This morning, I was visiting http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/, reading about one of my favorite band’s album’s reissues being postponed. In doing that, I see this picture—the one off to the right, and am struck with this wave of nostalgia and passed time. For me, it’s quite amazing to see haircuts, colors, and photo components none of which would be considered part of contemporary fashion. At the same time, because of what has since occurred, those items seem all the more out of time.
Since this photo was taken, for bands in Pavement’s genre, recollection of 60’s and 70’s garage rock meeting dive bar aesthetics has been dominant. Beyond that the styles of college-aged kids, even those revolting against their contemporaries’ affluent aesthetic, have changed substantially. I realize this is a bit meandering, but in how cyclical fashion aesthetics are, it’s hard to write about it without a flow chart. The ebb and flow are interesting.
I digress. Seeing this photo brought me back to thinking of just how much time has passed since this photo was taken for this no broken-up band, at the same time, how much time has since passed for me. The year this photo was taken, I was either concluding my freshman year at Illinois or starting my sophomore year. I was quite into being a fraternity boy, and working on enjoying the fruits of my labor during pledgeship. It all seems quite long ago, and evokes this time about which I seldom think. I think about later years in University, but seldom back specifically to the year of 1997.
Of course, sometimes I wonder if that is because 1997 was one of the easy and comfortable years of Clinton pax-Americana. Because the events of the Balkans and Africa were quite far removed from college students out having a good time, and none of my friends were subject to having their reserve duty called up, thinking about the world stage at that point wasn’t a question. I wonder now how nineteen-year-olds find themselves in those similar circumstances.
I guess that begs a great question: is it better to live in days of Halcyon or days of concern, which keeps one focused on the world’s events?
Since this photo was taken, for bands in Pavement’s genre, recollection of 60’s and 70’s garage rock meeting dive bar aesthetics has been dominant. Beyond that the styles of college-aged kids, even those revolting against their contemporaries’ affluent aesthetic, have changed substantially. I realize this is a bit meandering, but in how cyclical fashion aesthetics are, it’s hard to write about it without a flow chart. The ebb and flow are interesting.
I digress. Seeing this photo brought me back to thinking of just how much time has passed since this photo was taken for this no broken-up band, at the same time, how much time has since passed for me. The year this photo was taken, I was either concluding my freshman year at Illinois or starting my sophomore year. I was quite into being a fraternity boy, and working on enjoying the fruits of my labor during pledgeship. It all seems quite long ago, and evokes this time about which I seldom think. I think about later years in University, but seldom back specifically to the year of 1997.
Of course, sometimes I wonder if that is because 1997 was one of the easy and comfortable years of Clinton pax-Americana. Because the events of the Balkans and Africa were quite far removed from college students out having a good time, and none of my friends were subject to having their reserve duty called up, thinking about the world stage at that point wasn’t a question. I wonder now how nineteen-year-olds find themselves in those similar circumstances.
I guess that begs a great question: is it better to live in days of Halcyon or days of concern, which keeps one focused on the world’s events?
1 comment:
Ah, yes. 1997.
T'was a fine year at 410 E. John.
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