Fan hook. If you grew up in the 80s, or if your parents were basically still kids when they had you — this song is for you.

I was born in 1983. So technically, I'm an 80s baby.

But my mom was sixteen when she had me. So she was kind of an 80s baby too. I was raised by a pack of wild teenagers on the Sunset Strip, which was its own kind of education. My first concert was at six years old at the Roxy. Back then nobody really cared if a kid was at a rock show as long as somebody was watching her.

For a long time I just thought I'd had a fun, chaotic, slightly unsupervised childhood. The kind that makes for good stories at parties and slightly concerning therapy sessions.

Then a few months ago my sister sent me a photo I'd never seen before. My mom is in it. Big hair. Red acrylic nails. A Corona in one hand, a cigarette in the other. And me, the baby, sitting on her lap.

I looked at that picture for a long time. And I thought…

Oh. That explains a lot.

That's where this song came from.

• born in 1983 — 80s baby
• mom was 16 when she had me
• she was basically a baby too
• raised by a pack of wild teenagers on the Sunset Strip
• first show at six years old at The Roxy (all ages back then)
• rock-and-roll childhood / chaos / fun
• sister sends photo recently
• mom: big hair, red acrylic nails
• cigarette + Corona in hand
• baby me sitting on her lap
• realization: “oh… that explains a lot”
• inspiration for the song

A nostalgic look at growing up in a rock-and-roll environment where the people raising you were still kids themselves.

The photo description.

big hair

red acrylic nails

Corona

cigarette

baby on her lap

pause a beat.

That will get a reaction.

Add the Sunset Strip / Roxy detail before describing the photo.