08/07/2026
It’s funny how video games can help you discover music you might have never found otherwise.
Back in 1994, I was about 12 years old playing Road Rash on the 3DO. I had never even heard of Soundgarden before that game, and honestly, Road Rash is probably half the reason I became a lifelong fan of not only Soundgarden, but alternative music in general. That soundtrack is permanently attached to some of my favorite childhood gaming memories.
Flash forward to 2007. I’m 24 years old, still very much a kid at heart, playing MotorStorm when Slipknot’s “Before I Forget” comes blasting through the speakers. I had never really listened to Slipknot before either, and once again, a video game introduced me to music I would end up loving.
It’s wild what media can do for some people and how a game, movie, or song can influence your tastes for the rest of your life.
But what’s even crazier is that I wouldn’t have any of those great video game memories if it wasn’t for my mom busting her behind to buy me as many of the things I wanted as she possibly could. Looking back now, I appreciate that more than I ever could have understood as a kid.
