Bad Copy

During my freshman year of high school my favorite band, Blink-182, broke up and shattered my little world into pieces. A year or so later, a band called Alkaline Trio came into my life and picked up those pieces. This band helped me through countless heartbreaks, moments of mourning, and shaped the very way I write, listen to, and play music.

As you know, the world is on lock down because of a shitty, deadly virus. It’s caused dozens of tours and festivals to be cancelled or postponed. Since Matt Skiba started playing with you-know-who, Alkaline Trio hasn’t been as active. This summer, they were scheduled to be going on tour with punk-rock legends Bad Religion, but that pesky Coronavirus had other plans.

I’ve been listening to Alkaline Trio’s entire discography (again) during this quarantine, and I’ve compiled a list of my Top 10 favorite Trio songs, because what else is there to do?! I’m sure that my list is going to change in a couple weeks, but here’s my favorites for now. Please feel free to share your personal favorites with me, and lemme know how I did. I hope you guys stay safe out there, and remember to wash your damn hands and stay the fuck inside, no matter how much it sucks. If you don’t take this thing seriously, then it’s goodbye forever.

1.) “Time To Waste” – Crimson (Vagrant Records)

The first time I saw the video for this song, my little mind was fucking blown. This song single handedly changed my life and is the reason I love this band so much. This song is also the intro to the record and it couldn’t have fit any better.

2.) “Message From Kathlene” – Goddamnit (Asian Man Records)

This is my favorite song on this record. One thing I’ve always loved about it is how fast and kinda sloppy it is. I also really love Glenn Porter’s drumming and this song is one of the reasons why.

3.) “Goodbye Forever” – Alkaline Trio (Asian Man Records)

I have this very vivid memory of trying to learn this song in our living room when I lived in Oceanside, CA. I was blaring it through our stereo, and probably doing a really terrible job of playing along to it, but dammit I tried because this song is so fucking good.

4.) “Do You Wanna Know?” – Agony & Irony (Epic Records)

I’ve gotten into a lot of debates with friends and my own girlfriend about this record versus This Addiction. I still say this record is better, and this song is one of my reasons why. One thing Dan [Andriano] is really great is writing catchy love songs with really vivid imagery. I also think some of their best writing is on this record, but I’ll save that for another time.

5.) “Trouble Breathing” – Goddamnit (Asian Man Records)

I always thought this should’ve been the closing song on this record, but second-to-last ain’t so bad. Also, with all of this COVID stuff going on, make sure to see your doctor if you experience your own trouble breathing.

6.) “Blue Carolina” – Good Mourning (Vagrant Records)

The first time I ever crowd-surfed, it was to this song at the Observatory in Santa Ana. After that show, I felt so different about the song when I’d listen to it. I would get taken back to that night and how much fun shows were before my back and legs couldn’t take it.

7.) “Kiss You To Death” – My Shame Is True (Epitaph Records)

This record is a special one to me because it came out after a shitty break-up and helped me through a lot. I lived in Escondido, CA for quite some time and rode a fixie everywhere before I had a license. I would get off work, smoke weed, and ride my bike into the night with this record blaring through my headphones. It’s kind of an underrated one, if you ask me.

8.) “Hating Every Minute” – Remains (Vagrant Records)

This song is underrated as hell. It’s one of my favorites off of this “record,” and it’s also one of my favorite Dan songs.

9.) “Throw Me To The Lions” – Is This Thing Cursed? (Epitaph Records)

This is some of their absolute best music. It was the perfect record to come back with after not releasing anything for five years. This entire record is so solid from front to back, and it makes me excited for what they still have in store for us.

10.) “You’ve Got So Far To Go” – Maybe I’ll Catch Fire (Asian Man Records)

Whenever this song comes on, I have to turn it the fuck up and restart it because the bass line in the intro sounds best that way. This song also has some of the best goddamn songwriting I’ve ever heard. If this list was in order, this would easily be a Top Three contender.