the countdown was real (and final)

i mentioned "the 8 year old mike balzer favorite rock group countdown" breifly in this post earlier today, and i thought i needed to clarify something.

that countdown was real. seriously.

once a week, i would poll myself on who my favorite rock group was, and would sometimes update my sister if there was a change (of which there were perhaps two). the best part is, the countdown started at 4, and the same 4 groups populated the countdown until i stopped running it in late 1986. the countdown always, always, always looked like this:

#1. Bon Jovi

#2. Stryper

#3. Poison (or Europe)

#4. Europe (or Poison)


if you think this is bad, you should see my "supertape" collection from the early 90's. (supertape is a term coined by republican pittsburgh school board hopeful and childhood bff tom "chugger" baker, and would consist of whatever hot r&b hits were on hot 106 WAMO at the time). not at all sadly, most of these tapes were lost in the great r&b-alternative-indie transmogrification that took place in 1993. i do make the solemn promise that should i ever come across a supertape, i will catalogue and document it here for all to see. it's like coming from a musical ghetto- against all odds, i discovered a taste for good music. so i wear this musical childhood like a badge- like a shameful, embarrassing badge.