“Rocking” the Lake: Rockabye Baby Meets Atticus

The men of blink-182 have created their fair share of side projects. Let’s see, there’s Famous Stars and Straps, Hi My Name Is Mark, Angels and Airwaves, +44, Macbeth, Boxcar Racer, Loserkids . . . I’m sure I’m missing a few. But my personal favorite is: If you’ve been a follower of all things blink (or were at least doing so from 1999–2004), it’s likely you’re familiar with Mark and Tom’s company Atticus Clothing — if for no other reason than Mark wearing an Atticus shirt throughout all of the early 2000s. Founded in 2001, Atticus was first dreamed up by Mark and Tom during a video shoot. Before running onstage for the cameras, they became hyperaware that they were wearing someone else’s clothes that represented someone else’s ideals and BOOM, the need for Atticus. Not only did Atticus encouraged kids to express their individuality, but it also gave bands a common entity to unify with. Cross-label and cross-genre, bands from Taking Back Sunday to H20, from The Starting Line to Glassjaw repped the “dead bird,” and by more than just sporting the brand on their sleeves . . . One of the best parts about Atticus (in my opinion) was their Dragging the Lake music compilations. I bought the first of three at Hot Topic in 2002. It introduced me to a slew of bands I’d heard of but hadn’t really listened to (I was still pre-illegal downloading at this point). To this day those three compilations are still getting spins in my car’s CD player. I will NOT give up my 2003 Chevy for a newer, cooler (safer) more high tech vehicle!- All of this Atticus talk got me thinking . . . what if Rockabye Baby did one of their own “Dragging the Lake” compilations? Firstly, we’d probably call it “Rocking the Lake” but just think! So, I compiled some of my favorite tracks from each Dragging the Lake comp and swirled them into a dream tracklist inspired by what I’d like to see Rockabye Baby produce in the future. (This list is dwindled down from 50 — it’s hard to pick when there are so many good tunes!)

1. Praise Chorus - Jimmy Eat World
2. Pride War - Further Seems Forever
3. E. Dagger - Lagwagon
4. You’re So Last Summer - Taking Back Sunday
5. Remedy - Hot Water Music
6. Walking On Glass - The Movielife
7. A Jackknife to a Swan - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
8. William Tell Overdrive - Jets to Brazil
9. 1000 Paper Cranes - Motion City Soundtrack
10. Part of Your Body Is Made out of Rock - Piebald
11. Greg’s Last Day - The Starting Line
12. A Box Full Of Sharp Objects - The Used
13. Vacant Skies - Sparta
14. Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over - blink-182
15. All We Want - H20
16. Grey Skies Turn Blue - MxPx
17. You’ll Never Guess Who Died - The Kinison
18. Post Script - Finch
19. Radio Cambodia - Glassjaw
20. Find Comfort in Yourself - Midtown
21. All Systems Go - Boxcar Racer
22. The New Year - Death Cab for Cutie
23. Living in America - The Sounds
24. Jaked on Green Beers - Alkaline Trio

There! Now THAT would be one hell of a double-disc compilation, don’t you think? I’d be curious to see how some of these might turn out since we haven’t ventured too far into this territory of music. Perhaps something for us to think about?

What do you think? More music like this??

We’ve at least got one coming out that we think you’ll like . . .

Lullaby Renditions of blink-182 arrives August 14