Placebo

Long before I started the Pop Cultureddd blog I was voraciously listening to music.

My Dad used to have cable when I was a kid and when I would stay with him I could be found watching a lot of MTV2. The most potent and vivid memory was always the Placebo advert. It was powerful. It featured Nancy Boy and I was obsessed with Brian Molko's lyrics, style and vocals. The self-titled debut album was stunning from beginning to end.



Placebo's first three albums I had burned versions of and they were played frequently. Having almost accidentally stumbled upon them again recently I have been plunged back into a familiar soundscape of early teenage angst, but without the hormones and self-wallowing.

Being fairly hyper sceptical as a teenager of capitalism - and now hyper critical as an adult - the single Slave To The Wage from the album Black Market Music was a personal favourite to ruminate on.

Sprints

"I swear to God I'm the only fucker in this place who isn't doin' fine
And I'm not fine
And I'm not fine, I'm not fine
And I'm not fine, I'm not fine
I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine"

Fucking love Sprints.

How Does The Story Go? plunges me back in my early 20s. Scary times. And whilst it might be too big a claim to say I am fine now, I wish I could soothe that 20-something version of me with the knowledge that they'll just get better at perseverence.

There is some catharsis in this song that I think is accessible to everyone if you just scream along loudly enough.