Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine Best songs to listen to for bringing out angry anti-establishment teenage self!

Like Cobie, I had a Marilyn Manson phase when I was a freshman in high school, to the point where I have a Marilyn Manson poster from that time in my life that's still in my bedroom at my house.

As far as what my go-to angry anti-establishment music is these days, it's mostly hardcore punk stuff like the Dead Kennedys or Bad Brains or 80's thrash metal like Anthrax and Slayer.

And the memories keep flooding back...

Part of the reason I never had a particular anthem as a teenager was because, by the team I was in my late teens and really, really angry, music and fashion changed overnight in ways I despised. I thought Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Green Day, all those bands, were absolute crap, music for mindless consumer lemmings and fashionable tourists. No offense intended to anyone who liked or still likes those bands, but that was how I felt at the time, and while I've become more open-minded, I still virulently hate what I've termed "mall-ternative" rock of the 90s.

One last thing before I go to bed...

The female side of loud rock of the 90s was no better than the male side, in my opinion.

Riot Grrrl, my ass. Professional Annoyance, more like.

And don't get me started on C*rtn*y L*v*.

Given who I am....

....and of course

As an American Top 40 fan, I liked being a mindless consumer lemming.

Seriously, I get where you're coming from, Fanfie, even though I'm older and the songs I related to were different. During the late '70s and early '80s, there wasn't much rebellion in rock going on. This was the era of the Bee Gees, after all. Rod's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" was what passed for controversy.

In the early '80s, the Clash and Gary Numan happened, but they were no more than a novelty in the US. Chrissie Hynde had the punk attitude, but the deaths of two of her bandmates and mainstream songs such as "Back On the Chain Gang" made her more sympathetic than threatening.

During the MTV era, the NWBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) provided a throwback to rebellious rock with bands like Saxon and even Def Leppard (who were like rebellious, playful puppies). US metal acts such as Ratt and Quiet Riot jumped on the bandwagon, as did the infamously over-the-top Twisted Sister. But the rebellion here was more superficial and commercial than borne out of any real anger. (Though Dee Snider did his best to cultivate anger by taking on the PMRC.)

I almost think the rebellious side of rock passed me by. At the time, I looked to older bands such as Jefferson Starship, the ex-Beatles, Deep Purple and its spinoffs (Rainbow, Whitesnake), and others for inspiration. These performers had "survived" their youthful escapades and emerged as well-established, famous, and rich icons--kind of what I wanted to be without having to go through wars of angsty rebellion.

By the time true angry bands like Metallica and GnR came to the fore, I was too old to care and moving into other things.

I'm still fond of At The Drive-In's song "Hulahoop Wounds" after all these years. mr_cleome used to play it all the time when we were first going out. Though neither of us were teenagers anymore, obviously.

The striking thing about it for me is the way the pretty little melodic flourishes are set inside the more raucous, snarly passages. It's an appealing contrast. Something else else some of my favorite jazz artists, like the pianist Joanne Brackeen, also do well in a different genre.

For a distinctly womanly version of rock rebellion, I totally recommend Birtha's first LP. Easy to find on YouTube and oh such fun. I was playing it at least once a day at my computer-marketing gig late last year. We had great headphones at that place, though I was a good temp and didn't pocket them when I left.

When I was having a rough time at work Muse's Uprising became my theme song and I would blare it through my headphones as loud as possible multiple times a day. Still my favorite of their songs.

Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction. I was 19.

SLIPKNOT "Duality"
PUBLIC ENEMY/ANTHRAX "Bring The Noise"
KITTIE "Brackish"
MUDVAYNE "Dig"
MILEY CYRUS "We can't stop"

"I'm always angry" --- Dr David Bruce Banner

I think I first heard that song on "Greatest American Hero" Love it!