When you load up Spotify, a great big chunk of the time you can’t think what to play, right? You default back to your old favourites, those albums and songs you played on repeat when you first discovered you could make them yours.
This isn’t about guilty pleasures; it’s about those songs you’ll still be listening to when you’re old and in your rocking chair. So, enter Teenage Kicks – a playlist series that sees bands running through the music they listened to in their formative years.
Next up, Kenta Koie from Crossfaith.
Aerosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
I discovered this song through [1998 film] Armageddon then I fell in love with their music; my first record was their ‘best of’ album. All I had was the cheapest portable CD player, I was always with that and listened over and over again.
Limp Bizkit – My Generation
I was digging pop-punk after Aerosmith, then I accidentally watched music video for ‘My Generation’. At that time, I’d never heard any nu-metal stuff, and that song doesn’t have specific melody but has a strong hook. It definitely gave me a new inspiration.
Slipknot – People=Shit
I wasn’t a cool kid at school, and I was not satisfied with school life at all, but music always helps me to find my own identity. Slipknot helped me to find the anger inside of me. And they’re still one of my favourite bands.
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
I watched their show at Japanese music festival Summer Sonic, and it blew my mind. Their show was my first experience of dance music, and I felt the possibility of dance music as live music. I just couldn’t stop dancing during their entire set.
The Used – Taste of Ink
After my nu-metal era, screamo was getting popular, and it also changed my mind big time. It’s rougher than metal music, in a good way for me. Their singer Bert was a huge inspiration. Years and years ago, we played together out here and we brought an acoustic guitar and they signed it. I’ll never forget that moment.
Underoath – It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
I was spending time in record stores to find new music pretty much every single day. One of these days, I bought the compilation album of Vans Warped Tour 2005. This song is on that album, and their music style was completely fresh to me, there are emotional screams and beautiful melodies on it. Spencer’s scream was one of the reasons for me to start screaming in my band. If I didn’t find their music, then I might not be playing in the band.
Skrillex – Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
My friends played this song to me, and I couldn’t get it as musically, but there was the real feeling. Sonny Moore uses electronic sounds to make a riot. That was the moment of new era of electronic music. I was so shocked by his music and started digging electronic music even more.
Pendulum – Propane Nightmare
Now I’m big fan of bass music, and they are the reason why. And we started to mix with metal music with drum’n’bass. And I love their attitude, Rob getting famous with Knife Party on the EDM scene, then he brought Pendulum in the main stage of Ultra Music. It’s beautiful, and I was so glad that they didn’t forget the love for live music.
Taken from the March issue of Upset. Crossfaith tour the UK from 2nd March.
