Sleater-Kinney Essentials

First, let me say that I turned 39 today!! 39. Ack. Sorta scarey, but it's my last birthday. It's all o.k., since I will never have another one. Keep that in mind: if you want to celebrate my birthday - celebrate this one, because I won't be having another. :)

Sleater-Kinney. What can I say? I used to say Elliott and Kathleen were my "favorite, all time, fall-down-and-die" bands. Over the years, though, I have to say it's become Sleater-Kinney. Although Elliott was surely an amazing musician - he played many, many instruments, played music for most of his life, and was a musician's musician really - I think S-K are the most fully realized of my favorite bands. It might be a tie between Elliott and S-K if he hadn't died early in his life. That fact, by definition, to me means he will never realize his full potential.

S-K did their work with such professionalism. It seems like they didn't make a wrong move. They made really solid albums. They got the mainstream recognition (Time Mag's Best Band Ever) that gives them cred to some people - brings them down to others...They were classy about everything they did. And, again, it's about the music - they made solid, solid records. Every. Single. Time. I have to admit, there are two that I don't ever listen to really, but I still recognize their quality.

Since this is my last installment of these filler posts about my fave bands...I will add this aside: It's very bizarre to me that I have met the lead singers of my top three music acts ever (yet, it makes me happy, don't get me wrong) - Elliott Smith, Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. I know. So weird, right? Another weird thing - they all have very strong Portland connections. It's not by design either. I liked them and knew them, regardless of this. They are all considered national acts and sold out venues all over the nation - the world really - but I happened to meet them all. I feel VERY, very lucky.

Although, if my favorite acts happened to have been Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, odds are I would have never met the leads...so, it helps that they were smaller/independents who happen to live here. :)

Song	Album
Good Things	Call The Doctor
I'm Not Waiting	Call The Doctor
Little Mouth	Call The Doctor
One More Hour	Dig Me Out
Turn It On	Dig Me Out
Dance Song '97	Dig Me Out
Don't Think You Wanna	Sleater-Kinney
Be Yr Mama	Sleater-Kinney
The Day I Went Away	Sleater-Kinney
One Song For You	The Hot Rock
Get Up	The Hot Rock
A Quarter To Three	The Hot Rock
Entertain	The Woods
Modern Girl	The Woods
You're No Rock N' Roll Fun	All Hands On The Bad One
Milkshake And Honey	All Hands On The Bad One
Step Aside	One Beat