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, Luke Caley from Press to MECO.
Nickelback – How You Remind Me
This is quite literally the song that started it all for me. When I was 10, my only real perspective on music was whatever was on top of the pops that evening and my ‘2 UNLIMITED – No Limits’ CD. Cue Nickelback going to number one for what seemed like forever. Amongst a sea of dance beats at the time, something about the drums, bass and distorted guitar just pricked my little child ears up and instantly drew me in. ‘How you Remind me’ was a siren song, luring me towards picking up the guitar and I was helpless to Nickelback’s calls. I still haven’t forgiven them.
System Of A Down – Innervision
From a young age, one of my friends, Mitch, was always such a huge gateway to discovering new music for me. At 10 or 11 years old, I told him I liked the sound of ‘rock’ music. He came to school the next day holding a weird-looking album (System Of A Down’s ‘Steal This Album’) and told me to have a listen. This was my first real experience of music; I’d not heard ANYTHING like before. It was almost alienating at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I became obsessed with the off-kilter vocals and erratic nature of the band. When people ask about the PTM having multiple singers, I always refer to System Of A Down as being the band that very early on showed me how effective different personalities and voices can be in a song.
AC/DC – For Those About To Rock
Angus. That is all… Just listen to that one note he plays at 4:19. It’s everything. AC/DC are one of those bands like Nirvana, the older you get and the more you listen to them, the better they get. This song also may or may not be responsible for me running around with a Gibson SG, sweating on everyone.
Sum 41 – Over My Head (Better Off Dead)
Sum 41 were such a good band. Even now, I listen back and have so much respect and appreciation for the role they played in me latching on to melody and hooks. They were just the epitome of ‘cool’ to me at the time. ‘Over My Head’ was one of the standout tracks that inspired me to be able to write a chorus even half as big as they could.
Billy Talent – River Below
I feel like for PTM fans Billy Talent are the influence I wear the most on my sleeve, at least from a guitar perspective. Ian D’sa is one of the best to do it and arguably still doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being such a pioneer. I wouldn’t say I have many guitar idols, but D’sa really opened my eyes to exploring new ways to voice chords and bring out melody lines. I think ‘River Below’ was the first song I heard and was INSTANTLY hooked by their unique brand of ‘punk’!
SikTh – Peep Show
If Billy Talent were one side of my guitar influences, I’d say SikTh would have to be the other. I feel like I sound like a much less talented love child of the two bands. I LOVE SikTh for the melodic chaos they’re typically known for, like Billy Talent, the chord progression in the opening riff of ‘Peep Show’ hit me like a train when I first heard it. I HAD to know what those types of chords were and learn them.
The Mars Volta – Cygnus Vismund Cygnus
I must’ve been about 13/14 when I discoveredTthe Mars Volta. ‘CYGNUS VISMUND CYGNUS’ was the first song I ever heard, and I remember being blown away with how something could sound so funky and SO intense. My hair grew, my pedalboard grew and a weird proggy couple of years quickly followed! In my opinion, this was Cedric at his absolute best vocally. Some out of this world vocal moments on that record!
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Fix Your Face
I remember right from when I started playing shows at the age of 12. The Dillinger Escape Plan was always a band I heard the ‘older’ kids and other people in bands talking about. When I was about 15, I had some leftover lunch money, so I went to HMV and thought I’d spend it on a record. I found Ire Works. I came home, pressed play and got transported to another planet! I’d never heard something SO abrasive, so erratic, and SO intense. It felt like the first time some music represented how my ADHD brain felt rattling around in my head. I remember feeling confused on first listen and not entirely getting it, but I also remember thinking, “I know there’s something in this that I need to give time to”. The Dillinger Escape Plan showed me that there can be a greater reward in challenging people with music sometimes. Ire Works still is and probably always will be in my top five albums of all time. It completely changed my perspective on music. A masterpiece record, in my opinion, from one of the greatest heavy bands to grace the earth.
Taken from the August issue of Upset. Press To MECO’s album ‘Transmute’ is out 20th August.
