"Myage" by The Descendents

Before there was Green Day or Blink 182 there were The Descendents. Formed in Manhattan Beach California by two 15-year-old classmates and a 34-year-old neighbor, The Descendents are now considered pioneers of hardcore, and more specifically, melodic hardcore punk.

Milo Goes to College is their first full length album, released in 1982 on D. Boon and Mike Watt’s now defunct New Alliance Records. The title is a reference to lead singer Milo Aukerman’s decision to go to college, where he would start his journey to becoming a research scientist and a professor.  It’s one of my favorite albums and features the various songwriting perspectives from each member of the band and captures the longing, joy, angst and pain that adolescence can bring.

“Myage” is the lead track and one of my favorites on the album. It was written when drummer Bill Stevenson found a discarded bass in a trash can. It features Tony Lombardo’s fantastic playing and captures that youthful longing to be loved. Stevenson would go on to write not only my favorite songs from The Descendents, but also from his next band All (formed after Milo left to finish his graduate degree in biochemistry). He’s a brilliant drummer,  a solid producer and one of my favorite lyricists.   
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I adore this album, and while much of hardcore punk at that time seemed angry at being angry, this album was a sensitive, thoughtful take on that pain.