Remember NOW? That sampler CD they advertised inbetween chia-pet commercials on daytime television? As of writing this we are up to "Now That's What I call Music 66", VERSION 66! [Note: this does not even include Christmas or Summer specials]. It began as a legitimate music sampler full of a fun variety of the day's catchiest tunes. Yet, time and revenue have perpetuated this series into a meta joke which is on course to fold ironically in on itself, collapsing all media matter until the layers are so compact that the space time continuum breaks and we fall into the 'darkest timeline' episode of 'Community'. But there was a simpler time. The year was 1998, and mom had just returned from an evening shopping trip. I was (and am) your typical pudgy little second grader who was cheerful and punctual in helping my mother bring in the groceries. But before the engine was shut off, my mom opened the car door to play a song over the car stereo. It was awesome! It was a catchy rock and roll jam with a bluesy southwest feel to it. We sat and enjoyed a few plays then she ejected the CD and put it into its case. The cover read "NOW That's What I Call Music!" No number mind you - She bought the very first NOW CD. It was great. It often became the unofficial reason for car-rides in the family. We only listened to 3 or so songs (you need to remember - unless you burned it yourself, rarely was there a disk you listened to completely). But with time the CD fell out of favor, out of sight and out of memory. Yet, that first track remained deep in the back of my mind.
Fast forward eight years. Like a comic book super villain, the sophomore version of me had fallen into the toxic waste vat known as High School (Filled with 48% puberty, 50% Social Pressure and 2% drivers ed) and began my transformation into a discolored mess. Music too was in a strange and wondrous place, living out the twighlight years of the late 1990's early 2000's Rock and Roll Renaissance. Remember, both American Idiot was released and Nickelback came into existence in this era - the best and worst of times. Blink 182 had broken up a few years earlier and many other bands were following suit. I needed something new to hold onto. That is when the 'NOW Virus' burst into life. It began like a small infection, making its way onto a few mixtapes. Slowly, it would grow and consume my life from late Winter to Summer of 2006.
The song that started it all is "The Way" by Americana alt rockers Fastball. Originally released February 24, 1998, "The Way" was a hit single off of their second studio album "All the Pain Money Can Buy". Give it a listen.
Fantastic, but this episode isn't so much about the song itself, which mind you deserves an analysis episode all its own, but more what the song did. The bluesy Americana sound bridged the Gap between the Alt/Punk Scene I had embraced as a teenager and the Classic Rock sound that I was raised on. It seemlessly meshed the two together and sometimes even threw in a harmonica solo just for fun. It unleashed the Virus that had been dormant deep inside the mind of that pudgy child now covered in acne. I was hungry for more.
[Note: The official/sciency name of the much loved virus is 'Late 90's Rock and Roll Exerovivrus (L9-RR)'. Other names have arisen like the 'Fastball Contageon'. But for simplicity most texts, including this, refer to it simply as the NOW Virus]
While the effects are still very potent, exact dates and events are not exactly known and hotly debated to this day. Scientists have done their best to retrace the movement of the NOW Virus to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how the music spread during the epidemic in the timeline below.
[Note: All songs can be found on the Spotify playlist called 'The NOW Virus']
Contraction: Spring 1998 -
An 8 years old helping mom and younger brother with the groceries. Minor effects would be felt over the ensuing months but no lasting symptoms would hold. No further traces of the NOW Virus would be felt for roughly eight years.
Patient Zero: January 3 - 18, 2006 - The Way reemerges
After a period of music starvation the NOW Virus bursts into life, appearing in late December. Christmas break is consumed by 'The Way' on repeat. Many an IPod headphone was shared to show friends the song. I remember specifically rolling up to a Jamba Juice with the song on full volume thinking I was the coolest kid on the chess team.
Patient Zero Plus 1: January 18 - Mid February - The rest of Fastball is assimilated
Other songs from Fastball begin appearing on mixed CDs in the car. This list includes 'Out of My Head' which my brother eventually learned to play on the piano and I pretended to accompany him on the bass. This song also is an honorary member of the "Made Me Cry in Public for No Reason" club.
Patient Zero Plus 14: Mid to Late February - Semisonic becomes infected
'Closing Time' by Semisonic appears up next on iTunes Recommended purchase. After 42 listens of the 30 second sample I did them one better by driving to the mall and purchasing their greatest hits CD - worth all nineteen dollars and sixty nine cents (not accounting for gas money). 'Singing in My Sleep' and 'Chemistry' are two notable tracks worth a listen.
Patient Zero Plus 67: Late February to Early March - The One Hit Wonders
Examples like the Wallflowers' 'One Headlight', Sister Hazel's 'All for You' and Blues Traveler's 'Run Around' are the most notable from this phase. Little else is known about this era other than it included a lot of happy jams that make you bust a little move in the produce aisle (don't worry, you'll hear a lot of these songs playing at your local grocer). [Note: If you can identify a song by Toad the Wet Sprocket from the first 3 notes, you are currently in this phase]
Patient Zero Plus 189: March and April - No Rain on repeat
Just one long loop. It even played while I was asleep. Almost dropped my iPod in the tub too. Worth the risk of a fantastic bath. This Blind Melon jam is wonderful. So much so that I included a link specifically for it here. This is also the stage where I strongly considered wearing more tie-dye in public.
Patient Zero Plus 535: May - July 4th 2006 Collective Soul and Critical Mass
Collective Soul becomes infected. This is particularly alarming because the sound is related to so many others. It is considered a strong music connector and behaves much like Fastball had in perpetuating the NOW Virus exponentially (Thanks Mr. Gladwell). From here, it is an easy transition to many different directions like:
1. Start listening to R.E.M. and you've started toward more innovative sounds like Radiohead and the Pixies
2. Start listening to Everclear which is a straight shot to post-punk, post-grunge and the power pop of Eve 6, Smashing Pumpkins and SR-71
3. Start listening to Gin Blossoms and then...stop listening to the Gin Blossoms
4. Start listening to the Goo Goo Dolls and you're halfway to the grandeur of U2 or the less-grand grandeur of Third Eye Blind and Five for Fighting.
Dig far enough and you'll find Matchbox 20, Sugar Ray, Barenaked Ladies (one of the most celebrated Canadian Alt Rock acts of the Mid 90's - suck it Jeff Winger) and other wonderfully forgotten tunes. But this path is not sustainable. Sadly, the mass of so much music will not sustain itself. Eventually the Virus will implode, dissolving and fading into a landscape encased in a slick white plastic box adorned with a scroll wheel that went everywhere with me (granted it was charged). [Note: The exact date is documented as July 4th serves as a pallet cleanser where I only listen to patriotic music and reevaluate many life choices].
What started from a single track on a forgotten sampler became the driving force in my life for the better part of a year. I owe you one, Fastball. It was a wild ride that can best be summarized by a line from one of your very songs,
"You're an Ocean. It's a stormy sea of love and devotion. You've got me suspended motionless in time."
Other epidemic starters include: Coldplay's 'Clocks', Lupe Fiasco's 'Superstar', and The Doors' 'Riders on the Storm'.
How about you? Did I miss any 90's alt goodies? Have a song or artist that caused a 'Music Epidemic' of your own? Share it below...or with people you know and love...whatever works, I'd love to hear about them. Maybe this could start its own Epidemic.
[Note: For some reason I'm really in the mood to watch 'A Walk to Remember']
Thanks For Reading. Good Luck Out There.
