Drewography

90s alternative rock stuff

My Story

Tales From a Recovering Sneaker Addict

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They say you always remember your first.

For me, it was the Nike Air Max 90 that started it all.

We were somewhere in Manhattan. Perhaps along 9th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen.

The storefront was small, but the window display blew my 13-year-old mind: Dozens of pairs of shrink-wrapped sneakers, each emblazed with a neon sticker boasting a monstrous price reduction. These sneakers were begging to be bought, and I wanted each and every pair. A sneaker addict was born.

As I gazed into the window, aware for the first time that sneakers could be cool, my parents must have seen something illuminate inside my soul. We entered. Every fiber of my being told me this was my chance, an opportunity to finally own a coveted pair of high-end sneakers, which until this point, my parents had shielded me from.

But who were they protecting? Me from the absurdity of material objects or themselves from financial hardship?

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A Love Letter to My 90s Stereo Systems

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I fall in love with inanimate objects.

Tennis rackets, pens, sneakers, watches, bicycles, sunglasses, and so on. It’s not exactly unconditional love; my emotions can lead these objects to hang around past their expiration dates.

So consider this article a love letter, an amorous note to the stereos that helped me grow as a person and made my heart go pitter-patter. Because when it comes to 80s/90s stereo systems, I’m all in!

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“Toss the Mic” – The VH1 TV Show Idea That Never Made It

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How to pitch a TV show idea? I have no idea, but that didn’t stop me from trying.

I know we are not supposed to use words like “fail” since every misfire is a “learning opportunity,” but sometimes things don’t work out. And sometimes, euphemisms aren’t satisfying.

But every failure does let you know you tried. And trying shows you give a shit. So every now and then, I like to document some of my favorite failures. Each one, of course, redirects me to where I am supposed to be.

As I was nearing the end of my stint with VH1 on the satellite radio end of things, I realized I’d be foolish if I did not try to make my way from radio to TV. After all, I might never have the “inside track” again. So I pitched a couple of shows to a network executive. The concepts never went anywhere, but it recently occurred that, despite tremendous advances in digital recording, one concept, TOSS THE MIC, holds up almost 20 years later.

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My Radio Internship: The 90s Alt Rock Way

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They told me to be at the radio station by 4:30am, so there I was, alone, standing outside in the dark, staring up at the nondescript three-story building.

It was cold outside. Foggy. The office manager told me that someone would be there to meet me. I hadn’t yet earned access to the 4-digit security code that I’d soon learn was simply the building number.

As I awkwardly stood in front of the glass doors waiting for entry, a warbled voice shot out of the shadows. 

“Muuurrrr-der-errrrrr.”

I jumped out of my skin.

MURDERER?

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The Offspring Helped Me Find My Self Esteem

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The Offspring’s “Self Esteem” lyrics got me through some rough years.

Damn you, Samantha.

I never trusted you, and I was right.

But logic has zero ability to defend itself against the deluge of hormones that release during your teenage years.

In particular, there’s that remarkable age range where getting fucked over is magnified by knowing you’re getting fucked over. Then you get “rewarded” with the double bonus of beating yourself up for walking right into the torture chamber.

The only song for me while Samantha held me in her web was “Self Esteem” by The Offspring.

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