Who Was Your First?

Don't get your panties in a twist, I'm not asking about *that* first!  Who was your first favorite band/singer?  What was your first favorite song?  Do you remember?  I listened to a lot of music with my mom in the late 80s/early 90s.  I liked my mom's music a lot when I was little, and a lot of it I still really love (take Madonna, for example.  Loved her music back then, but not her new stuff).  It wasn't until I was 10 when I really found my own favorite band.



I was in 5th grade, it was 1995, and it was a great year!  Gas was $1.09 per gallon.  Toy Story made its debut as the first entirely computer generated movie.  The New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup (have I mentioned I'm a Jersey girl?).  What did I care about gas prices in 5th grade?  Or even hockey, for that matter, except that "we" won?  What was the best thing I remember about 1995?  No Doubt released Tragic Kingdom.  You know the songs!  At least you've heard Don't Speak or Just a Girl.  They quickly became my favorite band.  My very first!

I never "grew out" of Tragic Kingdom.  If anything, I appreciated it more as I got older (Sixteen, anyone?).  And I still count Tragic Kingdom among my top favorite albums, still have a copy of it floating around here somewhere, even though I've had to replace it several times.  From Tragic Kingdom to Rock Steady, I've been a rock steady fan (and have discovered their earlier stuff, of course).  The only disappointment I have as such a longtime fan is that I've never been to a concert.  It makes me sad, actually.  I've never been to any concert, and there's no one I'd want to see more than No Doubt (although I'd like to see quite a few people/bands).

When No Doubt broke up took a hiatus I of course followed Gwen's solo career.  Her oldest son, Kingston, and my Matthew are only a few weeks apart in age.  Yeah, I kinda fantasized about them meeting and becoming best friends (and Matt growing up to marry Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, but whatever).  But I was also still loving the music!  Hollaback Girl?  Hell yeah, that sh*t is bananas!

Unlike my love for old-school Madonna, Eric joins me in being a huge No Doubt/ Gwen Stefani fan.  I don't think anything prepared my husband, though, for my reaction when I finally heard No Doubt's first new song back together.  There was a lot of screaming and jumping up and down.  It just felt SO GOOD to hear them all together!  I now have Push and Shove added to my collection and I'm thrilled with it.  So.. even though I've only played the album through less than 10 times and I might change my mind, here's my favorite song from the album.  Celebrate 17 years of fandom with me!  And tell me... who was YOUR first?