With Oasis embarking on the reunion of the century, it got the interns at Lightning 100 thinking, what other bands would we love to reunite? From 70’s folk groups to iconic boybands, this week’s intern picks are full of songs that are not only nostalgic, but also near and dear to our hearts.
Ashley’s Pick- Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young “Ohio”
In my perfect folk music dream world, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young are headlining Newport Folk Festival, David Crosby has not yet passed, and I can hear “Ohio” live and in person. At the height of the folk movement, the band was composed of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and (my dearest) Neil Young. Four incredible songwriters, one perfect album from 1970, “Déja Vu”, before the beginning of the end. Through the rest of the decade, the group sparsely released music in various configurations, but as Young began blazing through hit releases, he left his harmonious buddies in the dust and pursued an illustrious solo career. But in their prime, I’d consider them one of the greatest supergroups ever. After the passing of David Crosby in 2023, his three former bandmates paid tribute to him, and much tension, particularly between Young and Crosby, was forgotten.
The legacy that this group left behind in a short span of time is remarkable, especially with such a clunky band name. “Déja Vu” was an album introduced to me when I was very young and informed much of my exploration into folk music later in my life. In my current day-to-day, I spend the most time with Neil Young, so it’s only right that I’ve chosen the most vividly Young-written tune the band put out. My pick “Ohio” only appears on a compilation album titled “So Far”. It’s a direct response to the Kent State shootings in 1970, one of many great protest songs to come out of this generation of folk music. The recording is raw but not messy, managing to incorporate anger into the band’s iconic vocal arrangements. Through sharp electric guitars and choppy drums, the track is buzzing with uncontainable rage, as if they can’t even stand to play their instruments through their anger. “Ohio” is an empowering, anthemic listen that resonates some 50 years after its release.
Hear “Ohio” below!
Darci’s Pick- “Plump” by Hole
I have been waiting for a Hole reunion since the first time I heard Live Through This when I was a sophomore in high school. As someone who absolutely adores live music, one of my favorite feelings in the whole world is when I am seeing my favorite bands live in concert. Seeing Hole perform live is what my dreams are made of. Every couple of months, my dad will always send me articles of Courtney Love or other reputable news sources saying that one day it is going to happen, but it never does. Regardless, a girl can dream.
While it was a no-brainer to choose Hole for this week’s intern pick, narrowing down the band’s discography to one song to write about was extremely difficult. After doing a deep dive on the band’s entire catalog, it seemed that picking a song off of the 1994 masterpiece, Live Through This, was the obvious choice. The album, which is centered around the feminine rage derived from love, loss, trauma, media scrutiny, and motherhood, has made a lasting impact on me after all these years.
The third track on the album, “Plump,” is loud, abrasive, and cathartic. The song focuses on the toll that motherhood takes on one’s mental, physical, and public image. “Plump’s” brutal lyrics, ear-piercing vocals, and angry instrumentation make it a prime example of Hole’s astonishing ability to turn a painful topic into an empowering catharsis.
Listen to “Plump” below!
Quinn’s Pick – “Rock Me” by One Direction
There is something nostalgic about revisiting the bands that soundtracked your youth, especially the ones that left us too soon. For me, One Direction is at the top of that list. As one of the most influential boy bands of the 2010s, they helped define an era and introduced a whole new generation to the joys of boy bands. While their catalog is full of massive hits, I am picking one that has always stood out to me: “Rock Me.” It is playful, punchy, and captures the carefree energy that made One Direction so much fun to love. “Rock Me” is on the band’s second studio album, Take Me Home. The mood is cheesy, but musically, it is a nice change from the bubblegum pop that dominates the first half of the album.
I was listening to this song while writing this article, and it transported me back in time. It took me back to my old bedroom, singing into a hairbrush, begging my mom to play it again and again as I belted out every word. That kind of memory is exactly why One Direction stands out when thinking about bands we wish were still together. Their music shaped a whole chapter of my childhood, and songs like “Rock Me” still carry that emotional imprint years later. Even now, its stomping rhythm and sing-along hook manage to capture the same wild, carefree feeling I had when I first heard it as a kid. With lyrics that toe the line between flirty and fun, it felt like a glimpse into growing up, and a soundtrack for figuring it out. One Direction may be long gone, but songs like ‘Rock Me’ prove their legacy, and my inner fangirl is still very much alive.
Listen to “Rock Me” below!
