There's No JMcD in My Life

For me, an old guy of 46, the phrase "alternative music" started back when Nirvana burst onto the scene with Nevermind, but then I think about my freshman year at Mount Mercy College and Jennifer McDermott, my friend that was from the Chicago area. She let me listen to the Violent Femmes and the Buzzcocks and Ministry and Erasure along with a slew of bands I can't remember at the moment. These were all bands I had never heard of until I met Jennifer. I still think about Jennifer's lasting impression upon me whenever I heard "Blister in the Sun" or played it in Uncle Rico.

All that to say that there are Alternative Press Music Awards on a yearly basis. As I look over the list below, I have heard of some of the bands - Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy - and I have never heard of some of the bands - Twenty One Pilots, Too Close To Touch - among them. I can say I saw State Champs open for Bayside in concert so I'm at least marginally hip! <grin> I probably need to immerse myself within the list below, especially Black Veil Brides since their drummer won the "Best Drummer" award and get reacquainted with the genre.

It makes me a little sad that there's no Jennifer McDermott in my life to help me on this new quest. I haven't seen or spoken to her in over 20 years. It was like she was in my life and then she was not. I hope she is doing well. I can see her dark red hair and thick black rim glasses in my mind and it makes me smile. She probably looks nothing like that now...

So, without further delay, these are the 2016 award winners.

• ARTIST OF THE YEAR Twenty One Pilots
• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Blurryface Twenty One Pilots
• SONG OF THE YEAR "Hallelujah," Panic! At The Disco
• BEST MUSIC VIDEO "Emperor's New Clothes," Panic! At The Disco
• BEST VOCALIST Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy
• BEST GUITARIST Jack Fowler, Sleeping With Sirens
• BEST BASSIST Skyler Acord, Issues
• BEST DRUMMER Christian Coma, Black Veil Brides
• BEST LIVE BAND Neck DeepBEST UNDERGROUND BAND Too Close To Touch
• BREAKTHROUGH BAND State Champs
• BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND You Me At Six
• ARTIST PHILANTHROPIC
  Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red for HeartSupport 
• MOST DEDICATED FANS The Ghost Inside
• HONORARY AWARDS:
  
  • ICON AWARD
    
    • Marilyn Manson
      
  • OFF THE WALL AWARD
    
    • Yellowcard
      
  • CLASSIC ALBUM AWARD
    
    • Good Charlotte for The Young And The Hopeless