the day the sun went out

I just read online that after 10 years, Boy Sets Fire is calling it quits. I was on their site to check out upcoming tour dates, as I'd love to see them live again. Not going to happen.

This band breaking up is especially sad for me. I've liked them since 1998 - three years into college. Their album at the time was 'The Day The Sun Went Out'. I'd never really been exposed to hardcore music, so it took a while to get into it, but one day it just clicked. I remember driving back to St. Louis one weekend in the summer in my car without AC, listening to this album at full blast. I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, but there's something that happens when a great song is played at just the right volume - it just seems to mesh with your entire body, as though you can feel every note deep in the pit of your stomach. It doesn't matter if the singer is singing or screaming, or how heavy the music is, or how loud the drums are - it's a beautiful thing. I think many people don't understand that this is possible with loud, heavy, screamy music, but somehow when it happens with this music, it's even more awesome.

Anyway, this band opened lots of doors for me. They were my first foray into the world of underground music. That's the reason I decided to get a tattoo of one of their album covers. I knew, even if their music changed and I didn't like it anymore, that I'd always remember those first couple of years, and the influence they had on my life. I hadn't heard music that had such a great message, lyrics that tackled the issues of the day and weren't afraid to cause a stir. I loved getting one of their last albums and seeing a disclaimer on the packaging that the record company didn't necessarily agree with the views presented in the album.

I credit Boy Sets Fire with opening my eyes and making me care about the world around me. It's hard to find bands that play good music and write lyrics that have a purpose; that try and open people's eyes to what is happening in the world. Though they're not my favorite band in the world, they do resonate strongly with me, and I knew every new album that came out would be good. They're easy; listening to them is like putting on your favorite pair of shoes. So it sucks that there won't be any new albums. Now I have to find a band to fill their place, and it's going to be very difficult.