Veruca Salt, in its original incarnation, was one of my favorite bands growing up. In the throws of young adolescence, Veruca Salt was there to usher me into the good ol’ ’90s, and help introduce me to the post-hair band grunge movement taking over the nation.

Though it never was quite the same post-Nina, I still enjoyed the newly formed VS and Nina’s singer-songwriter efforts – Tonight and the Rest of My Life and Bleeding Heart Graffiti. And what I’m trying to say is this:

I miss you, Nina. You, too Louise.

Return to us. Play us a sweet, sweet song. One as sweet as this:

Thanks for the memories, you guys. Even though stretches of time escape between listens, I’ll always pick up American Thighs and Eight Arms to Hold You and be instantly transported back to the days when I had all the time in the world to sit on my bed, read liner notes, and get lost in my headphones. Those two albums will be a part of me until the day I die. Which, yanno, is hopefully later rather than sooner.

I never did get to see you live, and here’s to hopin’ you don’t leave the biz before I get my chance.

And now for some throwbacks: