Rock ‘n’ Roll High School 82: Stone Temple Pilots and Angsty Teenage Feels

Rebecca Grace Allen joins us for RNRHS today with the finest in 90s grunge–Stone Temple Pilots, anyone?–with a little Dave Matthews Band thrown in there for wholesome good measure. I’ve had RNRHS guests who went back as far as the 1960s with their musical memories, but despite generational differences, one theme remains a constant–teenage angst and rebellion. I suppose that’s what youth is for…testing boundaries and pushing the limits. Right? Although, I still find myself doing this. Does that mean I have a problem with authority? Probably a question for my parole officer, huh? (Kidding! Sheesh.) In Rebecca Grace’s debut, The Duality Principle, her heroine, a PhD candidate, is exercising some naughty rebellion of her own with a bad boy hiding in a crisply tailored shirt. Can’t wait to dig into this book! The Duality Principle is out now–get your copy today! Right after you read this post, of course.

Rebecca Grace Allen

Class of ’96, Currently: Writer of contemporary erotic romance. Caffeine addict, gym rat, fur-mommy.

Band and/or song that reminds you the most of high school: It’s a tie between anything by Stone Temple Pilots and “Ants Marching” by Dave Matthews Band. DMB was popular my senior year, and I will always remember rocking out to it with my fellow activities geeks (yes, I was one, as well as a drama geek, and I’m damn proud of it!). But STP really gets those angsty teenage feels going. There was something so raw about their sound, something rough and gritty especially off their Purple and Core albums that I loved in my grunge days.

Favorite piece of music memorabilia (poster, t-shirt, etc.) in high school: I actually didn’t have a whole lot of memorabilia because going to the occasional concert was expensive enough, but I did wear the grunge uniform in high school, and my favorite item was my purple Doc Martens. I still can’t believe I gave those away! *cries*

Band that you hated that everyone else at school seemed to love: I couldn’t get into the early forms of rap and hip hop. I’d be cringing the whole way through songs like “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “O.P.P.”. I just couldn’t say the word “homey.” Ever.

Best show or concert you saw in high school: Actually, it wasn’t even a concert with a real band. A bunch of guys I knew formed group they called Ntrope, and I went out to see them one night at a local club. It was the first time I was allowed to be driven anywhere by a friend who had a license, and they played The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” in all three sets. I head-banged until I threw my neck out. I was fifteen, and it was that first night of real teenage freedom and fun (even though I made sure to make curfew).

Best high school make-out song: “Truly Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden if I wanted sweet, but the song that really turned my crank would’ve been STP’s “Sex Type Thing.” I never was a sweet girl. 😉

Rebecca Grace Allen’s debut, The Duality Principle, is out now from Samhain. Be sure to pick it up! You can learn more at rebeccagraceallen.com.