Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank

Say it ain’t so. BNL (that’s Barenaked Ladies Band) defined the late 90s (and maybe even the first year or so of the new millennium) for me. That was way back when I bought CDs instead of downloading to my iPod. That was back when I rocked out in my dad’s 89 Accord. That was back when my cell phone was the size of my foot and had to be positioned to the sun and moon in order to get service.

I can think of every one of their songs defining my drama-filled moments of angst that filled my late teenage years. You know, those moments that when you grow up, you realize don’t matter the slightest? Lame, maybe, but I loved them. The band and those moments.

This is why I was so sad to hear that the lead singer, Steven Page, is faced with cocaine charges. I loved them for their music, their quirkiness, and because they just seemed like those cool, yet geeky guys you would hang out with in college. Those guys aren’t supposed to use cocaine. That’s reserved for Aerosmith, Metallica, whoever. But BNL? Oh, woe.

Steve, good luck. I hope you don’t get the 15 years you’re facing. But if you do, it’s your own fault. And I wouldn’t bail you out. Not even if I had a million dollars.