July 6th 2024.
Next up on our radar is the band Wheatus, whose catchy tune "Teenage Dirtbag" has been stuck in our heads for over two decades. But what many may not know is the dark inspiration behind this pop-rock classic. Frontman Brendan B. Brown, who is gearing up to join forces with pop-punk legends Bowling For Soup on a UK tour in February 2025, has kept the true story behind the song hidden for years.
In an exclusive interview with The Agency, Brendan opened up about why he chose to keep the meaning of the song hidden when it first took the charts by storm in 2000. "I didn't want to talk about the murder in my hometown," he revealed, reflecting on the sensitive subject matter. But now, after all these years, the truth behind the hit song is finally coming to light.
So, what is the real inspiration behind "Teenage Dirtbag"? Well, it all goes back to the summer of 1984 when teenager Ricky Kasso killed his 17-year-old friend Gary Lauwers in the Azkakea Woods in Northport, New York. The murder took place amidst the "Satanic panic" of the time, and the fact that Kasso was wearing an AC/DC t-shirt at the time sparked backlash against fans of heavy metal. This incident sparked something in Brendan, who then wrote the song as a call to arms against the way teenagers were being portrayed in the media.
"I didn't want to talk about the Satan worshippers, heroin, Angel Dust, and all that," Brendan explained. "I felt like it was going to darken the mood." But as the years went on, he noticed that younger fans were embracing the song and taking comfort in it, which convinced him to finally open up about its true origins. "People are coming back around to the song, and they're finding new things, and themselves, in it," he shared. "By the time we got on tour with Busted in 2016, I was like, 'I better start being honest about this s**t because [the song's] somehow stuck around.'"
However, for Brendan, the song is not entirely light-hearted. "If I was able to take you back to the summer of 1984, my hometown, you definitely would not like it," he added. Ricky Kasso was arrested for the murder in July 1984 and tragically took his own life just three days later.
But despite its dark beginnings, "Teenage Dirtbag" has become an enduring anthem for teenagers who feel misunderstood by the adults in their lives. "It's the eternal struggle of youth to find yourself and have an identity moment," Brendan mused. "In the summer of 1984, that moment was my tape case full of AC/DC. A lot of parents and teachers were not cool with that, but that was my identity moment, and I was not willing to give up AC/DC."
The topic of using art as a form of catharsis for darkness came up, with Brendan's touring mate Jaret from Bowling For Soup, who has been open about his own mental health struggles, pointing out that it's not always intentional. "It's something we all need to be talking about, but it comes from a dark time in my life," Jaret shared about his song "Hello Anxiety." "That's why I wanted to write a happy song about it. Most of the time, that's just sort of where my mind goes. I don't really set out to write things that have that undertone."
Brendan agreed, admitting that writing can be a double-edged sword and that dealing with depression and anxiety is a real struggle for many people. "I don't think that suffering necessarily leads to good art," he stated. "That's an incomplete assumption. Suffering and the ability to try and conjure out of nothing an escape from it can lead to good art, like victory songs, or whatever. But it's like handling plutonium, you could get stuck. Depression and anxiety are real things that people in life do not overcome."
Despite its dark origins, "Teenage Dirtbag" continues to be a beloved song by fans all around the world. "My dad, a long time ago, said to me, 'You guys are sort of a one-hit-wonder. But it's more like nobody's gotten over your first song yet,'" Brendan chuckled. "I have always felt like we've not gotten over it either. It's never gotten old. It represents us in a really meaningful way."
One regret that Brendan has about the song is that the early master recordings, as well as their self-titled debut album, are either lost or destroyed. But like Bowling For Soup did with their own music, Brendan re-recorded the album to regain control of the masters. "There was a profound sense of loss before we started," he admitted. "Now, the only multitrack master of 'Teenage Dirtbag' that exists is our 2020 version."
As for the upcoming tour with Bowling For Soup, could there be a collaboration in the works? "There are so many creative ways we could do it. It'd be great to do something together. It's probably long overdue," Jaret teased. Brendan added, "At Download, you and I had a conversation about something, a little Iron Maiden was mentioned..." Could this be a hint at something special to come in the future? We can only hope!
In the end, "Teenage Dirtbag" may have had a dark inspiration, but it has become so much more than that. It has stood the test of time and continues to resonate with people of all ages. As Brendan put it, "It's never gotten old. It represents us in a really meaningful way." And isn't that what great music is all about?
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[Generative AI is experimental.]
