Gin Blossoms

On Friday I went to Minneapolis and saw the Gin Blossoms live for the third time. It was the second time I'd seen them for free and I must say, "Gin Blossoms" and "free" are three of my favorite words.

Why do I like this band so much? It's hard to put my finger on. Most people only know the Gin Blossoms vaguely, as one of those alt-rock bands that had a couple radio hits in the '90s. Most probably don't know that they're together and touring and recording again (which, come to think of it, may be why they're playing free — though sponsored — shows relatively frequently). I recently met a girl who was going to Arizona State University, which is in Tempe, where the Gin Blossoms originated. So of course, I got all excited and started talking about the band and all I got from her was a blank stare. No idea who they were. I was surprised at the time, but now that I think about it, why would she know the Gin Blossoms? She was probably 9 or 10 years old the last time they had a hit song on the radio.

Back in the mid-90s though, they had a good run with offerings like "Found out about you," "Hey jealousy," "Follow you down," "Until I fall away," and "Til I hear it from you." You'll notice that some of the song titles sound confusingly similar. Well, some of the songs themselves sound confusingly similar as well. My friend Tim said it's kind of like the Gin Blossoms found a certain chord that worked for them and then just kind of stuck with it.

I agree with that, so why is it that I bought three of their albums, still listen to them regularly, and go see them live whenever it's convenient? Maybe I just really like that one chord they play. Maybe it's because their lead singer, Robin Wilson, has a voice that I think most anyone would agree is pleasing to the ear. Maybe it's because their lyrics, while not earth-shattering or profound, are straightforward and easy to relate to ("You can trust me not to think — And not to sleep around — If you don't expect too much from me — You might not be let down").

Those are all valid reasons for my love of GB, but I think there's something more. I think it's partly because their music was the soundtrack of a simpler time in my life — when I was 15 or 16 and just discovering some of the wonderful things in the world, like girls and cars and independence. When I didn't worry about lay-offs and health insurance and gas prices ($0.89 per gallon back then, as I recall. I could put a half-tank in my Geo Prizm using just the spare change in the car). When terrorism was just something going on way over in the Middle East and, as far as I knew, I lived in a country that was the world's leader in economics, entertainment and social justice. When my dreams seemed more like inevitabilities and all the options I needed to shape my adulthood however I pleased seemed to stretch out in front of me. When I had four normal limbs and could run so fast that my hair blew back or catch a baseball with hardly a thought.

It's not that I'm fixated on that time on my life, or wish that I could go back forever. The things I've learned and experienced since then have given me a much richer perspective on life, a much greater appreciation for family and friends and a much stronger spirituality. I wouldn't go back to the mid-'90s for good. But sometimes it's nice to visit and the Gin Blossoms always help me do that.