I was a huge prog rock fan as a kid in high school, and I'm so

When Tim Commerford proclaims, “I was a huge prog rock fan as a kid in high school, and I’m so thankful for that,” he speaks as one who looks back upon the roots of his creative journey and finds in them a sacred gift. For the music of youth is not merely entertainment; it is the fire that forges identity, the rhythm that stirs the soul into becoming. In these words, Commerford honors the influence that shaped him, reminding us that the seeds planted in early years often grow into the towering trees of our destiny.

To be a prog rock fan in youth was to open the mind to soundscapes beyond the ordinary. Progressive rock, with its soaring compositions, shifting time signatures, and lyrical explorations, was a genre that challenged the listener to think, to imagine, to feel beyond the surface. For a young musician in the making, this music was not just melody—it was education, a teacher of complexity, a doorway to experimentation, a school of creativity. His thankfulness reveals the truth that the passions of adolescence can become the very foundation of one’s future art.

Consider the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who as a child was immersed in the works of Bach and Haydn. That early exposure shaped his genius, enabling him to carry forward the tradition while bending it toward his own brilliance. So too did the young Tim Commerford, listening in high school to the adventurous sounds of prog rock, absorb a philosophy of music that would later help him forge the distinctive sound of Rage Against the Machine. Youthful influences, when embraced deeply, can ignite a lifetime of innovation.

The essence of his thankfulness lies in recognition that what we love as children often becomes the compass of our adult lives. Many dismiss the obsessions of youth as fleeting, but in truth they are the most honest reflections of the soul’s yearning. Commerford’s love for prog rock was not a passing fancy; it was a mirror of his spirit’s hunger for depth, power, and originality. By honoring that past love, he teaches us to respect the voices of our younger selves.

There is also in his words a lesson about gratitude for influences we did not choose but discovered. A song played on the radio, an album borrowed from a friend, a band introduced at the right time—such chance encounters can change the course of life. The wise heart looks back not with arrogance, but with thankfulness, recognizing that without those encounters, much would have been lost. Commerford is not only grateful for prog rock itself, but for the fortune of having found it when his soul was ready to receive it.

This teaching extends beyond music. Whatever nourished your spirit in youth—books, mentors, places, friendships—should not be forgotten. For these are the roots of your present self. To remember them with gratitude is to remain grounded, to keep the flame of humility alive. Forgetting them leads to pride; honoring them leads to wisdom.

So let this be the lesson for all who hear: look back upon the passions of your younger days. Do not scorn them as childish, but recognize the treasures they gave you. Be thankful for the influences that shaped you, for they are the unseen architects of your destiny. And when you stand tall in your chosen field, remember, as Tim Commerford did, to bow your head in gratitude to the songs, the voices, and the moments that gave you wings.