2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the Gin Blossoms' album New Miserable Experience. The band was based in Tempe, Arizona, and to commemorate this anniversary, the Tempe City Council will be changing the name of part of Eighth Street near downtown to "Allison Road Avenue," after one of the songs on the album. Soon (starting October 14, 2022), fans of the band will be able to "drive around this town and let the cops chase us around" down Allison Road Avenue while blasting "Hey Jealousy" on their car stereos. How very early 90s!
In August, 2017 I had the great pleasure of attending the induction of the Gin Blossoms into the Arizona Music Hall of Fame. I have to admit, though, that I wasn't there for the Gin Blossoms, I was there to see the Meat Puppets, one of my all-time favorite bands, also from Tempe. Maybe in 2024 Tempe City Council can rename Tempe Town Lake the "Tempe Town Lake of Fire," after the Meat Puppets song "Lake of Fire," to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the album Meat Puppets II (1984), where the song first appeared, or the 30th anniversary of Too High to Die (1994), where the song was included as a hidden track. Come on, Tempe, give us Meat Puppets fans something to celebrate!
