So Emo
It’s amazing what you can learn about someone once they’re gone (mostly because it’s the only chance you get to rifle through their stuff without fear of being discovered and beaten lifeless).
Recently, my dad was prematurely taken from us.
At first I was pretty sad about it, but then I took it as kind of a blessing. I mean, you won’t believe the stuff I learned about him by digging around in the crawlspace above his closet.
Did you know my dad was into Emo Rock? Me neither!
I always kind of just thought he was a dork with his thick black-rimmed glasses and tight polyester pants, but now I know he was way cooler than I ever imagined. I found this old reel-to-reel of a way-underground Emo song. I mean, I bet this was never even pressed into vinyl. It’s totally insane!
It starts out with just like an electric hum and a soft whispering, like some mumbling mixed with gentle sobs. Then there’s this low-frequency feedback that just keeps getting louder and louder. All the while the sobs become more and more pronounced until it’s like wailing, screaming, pure agony-type emo. There’s this rhythmic pounding that goes along, but it’s not like any bass drum I know, it’s wetter, fluid. And just as the tormented crying is about to climax, it goes silent. Then the singer, in a soft pleading voice, says one word … “no”. There’s a loud bang (he probably threw down the mic) and a thud (probably he passed out). It’s like … so emo.
Man! What I wouldn’t give to go back in time and tell off all those neighborhood kids who used to make fun of me. Who cares if my dad worked at the asylum? He was into Emo Rock, you bastards! He was cool!
I’d fucking take the reel-to-reel to all their houses and play it for them now, but I can’t. I have to obey my Dad’s last wish. I mean, he asked me specifically, while the police were dragging him away, to destroy all evidence.
He kind of went for “spray it” instead of “say it” when he hissed it at me, but I forgive him that. He was probably just ranting for the cops’ sake; you know, temporary insanity.
Now I kind of look up to him in his Emo Rock awesomeness, so I’ll do what he asked. I don’t really know what “the evidence” is, probably some fudged tax forms, so I’m just going to burn down the whole house.
After I burn this song onto my iPod, that is.
2 years ago