Quando si parla di musica rock, si pensa immediatamente ai suoi destinatari, ai suoi referenti, al suo pubblico: i giovani. Sin dalle origini (gli anni ‘50 di Chuck Berry e Buddy Holly), il rock si è sempre sobbarcato l’onere di esprimere lo stato d’animo della gioventù del proprio tempo, tra depressione, euforia, rabbia, apatia, fragilità, trasgressione, vitalismo e impulsi autodistruttivi. Di volta in volta, il rock ha messo a disposizione dei ragazzi di ogni generazione la sua versatile forma, adattandola a veicolare l’espressione di ogni sfumatura sentimentale ed esistenziale dell’universo giovanile. Se poi ci si focalizza sulla scena hardcore americana degli anni ‘80, ecco che si può parlare più specificamente non solo di giovani, ma di adolescenti. Sì, perchè la gran parte dei gruppi hardcore della vecchia guardia (operanti, in larga misura, nella California di inizio decennio) era composta da minorenni, da liceali, da “baccanetti”, capaci di sopperire alle carenze tecniche con un’espressività, una sincerità e un’ispirazione talora irripetibili.
E’ il caso dei Descendents che col loro primo LP, “Milo Goes To College” (1982), scrissero una delle pagine più intense della storia dell’hardcore. Meno potenti, ma più fantasiosi e più intimisti dei “cugini” Adolescents, i Descendents furono tra i creatori di quella forma di hardcore melodico, tipicamente West-Coast, che avrebbe trovato la sua massima espressione a fine decennio con l’esperienza dei Bad Religion e della loro Epitaph.
Come tanti capolavori, anche “Milo” si apre con una sorta di manifesto dello stile della band: “Myage”. L’irrefrenabile batteria del leader Bill Stevenson, tutta rullate e finezze; il basso elegante e funambolico di Tony Lombardo, vera anima musicale del gruppo, a reggere la melodia portante; la chitarra di Frank Navetta, libera di svariare; il canto di Milo Aukerman, capace di alternare il sarcasmo della strofa con la distensione “indie” del refrain: una ricetta assai matura rispetto all’hardcore del suo tempo, un amalgama sonoro capace di anticipare le forme più evolute del post-hardcore di qualche anno dopo (forse esagero, ma credo che certo grunge, certo indie-rock e persino certo emo-core debbano alcune delle loro soluzioni all’opera dei Descendents, dalle inflessioni melodiche al tono affranto, dalle ritmiche creative alla chitarra talora cacofonica).
Che si tratti di una band originale dal punto di vista compositivo, lo dimostrano brani brevi ma ricchi di trovate, come la filastrocca demenziale “I Wanna Be A Bear” e il fosco voodobilly “Tonyage”, entrambi detonati da progressioni a rotta di collo. Nessuno degli sperimentalismi contenuti in questo disco è fine a se stesso: ogni espediente è volto alla resa immediata di un’umore, di un sentimento. In “Suburban Home” sale di nuovo in cattedra il basso aggraziato di Lombardo, a trasformare il brano da uno sfogo impulsivo a una soave elegia.
Il vertice di rabbia e frustrazione è rappresentato da “Parents”: un plumbeo giro di basso in primo piano, una chitarra dissonante sullo sfondo, ad accompagnare il lamento roco, scorato e drammatico di Aukerman, che mentre urla disperato “I Am A Boy And Not A Toy!” rimanda alle future flagellazioni di un certo Kurt Cobain… La sferragliante “Statue of Liberty” attenua forse l’ansia e il dolore, ma accentua lo spleen e la depressione. Ma se i sentimenti “negativi” restano quelli dominanti nell’universo adolescenziale affrescato dai Descendents, non mancano i momenti più distesi: due solari power-pop come “Marriage” e “Bikeage”, giocati rispettivamente su registri burleschi e sentimentali, sono un vero e proprio antidoto al disagio, un invito a vivere la vita con entusiasmo. La seconda, in particolare, oltre ad essere uno dei vertici del disco, costituisce a mio avviso una grande lezione di stile: insegna a trattare tematiche legate alla sfera quotidiana, affettiva, privata, senza scadere nella melassa; a mettere a nudo il proprio cuore senza suonare patetici; ecco perchè “Bikeage” è una grande canzone d’Amore (nel senso più ampio del termine), con la quale i Descendents hanno mostrato come il genere apparentemente più brutale della storia del rock possa essere usato come mezzo per tinteggiare le pieghe piu’ nascoste dell’animo umano.
La tormentata “I’m not a loser”, l’ansiogena “I’m not a punk” e la sbrigativa “Kabuki Girl” sono altre amarognole poesie che preparano la strada al trittico finale, uno dei più emozionanti di sempre. Oltre alla citata “Bikeage”, troviamo il capolavoro “Hope”, a mio parere una delle più belle canzoni di tutti i tempi. Un’inno, un’incitazione, una cavalcata epica alla Bad Religion (anni prima di “No Control”), un canto alto contro le ingiustizie della vita, il disagio giovanile, lo sconforto esistenziale, il male di vivere, la condizione di sottomissione e umiliazione che i ragazzi più sensibili ed introversi si trovano a dover accettare per sopravvivere alla angherie dei bulli, delle troiette, dei fighetti, dei benpensanti, dei professori, degli istruttori, dei genitori, degli “Uomini delle Istituzioni”, della gente per bene, dei “bravi ragazzi”, dei nonnisti, della massa omologata, di tutti quegli adolescenti incapaci di prendere in mano la propria vita e dediti ai passatempi più futili e a rendere peggiore la vita delle altre persone. “Hope” è un invito a tenere duro, a coltivare accuratamente e ad attendere pazientemente il momento del riscatto: “But I Know/ My Day Will Come/ I Know Someday/ I’ll Be The Only One”.
L’accorata “Jean is Dead”, con quel ritornello proteso verso un avvenire migliore, con quel magone capace di trasformarsi in grido di speranza, in desiderio di rivalsa, chiude in maniera magistrale e toccante un disco assolutamente imperdibile.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Myage (02:00)
almost ready,
almost there
or is it already over?
she's a friend in need
she's a friend in deed
she needs someone to hold her
alone at night, she plans her game
correctly thinking that i'm in pain but every night it's always the same
she be a-fuckin' with my brain
'cause she don't need no one we all want to play your game
with you we know you're just a starter
but there's no reason for you to quit
just 'cause we try harder
i don't want to talk on the telephone
i don't want to see no pictures
she'll find out just what she needs and when she does
i'll get her she feels safe when she's with him
'cause he'll never try anything with her
well you know now girl,
just what you want are you going to let it scare you?
i knew it would she don't need no one and she don't need
02 I Wanna Be a Bear (00:44)
Got your jourdache jeans
Got your pretty long hair
Dinner and a movie powder your nose
Take their honey for lay
Just like pay
You're just a human being on this planet
You're just flesh and blood like all the rest
You'll get old and have a wrinkled ass
Humans are ses I want to be a bear
I want to shit in the woods
In my cave hunt my prey
Could be you, I want to have food
Burgers not berries
Ladies are women but women are ladies
Got a baited hook you are calling it
Your cherry
You want to settle down
And you want to get married
I don't want to smell your muff
03 I'm Not a Loser (01:30)
Think that I'm a loser
'Cause now my pants are too low
Think that I'm a slob
'Cause I got holes in my shoes
Think my cock is like
Just like my dirty shirt
Well you can fuck off!
'Cause I'm working sixty a week
You think that life is really tough
When your daddy won't buy you a brand new car
Take a girl out, she won't fuck you
You just bought her a gram of coke
Spend all your money on shitty drugs...
I'm not a loser!
That's right!
I'm not a loser!
I'm not a loser!
Cruise down the boulevard wasting Mommy's gas
While you're looking for some kicks on Friday night
Your only goal in life is to smoke a joint
And decide how you're gonna get laid tonight
You are a fucking son-of-a-bitch
You arrogant assholes
Your pants are too tight
You fucking homos
You suck, Mr. Buttfuck
You don't belong here
No way, you fucking gay
I'm not a loser!
04 Parents (01:40)
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
they treat me like a tool
they take me for a fool
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
oh they're so fucking dim
they look into the past
for future reference
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
they don't even know i'm a boy
they treat me like a toy
but little do they know
that one day i'll explode
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i'll destroy
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i will destroy
parents
parents
parents
they don't even know i'm a boy
they treat me like a toy
but little do they know
that one day i'll explode
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i'll destroy
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i will destroy
parents
parents
parents
parents.
06 M-16 (00:45)
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
i'm not going to live your american dream!
"army life is right for me
kill to save democracy
got a rebel in my sights money's worth more than his life.
so kill. . .it's fun! shoot him you're better than him
shoot him in the eye shoot him it gives you as thrill
just like as a kid only now it's for real
08 Catalina (01:48)
I'm a mess, I don't care
I'm tired of sitting at my desk
You can't bother me
Yeah, I'm far away from you, ha
Got to get away
You can't ruin my day
Can't tell me
What to do
Can't make me
Think I love you
Shoot it in your arm
You can't hurt me
I'm on my way
To Catalina
I'm not gonna read your books
My tank's full of squid
And it's getting light
And you whores, you can't make me want
I got all the fish I need
On the deck of my boat
And you can't take my heart when I'm here
long swim home
For your cute little arms
I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Turn on my Beatles tape
And get you out of my head
Ah yes, here I am, far away from everyone, ha
Yeah, the only fish I smell
Is on the deck of my boat
I really want to go but my motor's broken
There's no scotch tape, I'm out of gas,
It looks like I'm stuck here
Shit.
It looks like I'm stuck here!!!
I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Turn on my Doors tape
And get you out of my head
Get you out of my head.
Head!
09 Suburban Home (01:42)
I want to be stereotyped, I want to be classified.
I want to be stereotyped
I want to be classified
I want to be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
I want to be a masochist, yah
I want to be a statistic
I want a be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
I don't want no hippie pad
I want a house just like mom and dad
I want to be stereotyped,
I want to be classified
I want to be masochistic,
I want to be a statistic
I want to be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
10 Statue of Liberty (02:01)
well the people walk all around the thing on an island
very far from here
they pay it homage like a god a
nd they paint it on each and every year
a sign for all it was given to us
and we all appreciate this bomb
the toursits don't know and never will
it has no use
it's meaning is gone the statue of liberty
and for united we stand we all agree it's a mystery
but why'd they give it to us?
we still don't know just why it came a present from god
or by the rain
the crowds swarm wildly to see it's peak
when i watch i go insane
why is it so important to them
what is the beauty they see in it
i don't know why i just accept it i don't want it cause it makes me sick
12 Marriage (01:41)
Do you know what I think about you?
Do you know what I feel is true?
Do you know what I think about her?
I know what she thinks about me, I'm sure
I Don't know why it's so, but it's true.
I Don't know why it's so, but it's true.
So you know what I think about you
But do you know what you want me to do?
When you see me staring at you
Do you know what I want you to do?
I don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
I don't want to have sex with you
I want to be your friend
I want to be with you
I want you to marry me
Now you know what I think about you
You know that my speed is you
I know I want you to be my wife
And be with me the rest of your life
Do you know
do you know
do you know
do you know
do you know what I think about you
13 Hope (02:01)
why can't you see you torture me? you're already thinking 'bout
someone else,
when he comes home you'll be in his arms and i'll be gone, but i know
my day will come, i know some day i'll be the only one
so now you wait for his spark, you know it'll turn you on,
he's gonna make you feel the way you wanna feel,
when he starts to lie, when it makes you cry, you know i'll be there,
my day will come, i know some day i'll be the only one
call me selfish, call me what you like, i think it's right to want someone
for all your own and not to share her love, cuz i'll have my way, you
won't have a say anyway, cuz i got you, you don't stand a chance
so now you wait for his cock, you know it'll turn you on,
he's gonna make you feel the way you wanna feel, when he starts to lie,
when it makes you cry, you know i'll be there, my day will come, i know
some day i'll be the only one....my day will come, i know some day i'll
be the only one
so now you want perfection, i see your self-destruction, you don't know
what you want, it's gonna take you years to find out,
i'm not giving up, and when you've had enough you'll take your bruised
little head and you'll come running back to me you know that i'm gonna
be the only one
14 Bikeage (02:15)
Running out of time again
Where did you go wrong this time?
When your problems overwhelm you
Go get drunk it's party time
Take a quaalude, relax your mind
Relax you body tool
Run from problems but
You'll never get away
No one love you, and you
wonder why?
Sitting there with your
Mouth full of beer
Your eyes are glazed, your face is red
Who's gonna pick you up
and use you for tonight?
And when you're on the streets
With a needle in your arm
Selling your body for another fix
Who's gonna pick you up and take
You home with them tonight? Not me!
Running out of breath again you're an
Old maid, but you're only fifteen
You're losing you little girl's charm
Cry all night but you'll never get it back
Dont be afraid, it's not too late
Save yourself, I need you here
Wearing off, wearing out
I can't think about this cause it
makes me sick
15 Jean Is Dead (01:32)
Wake up early, mad at you
Got to school but where are you?
I should have known
But now you're gone
And I'm alone
Your mother told me
Last night on the phone
Now you're gone
Now I'm alone
I would have helped you
I would have done anything
I would have taken you with me
Or bought you a ring, but
Now you're gone and, I'm alone!
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Altre recensioni
Di MinorThreat
L’elemento che i Nostri... aggiungono alle tipiche sonorità HC è quasi la loro antitesi: la melodia.
La meravigliosa “Catalina”, enfasi punk legata a doppio filo ad un’irruenza che si potrebbe definire ancora 'oltre', oltre i confini del genere.
Di Taurus
«Nessun filler, tutti gli episodi... hanno quel qualcosa che ti cattura e seduce.»
«'Hope' è una gemma di inconmensurabile valore, un vero e proprio anthem storico.»
Occulto Supersovrano
19 lug 06vss
19 lug 06superba, fra l'altro...
Festwca
19 lug 06ginopino
19 lug 06DanteCruciani
19 lug 06sfascia carrozze
20 lug 06Sanjuro
20 lug 06leonid
20 lug 06leonid
20 lug 06Wanderer
20 lug 06pretazzo
20 lug 06RegularJoan
21 lug 06Sanjuro
21 lug 06Sanjuro
21 lug 06pretazzo
22 lug 06pretazzo
22 lug 06pretazzo
22 lug 06pretazzo
22 lug 06Sanjuro
22 lug 06pretazzo
24 lug 06RegularJoan
24 lug 06Sanjuro
24 lug 06Festwca
30 lug 06Festwca
30 lug 06the x factor
9 set 06pretazzo
9 set 06Anonimo
25 ott 06pretazzo
25 ott 06punkISdead
18 dic 06gae
11 gen 08monte83
18 set 10Drikyz
3 dic 10