1990's Music Videos

Remember when MTV actually played music videos? My mom never wanted us to watch because she said it was "a waste of time," but I was undeterred. Below, I've collected my favorite time wasters from the 1990s. Why the 90's? Anyone who knows me knows that I consistently enjoy two types of music: 80's new wave/pop and 1990s alternarock. I was too young to appreciate 80's videos at the time, but as a tween/teen in the 90's, my impressionable brain readily sucked the stuff up. The following videos changed my concept of cool:  

1)  1992 "Runaway Train" Soul Asylum: One of my earliest 90's music video memories. I remember it was the sadest thing I'd ever seen.

2) 1995 "The World I Know" Collective Soul: Ants! People! They're like ants! People=Ants!

3) 1996 "Lovefool" The Cardigans: A song from a soundtrack that I listened to daily. Every young girl in my generation was obsessed with Romeo+Juliet. Notice I put the plus sign in the title, for authenticity. 

4) 1998 "The Way" Fastball: Colors were more vivid in the 90's.

5) 1994 "Lightning Crashes" Live:

6) 1992 "What's Up" 4 Non Blondes: Oh the goggle hat. It's the goggle hat more than anything else.

7) 1991 "Losing my Religion" REM: Classic for sure.

8) 1994 "Violet" Hole: About as hardcore as I got.

9) 1996 "Popular" Nada Surf: This video made me afraid to start high school.

10) 1995 "1979" Smashing Pumpkins: The coolest effing video ever made. Ever. Made. Ever. Also, I got the kid in this video mixed up with Joseph Gordon-Levitt for years. (FYI, the actor's name is Giuseppe Andrews. He was also in the Pumpkin's video for "Perfect," and a little blockbuster called Independence Day pshh).

BONUS: 1993 "Soul to Squeeze" Red Hot Chili Peppers: I don't actually remember this video from my youth, but I think it was a cool one that didn't get over played. Plus, just about every Red Hot Chili Peppers video that I do remember from this era left a lasting impression on me. Like how "Give it Away" introduced me to crotches.

Image Credit (top image): By MTV [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons

10 Totally Obvious Observations About LA

1. The traffic really is that bad. Sometimes traffic can triple your commute time, and that's not when it's raining.
2. The Mexican food really is that good. Actual overheard hot tip "Yeah, that place is pretty good, but the best burritos are at the car wash taqueria." Car. Wash.
3. Everyone really does have their fingers in the entertainment industry. I've never been surrounded by so many creative folks. Everyone that I have met (both through acting related stuff and not) is involved in this industry. It's an awesome environment to be in.
4. Nobody works a regular job. Every time I used to drive around SF during a work day, I wondered how it was that so many people didn't work during the day. That population has exploded here and it's not so strange to me anymore. I have become a replicant.
5. Nobody wants to rent to someone without a regular job. This is my own personal gripe. I swear I'm a responsible person landlords!
6. There are potholes everywhere. Come on LA, clean up your pockmarked face. You're ruining my suspension.
7. Everyone is in a hurry. How else do you explain the honking and, my own pet peeve, the death of the turning signal. Since when did we become rushed and lazy? Ack! So selfish!
8. The city is not overrun with too tanned, blonde, large breasted women. It's a common misconception. It's overrun with hipsters. They're everywhere and they're breeding.
9. People are a lot nicer than you'd think. I've met a lot of new people recently, and I'd wager that I enjoyed the company of 90% of them. What about the other 10%? They're some of the biggest pricks I've ever met. Eh, maybe it balances out.
10. Celebrities, they're just like US! At least that's what I've gathered from observing them in their natural habitat. I haven't been able to look any of them in the eye yet, but I'm working on it.

Image Credit: Ron Reiring (kla4067 on Flickr) CC 2.0