Rocktober 20: Stop Breaking Down – The White Stripes

Quick check in before bed tonight to keep The 31 Days of Rocktober rolling after a long family day and some much needed time away from the computer. Lucky for me my friend J.T. submitted a pick. We met almost four years ago through mutual day care for our boys, and last night was the first night we and our wives ever went out to a proper dinner and drinks without the kids. Over a handful of cocktails we talked a lot about work, family life, and pop culture obsession, and I asked him to submit a song pick for Rocktober. Here’s his response via text this morning:

After this morning (ouch) my Rocktober pick is Stop Breaking Down by The White Stripes. Why? Because even driving my kid to swim lesson early Saturday morning in a Subaru Outback, this song reconnects me with the arrogance of youth. The guitar riffs and drums transport me to a time in life when there is never any doubt that I am relevant. That everyone else can go fuck themselves if they don’t get it. That this is my house and you are all just here at my sufferance. And that is what any good rock tune should do: transport you somewhere. If you are lucky, it may transport you to a place you had forgotten.

Truly inspirational J.T. and not just because of your usage of the word sufferance. Cheers to you and your ace Rocktober pick. Your words transported me indeed…

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Links:
– Stop Breaking Down – The White Stripes

– Also, last Rocktober, I wrote about The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army