology based around strange words and a look at the small press.
Column One: Welcome to My Fantasy
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:35 PM
the first one -- the previous one is the first one -- the next one -- the most recent one
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
by Mike Collins
For those who haven't read issue #1 of Arvid Nelson's promising post apocolyptic series let's begin with a quick recap...Zero's world is different from our own. In his world the Soviet Union and the US exchanged nukes decimating most of the world.
Manhattan is flooded. It's skyscrapers are now home to various violent gangs at war with each other. Enter Zero, a "trashman" or bounty hunter paid by ganglords to bring in renegade gang members. Last issue Zero saved Stark from a group of renegade gang members he was tailing. Stark has now become his unwanted sidekick.
Issue #2 opens with Zero and Stark making their way out of the remains of the Chrysler Building. Traveling through the flooded city they spot a JOCOM chopper moving through the skyscrapers. A masked sniper fires on the chopper sending it crashing into the still standing World Trade Center's North tower.
All of this happens in the first few pages of the issue.
Zero's world is slowly starting to come into focus. We see his home in the remains of the Empire State Building, his burgeoning relationship with Stark as well as meeting one of his friends. It still isn't much, but it's an enticing trail Arvid Nelson is leaving for the readers. We begin to get some sense of what may have happened to Zero.
The issue ends on a cliffhanger which should bring even more of Zero's world into view. We begin to see who the different factions are and that there is still some sort of government presence though it's looking like a fialry sinister one.
The art continues to be impressive. Matt Camp is a find. He has a very clean, mainstream style that I think will win over regular comics readers. Camp's storytelling is strong and he is really delivering a creative world. It's a good combination between artist and writer.
For people looking for a book a little different than the normal superhero fare I'd suggest giving Zero Killer a look. It's a more fantasy based take on a post apocolyptic New York than DMZ and well worth a read.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 10:00 AM
by Mike Collins
Mike Collins: For people not familiar with Zero Killer, can you give them an idea of what the book is about?
Arvid Nelson: Sure, the simple description is that it's the bastard child of Akira and The Warriors. It's set in New York City, present-day, but in this world there was a nuclear war in 1973.
MC: Who was the war between and what were the effects on the rest of the world?
AN: The war started between Israel and her neighbors, and escalated into a global exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the world of Zero Killer, the United States never dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This lead to the Soviet Union having more influence in Asia, which meant the Yom Kippur War -- in 1973, yes -- went very badly for Israel, the exact opposite of what happened in reality.
MC: How did you come up with this timeline that you use as the history of Zero's world?
AN: I think it's one of those stories I've been writing my entire life. When I first learned about the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I thought it was unbelievably horrible. I mean, it *was* unbelievably horrible. But I think you can make a pretty strong argument that the alternative would have been a lot worse.
It's one of those complicated subjects...
But the idea for Zero Killer really gelled during 9-11.
MC: You're a New Yorker right? The opening shot of issue one is really jarring in that you have a still standing but largely destroyed World trade Center. Did you want to immediately let people know that this book takes place in a very different timeline that our own?
AN: Yeah, exactly right. I live in New York City, and that's one of the central ideas of Zero Killer.
It's the complete opposite of our world. Nothing BUT the Twin Towers are left standing. Africa is on top of the world, the United States is on the bottom.
MC: You mentioned that 9/11 really gelled the idea for Zero Killer. Can you go into that a little more?
AN: Sure -- as terrible and awful as 9-11 was and is, about the same number of people as died in the attacks die of starvation in Africa every day. About 3,000 children die of hunger every day in Africa, I think that's an accurate number.
I just don't understand why things like that aren't more widely covered in the United States. The Minnesota bridge collapse is the most recent example -- don't get me wrong, it's a terrible tragedy... But how many people in the United States are aware of the fact that 6 million people in India were left homeless due to flooding at exactly the same time?
So Zero Killer was created, in part, as another way of looking at the world. We have so much to be thankful for.
MC: I think you're right. We Americans seem to be fairly ignorant of the rest of the world. I think it's fairly on purpose.
AN: Yeah, and it's too bad. I believe American and Americans could be such a positive force in the world, if only we paid a little bit more attention!
MC: What can you tell us about your central character Zero?
AN: Zero is a "trash man", he's a bounty hunter who tracks down renegade gang members. The ruined towers in New York City are all inhabited by different gangs, one gang per skyscraper, each with its own distinctive way of dressing, its own culture, and so on.
When people get out of line, Zero brings them in. It doesn't make him very popular.
MC: In a time when there are very few minority leads, was it a concious decision to make Zero African American?
AN: It was conscious, for a few reasons. First of all, it was just a way of making the Zero distinctive, of making him stand out.
I also try to put some distance between myself and my characters, and I'm white.
But really, I wanted to write a black character that's not constantly spouting ghetto slang or acting stereotypically "black". It's amazing to me how negative portrayals of black people generally are. And it's not in line with my perception of reality. Most black people I know don't talk like that. So I'm trying, hopefully, to make Zero a little more "real".
MC: Zero reminds me a bit of the Clint Eastwood archetype. The very quiet, very deadly stranger. Will we learn more about his life as the series continues?
AN: Yeah, we sure will. Zero has a complicated past. We're definitely going to penetrate that Clint Eastwood exterior, especially starting with Issue 3.
MC: The setting of the book is a wild one. A decimated, largely flooded Manhattan island. We see the World Trade Center and the Chrysler Building. What other NYC landmarks might we see?
AN: Pretty much anywhere is fair game, but the Empire State Building will figure into the story soon. Also, if the rest of the story gets greenlit, we'll see The Cloisters, which is in reality a museum of Medieval Art on the northern tip of Manhattan.
MC: Let’s go through some of the factions in the book. Can you give some information on the various gangs, where they reside and where they fit in the pecking order of Zero’s world?
AN: Sure -- roughly speaking, the gangs are divided into two groups, the Downtown gangs and the Midtown. The Downtown gangs have a much worse reputation than the Midtown. All the gangs fight amongst each other.
The Chrysler Building is controlled by the Black Cats, and Empire State is controlled by the True Bloods. The Disciples and The Riffs control the Twin Towers. The Jokers control the Pan-Am building, the present-day Met Life building.
These are some of the bigger gangs, the more powerful ones. There are lots of smaller, petty gangs that inhabit the smaller buildings.
MC: What kind of economic system does this world have?
AN: It's feudalism -- the gangsters are the nobility, who rule through force or the threat of violence. Beneath them are the artisans and craftsmen who grow food, fix and build things. Then there are the outcasts, who live on the lowest levels of the towers -- the people too sick with radiation poisoning or whatever illness to be productive.
So the towers are literally social pyramids. The gangsters live on top, the outcasts on the bottom. It's easy to move down, virtually impossible to move up.
MC: Are there any plans to explore the societal aspect of this world?
AN: Absolutely. You'll see it starting in Issue 2.
MC: Aside from the gangs and people like Zero, there are other survivors. What role do they play in the story? Will there be a larger supporting cast?
AN: Yeah, there's a militarized, bastardized version of the United States government called JOCOM. They exist in large, underground complexes. And then there is Africa. Like I said, Africa was never hit by the nukes in 1973. So it's undergone a renaissance.
We will definitely see some more cast members appear in Issue 2! Lots of surprises in store.
MC: Talk a bit more about JOCOM if you can. They are really sort of a malevolent, almost shadowy force right?
AN: That's right. They're very sinister. Completely militarized society. They swoop down into the towers in helicopters and kidnap people for unknown purposes. The people they kidnap are never seen or heard from ever again.
MC: I liked the scene in issue one where the technologically advanced chopper scares the hell out of everyone.
AN: Glad you did! There's more where that came from in Issue 2.
MC: So in Zero's world JOCOM is still actively creating new technology while the rest of the US is decimated?
AN: Exactly. And since there are no ethical constraints on research, they've come up with some really bizarre, horrific technologies.
MC: And is it safe to assume we will be exploring that as the book progresses?
AN: It is. Again, we'll learn the full extent of it should the entire series be greenlit, but there will be more than a good taste in the first six issues.
MC: On the Zero Killer site there is mention of “La Via”, a religion that has sprung up in the ruins of Manhattan. Can you talk a bit about that?
AN: Sure, it's a syncretic religion, a combination of Voodoo, Santería and Pentecostal Christianity. It's polytheistic, with "Jah" and his son "Esuchristus" at the head of the pantheon.
MC: We know that NYC is largely destroyed. What can you tell us about the state of the rest of the world? Will Zero travel outside of Manhattan?
AN: No, not really. I want to leave certain things up to the reader's imagination.
MC: What can readers expect in the next few issues of the series?
AN: Expect to learn a lot more about Zero's character, what motivates him beneath that cool exterior. Expect to learn more about the power dynamics of the world of Zero Killer, and some of the weird technologies that have been developed.
There will be a lot of action, too.
MC: I was really impressed with Matt Camp's art. Tell us a bit about him and your working relationship...
AN: Matt and I go waaaay back, Rex Mundi, my other comic, came out at the same time as Shadows, a comic Matt drew. I had been searching for an artist for Zero Killer for a long time, and I just happened to meet up with Matt at a comic book convention in New York.
I very nearly smacked myself in the head when he showed me his portfolio. He was perfect for Zero Killer! It was right under my nose, all along...
MC: I know that the series is scheduled for an initial six issues. What are the chances it will continue beyond that?
AN: It all depends on sales. I hope it does well, because I feel great about the writing, and the art is turning out better than I ever dared to dream!
MC: What kind of feedback have you gotten so far?
AN: It's been really good. I think people are waiting to see what happens in the next issue, and that's exactly what I wanted. Issue 2 is when the story takes off.
MC: What else is coming up from you Arvid?
AN: Well, this month something I wrote for DC is coming out -- JSA Classified #29, the first of a three-issue miniseries.
I'm also writing Kull the Conqueror for Dark Horse, it's an adaptation of a Robert E. Howard character.
MC: Is there anything I didn't cover that you would like to touch on?
AN: Just the website, I guess! www.zerokiller.com There's lots more information there!
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 09:30 AM
this is the first one -- there is no previous one -- the next one -- the most recent one
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
by The Comics Outsider
Rumor-mongering from Baltimore, hon.
IT'S THE TRUTH UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS ME OTHERWISE, AND SOMETIMES EVEN AFTER THAT
Absolutely true, if Ripley makes a promise, she keeps it. 
Maybe true, don't always trust Hudson's judgment, he would have put Newt in charge. 
Possibly not true, never trust Burke, he's a lying scumbag. 
INITIATING CROSS-OVER
Kevin Smith returns to comics this spring in a big way by combining two of his favorite things: comics and Degrassi Junior High! The Degrassi gang will be crossing over with "Avengers: The Initiative" in a massive two issue miniseries written by Smith and drawn by Herb Trimpe. Said a Marvel representative at this weekend's Baltimore Comic Con: "it was the only way to keep him interested long enough to finish it. I don't even know who the hell these Degrarsti (sic) kids are. It was originally proposed as a six issue series, but once Joe stopped laughing, he told us to just make it two. And we hired Herb Trimpe because that man never misses a deadline." Look for the story to involve a bit of time travel as the Degrassi Next Gen kids go back in time with the kids from The Initiative to meet the previous Degrassi generation and a young Power Pack as they fight the evil menace of the Red Ghost and his ape henchmen.
MORE THAN MEETS CROSS-COMPANY
With the success of Transformers/Avengers, look for the classic 80's characters to team up with even more comic book properties in the year to come. On deck:
Fables/Transformers: Will Mowgli be able to work with Hound? The Predacons versus Bigby: the Big, Bad Wolf! Boy Blue duels with Rattrap! All this, and more!
Beast Wars Transformers/The Lone Ranger: There's a NEW Silver in town, Kemo Sabe! And he shoots lasers!
Headmasters/The Goon: You won't believe where the Goon shoves Scorponok's head! Hint: It's where the sun don't shine!
ARTISTSWIPING I
Iron Man
and
Spider-Man
BRAD MELTZER ON JLA: CLASSIFIED
THE LOST ISSUE! Orignally meant to be printed as issue #13 of JLA, this was pushed back, back, back OFF the schedule by the advent of new writer Dwayne McDuffie and his whole "I clean up after other writers crap out" thing. The lost issue of JLA features the beautiful, lush painted art of Charles Vess and takes us to a turbulent time in the new JLA's era: Geo-Force's powers are shot, and he is forced to catch a bus to the airport from the middle of Idaho.
23 pages of full-painted superheroic standing around and waiting! The new DC: There's no stopping us now!
MORE TROUBLE FOR MARVEL?!
Rumor has it that next year will bring the 5 year anniversary edition special collection of "Trouble", or as some internet wags call it: Aunt May: Year One. This will collect all 5 of the original Millar/Dodson issues, source material, collected author notes and emails, as well as the super secret SIXTH issue of "Trouble" as created by classic Spider-Man collaborators Tom DeFalco and Alex Saviuk. The all-new sixth issue is rumored to feature the actual BIRTH of Peter Parker from start to finish, and will be a mature readers comic. Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot.
RED SKRULL AT MORNING, SAILORS TAKE WARNING
A source who we'll call Gallagher 2 reports in that the current Red Skull, the one who engineered the death of Captain America, will be one of the first characters revealed to be a skrull in the new Marvel cross-over event. The newly dubbed Red Skrull will then be spun off into a mini-series with his henchman Crossbones entitled "Skrull and Bones."
NIGHT FALLS FOR NIGHTWING
DC was leaking rumors like... like a big leaking thing... maybe a boat... at the Balitmore Comic-Con this past weekend. The biggest rumor? That they will be killing every major character "at least twice" according to one source. But another source refutes that saying, "No, we're not killing everyone twice. We're just killing Nightwing 23 times." The source continued, "to make sure we got him."
ARTISTSWIPING II
Hulk
and
Gary Busey
THE NAME GAME
The Outsider has the scoop on some upcoming title changes due for some upcoming titles. You already knew about the Cable's book's title change, but get these scoops here, first!
"COUNTDOWN" will be renamed "52 More!" No reason has been given as yet, but it makes a lot of sense.
"Immortal Iron Fist" will be renamed "IRON FIST'S BIG BUCKET OF AWESOME," to make it a more accurate title.
"MODOK's 11" will be renamed "Lookit the Giant Head Guy! Haw!". Just to "make sure readers get why they should be buying it.
And the new Flash book will be retitled "THE INCREDIBLES".
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
by the YMB staff
The 1990s ended 2674 days ago. And people want to know: "Hey, you guys who control such things as those that we are upset about, where are all the compilations of awesome 90s alternative music?"
By this time in the 1997 there were, literally, 4,125 compilations of 80s music available for purchase. 2,749 of those were for New Wave acts alone. Yet, here we are nearly 8 years into the aughts and there are maybe 7 compilations of 90s alternative music to buy.
Why is that? Surely, there must be a reason, right? Was Gary Numan's "Cars" really a better song than Dishwalla's "Counting Blue Cars"? Or perhaps does the earnestness of 90s alternative music not allow for the repeated kitsch listenings inherent in your standard 80s New Wave compilation of such songs as "Sex Dwarf"? Or... and this is the theory YMB is going with... was so much of 90s alternative so overplayed that 8 years out people still aren't quite ready to hear it again?
With that in mind, YMB presents for your listening "pleasure" the Top Twenty Overplayed 90s Alternative Songs:
1. "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails
The first time you heard it: OH MY GOD he said f--k in a song! They only bleeped the "U" and the "C"! YOU CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE SAID!
The tenth time you heard it: There's better stuff on Downward Spiral, why aren't they playing that?
The 834th time you heard it: Yeaaaah... um... I'm just going to put on the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt"... thanks though.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: the year 3011.
2. "Man Who Sold The World" by Nirvana
It's a great cover of a great song. But, if I then go to a David Bowie concert and the kids in front of me get excited because they think David Bowie is covering a Nirvana song? Yeah, overplayed.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2074.
3. "Laid" by James
The best song about obsessive, dysfunctional relationships ever to be overplayed. In fact, it was so overplayed that, in 1993, Bill Clinton specifically singled out the song in his first speech as President, begging radio stations to stop playing it. (Despite the fact that many pundits claimed that the song distracted the public from Clinton's alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers, thus helping him win the Presidency in the first place.)
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2072.
4. "Unbelievable" by EMF
It's unbelievable that this song still makes me want to cry in the corner every time it is played. "Unbelievable" is an instant time machine to faux-70's/Nu-New Wave fashion/music and hypercolor t-shirts. Yes, it was a time for hope, yes, it was a time for recycling, but that was because we had just gotten off the Reagan coke binge of the 1980's and everything was weird and askew. And now it's been sold to a cheese commercial. Crumb-believable? I'll be in the corner.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2071.
5. "Mrs. Robinson" by The Lemonheads
I feel bad for bands that get famous off of covers. Particularly when they have a great catalog of non-covers that are then forgotten (this is why I don't, for instance, feel bad for the craptacular UB40). "Into Your Arms", "Confetti", or "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You" all deserved to be the overplayed Lemonheads song. Unfortunately, most people will remember them because they covered a Simon and Garfunkel song. You deserved better, Mr. Dando.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2067, when they rerelease The Graduate for its 100th anniversary.
6. "Tubthumping" by Chumbawumba
Which is more annoying - the song, or their pop anarchist bullsh*t? Gotta go with the nonsense political posturing that tried to infuse more meaning than is reasonable into such lyrics as "He drinks a whisky drink. He drinks a vodka drink."
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2066.
7. "No Rain" by Blind Melon
This song was overplayed not on the merits off the song, but because of the girl in the bee costume in the music video. Who, of course, you can't SEE when the local alternative rock station is playing the song for the 35th time in one day... but radio stations overplaying a song to the point you want to throttle the next person you see walking around in a bee costume is nothing new, unfortunately.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2055.
8. "Mr Jones" by Counting Crows
When you get into the lyrics, this catchy tune is actually rather pathetic and kind of sad. That sadness is then multiplied and amplified to a roaring din by a lead singer wearing fake white-guy dreadlocks.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2047.
9. "There She Goes" by The Las.
"There she goes, there she goes again. She calls my name, pulls my train No-one else could heal my pain. And I just can't contain This feelin' that remains. There she goes. There she goes again. Chasing down my lane. And I just can't contain This feelin' that remains." HA! Try getting that out of your head now. YOU CAN'T! Sucker.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2037.
10. "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M.
Michael Stipe, you are lucky, damn lucky, that Automatic for the People was so brilliant. Seriously, what the hell were you thinking?
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2034 (but only in a 30-second laundry detergent commercial).
11. "Lightning Crashes" by Live
Hi, my name is Ed Kowalczyk. I have a bald head and a long, stupid braided ponytail. I steal 12 year old girls' diaries and copy them for my song lyrics.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2028.
12. "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam
I think by now we all know that Jeremy spoke in class today. I think he might have even bit someone, too. Apparently, he was not a harmless litte f--k. Who knew?
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2027.
13. "Possum Kingdom" by The Toadies
Jesus, what the hell is this song about? An assault? A murder? Probably the most f-ed up overplayed song of the 90s. Very high creep factor, here.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2021.
14. "Santeria" by Sublime
Yeah, I don't like Sublime. They suck.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2019.
15. "Longview," by Green Day
Yeah, it's the one about jerking off and being lazy. A Gen X anthem, if you will. Ah, "Gen X". That was even more overplayed than this song. And this song was pretty damn overplayed.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: June 21, 2017 at 3:23 in the afternoon.
16. "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Me and my friends used to argue about this song. "It's about dealing drugs!" "It's about getting laid!" "Then why does he talk about being a kingpin?" "It's a metaphor, dumbass!" "You're the dumbass!" "You are!" Then, months later, consensus: "I hope I never hear that song again." "Me too."
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2015.
17. "Good" by Better than Ezra
What's Better than Ezra? Well, the Gin Blossoms. And Dada. And the Meat Puppets. And Too Much Joy. And School of Fish. And the Afghan Whigs. And the Judybats. And Cracker. And Possum Dixon. And Dinosaur Jr. And Dramarama. And Gigilo Aunts. And Buffalo Tom. And Material Issue. And Everclear.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2014.
18. "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure
Nothing makes Cure fans happier than a happy Robert Smith. Wait... that's not true at all. In fact, this song damn near brought about a violent riot from black-clad goth vampire LARPers the world over. If only they were better organized! But this happy tune rocketed into mainstream success for the Cure. Or, just Cure. There was a weird bit of time there when Smith dropped the "the" from the band name. It didn't make much sense.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2011.
19. "Spoonman" by Soundgarden
Dear Lord... dude playing spoons in a grunge song. I think that qualifies as unintentional camp, right? Probably John Waters' favorite song from the flannel days of rock.
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2009.
20. "Loser" by Beck
Just because it's a good song, that doesn't mean it can't be overplayed. Beck's first big hit was an absurdist piece of dada pop perfection but, damn, was it overplayed by the end there. Luckily, Beck saved us from himself by releasing Odelay and giving the radio stations new songs to overplay. Thanks, Beck!
When we'd be ready to hear it again: 2008.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
