I was 13 when I first heard the distorted riff from Green Day’s Brain Stew—then Dammit by Blink-182—and that was it. Something clicked in my chest. The angst, the simplicity, the rawness. It was like the music understood me before I even understood myself.
Back in middle school, my friends and I used to sneak Musician’s Friend catalogs into science class. We’d zone out during lectures, flipping through pages of guitars and dream gear like we were planning our escape. I’d obsess over the Fender Squier Strat—blue or black? I couldn’t decide. I’d redraw the guitar in my notebook while the teacher was talking about photosynthesis.
Eventually I begged my dad to let me take lessons, and he was actually down. He took me to a local music store in Colorado to buy my first guitar. I wanted that Squier, but he saw “Ibanez – made in Japan” and was like “This is better.” So I walked out with a blue Ibanez S470—still have it to this day.
I raced home, plugged into my tiny Line 6 Spider amp, hit the INSANE distortion setting (you know the one), and cranked out the only three chords I knew—E5, A5, and D5. Blink, Green Day, Nirvana… the riffs weren’t perfect, but they were mine.
Before guitar, I was all about sports. Baseball, basketball—I was that kid playing in leagues year-round. But once I found guitar, everything changed. I wasn’t chasing wins anymore. I was chasing tone.
What Power Chords Gave Me
Power chords gave me everything I didn’t know I was missing.
They were loud, simple, and didn’t care if you were good. Just two fingers and a pissed-off attitude—and suddenly, you had a voice. Not like singing… more like shouting without having to open your mouth.
Before that, I didn’t have much confidence. I was quiet, kind of awkward, and constantly second-guessing myself. But when I played those chords—C5 to G5 to A5 and you guessed it F5 (well I guess this is growing upppp)—it felt like I could take up space. Like I mattered. And the coolest part? I didn’t need to know theory or be able to shred. I could barely tune my guitar half the time. But I could still play the songs I loved, and that was enough.
After school, I’d lock myself in my room, throw on my headphones, crank the amp, and just play the same riff over and over. It wasn’t “practice.” It was therapy. Something about that distorted wall of sound drowned everything else out—the stress, the insecurity, the pressure to be good at everything.
Power chords became a coping mechanism, a confidence builder, a form of self-expression I didn’t even know I needed. They gave me a way to channel whatever I was feeling—frustration, excitement, boredom, loneliness—and turn it into something physical. Tangible. Real.
I’ve learned all the scales and songwriting tricks by now. But when I hit a wall, I grab my guitar, crank the gain, and rip through pop punk power chords like I’m 13 again.
Something about them still hits. Still grounds me. Still reminds me why I fell in love with guitar in the first place.
How It Shaped My Life
Power chords didn’t just get me into music—they helped shape who I became.
I started my first band when I was like 14. We were called Astronutz—yeah, with a Z, because we thought that made it cooler. We mostly played Blink-182 covers and tried to write our own songs that sounded like “First Date” meets “Basket Case.” We played school talent shows, backyard parties, anywhere we could.
Before that, I was pretty shy. Kept to myself. But being on stage—even if it was just in a cafeteria with thirty kids and a busted PA—something clicked. I started breaking out of my shell.
The biggest moment was when I was 15. I was at a summer camp in California and signed up for the talent show. I almost didn’t do it—I felt like I was gonna puke backstage. But right before I went on, this older girl (she must’ve been 18) kissed me on the cheek and said, “Good luck.” I don’t even remember how I played—I just remember the adrenaline, the lights, and the fact that I won first place in front of 300 people. That was the first time I ever felt seen.
Guitar gave me a sense of identity when everything else felt shaky. Especially during those years where I switched from a tiny private Christian school to this massive public high school where I didn’t know a single person. It was overwhelming. I felt invisible. But having my guitar—having this thing I was passionate about—it made me feel grounded. Like I had a reason to be there.
That summer camp talent show? I actually won $100 for first place, and I split it with the two friends who played the set with me. It wasn’t about the money—it just felt like we did something real. That moment stuck with me. It made me believe I could make things happen if I just kept going.
Looking back, I don’t think I would’ve made it through those years without it. Guitar—and punk rock—gave me an outlet, a purpose, and honestly, a lifeline.
5 Riffs That Saved Me
There are certain riffs that just stay with you. They become more than just music—they become memories, muscle memory, a part of your wiring. These were the riffs that helped shape my playing, my taste, and honestly, my identity.
1. “Dammit” – Blink-182
Still one of my favorite riffs to this day. That intro is iconic. Every kid learning guitar in the 2000s played this one—C5, G5, A5, F5 over and over. It had this urgency to it, and you could feel it in your chest when you played it loud. It was one of the first full songs I ever learned front to back, and I still get hyped when I hear that opening riff kick in.
2. “Brain Stew” – Green Day
This was probably the easiest riff I ever learned, which made it even more addictive. It’s in standard tuning, but that slow, sludgy descent from A5 to G5 to F#5 to F5—and then hitting that open E5—was so satisfying. It felt heavy, hypnotic, and mean as hell, especially through my Line 6 Insane setting. It’s not flashy, but it hits in all the right ways.
3. “When I Come Around” – Green Day
This one had a bounce to it. It wasn’t angry—it was cool. Something about the flow made me feel like I finally had rhythm. I’d walk around school with it stuck in my head like a soundtrack, even when I didn’t have my guitar. Playing it made me feel smooth, like I actually knew what I was doing.
4. “What’s My Age Again?” – Blink-182
This one was a game changer. That clean arpeggiated intro made me feel like a badass every time I nailed it. It was still punk, but it had this melodic twist to it. It forced me to slow down and actually play clean for once—no hiding behind distortion. When I finally got it smooth, I felt like I unlocked a new level as a player.
5. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana
Of course. The holy grail. The riff that launched a thousand teenage cover bands—including mine. It was grungy, messy, and perfect. Every time I played it, I felt like I was letting out something I couldn’t say out loud. It was rage, freedom, and identity packed into four chords.
These riffs weren’t just stepping stones. They were lifelines. Every one of them taught me something—how to strum, how to feel, how to mean it when you play.
The Full-Circle Moment
It’s funny how something so simple—just two fingers on a fretboard—ended up shaping my entire life.
Power chords were never about being impressive. They were about feeling something. They gave me an identity when I didn’t have one. Helped me make friends, find confidence, and get through some of the weirdest, loneliest years of my life.
And the crazy part is… I still use them. Every time I pick up a guitar, I find myself going back to the same shapes I learned at 13. It’s instinct now. Like muscle memory tied to my soul.
So yeah… I made a shirt about it.
Because they really did. And if you’re reading this, maybe they saved yours too—or maybe they’re about to.
If that hits, grab the tee and rep the feeling.
Not just for the music—but for what it meant to you.
Rep the Energy
If you’ve ever sat in your bedroom blasting distortion, learning those same riffs, feeling like the guitar was the only thing that understood you—then this shirt’s for you.
And if you want more content like this—guitar stories, gear breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes of University of Rock—check out some of my other recent posts:
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