My Playlist: Then & Now May 29, 2010

A friend recently posted her playlist from the 90′s.  You can check out her post right here:

http://kamikazeegirl.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/playlist-for-the-pimply-teen/

Because of this I’ve been inspired to look back & reminisce on the music & bands that I’ve listened to growing up.  With her permission and blessings, I now present my playlist from the years gone by…

Late 80’s

• Debbie Gibson – My earliest recollection of buying a cassette was her album “Out of the Blue”.  I remember dancing to “Shake Your Love” at our 5^th grade Christmas party–& sumi was in all white with her blue tin can bag (yung may airplane?).  C’mon admit it, you all loved “Lost in your Eyes” and at one point you even tried dancing the steps to “Electric Youth”.

Come to think of it...I never had ripped jeans growing up...

• New Kids On The Block – The band that pretty much took over my entire adolescent life! I’ve liked other boy bands in recent years but none of them could ignite the same flames that I had for NKOTB (well, Boyzone came pretty close..right ula?)  Donnie was my favorite. I enjoyed the ride along with other friends who loved them too. *ehem*ula*ehem* True, they may have been nearing the end of their career when they performed here in Manila…but we didn’t care.  And years later, after seeing them reunite on The today Show, I can’t help the fact that they still bring a smile on my face.

woo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh...hangin' tough!

• The Dawn – the first local act I ever loved & worshipped!

The 90’s

It was during this time when I discovered The Beatles.  ABC 5 was a new station back then and they would always run this Beatles documentary courtesy of Steve O’Neal—the same dude who brings in those “oldies” acts at the Araneta.  I soon learned that my mom loved them too and proof of that was the little fan notebook that she made—complete with trading cards & band photos & of course, her record collection (still alive and in mint condition to this day!)  She loved Paul, and I loved John.

yeah..yeah..yeah..

The 90’s was the period where I solidified my love for rock music.  That period also saw the birth of my love for British Music, thanks to Brit Pop.  Some of the bands I listened to during this time were:

• Guns n’ Roses – I pretty much listened to one album only during the summer of 1993 and that was Use Your Illusion I.  I actually had to buy another copy of that album because I’ve worn out my first copy.

 

This was the only band photo I could find with Gilbey Clarke in it!

• Bon Jovi – Hey don’t look at me…you couldn’t resist him too during those Keep The Faith years…the manila show was a disaster though…But all in all, “Metal Hair Bands” in the 90′s weren’t that bad…*lighters in the air* “I’ve finally found the love of a lifetime….”

• Nirvana & Pearl Jam – Ok, I never saw the reason why people made these two awesome bands compete with one another.  Honestly, I was more of a Nirvana fan because I have most of their albums.  My favorite Nirvana song is Lithium and my favorite Pearl Jam song is a toss up between Alive & Daughter.

• Soundgarden – Their album “Superunknown” was the first cd I ever bought.  It kicked ass back then…& it still kicks ass now.

• Stone Temple Pilots – I loved Scott Weiland with his red hair & raspy voice.  Sadly though I’ve been hearing stories that he’s quite an a-hole.

• Green Day – I remember listening to Dookie over & over again just so that I can memorize the songs. I can still sing “When I Come Around” perfectly to this day.

• Weezer – How can you not love Rivers Cuomo?

• Oasis – One of my favorite bands ever.  I never cared that people hated them, to me they were simply EFFing cool.  I loved Noel even when he was still a cokehead…but I love him more now as a family man & elder statesman of British rock. (mental note: grabe daw ang work ethic ni noel…he hates being late!)

• Wolfgang / Eraserheads – I personally think that pinoy rock was alive & well during the 90’s. These 2 were my most favorite local acts then…but I consider Wolfgang to be my #1.  I never saw the eheads live during those days but when it came to Wolfgang I was always on stalker mode! (especially when my friend Josette & I would watch them play at the Hard Rock Café).

• Boyzone – Well, I did mention earlier that they came close to NKOTB right? So amidst all these rock bands in the 90’s, Boyzone is the lone boyband that I loved.

Year 2000 – present

• Incubus – Another one of my favorite bands.  I remember liking the video for Drive but it was only during the release of Morning View that I started collecting their albums.  Honestly, they do write brilliant songs…but it doesn’t hurt that Brandon Boyd is perfect either.

Brandon = Perfect!

• Hoobastank – You can blame Doug Robb’s abs on this one.

• Morrissey / The Smiths – Must I even expound on this?

• Fall Out Boy & My Chemical Romance – Ava & I both watched their shows with little or zero knowledge at all about their songs.  It turned out pretty well since we both had a good time.  So, emo na kami ganon?

Ava: Toro! / Fizz: Iero!

 

Ok fine. Pete Wentz it is...but Patrick's cute too...

• Linkin Park –  I started out really, really liking them…but then I wasn’t so inlove with the 3^rd album…sorry guys.

Chesteeeeeerrrrrrr!!!!!! - Ava

And lastly….

• Slipknot – Again, one of my favorites.  Does it still seem weird that someone like me would love a bunch of guys who look like they’ve taken Halloween way too seriously?  But I never saw the masks as some joke.  I loooooooove these guys!

There's my Joey in front!

Salamat…Jett Pangan May 3, 2010

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…I fell in love with my first pinoy rock band. The year was 1989 (I was in 7th grade). The Album was called “Beyond the Bend.”  And that band was The Dawn.

The album

I can still recall how much this album meant to me and how often I listened to it using my now extinct casette player. Apart from “Salamat”, my other favorite song on the record was “Little Paradise”. At that time, their line up was composed of Jett, JB Leonor, Carlos Balcells & Atsushi Matsuura. I’ve always wanted to see them live…but I was young then and going to gigs was out of the question. Years have passed and I’ve liked other pinoy bands after The Dawn but they’ve always held a special place in my heart.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when my sister told me that her co-teacher (“Teacher Diane” – who also sings in a band) will be performing at a gig with Jett Pangan. She asked me if I’d like to have anything signed. I immediately thought of my casette tape and frantically searched for it. A couple of days later, my sister happily hands over the signed album cover. Lookey, lookey! He even wrote down my name!

Fizz! Rock and Roll!

I asked my sister if her co-teacher had any amusing story to tell to go with the autograph…and there was! The conversation between her and Jett went something like this:

Teacher Diane: Sir Jett! Favor naman o? Can you sign this please for 2 of my friends?

Jett Pangan: Sure!

Teacher Diane hands a cd cover first and he signs it.

Teacher Diane: This one is from my friend’s sister. Her name is Fizz & she’s a long time fan. (she then proceeds to hand over my casette cover)

Jett Pangan: Wow, classic!

So, there you go kids. In my own twisted little mind, I can say that Jett Pangan knows I exist. Salamat to JB, Carlos, Atsushi & Jett.

Thank you for being a part of the soundtrack of my youth.