[Thor Joachim Haga]

I’ve heard about Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and The Pixies by name. But other than having maybe heard a song or two by them on the radio, or somewhere else in passing, I’m largely unfamiliar with their work. I just tuned all of that out COMPLETELY. But I’ve become more open to re-appraising them now that I’m old.

First six years of the 90s, I was in school. 1990/1991 was a particularly big explosion for me when it came to my musical taste, basically everything was formed then. My passion for film music, progressive rock, electronic music etc. So I sought out these old albums from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, or NEW albums released in the 90s by the old artists (e.g. Pink Floyd’s THE DIVISION BELL, Supertramp’s SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE, The Alan Parsons Project’s TRY ANYTHING ONCE etc.). That was it as far as “new” music is concerned. Of course, you’re in school, so you’re somewhat aware of what’s happening in popular music, and what your classmates are into, but just in the side vision – grunge, indie, hip hop what-have-you. I was aware of it, but largely hated it and ignored it.

Last four years of the 90s, I moved away from home, and was in even more of a “bubble”. Didn’t really have traditional classmates then, at uni. And from 2000 onwards, basically the last 26 years, I know practically nothing. Unless you’re big-time superstars like Beyoncé or Ed Sheeran, I’m blissfully unaware of what’s happening on the popular music scene. Again, maybe I catch a name in my side vision, but I don’t dwell on it. Most of the new albums I listen to are by those artists who had their big break 4-5 decades ago.

That’s what happened with me and those bands you mention in the 90s.