#1 The Downtown Blues

Listen. Music is a big deal to me. Which, I know sounds like some pretentious thing to say but it shouldn’t be. I believe it was the great poet … Just kidding. But don’t tempt me. I will rant.

I was always interested in music.I tried to listen to different types of music, and like any kid, I didn't have a choice at times. In my dad’s car, there were days when it was clear; he owned the car so he picked the music. At the time, I thought this was stupid, but now his tastes and mine have somewhat aligned. 

I would say don’t tell him but he already knows because of my random calls to discuss Arctic Monkeys and convincing him to go with me to Liverpool when he visited me abroad. I think he probably regretted it when I kept quoting Beatles interviews from the 60s, but that’s what comes with having a daughter who is in the top .05% of Beatles listeners on Spotify.* My brother may try to use it as an insult, but I know it just means I have taste.  

I, of course, had my phases when it came to what music I was into, and ultimately the best stuff is what stuck. 

There wasn’t a local record store or anything downtown where I’m from. The closest thing to it now would be Urban Outfitters… far from a local shop or a Rough Trade. The downtown I grew up in is different from the one that is there now. What is now a downtown filled with all luxury goods or expensive clothing, was then, only somewhat filled with expensive stores with luxury goods. But back then, when I was in elementary school and middle school, downtown had one store that I could afford, and it was pretty much the store. Claire's. The Claire's where they pierce your ears (which was a pivotal childhood memory for so many and especially for me because they messed mine up. But we won’t get into that right now).

Claires was THE place to go. They had the stuff that was edgy and cool that I wanted but would never dare get. We are talking about the real edgy stuff here. Studded Belts. Fingerless Gloves. Wow, a young Julia thought it was super cool. 

Now some people say that you should never have regrets in life. That’s nice but I just don’t know if I agree. I think that’s pretty impossible. I know I have had so many stupid regrets. When I was 12 I had a moment that still bothers me and it is such a stupid regret. I've yet to forget that day of regret (and no I'm not going to begin a rhyming monologue about it).

What was cool, especially in middle school, was going downtown with your friends, despite not buying anything. I’m sure all the stores were thrilled. In 2013, it was what you did. My friend and I were downtown. We had just gotten some Starbucks frappuccinos. I decided to post a photo of our Starbucks with the background in black and white while the drinks were in color. I was clearly feeling artsy. We went into Claire's, joked around, and browsed. We were the only ones in the store except for the employee, some guy, and what looked like his daughter. At a certain point, my friend and I got on the line to buy whatever little thing we were getting, and we were behind the other two. They finished their purchase and I remember them smiling back at us when we overlapped. But as soon as they left. Like as soon as that door closed, the person at the register squealed. “OH MY GOD DID YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?” To which we said no. And she said “Oh My God. That was Dave Grohl.” 

Honestly, the name was familiar but I didn’t really know who he was. My dad, of course, told me Dave (because let’s pretend we are on that first-name basis) was from the Foo Fighters and I was like ok dad that's like your music. It was the follow-up that he was the drummer in Nirvana…. that I knew I fucked up. Bad. My Nirvana phase came and I still like Nirvana, but I will admit that watching live performances of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and knowing that the drummer headbanging as if his life depends on it was the dad from the Claire's that day, is pretty rock 'n' roll to me.

If you somehow know Dave Grohl and want to put in a word for me, that would be amazing because I'd love to have one less regret. 

*as of Spotify wrapped 2022