Nostalgia overload
Glastonbury, Kerrang!, and the return of the "tramp stamp"
Over the last month or so, I've experienced a barrage of nostalgia, with pangs reaching as far back as my sixth-form days. This wave of memories was triggered by Glastonbury, Kerrang! going off the air, my wedding anniversary, and an article about Gen Z bringing back the tramp stamp. So, buckle up for a trip down memory lane…
The soundtrack of my youth
I've always had an eclectic taste in music. My coming-of-age years in the early 2000s were dominated by pop-punk: Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy, and Blink 182. As I explained to friends recently, I was "emo without the fringe" – picture ridiculously wide-bottom jeans, sodden at the hems, paired with studded belts. But my playlist wasn't limited to angsty tunes; Shania Twain had her place too.
As years passed, I found myself bouncing between the Indie room (Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys) and the R&B room (LL Cool J and Snoop Dogg) at The Leadmill during university. I went where the mood took me, even if it once led me to the dive that was Corporation – but that's a story for another day.
So, when the BBC aired Glastonbury performances by Bloc Party, Avril, The Sugababes, and Shania, I was in my element. I belted out every single word while tackling a mountain of ironing (because adulting, right?). The wave of nostalgia filled me with a warm, fuzzy feeling, reminiscent of those carefree years when my biggest concern was buying a mobile phone top-up card.
Thnks fr th Mmrs Kerrang!
Then, out of nowhere, after 23 years of broadcasting, Kerrang! Radio was taken off the air in early July. That warm, fuzzy feeling from Glastonbury suddenly turned bittersweet. It felt like someone had firmly closed the door on my adolescent years. No more flicking between Kerrang! and Scuzz, pretending I was a skater girl.
For those unfamiliar, Kerrang! was the soundtrack to many a British teenager's angst-filled years, introducing us to new rock bands and keeping the alternative scene alive. Its departure marks the end of an era for millennial rock fans.
The final song they played? Fall Out Boy's "Thnks fr th Mmrs" (yes, that's how it's spelt – we were too cool for vowels back then). I admit, I shed a little tear for my former angsty emo self. In the words of My Chemical Romance... I'm Not Okay.
Fond memories and mistakes
At the end of June, I celebrated 14 years of marriage to my ever-so-patient husband. We treated ourselves to an overnight spa stay at Laceby Manor in Lincolnshire. It was heaven to soak up the zen atmosphere without being at the beck and call of my four-year-old.
As I curled up in the relaxation room with a copy of Grazia magazine, I read an article that took my breath away: the tramp stamp is coming back. I repeat – the tramp stamp is coming back! For the uninitiated, a "tramp stamp" is slang for a lower back tattoo, popular in the late '90s and early 2000s. Thanks to Gen Z, these controversial tattoos are enjoying a TikTok resurgence.
The return of the tramp stamp
Now, I've made many mistakes in my life. Thankfully, marrying my husband isn't one of them, but some of my tattoos? That's a different story. Just like Jess Lacey, who wrote the Grazia article, I too got sucked into getting ink in the 2000s because it was trendy and I was, well, an angry teenager.
My first tattoo came at 15, without my mum knowing (sorry about that, Mum!). I spent a lot of money in my 20s getting it removed. The faint-looking bruise on my upper left arm now serves as a reminder that my impulsiveness isn't always a good thing.
I do, however, still have my lower back tattoo – a tribal symbol (because of course it was, it was the 2000s!). And I think it still looks okay. I am not and never was a "tramp," may I add, and I'm proud to be one of the tramp stamp OGs if Gen Z wants to jump on the trend.
I smile when my daughter asks about the "drawings" on me. I reply, "Mummy was silly when she was younger." She now parrots this back to me: "You got them when you were young and silly." I nod soberly, knowing that when she's a teenager, I won't have a leg to stand on if she says she wants a tattoo. Or indeed, sneaks off and gets one behind our backs.
Embracing the nostalgia
When I look back now on these blasts from the past, I'm struck by how quickly time has flown. The music, fashion, and trends of our youth shape us in ways we don't always appreciate until many years later. While some things are best left in the past (looking at you, ultra low-rise jeans), others bring a comforting sense of nostalgia.
What are your fondest memories from the early 2000s? Did you have a favourite band on Kerrang!, or perhaps a regrettable fashion choice you'd like to share? Don’t be shy, let's reminisce in the comments!
Kat x