Hybrid Moments

I popped some frozen pizza rolls in the air fryer for my 9-year-old this afternoon after mowing the lawn. I was a little late making his lunch, but it’s pizza rolls – they won’t ruin his appetite for dinner. I also cut up some fresh pineapple and was we both sat there in silence with forks, devouring a delicious snack.

To my surprise, my son speaks up and says “Alexa, play ‘Hybrid Moments’ by The Misfits”

It was one of those interesting dad moments where if I were a hardcore Punk Rock/Post Punk fan it might even be considered a proud dad moment. But, I’ve never seen myself as a punk rock fan, I’m not even 100 percent sure I can tell the difference between Punk and Post Punk.

I mean, when I think of Punk, I think Ramones or The Clash. When I think of Post Punk, I think of The Psychedelic Furs and Joy Division. Considering that Post Punk is everything similar after the 1970s, much of the music my generation calls Punk is probably Post Punk…that whole thing seems a little confusing if I were being honest. But, I’m 46 years old with a 9 year old who just requested a Misfits song on Alexa.

How does this happen? I mean…I AM a Misfits fan, more of a closeted fan, but I am. Same goes for Type O Negative. Guess I have an affinity for the goth metal, horror punk even if you would never guess by looking at me. Nor do I play it in the car if we’re going to Little League or Walmart. It’s something I listen to occasionally while cleaning the house or tackling some project where tempo is my friend. Which is why I don’t listen to it in the car because I’d probably end up with a speeding ticket.

These aren’t things that Punk Rock fans think about, is it? Are we there now? Are we getting old and turning into soccer moms and dads and people who eat freshly cut pineapple with our late in life offspring? I’m not upset over it. But, it did get me thinking about where we are, where I am in life right now. And, how in the hell does my kid know a song that is 36 years old, and has lyrics like ‘rape your face’?

(which I believe is just a nod to the 1979 science fiction horror film, ‘Alien’.)

It was an interesting moment for me, and so I had to ask “Where did you learn about The Misfits? Surely, you haven’t picked that up from me, have you? He replies with “It’s in one of my games, Dad.”

It’s in one of his games.

I think that might be a whole different blog post entirely. Because that is not the first time I’ve heard something like that or realized that artists license music to video game companies, and some release certain singles exclusively for newly released games. Like I said, that seems like content worthy of a whole separate post of its own and might warrant a little research.

I guess I’m glad that happened because we went on to listen to a whole playlist of songs and just hung out at the kitchen table jamming out, eating pineapple and pizza rolls (don’t say it) and just glancing back at each other nodding our heads and with the same enthusiasm and vibe. (Alexa, volume up.)

No other words were necessary.