I had access to quasi-Internet things like Prodigy in my teens, but it didn't make me particularly aware of what options were available to me either. And once I was in high school, I made the hour drive to LA with friends fairly often. But I was as clueless at first as any tourist from North Dakota. I learned a bit about the city, but it never felt comfortable or like I belonged there. And almost 20 years later, I'm still trying to figure everything out. I read about your traipses and travails and at least I take some solace that other folks who I respect and think are cool deal with some of the same issues.

My answer B is similar, but add NYC, and maybe push it back to the years between '78-'82. The music, the music!