Blast from the Past?

POP QUIZ: What do Butch Walker, A. Jay Popoff, and Mitch Allan all have in common?

HINT: Butch Walker was the singer/songwriter for Marvelous 3, A. Jay Popoff was in the band Lit, and Mitch Allan was the singer and guitarist for SR-71.

THE ANSWER: Yes, some may consider them part of many one-hit wonders from the late 90s and early 00s (is there a word for the double-zero decade?). Maybe you remeber the songs "Freak of the Week," "My Own Worst Enemy," and "Right Now." Well, this is kinda true but they had a few other songs with marginal success.

Here's another confession: I like music. I have no musical talent whatsoever, but I enjoy listening to music with whatever I'm doing. I generally like anything with guitars and drums (sans country) but am guilty of listening to some of those uber-pop songs and for the life of me can't get some of them out of my head. (Stop playing all things Rhianna!!!) I like alternative rock but had the punk, ska, grunge and heavier phases and will still treat myself to the occasional Edna's Goldfish. These days I usually stream Alternative Addiction Radio.

I wouldn't call myself a music snob and have never openly said that my music is better than your music (although it just may be). I will call you out if you hear a song on the radio and proclaim it to be the next big thing especially when the song is 10 years old and the band has long broken up. I check out some of the "fad bands" but they are just that--fads. Sorry Mute Math but you have about one album left at best.

But I digress...Those guys represented the music I listened to back in the day. I was never an uber-fan of any of them and have never seen them live. HOWEVER, it is with great pleasure that I report that they are all back. Eventually I will get a copy of Butch Walker's solo release (which from what I've heard so far is pretty good) and I definitely recommend checking out Mitch Allan's solo single "Superman" because it's so different from the rest of SR-71 stuff.

Butch and Mitch (we're on a first name basis now) have also done songwriting and production for some big names that I'm sure you've heard of. Butch Walker has written and/or produced for the likes of Avril Lavigne, Pink, Pete Yorn and Lindsay Lohan (you didn't actually think she can write anything beyond her name on checks, did you?). Mitch Allan has written for Faith Hill, The Jonas Brothers (mentioning them in my blog will cost me a man card), and most famously wrote "1985" for Bowling for Soup.