When you’re a teenager discovering your favourite band for the first time, their influence becomes this all-consuming, identity-extending obsession. I can’t tell you how many times I had to re-buy Blink 182‘s ‘Enema of the State’ just because my crappy CD walkman couldn’t handle how much I listened to it (on the way to school, during lessons, during lunch, on the way home from school etc).
I plastered my bag with patches of Bikini Kill, Green Day, Incubus and System of a Down; I adorned my locker with cut-outs from my favourite music magazines; I incessantly bugged my parents to buy me tickets to gigs hundreds of miles away from my crappy East Midlands hometown; I scribbled band logos all over my converse.
I thought my 13-old self was punk AF. (I was).
So, it’s only natural that this obsession would extend to my school work. Any way I could incorporate lyrics or artwork into an English essay or an art project, I absolutely would. And after sharing the story of my C-graded Incubus wall-hanging (made with silk, no less), other music fans began sharing their well-intentioned but ultimately cringe-worthy stories of incorporating their favourite band into their school work.
Fan fiction, short stories and poetry
In my Catholic school's theology class, everyone had to pick a song for class meditation and I picked Oasis' "Who Feels Love" which is probably the only time Oasis has ever been cited in a religion class ever
— Lizzie Manno (@LizzieManno) February 7, 2019
I wrote mildly homoerotic manic street preachers fan fiction for a GCSE creative writing assignment. It was deemed unsuitable.
— Patrick Clarke (@PaddyClarke) February 7, 2019
In my GCSE English we had to frame a character from Othello as a modern celebrity. I did a whole debate comparing Iago to Pete Doherty (aka bad, but misunderstood). It got so heated I was asked to leave the room.
— Hannah Vettese (@HVettese) February 7, 2019
I used to write short stories about people called Liam and Damon
— Charlie Gunn (@Charliegunn) February 7, 2019
I recited the lyrics to Weezer's 'The World Has Turned And Left Me Here' as an example of an alternative form of poetry in an English class…
— Danny Kelly (@DannyKelly51) February 7, 2019
I basically wrote an MCR fic based on the ghost of you video for an English assessment, I then had to write a related piece for the second part of the assessment. I dropped one mark overall, got the highest grade in the class and it has since been read out to other classes https://t.co/k3XTzgArwL
— becky (@MyChmclKiller) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/hanaaaaargh/status/1093518612084785152
I took the lyrics to Faster by the @Manics into English when we were told to bring in a poem; Mrs King was commendably forgiving https://t.co/5hJJkThtgy
— Dan Hancox (@danhancox) February 7, 2019
Not specifically to do with bands but I wrote a glorified Sherlock fan fic for GCSE English Lit and got an A lmao https://t.co/Q2mfAZCTET
— han (@billiejoejpg) February 7, 2019
English language exam was to write an essay about someone who inspires you. Rambled about MCR and got an A https://t.co/IoAWs2yF8S
— Kate (@kktg_) February 7, 2019
Heterowashed some Busted slashfic for coursework and got an A. https://t.co/UdgSsvopSr
— SocialistFiend ??? (@SparklyFiend) February 7, 2019
What I didn't know at the time was that fanfic was based off of Lost. So I basically just plagaerised Lost.
— verlayne ? (@verlaayne) February 7, 2019
Someone wrote a Kurt poem at my school and when we saw it on the walk and that it only got a C we harangued the English teacher til she raised the grade
— Adam Brooks (@adamnonfiction) February 7, 2019
I made a radio show called Death FM and used Motorhead's Killed by Death as the intro music – cool. But also handed in lyrics by Reef as poetry homework – not so cool ?
— megadead (@bnjmnshw) February 7, 2019
I made a powerpoint about Green Day in English; the assignment was, 'give a presentation about someone you admire'. everyone else did significant historical figures etc. I hope I made a convincing case for the politics of American Idiot, think I got an alright grade lol
— Maria Sledmere (@mariaxrose) February 7, 2019
Had to write about someone who inspired you for one of my English GSCE exams. Everyone was going to do Gandhi or MLK etc, so I decided to do Metallica's James Hetfield while my friend did Maynard James Keenan of Tool. I got a high B and he got an A.
— Sam Walker-Smart (@SamWalkerSmart) February 7, 2019
Joanna Newsom lyrics in my gcse creative writing piece
— Emma Madden (@emmamaddenUK) February 7, 2019
Also Incubus-themed…
GCSE English paper question: "Describe a dream world."
My answer started: "I dig my toes into the sand, the sky resembles a backlight canopy…"
They saw fit to hand me an A.
Huge fools or great music taste.
— Alex James Taylor (@ATjournalist) February 7, 2019
i begged my english teacher (who i already very obviously fancied) to let me show the class one direction's "kiss you" video. it had no relation to the lesson that day. we were studying "henry v" https://t.co/7eGHAfh7Fw
— ?georgia louise luckhurst? (@glluckhurst) February 7, 2019
Design tech and art projects
I drew Brandon Flowers of The Killers. I got an A. I went a little outta control with the cheekbones, I know. Haha. pic.twitter.com/BI6AUSj8Qy
— Abbie Gobeli (@ACertainAbbie) February 7, 2019
I made a Robert Smith puppet for textiles ?♀️ pic.twitter.com/8Rabq0I7Mi
— Claire Skelcey (@ClaireSkelcey) February 7, 2019
wouldn't say i'm embarrassed by it (i think its kinda sweet) but i made this when i was 13 in my D&T class about a month after Kurt Cobain died pic.twitter.com/G4wrdt8e3B
— Kirsten McTernan (@KMTPhotographer) February 7, 2019
I tried to do a clay sculpture of the roses on the cover of Mansun’s Attack Of The Grey Lantern for an art project
— Martyn Young (@martynmyoung) February 7, 2019
I made a torch with a picture of Kurt Cobain printed on it in woodworking in Year 8 ?
— Devil Town Tapes (@deviltowntapes) February 7, 2019
I made a Rage Against The Machine clock in DT. Actually now I think about it, I’d quite like that back as an adult.
— ▼△▼ (@SophieElisabeth) February 7, 2019
I painted a promo pic of The Verve in watercolour – got an A*
— Annie Gardiner (@anniehysterical) February 7, 2019
i made a gerard way woodwork piece where u turned a handle and a heart appeared behind him https://t.co/9JXqAORY6o
— ✨ GINA TONIC ✨ (@GlNATONIC) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/WeThreeClub/status/1093494415031705601
I did my entire art project on The Horrors lmao
— Amy Valentine ? (@amyvalentinex) February 7, 2019
I made a ceramic bust of Cleo from Cleopatra in middle school; she was not well received https://t.co/GGXzsZ7cMX
— Michael Lee Richardson is away for a bit (@HRFMichael) February 7, 2019
Aged about 13 i made a terrible pottery pig at school and (clumsily) painted RUSH on its back. Aged about 36 i interviewed Rush in NYC and took the pig with me. Photos appeared in the much-missed Word magazine.
— Rob Fitzpatrick (@rob_fitzpatrick) February 7, 2019
I based the design of a piece of coursework at Uni on the artwork from Silent Alarm. The coursework was about opportunities for Ben Sherman to expand into new markets.
— Tim (@sockformation) February 7, 2019
They weren’t even my favourite band, but in art gcse I did loads of portraits in the style of Blur’s Best Of album cover, designed by Julian Opie.
— Ἰορδάνης (@jrdntndy) February 7, 2019
blink-182 clock in design tech, over here
— brut (@johnlongbottom) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/glueandyarn/status/1093498900365885440
a 3 month art project which basically just consisted of the lyrics to Adam's Song by Blink 182, cut out and pasted from newspapers.
— Harriet Brampton (@hbrampton) February 7, 2019
I did an oil painting of Corey Taylor being crucified ?
— Tristan M☾Donald (@WaveTemple) February 7, 2019
I made a Paramore Riot! clock in wood tech… And built an offline Paramore fan site in IT. https://t.co/OVvpomfAIs
— Sian (@siantweets) February 7, 2019
Oh wait, even cooler one – I made a cushion with the Blink-182 smiley on it
— ????????? ????-? (@Daftwits) February 7, 2019
I did a painting for Art that had Kurt Cobain's face taking up half a side of A2.
— Llia Apostolou (@Llia) February 7, 2019
made a ben folds five painting. think it was trying to be cubist. https://t.co/hiysZNB4Uw
— suggested friends (@suggestedfronds) February 7, 2019
made a goldfrapp themed mirror in technology & design lollll https://t.co/p8hlb0s9Xt
— lyd (@carbonbasedqt) February 7, 2019
I made a Trivium themed lamp for my Product Design GCSE coursework. It was awful
— Timothy Walker (@timbowalker) February 7, 2019
I had to cover a folder with French paraphernalia and, among other things, I cut up the CD single inlay of Da Funk to do it https://t.co/7BrAfTHUUH
— Bandcloud (@Bandcloud) February 7, 2019
I screenprinted the album cover of Blink 182's eponymous 2003 album for GCSE textiles. Also, "painted" the album cover of Blink 182's eponymous 2003 album for a GCSE art project. ALSO, tried to play 'Always' from Blink 182's eponymous 2003 album on guitar for my music GCSE.
— The Bubonic Bus (@WVwillvincent) February 7, 2019
I did giant paintings of La Roux and Kele from Bloc Party for art, such indie times!
— El Hunt (@El_Hunt_) February 7, 2019
When I was in year 6 (in 2004!) I made a puppet of @mattjwillis from @Busted. I won a competition out of 300 students though hahaha!! ???
— Roxii Hoare-Smith (@RoxanneHS) February 7, 2019
made a bag with ‘reinvent love’ stitched across it and mcr/atl/ymas/paramore/green day etc lyrics across it for textiles GCSE ? https://t.co/WvOggntFOx
— ✿rhian✿ (@timetod4nce) February 7, 2019
I made a Radiohead OK computer clock in year 7, with the people shaking hands on the clock hands: https://t.co/2mtHNJQ3UY
— miranda iossifidis (@mirandaioss) February 7, 2019
also painted a portrait of Pete Doherty for my Art GCSE ?????
— victoria (@vndrlyl) February 7, 2019
I made a plastic egg cup engraved with the names of the Feeder band members including an “RIP” side for Jon Lee the drummer
— Josh Tyler (@joshyboytyler) February 7, 2019
I made a Paramore board game and it still haunts me. https://t.co/QHEBE88tqo
— Ariadne Griffin ? (@Ariadne_Griffin) February 7, 2019
Linkin Park slippers in year 6. Fluffy grey upper with red stitching for band name https://t.co/8sBGvP7M3c
— Simon (@baldwinslacks) February 7, 2019
When we moved onto self portraits for our folios, my art teacher wanted me to do something dark n extra so I made a shirt like the cheerleaders in MCR’s Teenagers video, wrapped headphones round my neck, n put fake blood around my ears n face lmao https://t.co/WuJxEoBln5
— ✨kat✨ (@ntyrbbygrl) February 7, 2019
I made a cushion cover screen-printed with the Sum 41 logo in year 7 technology https://t.co/c4uceJkmth
— ? dan ? (@thedanstringer) February 7, 2019
I made a Fall Out Boy tour bus out of a cereal box https://t.co/XOOvXsyQ4Z
— Ambie Drew (@AmbieDrew) February 7, 2019
IT and Media Studies
https://twitter.com/rchlrnshw/status/1093476058953932800
I did my IT GCSE project on Celine Dion.
— Laura Malarkey (@lauramalarkey) February 7, 2019
in 2nd year ICT I made a website that was a gallery of femme and campy men from bands I liked. it was called 'best dressed men' or something, ft The Hives, Placebo, HIM, Hanoi Rocks, T-Rex. not cringey, huge sign of things to come. https://t.co/JhtudIBznB
— clo? (@cloeuf_) February 7, 2019
I made a music video storyboard for Death Cab For Cutie – Crooked Teeth for my Media Studies GCSE ?
— victoria (@vndrlyl) February 7, 2019
During my IT GCSE I named all of my database files after my favourite bands. Led to my IT teacher giving me a half hour lecture about what the placebo effect was…
— Dr Suzi Gage is on strike (@soozaphone) February 7, 2019
I based my final GCSE art project on the @Manics song 4st 7lb. It was an angry collage about how the media makes women feel like shit about their bodies! https://t.co/Zau5uTUsvm
— Julie (@apalelandscape) February 7, 2019
We had to make posters about a sad news topic so i made mine about the daily mail being mean about my chemical romance, other topics in my class included famine and alcoholism but apparently Gerard Way getting called an emo was far more abhorrent to me at age 14 https://t.co/5lLO4tnbFD
— precious salami (@izzierobinson96) February 7, 2019
And the best of the rest…
In Religious Studies we once had to come up with a "celebration day" for a piece of coursework. I submitted "Kurt Cobain Memorial Day".
My teacher refused to mark the work because committing suicide is frowned upon by Christians. https://t.co/zqWjZXIRJj
— Luke Owen (@ThisisLukeOwen) February 7, 2019
Fairly certain I managed to include my chemical romance, you me at six, and paramore into my standard grade german speaking exam https://t.co/Hxwr9XUpqD
— Josh (@staywithj0sh) February 7, 2019
For German coursework had to choose three people and describe their appearance and homes. I chose Bjork, Johnny Dean and Euros Childs. It got put on the classroom wall. https://t.co/1oSpUFedRC
— Sophie Appleby (@squirrels_again) February 7, 2019
as part of my German GCSE coursework we had to write a profile on a 'famous person' and I did it on Oli Sykes
— hannah 'vote labour' louise (@hannahlouisef) February 7, 2019
We played ‘Pretty Fly for a White Guy’ in our house assembly – can’t remember how we shoe horned that in BUT WE DID.
— Joda Persoda (@jodapersoda) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/castoncook/status/1093468283486027776
I wrote an essay on a Ben Folds Five song for my classical music degree ha.
— Sarah Maynard (@sarahvsshark) February 7, 2019
Once had to "score" our Drama end of year performance too and had the whole room flail their arms round like wallies to Radiohead's "The National Anthem" and Nine Inch Nails' "No You Don't". Took it dead seriously, we did.
— James Parrish (@JamesParrish) February 7, 2019
Also Incubus related: when I was 17/18 I wrote a zine and scored an interview with their drummer. The only slot they had started 10 minutes before an A-level exam and I said yes. I missed 20 minutes of an actual A-level because at the time I cared more about that interview!
— James Parrish (@JamesParrish) February 7, 2019
in year 8 english I did a presentation about Hanson
— Kate Solomon (@katiesol) February 7, 2019
Did a public speaking assignment on Fugazi and got a brutal public critique from my mate who got me into Fugazi, didn't know how to defend it so I just blushed and sat down?
— monoganon (@Monoganon) February 7, 2019
In a college Acting 101 class I chose the lyrics to John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" as my monologue.
— Dan Hylton Music (@DanHyltonMusic) February 7, 2019