Their first album I decorated my room to. It was the summer of 2004, when I was still a young teenager. I hadn't yet found that thing to keep me occupied at the weekend, so I spent almost the whole summer with Louise, swimming in the lake, being kids, loving life. That summer is my last memory of being youthful: I hit 15 with a whack and everything changed very quickly. So that album, as shocking as some of the songs may be, is a lovely reminder of a simpler time.
Second album, Wonderland, was just that. My life was filled with these day dreams of boys that played guitar and I hoped would whisk me away to a fairytale existence, where I wouldn't have to do homework, worry about school, or do anything, in fact. I remember Kristy and I doing art one day at her house, and listening to the album about three times in a row. She probably saved me from failing art by doing that; she also was the happiness that reminded me why I loved the band. Whilst Sam was busy listening to Slip Knot and SOAD, I was trying to live two lives, one of which involved getting smashed on gin and screaming chop suey at people, and the other half was getting giddy with Kristy in classrooms drooling over Danny and Dougie (she Danny, me Dougie - my bassist obsession comes out again). We went to see them in London one night, and I stayed at Kristy's, and went to school in the morning, and went into the city after that and met Beverage, Ewins, Shane and Kier - and I remember walking into Starbucks and seeing them all sat around the big table, and we had changed out of uniform (obviously) and had our chocolate cream frappucinos with whipped cream and chocolate sauce on top (mmm), and I sat on the sofa between Kier and Shane, and Shane took my hand quietly (this was only a couple weeks before he broke up with me), and Kier turned to us and said, genuinely excited, "how was the gig?". I was so shocked that he a) didn't abuse us for liking them, and b) remembered that that's where we'd been the night before - and it felt amazing. It felt like the two lives I was trying to live just slotted together perfectly. Of course, I couldn't ask Sam to listen to McFly with me, and I wasn't about to push Kristy into becoming emo (a fringe was the extent of her 'dark days'), but it was perfect.
Motion in the Ocean, radio:Active and Above the Noise didn't have quite such a profound affect, and they have not had quite such an impact on my life. But a few great songs have come out of them, and I pray that with their recent reality tv show stardom / winning streak, they can write an album that I find myself getting lost in again. I miss that feeling.
On a side note, Maria's bedroom / our 'Office', has a very weird damp smell lingering from behind my desk. I hope that nothing is growing back there...
If you're interested, here's a wee list of my top picks from each album:
Room On the Third Floor:
5 Colours in Her Hair
Room on the Third Floor
Not Alone
Wonderland:
I'll be OK
Ultraviolet
The Ballad of Paul K
Motion in the Ocean:
We are the Young
Sorry's Not Good Enough
Transylvania
Walk in the Sun
radio:ACTIVE
Lies
Do Ya
POV
Above the Noise:
Shine a Light
That's the Truth