No, that's not what I meant

So, we're running errands today at the local mall. I see a girl, maybe 16yo, with her mom. The girl's wearing a Nirvana t-shirt -- similar to the photo I've posted here, but with one of the guys (maybe Kurt; I don't remember) holding a flower. The caption says something cryptic about flowers.

Being a quasi-musician... from Seattle... and having once worked at a place that sold band t-shirts... I was curious about the phrase. It didn't ring any bells as one of their song lyrics; maybe they have a new album out: B-sides and studio outtakes that Courtney's releasing?

So, I went over and asked the girl, "Sorry, but -- what does that phrase on the bottom of your t-shirt mean? Is it some new song or album of theirs that's been released?"

"Oh, it's the name of a band. 'Nirvana' is a band."

(A pause, while I re-orient myself.) "Um, yeah -- I know that. That's **my** generation..." (Mom looks bemused; she's probably about my age.) "What I meant was: What does the phrase at the bottom mean? Do they have a new song or album out?"

"Um, I don't know", the girl says. "I just liked the t-shirt."

Ah.


I guess folks who were teens in the '70s probably feel the same way about kids wearing artificially ''aged'' Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin T's -- they don't care about the band, they just want a '70s ''period'' look.

So, I must be at that age: the bands of my youth now have ''retro chic''.

Sigh.


--GG


(P.S. Minor trivia: When I was in my first band [playing bass], with my cousin [on guitar], and my roommate [drums], the age-ordering by instrument, and the relative age gap, was identical to Nirvana's: bassist was the oldest; then guitar; then drums.

Also: It drives me nutty when I see these band ads that specify "18-26" for the applicants. Dave Grohl (formerly Nirvana; now Foo Fighters) is my age. Are these folks saying they'd turn down Dave Grohl if he applied for the gig???)