You’d think by 18 years of age, a person would have a basic understanding of the world they live in and the image of themselves they want to present. I think I needed a little more time to percolate in that respect.
Even if I was still figuring out “my style,” I certainly knew that music was the most important thing to me. In the summer of 2003, I had a monumental musical awakening when I was introduced to Conor Oberst’s band Bright Eyes and subsequently Saddle Creek Records. Barely a junior in high school, I went full steam ahead into a barrage of indie bands I could never have imagined existed. Bright Eyes led to Cursive, led to The Faint, led to Rilo Kiley (RIP) and more. I practically exhausted Saddle Creek’s roster and loved every album from every band, and I bought just about every band shirt to prove it. As you can see in the first picture, my love of Rilo Kiley led me to guitarist Blake Sennet’s side project The Elected, which played a huge role in my development as a musician.
By 2005, I was done with high school and had settled on my then-staple clothing lineup: long-sleeve buttoned shirt, black Volcom wristband, and blue Simple OS shoes. I would never consider myself a scene kid, and if I was, it was very fringe level. Regardless, I think the style I had fit well with the indie/acoustic music I used to play along the Jersey coast in Toms River, Brick, Red Bank, and Elizabeth. There are certainly things I miss from the scene era that existed a decade ago – some more than others. The thing I absolutely miss the most is that incredible hair.
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