THE BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD AS DECIDED BY PETE

Since I’ve been in HecKler, I have been wanting to make my ultimate mixed tape, but I have avoided it because I knew it would be an intense experience. I wanted to be ready for it. The one criteria I have is this; does the song still have the same effect on me today as it did when I first heard it? So here I go…

1)The Kinks- “Victoria”…Trying to find my favorite Kinks song is like trying to find my favorite ice cream…its almost all good, baby! But the drumming on this song is pure rock perfection.

2)Dead Kennedys-“Police Truck”…This is the first punk rock song I ever heard. Blew my friggin head off.

3)Black Flag- “Nervous Breakdown”…The second punk rock song I ever heard. Same result. And both of these songs still kill me.

4)Ween-“Nan”…I can say that the whole GodWeenSatan record had maybe the strongest influence on me. I still make crappy home recordings today because of Ween.

5)Husker Du-“Makes No Sense At All”…OK, Ben is the Grant Hart person, I’m the Bob Mould person…I saw them play this song on the old MTV show “The Cutting Edge” (waaaaayyyy back in the ‘80s). They did it in their practice space. I had never seen anyone kick do much ass in such a small space. That song is so awesome. I went looking for that record (Flip Your Wig) for a couple of months before I found it. It was a good day when I did.

6)The Violent Femmes-“Kiss Off”…I guess that this song could also be “Blister in the Sun” or “Prove My Love” or almost anything off their first record. I just listened to it recently. It still kicks serious ass.

7)The Gain-“So Low”…I didn’t hear this song until last year (2002)…I haven’t been so moved by a song in years…it rocks so hard, and has a killer melody! I’ll be driving around in my van, or listening on my computer or whatever, and I’ll listen to it 15 times in a row without getting sick of it. You can download it at mp3.com. I suggest you do so.

8)Sebadoh-“Ocean”…This is another song I can listen to 15 times in row without getting sick of it. The opening riff, the lyrics, the melody…It’s a perfect song.

9)The Cars-“You’re All I’ve Got Tonight”…The Cars’ first record is too awesome. This is my favorite song from it. Ric Ocasek rules.

10)The Pixies-“Debaser”…This is the first song I heard by the Pixies. I never heard such perfect screaming before this…

11)Elvis Costello and the Attractions-“No Action”…I listened to This Year’s Model and Armed Forces non-stop through high school. Those records are still beautiful to me.

12)The Clash-“Safe European Home”…I still wanna cover this song. It’s so funny in that sardonic Joe Strummer way. And Mick Jones’ backing vox are sweet.

13)Camper Van Beethoven-“Opi Rides Again/Club Med Sucks”…Camper Van rules for so many reasons…they’re funny, smartass, incredible musicians that combine punk, ska, middle eastern ragas, acoustic ballads…you can only describe them so far. But this song combo…a goofy ska instrumental into dirge hardcore about wanting to go surfing instead of Club Med with your parents? Priceless.

14)The Minutemen-“This Ain’t No Picnic”…It’s almost impossible for me to narrow down my favorite Minuteman tunes to one. So I must pick the song that is the story of my life…(don’t sue me Mike Ness)

15)Loudon Wainwright III-“Suicide Song”…This is the most complex look at this subject I have ever heard. Its incredibly painful and incredibly funny all at the same time. It will blow you away.

16)Armchair Martian-“John Wayne”…This band has had the strongest influence over me in the last few years. Definitely from the school of Husker Du, but with a little more sense of humor and a little bit of cowpunk for good measure.

17)Shakti with John McGlaughlin-“Joy”…At least I think that is the name of the track I love…it is an acoustic group like no other. They play the most insane middle eastern instrumental freakouts. Ever. The record was recorded live, and the energy is ludicrous. The crowd is going nuts while these guys go off the deep end.

18)The Replacements-“Answering Machine”…I have an unhealthy obsession with this song. I just feel it way too deeply, I guess. Ben is sick of me yapping about it. Anyway, it’s a beautiful piece about a crummy feeling.

19)Fugazi-“Epic Problem”…Yet another almost impossible task, finding the best Fugazi song. This is from “The Argument”. I think its fair to say its my favorite song that Ian MacKaye sings. Which is a HUGE statement.

20)Eleventh Dream Day-“Between Here and There”-restored my faith in dirty art rock when I was getting sick of it.

21)Descendents-“Ace”…From “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”…I think it’s the most underrated Descendents song.

22)The White Stripes-“You’re Pretty Good Lookin’(For a Girl)”…They did the same thing for me that 11th Dream Day did at a later date…

23)Screeching Weasel-“Slogans”… I love Screeching Weasel. The “My Brain Hurts” record got me psyched about punk rock all over again.

24)Naked Raygun-“Treason”…This song is way too cool. But so are their others, so go buy all their records.

25)The Semi-Beings-“Year”…from their “Three Pawns Standing” record, this song is so awesome. I loved this band. Keith is now playing in The Commons, an equally great band.

26)The Frownies-“Familiar Faces”…this is the first song from their s/t record…a pure blast of melodic punk rock.

27)F.L.K.-“Fighting Words”…SC’s Funny Looking Kids…Great song, great guys. Down in Myrtle Beach, SC, I played a show with my old band (Dodgeball), FLK, and the Frownies at a place called “The Lazy I”. It was in this really small space in a strip mall at night...no one else was open, so we could be as loud as we needed. It was without a doubt the most exciting show I was ever involved in. All the bands delivered the goods and then some. Good, good stuff, I tells ya…

28)The Supersuckers-“Marie”…Amidst all the songs about drinkin’ and cokin’ and fuckin’, there is this touching song about a friend of theirs who died of an overdose. Its so hard to write a genuine song about a subject like this without getting too morose or hokey. But this song is a letter to their friends’ mom, who was like their own. It’s a great, great song.

Well, I’m stopping this madness now…I’ll probably add to it later….

Pete

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