Exploring the Legacy of Eve 6: A Nostalgic Journey Through 90s Alternative Rock

If you’re anything like me, you first heard of Eve 6 while contorted and leaning back from your middle school desk listening for the faint sounds of the song from the movie Can’t Hardly Wait. A pair of plastic headband speakers that was plugged into a Walkman in the hands of that “kind of alternative,” “kind of punk,” “kind of popular kid,” who balanced the headphones at the center of a crowd of nearby and equally contorted enthusiasts; all of us pretending that all of this was somehow obstructed from the view of an annoyed but careless teacher standing at the front of the class trying to manipulate the fact that Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.

Everyone's heard of Eve 6, especially if you like 90’s rock music. The band formed in southern California in the late 90s, this alternative rock trio quickly made a name for themselves after the success of their song “Inside Out.” 1997, had been a pretty decent year for music, I had added, Marcy Playground, Sister Hazel, Third-Eye Blind, Chumbawamba, Jewel, Savage Garden, and The Verve (Pipe), to my musical repertoire, but this year '98, Eve 6’s debut album, “Eve 6,” was among the notable alternative debut sounds to drop. Tired of listening to the hit single, I was able to focus on the other nine songs with an adolescent awe. I was never a “huge,” Eve 6 fan, although this debut album had me sorely intrigued, and there are still songs, like “Open Road Song,” “Jesus Nitelite,” and “Superhero Girl,” that I occasionally search for when feeling nostalgic.

I found a slight resurgence of interest when I finally sat down to watch the X-Files and happened upon that one episode in season 1, titled “Eve,” and my whole world exploded. I had no idea that the namesake for the band was inspired by the X-Files, specifically the character Eve 6 of 10. I wouldn’t mind catching Eve 6 on tour, but other than a couple of songs from their sophomore album (Horrorscope, 2000), “Promise,” and “Here’s to the Night,” I wouldn’t know most of what they played. I suppose that isn’t necessarily the point, especially since I hear they put on a helluva show. Nevertheless, the trio held a spot in my heart in the early days of developing my musical identity. So, here's to Eve 6, and a trip down memory lane.