"I Hate the 90's"[1] is a song by short-lived American alternative rock band, Rodney & the Tube Tops. The song was released as the band's debut single in 1997 on the indie label Sympathy for the Record Industry. As the band was more of a side project for members of Hole, Sonic Youth and White Flag, "I Hate the 90's" was the only release by the band.
| "I Hate the 90's" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Rodney & the Tube Tops | |
| B-side | "Tube Tops Forever"/"Cellphone Madness" |
| Released | 1997 |
| Recorded | 1996 Tarantula Ranch Hollywood, California, United States |
| Genre | Alternative rock |
| Length | 3:42 |
| Label | Sympathy for the Record Industry |
| Songwriter(s) | Eric Erlandson, Thurston Moore, Pat Fear Dave Markey, Rodney Bingenheimer, Cameron Jamie |
| Producer(s) | Cameron Jamie |
Recording
editThe song was recorded at Tarantula Ranch Hollywood, California at some point in 1996 along with the songs "Tube Tops Forever" and "Cellphone Madness," which were later featured as the single's b-sides. Visual artist and filmmaker Cameron Jamie, who co-wrote the song's lyrics with frontman Rodney Bingenheimer, produced, and Dave Travis engineered the recording session. A minute-long collection of clips from the recording session was released by drummer Dave Markey in 2008.[2]
Composition
edit
The song's lyrics, written by Bingenheimer and Jamie, primarily satirize aspects of alternative culture in the early 1990s and relates them to the former culture of punk rock. IGN Music stated that "I Hate the 90's" was a song "in which Bingenheimer extols his love of every thing before the '90s and judiciously uses his catch phrase 'Godhead.'"[3] The lyrics make a number of references to several celebrities including Marcia Brady from The Brady Bunch, Brian Wilson, Janis Joplin and Kate Moss, trends such as fashion, body piercings, tattoos, the Internet, recreational drug use and contemporary topics and events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, last-call return and the rise of BDSM. The final lyrics feature Bingenheimer shouting "get me to the year 2000 at once!"
Musically, "I Hate the 90's" follows a standard punk rock form. The intro consists of a rising drum beat, accompanied by bass, and FX'd guitar riffs and transcends in to a repeatative riff used throughout the verses of the song. The chorus uses barre chords and heavy use of cymbals and immediately climaxes and stops before the song's refrain "I hate the 90's!" The bridge is composed of alternative guitar tunings played in an experimental style, possibly written by Thurston Moore, as Sonic Youth are known for their use of alternate tunings.[4]
Release
editThe single was released the following year on Sympathy for the Record Industry.[5] The song was featured on Beloved Records compilation album, It's a Goof, released on August 18, 1998[6] and was also featured in the soundtrack to Rodney Bingenheimer's 2004 documentary, Mayor of the Sunset Strip.[7][8] Due to both the band and record label's underground status, the single failed to receive much attention.
Track listing
editAll lyrics by Rodney Bingenheimer and Cameron Jamie, all music by Eric Erlandson, Thurston Moore, Pat Fear and Dave Markey.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Hate the 90's" | 03:41 |
| 2. | "Tube Tops Forever" | 03:30 |
| 3. | "Cellphone Madness" | 02:49 |
| Total length: | 10:00 | |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format | Featured on |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | February 1997[9] | 7" vinyl | "I Hate the 90's" |
| August 18, 1998[6] | Compact disc | It's a Goof | |
| March 16, 2004[7][8] | Mayor of the Sunset Strip |
Personnel
edit- Musicians
- Rodney Bingenheimer - vocals
- Eric Erlandson - lead guitar
- Thurston Moore - rhythm guitar
- Pat Fear - bass
- Dave Markey - drums, percussion
- Technical personnel
- Cameron Jamie - producer, engineer
- Dave Travis - engineer, mixing (on "Tube Tops Forever")
- Chris Carter - mixing (on "I Hate the 90's")
- Dave Markey - mixing (on "Tube Tops Forever")
- Richard Bosworth - mixing (on "I Hate the 90's")
- Art personnel
- Tom Jamison - photography
References
edit- ^ "Rodney & The Tube Tops - I Hate The 90's (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ "Rodney & The Tube Tops "I Hate The 90's" recording session Video by david markey - MySpace Video". Dave Markey. January 15, 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-07-20. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ "Mayor of the Sunset Strip: Original Soundtrack To The Motion Picture - Music Review at IGN". IGN. March 26, 2004. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ "The Sonic Youth Gear Guide". Sonic Youth Illustrated Equipment Guide. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
- ^ "SFTRI Catalogue Page 24". Sympathy for the Record Industry. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ a b "It's a Goof - Various Artists | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ a b "Mayor of the Sunset Strip - Original Soundtrack - Various Artists | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ a b "Rodney Bingenheimer - Music". First Look Studios. February 2005. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Wolfgang Lugmayr. "Sonic Youth Discography: Rodney & The Tube Tops: Rodney & The Tube Tops". Sonic Youth Discography. Retrieved May 30, 2011.