Showing posts with label alternative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alternative. Show all posts
monday music trip
linger
THE CRANBERRIES
This song never fails to move me. Haunting melody, impressive lyrics, and unique vocal technique.
monday music trip
i am, i feel
[ ALISHA'S ATTIC ]
It may sound like a perky little ditty that should be decorated with spangly tinsel stars and lace; the kind of song that could go in a TV ad for a fruity cologne or hip new feminine wash. But give it a close listen and you'll see that it's actually a tongue-in-cheek expression of the vile (i.e. murderous) sentiments of a girl trapped in a bad relationship.
monday music trip:
ava adore
[SMASHING PUMPKINS]
A slightly disturbing synaesthetic concoction released in 1998, by one of my favorite bands, Smashing Pumpkins.
back when milla jovovich was a recording artist
Before she kicked arse in Resident Evil and Ultraviolet, before she uglied up to be Katinka Tinka Ingabogovina na na in Zoolander, and before she adorably blurted out "Leeloo Dallas MultiPass" in The Fifth Element, Milla Jovovich released an album entitled Divine Comedy.
monday music trip
breathe
[ THE PRODIGY ]
Some big beat from 1996 to jolt you awake at the start of the week. I.m.h.o., best enjoyed in full volume.
monday music trip
miss world [ HOLE ]
Grunge grrrl bands were mostly chicks with guitars who could neither sing nor songwrite with sufficient skill, and they dressed like they disapproved of spas and baths, but that's how we liked them in 1994.
monday music trip:
i alone [LIVE]
I Alone is a single from Live's Throwing Copper album, circa 1994. I remember loving that tape so much and playing it over and over.
Imagine, I listened to it on casette tape. Casette tape. We high-schoolers didn't buy CDs then because CDs were a pricey luxury afforded by grandparents and single uncles.
I recall considering Throwing Copper one of my favorite albums, but I don't even remember half of the songs in there anymore. I'm sure though that one of the things I liked about this band was the way frontman Ed Kowalczyk conveyed sensitivity and emotion without screeching like one of the big-haired glam metallists from the '80s/ early '90s. In the days when too many new artists tried to emulate Kurt Cobain's unpolished heroin-addict delivery or Eddie Vedder's deep baritone, Live's sonorous vocals were noteworthy.
The song starts mellow and tender, almost sparse; Kowalczyk mews mellifluous somewhere between a yawn, a sigh and a bitter cry. The music builds up, and he suddenly, vigorously lashes into one of the most intense and easily recognizable rock choruses from the '90s. I alone love you, I alone tempt you ... The enraged ardor is so palpable, it'd be easy for a listener to dive into it, drown in the anguish and vomit it out as his own. It's one of those things perfect for angrily pogo-dancing and banging your unwashed tresses to.
Contrary to what many listeners think, this isn't really a love song. According to the band, it's a commentary of sorts on organized religion. I couldn't find a quote of them sufficiently explaining the lyrics, but here's a tiny snippette in Wiki. Fans of the song have many interesting interpretations, besides.
Now that I can take a good look at the words (thanks, Google), I see it. I could make my own exegeses, but I'd rather leave you to make your own than share mine. ;)
it's easier not to be wise
and measure these things by your brains
I sank into eden with you
alone in the church by and by
I'll read to you here, save your eyes
you'll need them, your boat is at sea
your anchor is up, you've been swept away
and the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
to leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
fear is not the end of this
it's easier not to be great
and measure these things by your eyes
we long to be here by his resolve
alone in the church by and by
to cradle the baby in space
and leave you there by yourself chained to fate
oh, now, we took it back too far,
only love can save us now,
all these riddles that you burn
all come runnin' back to you,
all these rhythms that you hide
only love can save us now,
all these riddles that you burn yeah, yeah, yeah
and measure these things by your brains
I sank into eden with you
alone in the church by and by
I'll read to you here, save your eyes
you'll need them, your boat is at sea
your anchor is up, you've been swept away
and the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
to leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
fear is not the end of this
it's easier not to be great
and measure these things by your eyes
we long to be here by his resolve
alone in the church by and by
to cradle the baby in space
and leave you there by yourself chained to fate
oh, now, we took it back too far,
only love can save us now,
all these riddles that you burn
all come runnin' back to you,
all these rhythms that you hide
only love can save us now,
all these riddles that you burn yeah, yeah, yeah
But it would've been the quintessential post-grunge love ballad anyway - raw, angsty, with half-intelligible free-verse poetry that could mean a multitude of things. It could most of all be the crazed, possessive rambling of a rejected lover, rancid enough to rival Alanis Morisette's You Oughtta Know.
I used to listen to this song in my old bedroom, headphone volume on max (or full-blast when it came on the radio) to swim in Kowalczyk's sentimental soul-spillage. I had no idea what the verses meant, but I loved how they trickled out of his mouth. The chorus that roared loud and strong provided words for how I felt over this guy I was crazy about but preferred a beautiful idjit over me (I was the perfect girl for him, he just couldn't see it, dammit).
The music video is simple but decent by mid-'90s standards. Extreme close ups of the front man gazing directly into the camera while appearing depressed, neurotic, angry and high at the same time - that is so freaking '90s. I'm pretty sure I've seen Anthony Kiedis, Scott Weiland, Steven Tyler and a few others do that. The band spazzes out in the buildup, slamdancing and flopping their bad hair and too-long sweater sleeves. I've seen many other bands do that too. I feel so sorry for the drummer; he didn't have his instrument in there with him so he seemed to just randomly throw himself around while singing second, unsure what to do with his messy ponytail.
They all look so freaking unkempt - it's disturbing, isn't it? Clumpy hair and slouchy clothes that look like they haven't been washed for days (I mean both the hair and the clothes) were fashionable then. But yes, that's '90s grunge culture for ya: everything must be well-put-together in such a way that doesn't look so well-put-together. Labor for hours to look like you didn't care about how you looked. I must confess. I used to walk around in that too. :p
And yeow, look at Ed Kowalczyk's jeans. Don't they seem too high at the waist? Or does it only look that way because he has a short torso? He often appeared on television in that getup, by the way - jeans, no shirt, padawan braid. He's not beefy or anything, but he's not bad-looking at all. But then he looked too plain next to the Vedders and the Cobains of course.
Speaking of Kowalczyk, a bit of trivia: You might have spotted him as an extra in a certain seminal movie starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt:
Image from here.
When I saw that scene I knew the waiter looked extremely familiar, I just couldn't place him. Now I know for sure. That's a still from the 1999 flick Fight Club, by the way.
back when kurt ... well, kurt
I still remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news that he was gone. Heck, I still remember what I was wearing.
It was a sweltering summer morning. I was with my family in my Dad's old car, sweating in my yellow polo shirt and shorts. The radio was on, and news came in that Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home. I couldn't believe it; wanted to overreact upon hearing the horrible, horrible news, but decided I shouldn't do that in the presence of my very religious mother or she might have me exorcised.
Kurt Donald Cobain was a disturbed genius, the Byron of my generation. He popularized a whole new genre of music and demoted another. In 1991, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit invaded the airwaves with an unpretentious aggression, giving a voice to to the pent-up emotions of the youth. Before Kurt and his guys came in, rock music was all about big hair, spandex, vocal acrobatics and theatrics. Nirvana had none of that; they introduced an edgy, unpolished flavor of anti-art - aptly called grunge - which quickly caught on and made glam rock seem like last night's leftovers.
To this day, Teen Spirit is one of the top rock tunes of all time. It's probably Nirvana's most popular hit, but it wasn't the only one. There also was the similarly testosterone-laden Come As You Are, Lithium and In Bloom, all written by Cobain. The iconic Nevermind was followed by In Utero and an MTV Unplugged album.
Grunge's come as you are philosophy sparked a fashion trend and a way of life. It was suddenly attractive to look disheveled and unkempt, admirable to be so laid-back and low-maintenance.
Alas, on the 5th of April, 1994, A drug-drowned gunshot to the head. A suicide, authorities said. Age 27, in the fashion of other rock superstars like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. His death was surrounded with controversy, as some believe it to be a murder. Read more here.
Dr. Martens Ad
Kurt went away, and grunge left with him. There was suddenly a void where he and his music should have been. Many tried to keep grunge alive, but holding up a standard of it defeated the purpose of anti-art. In the mid-90's came a wave of what was called post-grunge, which was pretty much more cleaned up, watered-down and more sellable.
Kurt and his work was never forgotten, especially not by those he gave a voice to. He remains today an icon of rock, a gritty-but-fond memory of our growing up years.
It was a sweltering summer morning. I was with my family in my Dad's old car, sweating in my yellow polo shirt and shorts. The radio was on, and news came in that Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home. I couldn't believe it; wanted to overreact upon hearing the horrible, horrible news, but decided I shouldn't do that in the presence of my very religious mother or she might have me exorcised.
Kurt Donald Cobain was a disturbed genius, the Byron of my generation. He popularized a whole new genre of music and demoted another. In 1991, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit invaded the airwaves with an unpretentious aggression, giving a voice to to the pent-up emotions of the youth. Before Kurt and his guys came in, rock music was all about big hair, spandex, vocal acrobatics and theatrics. Nirvana had none of that; they introduced an edgy, unpolished flavor of anti-art - aptly called grunge - which quickly caught on and made glam rock seem like last night's leftovers.
To this day, Teen Spirit is one of the top rock tunes of all time. It's probably Nirvana's most popular hit, but it wasn't the only one. There also was the similarly testosterone-laden Come As You Are, Lithium and In Bloom, all written by Cobain. The iconic Nevermind was followed by In Utero and an MTV Unplugged album.
Grunge's come as you are philosophy sparked a fashion trend and a way of life. It was suddenly attractive to look disheveled and unkempt, admirable to be so laid-back and low-maintenance.
Alas, on the 5th of April, 1994, A drug-drowned gunshot to the head. A suicide, authorities said. Age 27, in the fashion of other rock superstars like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. His death was surrounded with controversy, as some believe it to be a murder. Read more here.
Dr. Martens AdKurt went away, and grunge left with him. There was suddenly a void where he and his music should have been. Many tried to keep grunge alive, but holding up a standard of it defeated the purpose of anti-art. In the mid-90's came a wave of what was called post-grunge, which was pretty much more cleaned up, watered-down and more sellable.
Kurt and his work was never forgotten, especially not by those he gave a voice to. He remains today an icon of rock, a gritty-but-fond memory of our growing up years.
monday music trip
army of me
BJORK
I'm in the mood for some retro Bjork today. I watched Sucker Punch fairly recently; in its kickass soundtrack is a remix of Bjork's Army of Me. A decade and a half after it was first released, it still sounds avant-garde enough to fit in a current movie.
I first heard Army of Me in '95, and noted how it sounded angry and sexy at the same time. And if you complain / Once more, you'll meet an / Army of me. I thought that was so clever.
Bjork was always too experimental for miantream tastes, and in this country her music was played only on NU107. Can't say I was ever a Bjork fan, but I loved her crazy music. Her music videos were delicious - the kind of soup one's subconscious mind cooks up while sleeping.
The Sucker Punch remix featuring Skunk Anansie still sounds much like the original track, only much more aggressive.
I first heard Army of Me in '95, and noted how it sounded angry and sexy at the same time. And if you complain / Once more, you'll meet an / Army of me. I thought that was so clever.
Bjork was always too experimental for miantream tastes, and in this country her music was played only on NU107. Can't say I was ever a Bjork fan, but I loved her crazy music. Her music videos were delicious - the kind of soup one's subconscious mind cooks up while sleeping.
The Sucker Punch remix featuring Skunk Anansie still sounds much like the original track, only much more aggressive.
monday music fix:
plush
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
This entry is inspired in part by NoBenta's recent entry, Sa Wakas, STP.
Stone Temple Pilot's Plush is a remarkably, distinguishably '90s tune. Ask anyone who was a teen in the 1990s about the most memorable songs from that era, Plush is likely to be in their list.
I first heard the heavily-rocking, post-grunge song thanks to a classmate of mine, way before it hit the local airwaves. If I remember correctly, it was 1993; last day of First Quarter exams.
The said classmate's name was Dawn. She and I weren't exactly close, but she needed company and I needed a place to hang out in until 4pm, so she invited me to stay at her house for a few hours. I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to be friends with that girl, especially when I saw she lived in a massive modern mansion decked with expensive-looking things. She let me invade her room while she excused herself to wash the stressful school day from her system. She put a disc into her impressive-looking CD player to keep me company while she was out. The aggressive sound boomed from the speakers that were set up in such a way that made her room feel like a rock concert.
I didn't yet recognize the songs that played, but I immediately liked the sound - the instrumentation had elements of grunge, but had a heavier but more polished quality; the vocalist sounded like Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, only his voice wasn't as deep and he pronounced his words clearer. I wondered who the band was. They weren't yet known in the country, and I felt privileged to be among the first to sample them.
I figured my new friend Dawn must have purchased this cool, new CD from a trip to the 'Sates during the summer. Stone Temple Pilots. New. Sounded mean enough. The album art, save for the text, was in a reddish monochrome, all mysterious-looking but not quite interesting.
I inspected the rest of the swell stuff cluttering her room. I was jolted in guilt when I suddenly heard a man's voice pipe out from behind me, "I am ... smelling like the rose That somebody gave me on my birthday deathbed." Good grief. I quite felt like a thief caught red-handed until I realized it was the CD.
We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing about and chatting about high school-level quasi-intellectual philosophy in front of a humongous television turned to MTV. How cool were we? So '90s teen. I thought about making her my new buddy and possibly coming back to her house to hang out. But neither of that happened, since we both already had our own preferred circle of pals. We did stay friends though - we were in the same class after all - but there wasn't much hanging out after that.
A while after I first heard the Stone Temple Pilots, Plush made it to mainstream radio. I immediately recognized it as something I heard at Dawn's house (I felt so proud of myself for knowing my rock music; I was so awesome). In those days, Campus Radio 97.1 LSFM was the cool mainstream station to tune in to. They had a top 20 at noon, and Plush made it into the countdown daily for a period of time. It never made it to the number one spot, but it was often requested and well-overplayed.
The single rapidly gained popularity, particularly among teens. We would try to sing along, making up the hardly intelligible lyrics. Those who played the guitar learned to play that song; many didn't make it past the intro, but the intro itself was recognizable enough to add coolness points. It was one of the top hits covered by amateur rock bands.
There was something about STP that appealed to the GenX-ers. Rockers and posers likely named the band as one of the artists they would love to see live. The Stone Temple Pilots (if they weren't unplugged) were able to generate an angry mosh pit full of sweaty, topless, tatooed guys; those who went to see their concert would come home with scars, black eyes and missing articles of clothing. It would have been a mad rush - but STP was the sort of band that was too big to come by Manila.
Another memory I have about Plush was that it was played at our high school dance. It's not the kind of song you could dance to, but the idiotic DJ put it on anyway. A not-unattractive college boy started to dance with me earlier that night and introduced himself. When Plush came on, things became weird because we couldn't move to it. We both just stood there swaying while the people around us were head-banging (I mean, what else could we do, right?). He tried to sing along while I nervously thought of a way to exit. To attempt a save, he started what turned out to be an overly awkward conversation - he asked for my number but I didn't have one, so he asked for my address. Huh? The music was really loud and it was useless to keep chatting, so we just moved away from each other and looked for the friends we came with.
The other singles from the Core album weren't as popular in the mainstream, but they were topnotch - among rock-lovers anyway. Dead and Bloated. Creep. My personal favorite for both music and lyrics was Wicked Garden.
Core was followed by Purple in 1994, with Vasoline, Interstate Love Song, et al. I loved the phrase "Conversations kill" from Big Empty; I thought it was just profound. Purple wasn't as loud as their first album, but it was still pretty good.
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop was released in 1996. Lady Picture Show, Big Bang Baby, Trippin On A Hole (With A Paper Heart).
Composer and frontman Scott Weiland had a creative slump accompanied by a heroin addiction, various misdemeanors and arrests. The band's a decrease in popularity was later punctuated by a breakup. Weiland went on to try recording as a solo artist, and despite his haunting rendition of Ave Maria, he didn't get very far. In 1999, the band regrouped and produced the fiasco called No. 4; two years later came Shangri-La Dee Da. I suppose STP attempted to evolve along with the evolving music trends, but their later works were eclipsed by the success of their early albums.
Early 2000's, Weiland got together with GnR's Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum to form the band Velvet Revolver (it was Guns n Roses with Weiland instead of Axl Rose [who I believe was in rehab at the time], and with a hard-rock sound veering away from what they used to be known for). I.m.h.o., they're pretty good. A1.
The Stone Temple Pilots, to the delight of fans who kept them in their playlists since the early 1990's, are finally coming to Manila for a concert this month. Wow. It would certainly be great to see them live, and I probably would ... if I were teenager and if it were still the '90s. I feel too old for that sort of thing, but that's not the only reason why I'm not so excited over it. I guess I just grew out of it. Besides, now that they're has-beens, I kind of think we should be insulted that they grace us at a time when they're trying to revive their careers, possibly a stab at making money to finance their substance addictions. I've learned that mosh pits are no longer fashionable in rock concerts so I doubt there will be one - but who knows, right? Thirtysomething and fortysomething males might just want to relive their younger years that way - I mean, if they can get away from work responsibilities and daddy responsibilities, and if they aren't too proud to look like a testosterone-laden teenager.
Stone Temple Pilot's Plush is a remarkably, distinguishably '90s tune. Ask anyone who was a teen in the 1990s about the most memorable songs from that era, Plush is likely to be in their list.
I first heard the heavily-rocking, post-grunge song thanks to a classmate of mine, way before it hit the local airwaves. If I remember correctly, it was 1993; last day of First Quarter exams.
The said classmate's name was Dawn. She and I weren't exactly close, but she needed company and I needed a place to hang out in until 4pm, so she invited me to stay at her house for a few hours. I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to be friends with that girl, especially when I saw she lived in a massive modern mansion decked with expensive-looking things. She let me invade her room while she excused herself to wash the stressful school day from her system. She put a disc into her impressive-looking CD player to keep me company while she was out. The aggressive sound boomed from the speakers that were set up in such a way that made her room feel like a rock concert.
I didn't yet recognize the songs that played, but I immediately liked the sound - the instrumentation had elements of grunge, but had a heavier but more polished quality; the vocalist sounded like Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, only his voice wasn't as deep and he pronounced his words clearer. I wondered who the band was. They weren't yet known in the country, and I felt privileged to be among the first to sample them.
I figured my new friend Dawn must have purchased this cool, new CD from a trip to the 'Sates during the summer. Stone Temple Pilots. New. Sounded mean enough. The album art, save for the text, was in a reddish monochrome, all mysterious-looking but not quite interesting.I inspected the rest of the swell stuff cluttering her room. I was jolted in guilt when I suddenly heard a man's voice pipe out from behind me, "I am ... smelling like the rose That somebody gave me on my birthday deathbed." Good grief. I quite felt like a thief caught red-handed until I realized it was the CD.
We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing about and chatting about high school-level quasi-intellectual philosophy in front of a humongous television turned to MTV. How cool were we? So '90s teen. I thought about making her my new buddy and possibly coming back to her house to hang out. But neither of that happened, since we both already had our own preferred circle of pals. We did stay friends though - we were in the same class after all - but there wasn't much hanging out after that.
A while after I first heard the Stone Temple Pilots, Plush made it to mainstream radio. I immediately recognized it as something I heard at Dawn's house (I felt so proud of myself for knowing my rock music; I was so awesome). In those days, Campus Radio 97.1 LSFM was the cool mainstream station to tune in to. They had a top 20 at noon, and Plush made it into the countdown daily for a period of time. It never made it to the number one spot, but it was often requested and well-overplayed.
The single rapidly gained popularity, particularly among teens. We would try to sing along, making up the hardly intelligible lyrics. Those who played the guitar learned to play that song; many didn't make it past the intro, but the intro itself was recognizable enough to add coolness points. It was one of the top hits covered by amateur rock bands.
There was something about STP that appealed to the GenX-ers. Rockers and posers likely named the band as one of the artists they would love to see live. The Stone Temple Pilots (if they weren't unplugged) were able to generate an angry mosh pit full of sweaty, topless, tatooed guys; those who went to see their concert would come home with scars, black eyes and missing articles of clothing. It would have been a mad rush - but STP was the sort of band that was too big to come by Manila.
Another memory I have about Plush was that it was played at our high school dance. It's not the kind of song you could dance to, but the idiotic DJ put it on anyway. A not-unattractive college boy started to dance with me earlier that night and introduced himself. When Plush came on, things became weird because we couldn't move to it. We both just stood there swaying while the people around us were head-banging (I mean, what else could we do, right?). He tried to sing along while I nervously thought of a way to exit. To attempt a save, he started what turned out to be an overly awkward conversation - he asked for my number but I didn't have one, so he asked for my address. Huh? The music was really loud and it was useless to keep chatting, so we just moved away from each other and looked for the friends we came with.
The other singles from the Core album weren't as popular in the mainstream, but they were topnotch - among rock-lovers anyway. Dead and Bloated. Creep. My personal favorite for both music and lyrics was Wicked Garden.
Core was followed by Purple in 1994, with Vasoline, Interstate Love Song, et al. I loved the phrase "Conversations kill" from Big Empty; I thought it was just profound. Purple wasn't as loud as their first album, but it was still pretty good.
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop was released in 1996. Lady Picture Show, Big Bang Baby, Trippin On A Hole (With A Paper Heart).
Composer and frontman Scott Weiland had a creative slump accompanied by a heroin addiction, various misdemeanors and arrests. The band's a decrease in popularity was later punctuated by a breakup. Weiland went on to try recording as a solo artist, and despite his haunting rendition of Ave Maria, he didn't get very far. In 1999, the band regrouped and produced the fiasco called No. 4; two years later came Shangri-La Dee Da. I suppose STP attempted to evolve along with the evolving music trends, but their later works were eclipsed by the success of their early albums.
Early 2000's, Weiland got together with GnR's Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum to form the band Velvet Revolver (it was Guns n Roses with Weiland instead of Axl Rose [who I believe was in rehab at the time], and with a hard-rock sound veering away from what they used to be known for). I.m.h.o., they're pretty good. A1.
The Stone Temple Pilots, to the delight of fans who kept them in their playlists since the early 1990's, are finally coming to Manila for a concert this month. Wow. It would certainly be great to see them live, and I probably would ... if I were teenager and if it were still the '90s. I feel too old for that sort of thing, but that's not the only reason why I'm not so excited over it. I guess I just grew out of it. Besides, now that they're has-beens, I kind of think we should be insulted that they grace us at a time when they're trying to revive their careers, possibly a stab at making money to finance their substance addictions. I've learned that mosh pits are no longer fashionable in rock concerts so I doubt there will be one - but who knows, right? Thirtysomething and fortysomething males might just want to relive their younger years that way - I mean, if they can get away from work responsibilities and daddy responsibilities, and if they aren't too proud to look like a testosterone-laden teenager.
monday music fix:
teardrop
MASSIVE ATTACK
The first time I heard it in 1998, I thought it was just brilliant and I decided it was going to be one of my faves.
People now recognize it as "the theme from HOUSE", but it's actually a trip hop single from 1998 by the UK electronica duo Massive Attack. Elizabeth Frazer of the dream-pop group Cocteau Twins (from the '80s and early '90s) came on board to do the vocals. Teardrop never was very mainstream - though I think it hit the charts for a while in the UK - so I don't blame people for thinking it's merely the soundtrack from a fairly recent television program.
For those familiar with Teardrop, there's been much argument over the actual lyrics. For example, I've seen different words for the hook - "fearless on my breath" (as shown in the video above), "feathers on my breath," and the phonetically probable "feel the summer, pray". Whichever, none of them make any obvious sense. Personally, I go for the feathers version. Considering that Elizabeth Frazer is from Scotland, she would say "fee-dhers" instead of "feh-therz". Besides, "feathers on my breath" could mean the same thing as "fearless on my breath", but just in a more artistic manner.
On top of Frazer's confusing pronunciation, the words are cryptic and poetic to begin with, so there's even more debate over the meaning. The general consensus is that it isn't about happy emotions. I've got my own interpretation that makes a lot of sense to me - that's the thing about poetry sometimes. I hold that this woman mourns over a confession she made to her lover, after which things got worse instead of better. Anyway.
The music video further stoked the confusion. People then supposed the teardrops on the fire of a confession had something to do with an unwanted pregnancy an/or an abortion. I thinks, it's just one of those videos that just happen to be clever and don't necessarily have anything to do with the song.
There are many things about Teardrop that I just love. First of all, it starts off with a drum beat reminiscent of a heartbeat. The first time I heard it, that rhythm alone was enough to make me fall in love with it. Then it thickens out with lilting, spidery electronic noteplay, somewhat etheral and eastern. And those vocals - wow. The high pitch and the tender undulations give it a significantly haunting, otherwordly quality.
The music video it came with showed a detailed, superbly-animated fetus in utero, lip-syncing to the tune. As if the song weren't spooky enough, disturbing visuals were added to it. Teardrop is thus jolting and unforgettable.
back when that lady in cambio had a slightly different name
Followers of the local alternative music scene in the late '90s know she was the vocalist of the all-girl rock band Fatal Posporos. Back in '02 she made some waves when it was announced she was going to be Ely Buendia's replacement in the Eraserheads. She's no Ely, and a lot of E'heads diehards didn't like the idea of a female vocalist, but the girl had talent. The new E'heads didn't fly, and each member of the iconic rock group went to start other bands that haven't yet become half as popular as the original E'heads but are at least doing better than the new one. Kris Gorra-Dancel's most recent stint is as the lead vocals of the rock act Cambio.
Around a decade and a half ago, I knew her as Kristina Gorra. She didn't know me, but I recognized her. We went to the same exclusive Catholic private high school for girls; she was two batches ahead. She wasn't really a campus celebrity, but she wasn't exactly a nobody either. I believe she was one of those brainy types who wrote articles for the school paper; I don't know if she was in the honors class or not. If I remember correctly, she was sometimes chosen for speech competitions.
Girls from our school didn't normally form rock bands, but Kris and her friend Donna had one. They performed at a program just after our last mass for that year, right before we were dismissed to attend our Christmas parties. They played a lackluster rendition of John Lennon's Imagine, sadly in need of a metronome, but good enough entertainment to soothe us from two and a half quarters of school-related stress (The show was stolen by a batchmate of mine who sang Christmas All Over the World and mispronounced Christmas as Kreesmass every time she got to the high-pitched chorus).
Naturally I didn't see Kristina around school after she graduated, but I did see her again. The next time I encountered her was at the end of Summer of '95, when I went to enroll in University. The University - everybody's dream school, where brilliant, radical thinkers supposedly went. As an incoming freshman, I scouted around my campus-to-be and observed some of the upperclassmen hanging around.
In the lobby of the Palma Hall Annex, I saw a familiar face, someone from my high school. I recognized her as Kristina Gorra. I thought about introducing myself for Alma Mater's sake and probably making an instant upperclassman friend. I decided that was too uncool. Besides, I wasn't even sure if she did go to that school; she could have just been hanging around with her buddies.
I noticed something different about Kristina. Our high school teachers used to tell us that going to college would change us, and I saw what they meant when I saw her. Aside from the fact that she was not wearing the ugly, unflattering uniform I was used to seeing her in, she did not seem at all like a girl who came from an exclusive Catholic all-girls private school. She walked with a then-fashionable "heroin-chic" attitude, looking laid back and cool in ratty jeans and a grungy shirt. She wore slippers, and her hair was all rumpled. She squatted on the floor (something that was outlawed in our old high school) while she chatted with her pal - and I couldn't help noticing that she lost her kolehiyala accent. Though she still had the exact same face, she was an entirely different person.
I told my friend (also from the same high school) about the chance encounter and we both swore never to lose our kolehiyala accent.
I saw Kristina again a few years later, fronting for Fatal Posporos (with her was her friend Donna, also from our high school). Now that was when I didn't recognize her. Even when I saw her name in the newspaper articles announcing she was going to be the new Ely, it didn't register that a girl from our very Catholic high school would front a rock band. I though that her name was familiar to me simply because she was in a band. It took me another few years to realize that it was the same Kristina Gorra.
Around a decade and a half ago, I knew her as Kristina Gorra. She didn't know me, but I recognized her. We went to the same exclusive Catholic private high school for girls; she was two batches ahead. She wasn't really a campus celebrity, but she wasn't exactly a nobody either. I believe she was one of those brainy types who wrote articles for the school paper; I don't know if she was in the honors class or not. If I remember correctly, she was sometimes chosen for speech competitions.
Girls from our school didn't normally form rock bands, but Kris and her friend Donna had one. They performed at a program just after our last mass for that year, right before we were dismissed to attend our Christmas parties. They played a lackluster rendition of John Lennon's Imagine, sadly in need of a metronome, but good enough entertainment to soothe us from two and a half quarters of school-related stress (The show was stolen by a batchmate of mine who sang Christmas All Over the World and mispronounced Christmas as Kreesmass every time she got to the high-pitched chorus).
Naturally I didn't see Kristina around school after she graduated, but I did see her again. The next time I encountered her was at the end of Summer of '95, when I went to enroll in University. The University - everybody's dream school, where brilliant, radical thinkers supposedly went. As an incoming freshman, I scouted around my campus-to-be and observed some of the upperclassmen hanging around.
In the lobby of the Palma Hall Annex, I saw a familiar face, someone from my high school. I recognized her as Kristina Gorra. I thought about introducing myself for Alma Mater's sake and probably making an instant upperclassman friend. I decided that was too uncool. Besides, I wasn't even sure if she did go to that school; she could have just been hanging around with her buddies.
I noticed something different about Kristina. Our high school teachers used to tell us that going to college would change us, and I saw what they meant when I saw her. Aside from the fact that she was not wearing the ugly, unflattering uniform I was used to seeing her in, she did not seem at all like a girl who came from an exclusive Catholic all-girls private school. She walked with a then-fashionable "heroin-chic" attitude, looking laid back and cool in ratty jeans and a grungy shirt. She wore slippers, and her hair was all rumpled. She squatted on the floor (something that was outlawed in our old high school) while she chatted with her pal - and I couldn't help noticing that she lost her kolehiyala accent. Though she still had the exact same face, she was an entirely different person.
I told my friend (also from the same high school) about the chance encounter and we both swore never to lose our kolehiyala accent.
I saw Kristina again a few years later, fronting for Fatal Posporos (with her was her friend Donna, also from our high school). Now that was when I didn't recognize her. Even when I saw her name in the newspaper articles announcing she was going to be the new Ely, it didn't register that a girl from our very Catholic high school would front a rock band. I though that her name was familiar to me simply because she was in a band. It took me another few years to realize that it was the same Kristina Gorra.
monday music fix:
wicked game
CHRIS ISAAK
For some reason, Chris Isaak's only hit was resonating in my head the past few days. I thought of making a search for the video just to hear it again, and I was lucky enough to stumble into one that came with lyrics and information.
"Wicked Game" is a 1989 song by Chris Isaak from his third studio album Heart Shaped World. Despite being released as a single in 1989, it didn't become a hit until it was later featured in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart. Lee Chesnut, an Atlanta radio station music director who was obsessed with David Lynch films, began playing the song and it quickly became a nationwide top ten hit in January 1991, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the only hit song of his career in the U.S.
Wicked Game
CHRIS ISAAK
The world was on fire
No one could save me but you.
Strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
No, I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
With you
With you
What a wicked game you play
To make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do
To let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say
You never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do
To make me dream of you
And I don't wanna fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
And I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
Nobody loves no one
CHRIS ISAAK
The world was on fire
No one could save me but you.
Strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
No, I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
With you
With you
What a wicked game you play
To make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do
To let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say
You never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do
To make me dream of you
And I don't wanna fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
And I don't want to fall in love
[This love is only gonna break your heart]
Nobody loves no one
Except for the fact that Isaak was a one-hit wonder, I find everything about Wicked Game so sexy. Even as a twelve year old I thought that. The lyrics suggest a forbidden longing; the music is something you can imagine a pole dancer sultrily moving to. Chris Isaak's voice is silky and mellifluous.
And that music video it was packaged in -- woah. Hot. Ness. From Here To Eternity (1935) love scene at the beach, done '90s style. It was rarely ever played on local programs (I guess it's because it's not entirely wholesome), but I happened to catch it on MTV (via cable) as a teen and haven't forgotten about it since. It's actually very simple, but there's nothing plain about it.
I also noted that Isaak didn't do bad in the sexy department himself; teenage Me crushed on him for momentarily sometime between a Michael Cade phase and a Marcus Schenkenberg phase. The gorgeous lady in there with him by the way, is former supermodel Helena Christensen (who also happens to be Miss Denmark 1986).
monday music:
never meant to be this way
BETRAYED
This here is a song that I felt like singing after suffering a recent fiasco concerning false friends. It's an obscure skate-punk song from an obscure Pinoy band, probably known only to those sort of familiar with the underground rock scene of the 1990s. I was so surprised to find it posted somewhere on the intarwebz.
I first heard about Betrayed in the early '90s, from self-styled metallistic friends of mine in those days. They had a collection of indie-label tapes (yesss, casette tapes) and alternative albums that don't get radio airtime (we liked listening to music like that; it kind of felt like we had our own special world that the fans of the Michaels and Madonnas did not know about). The Betrayed album had this not-so-polished feel to it; the music was rough and raw, apparent with the influence of late-'70s/early-'80s punk. The album cover was so indie in it's plain-ness, it looked like it was just coughed out by a teenager for a demo tape; it was just black, white and red with the word "BETRAYED", and was printed on only one side. Never Meant To Be This Way was the song that I liked the most; I liked it so much that it stuck in my mind though I never heard it again in more than a decade.
Hearing music like this again reminds me of a time when rock was not performed in a way that sounded like moping, with the occasional pretentious growl to make it a bit more hardcore, sung by guys with hair covering one eye and too much eyeliner on the other. "Punk" used to literally mean trashy and degenerate, so it's really not supposed to be polished and presentable. It was kinda more about expressing things as is, rather than being sellable enough to make money.
Ah, well. What do i know, right? :p
I found this video of Betrayed playing live at a reunion gig of sorts, at some random blog. They play Never Meant To Be This Way, a bit more upbeat than the recording.
|
I first heard about Betrayed in the early '90s, from self-styled metallistic friends of mine in those days. They had a collection of indie-label tapes (yesss, casette tapes) and alternative albums that don't get radio airtime (we liked listening to music like that; it kind of felt like we had our own special world that the fans of the Michaels and Madonnas did not know about). The Betrayed album had this not-so-polished feel to it; the music was rough and raw, apparent with the influence of late-'70s/early-'80s punk. The album cover was so indie in it's plain-ness, it looked like it was just coughed out by a teenager for a demo tape; it was just black, white and red with the word "BETRAYED", and was printed on only one side. Never Meant To Be This Way was the song that I liked the most; I liked it so much that it stuck in my mind though I never heard it again in more than a decade.
Hearing music like this again reminds me of a time when rock was not performed in a way that sounded like moping, with the occasional pretentious growl to make it a bit more hardcore, sung by guys with hair covering one eye and too much eyeliner on the other. "Punk" used to literally mean trashy and degenerate, so it's really not supposed to be polished and presentable. It was kinda more about expressing things as is, rather than being sellable enough to make money.
Ah, well. What do i know, right? :p
I found this video of Betrayed playing live at a reunion gig of sorts, at some random blog. They play Never Meant To Be This Way, a bit more upbeat than the recording.
monday music:
you oughta know
ALANIS MORISETTE
Or ...
back when you oughta know she made you swallow that jagged little pill
She came into our lives in 1995 like a blitzkrieg - sudden, strong and from all directions - through her cleverly and aptly titled album, Jagged Little Pill. And while everyone else loved the sound of Hand In My Pocket, Ironic and You Learn, I thought those songs were pretty sucky. The one that I liked - the only song of hers that I liked - was You Oughta Know.
I never was an Alanis fan. I disliked her sound and her fashion sense; I even wondered why producers invested in making her into a recording artist. She sang in a way that that reminded me of mating cats, or nails being dragged down a blackboard. I'd sampled her music months ahead of my friends because I tuned in to alternative radio, and by the time she hit mainstream I was already sick of hearing that whiny voice.
But all that aside, I loved You Oughta Know. It was so raw, the first time I heard it I could totally imagine a punk cover.
(All that angst, hair-throwing and seemingly carelessly put-together look is typical '90s rock. I wonder if Alanis cringes when she looks back at this.)
"It sounds too angry," I'd heard people say. But that's exactly the point. She was angry and she wanted the world to know. At one end it was embarrassing to hear someone spill her guts so poiselessly, at the other it liberating to know that someone could express herself unreservedly; somewhere in the middle it was extremely amusing. You kinda snicker with pity for the bloke who broke her heart (who probably didn't expect a hate-letter to come through the airwaves while the rest of the world listened). Of all her songs, this was the one I found to have the most character.
A bit of trivia: Dave Navarro played the guitars for it.
You Oughta Know came as a shock to most who weren't used to indie and the profanity of pre-existent metal. People remarked they have never heard a b**ch so angry, that her raw emotion and references to sex were startling, that there hasn't been anyone like her before and yadda yadda yadda. But of course it has been done before - and yes, even by dames - and Alanis was even polite compared to some of those I've heard in the early and mid-nineties that she didn't even shock me.
Three years after Jagged Little Pill was released, Alanis came out with Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. A less-angsty version of her came singing Thank You, seemingly nude in the middle of a city, and we thought WTF(?).
Eventually she grew up, cleaned up and slowly faded out. I don't even care what she's up to now.
Here are someone else's thoughts on Alanis and You Oughta Know. You oughta read it too.
A few years back someone did do a punk cover of You Oughta Know. I just don't know who it was.
back when you oughta know she made you swallow that jagged little pill
She came into our lives in 1995 like a blitzkrieg - sudden, strong and from all directions - through her cleverly and aptly titled album, Jagged Little Pill. And while everyone else loved the sound of Hand In My Pocket, Ironic and You Learn, I thought those songs were pretty sucky. The one that I liked - the only song of hers that I liked - was You Oughta Know.I never was an Alanis fan. I disliked her sound and her fashion sense; I even wondered why producers invested in making her into a recording artist. She sang in a way that that reminded me of mating cats, or nails being dragged down a blackboard. I'd sampled her music months ahead of my friends because I tuned in to alternative radio, and by the time she hit mainstream I was already sick of hearing that whiny voice.
But all that aside, I loved You Oughta Know. It was so raw, the first time I heard it I could totally imagine a punk cover.
(All that angst, hair-throwing and seemingly carelessly put-together look is typical '90s rock. I wonder if Alanis cringes when she looks back at this.)
"It sounds too angry," I'd heard people say. But that's exactly the point. She was angry and she wanted the world to know. At one end it was embarrassing to hear someone spill her guts so poiselessly, at the other it liberating to know that someone could express herself unreservedly; somewhere in the middle it was extremely amusing. You kinda snicker with pity for the bloke who broke her heart (who probably didn't expect a hate-letter to come through the airwaves while the rest of the world listened). Of all her songs, this was the one I found to have the most character.
A bit of trivia: Dave Navarro played the guitars for it.
You Oughta Know came as a shock to most who weren't used to indie and the profanity of pre-existent metal. People remarked they have never heard a b**ch so angry, that her raw emotion and references to sex were startling, that there hasn't been anyone like her before and yadda yadda yadda. But of course it has been done before - and yes, even by dames - and Alanis was even polite compared to some of those I've heard in the early and mid-nineties that she didn't even shock me.
Three years after Jagged Little Pill was released, Alanis came out with Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. A less-angsty version of her came singing Thank You, seemingly nude in the middle of a city, and we thought WTF(?).
Eventually she grew up, cleaned up and slowly faded out. I don't even care what she's up to now.
Here are someone else's thoughts on Alanis and You Oughta Know. You oughta read it too.
A few years back someone did do a punk cover of You Oughta Know. I just don't know who it was.
back when parokya was young
Another entry in Taglish.
Kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko, March 1994 noon; patapos na ang schoolyear. Ang graduating batch ng Ateneo de Manila High School ay nagra-wrap up na ng kanilang apat na taon sa high school -- ilang linggo ng grad practice, clearance at iba't ibang non-academic activities na pampalubag-loob. Isang hapon, nagtipon-tipon ang mga studyante sa High School Covered Courts* para sa isang event. Sa kalagitnaan ng programa, may pumanik sa stage na banda: ilang mga magkakalase mula sa graduating batch.
*Oo, may S talaga yun.
Sinimulan nilang tugtugin ang Creep* ng Radiohead. Nakilala ng mga mag-aaral ang tugtog, at nag-cheer sila. Pero nang kumakanta na ang vocalist, iba yata ang lyrics - ha, tagalog? Kumanta siya tungkol sa craving niya para sa siopao na special. Ang kanta nilang ito ay hindi Creep, kundi Trip ang pamagat.
* Ang Creep ay isang kantang noise-rock na sikat na sikat na sikat na sikat to the point of rocker anthem noong mga araw na 'yon
Trip nga talaga - laugh trip. Ang galing ng wording, at saka ang kulit - in a really good way.
Nagpakilala nga pala ang banda: "Kami ang ... Parokya Ni Edgar!"
Hindi pa actually Parokya Ni Edgar ang pangalan nila at that time, kundi Comic Relief - kasi nga, pang-comic relief ang mga novelty rock songs nila. Ang phrase na "Parokya Ni Edgar" ay isang inside joke ng section nila. Isa itong impromptu smart-aleck answer ng classmate nila noong tinatalakay sa Filipino class ang El Filibusterismo ni Jose Rizal.
"Saan (blah blah blah) si Crisostomo Ibarra?," tanong ni Teacher.
Ang sagot ng nagulantang na estudyante, "Sa ... parokya ni Edgar!"* **
* Ang ibig sabihin ng parokya ay "parish" o "parish church". Kung sino si Edgar, hindi ko alam.
** Ang estudyanteng iyon ay ang kaklase nilang nagngangalang Bambi Cuna (info provided by Chito).
Obviously, benta. So nung ini-introduce nila ang mga sarili sa programang 'yon sa Ateneo High, bigla na lang nasabi ang phrase / inside joke na ang mga ka-section lang nila ang makaka-get. At mula noon, dumikit na ang bago nilang pangalan.
"Our next song is a song by a blonde nun,"* sabi nila . At saka tinugtog nila ang What's Up ng 4 Non-Blondes.
* Siyempre mga ingglisero pa, Atenista pa sila nun eh.
Tinugtog din nila ang Nanakaw Ang Wallet Ko, na version nila ng Knocking On Heaven's Door ng Guns n' Roses / Bob Dylan. Patok na patok sila sa mga ka-eskwela nila dahil sa kakwelahan.
Pagkagraduate, bumenta din sila sa ibang tao. Ang iba sa kanila nag-college sa Ateneo, ang iba nag-UP*, at tinuloy ng ilan ang pagba-banda. Eventually nawala sa Parokya ang dalawang original members nito from Ateneo high, pero nag-merge naman sila sa mga dating member ng bandang Looney Tunes. Na-form ang Parokya na kilala natin ngayon:
Chito Miranda on lead vocals
Darius Semana on lead guitar
Gab Chee Kee on rhythm
Buwi Meneses on bass
Dindin Moreno on drums
Vinci Montaner ... ano nga ba siya?
* UP: University of the Philippines. Naging kaklase ko si Chito sa College of Fine Arts. Si Vinci naging kaklase ko sa GE 'nung freshman (sa isang subject kung saan marami kaming binagsak ng walanhiyang prof); naalala ko lang sa kanya ay pogi siya noon at napapag-initan ng prof na mukhang manyak. Madalas kong nakikita ang Parokya boys sa CFA, lalo na kung may tugtog sila sa UP, which is madalas mangyari. Minsang naka-tambay ko sila sa tindahan ni Manang Babes.
Kahit wala pa silang album noon, sikat na sikat sila sa mga nagpapaka-rocker na suki ng Club Dredd* at Mayrics**. Alam ng mga fans ang mga kanta tulad ng Cooking ng Ina Mo, Chikinini (spoof ng Banal na Aso / Santong Kabayo ng Yano) at Pangarap Ko sa Buhay.
* Oo nga pala - nasa Km 19 Edsa pa ang Dredd noon. At ni wala pang Eastwood.
** Sazi's na ngayon ang Mayrics.
1995, sumikat ang kanta nilang Buloy - una sa NU 107 at humawa na sa ibang mga station - at noon sila nakilala sa radyo ng mga taong hindi alam kung ano ang Km 19. Ang Buloy ay tungkol sa totoong tao na na-kainuman nila sa Gulod*. Hindi yata nila alam ang totoong pangalan niya, basta ang tawag lang nila sa kaniya ay "Buloy". Hindi daw talaga siya nag-suicide nung una, pero pinatay nila siya dun sa kanta. Later on naging totohanan na ang suicide niya.
* Gulod : tambayan / inuman place sa loob ng UP Diliman Campus; nawala na ito nung 1999
Iilan lang sila na novelty rock acts* - marami kasi noon ang grunge / post-grunge, alternative at metal - kaya medyo naiiba sila sa karaniwang style noon. Pero ang pinakaka kakaiba sa Parokya ay ang husay nilang mag-entertain gamit ang kakulitan (at minsan, kabastusan). Ang maganda pa sa kanila, hindi sila nagpapa-cute tulad ng ibang mga banda na may pa image-image pa. Medyo jologs ang dating nila kung minsan, pero hindi baduy kasi intelihente yung humor nila, hindi slapstick. Nakakatawa kapag nagtanggal ng T-shirt si Chito - patpatin pa ang katawan niya noon, yun nga ang nakakatawa eh. Kung minsan may pekeng tattoo pa na naka-pentel pen lang (wala pa silang mga tunay na tatoo noon).
* Novelty Rock : Rock ang music, pero kakulitan ang lyrics. Ang iba pang novelty rock acts noon ay Grin Department, Tungaw at Ciudad. Pero angat talaga ang Paroyka. Wala pang Kamikazee noon.
Kaya nga nanalo sila sa NU Rock Awards ng Best Live Act noong 1996.
Sila din ang Best New Artist nung taong yon. Official na "recording artist" na sila dahil lumabas na ang unang album nila na Khangkhungkhernitz. Nandun siyempre sa album na 'yon ang mga kantang nabanggit, pwera ang Chikinini, dahil hindi pumayag ang Yano. *
* Medyo mayabang pa ang Yano noon kasi sikat pa sila na pinoy alternative band. Nung 2003, binigyan na rin ng permiso ang Parokya i-record ang Chikinini at isama sa album na Bigotilyo. Nalaos na kasi ang Yano, at sikat na sikat ang Parokya. Mas big-time pa ang Parokya kesa sa kung ano man ang inabot ng Yano.
Lagpas isang dekada nang sikat ang Parokya - nagkaroon na sila ng sampung album, at parang parami pa rin nang parami ang fans nila - at hindi pa sila naluluma. Maganda kasi sa kanila, bukod sa magaling sila tumugtog at magsulat ng lyrics, hindi sila natatali sa genre, at hindi sila takot mag-experiment. Kaya nga nagugustuhan sila ng maraming tao - whether bata o matanda, jologs or soyalin, simpleng tao o inggliserong Atenista level. Patunay dito ang lagpas 10 na panalo at lagpas 20 na nomination mula sa NU Rock Awards, MTV, Awit Awards, MYX at iba pa.
Kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko, March 1994 noon; patapos na ang schoolyear. Ang graduating batch ng Ateneo de Manila High School ay nagra-wrap up na ng kanilang apat na taon sa high school -- ilang linggo ng grad practice, clearance at iba't ibang non-academic activities na pampalubag-loob. Isang hapon, nagtipon-tipon ang mga studyante sa High School Covered Courts* para sa isang event. Sa kalagitnaan ng programa, may pumanik sa stage na banda: ilang mga magkakalase mula sa graduating batch.
*Oo, may S talaga yun.
Sinimulan nilang tugtugin ang Creep* ng Radiohead. Nakilala ng mga mag-aaral ang tugtog, at nag-cheer sila. Pero nang kumakanta na ang vocalist, iba yata ang lyrics - ha, tagalog? Kumanta siya tungkol sa craving niya para sa siopao na special. Ang kanta nilang ito ay hindi Creep, kundi Trip ang pamagat.
* Ang Creep ay isang kantang noise-rock na sikat na sikat na sikat na sikat to the point of rocker anthem noong mga araw na 'yon
Trip nga talaga - laugh trip. Ang galing ng wording, at saka ang kulit - in a really good way.
Nagpakilala nga pala ang banda: "Kami ang ... Parokya Ni Edgar!"
Hindi pa actually Parokya Ni Edgar ang pangalan nila at that time, kundi Comic Relief - kasi nga, pang-comic relief ang mga novelty rock songs nila. Ang phrase na "Parokya Ni Edgar" ay isang inside joke ng section nila. Isa itong impromptu smart-aleck answer ng classmate nila noong tinatalakay sa Filipino class ang El Filibusterismo ni Jose Rizal.
"Saan (blah blah blah) si Crisostomo Ibarra?," tanong ni Teacher.
Ang sagot ng nagulantang na estudyante, "Sa ... parokya ni Edgar!"* **
* Ang ibig sabihin ng parokya ay "parish" o "parish church". Kung sino si Edgar, hindi ko alam.
** Ang estudyanteng iyon ay ang kaklase nilang nagngangalang Bambi Cuna (info provided by Chito).
Obviously, benta. So nung ini-introduce nila ang mga sarili sa programang 'yon sa Ateneo High, bigla na lang nasabi ang phrase / inside joke na ang mga ka-section lang nila ang makaka-get. At mula noon, dumikit na ang bago nilang pangalan.
"Our next song is a song by a blonde nun,"* sabi nila . At saka tinugtog nila ang What's Up ng 4 Non-Blondes.
* Siyempre mga ingglisero pa, Atenista pa sila nun eh.
Tinugtog din nila ang Nanakaw Ang Wallet Ko, na version nila ng Knocking On Heaven's Door ng Guns n' Roses / Bob Dylan. Patok na patok sila sa mga ka-eskwela nila dahil sa kakwelahan.
Pagkagraduate, bumenta din sila sa ibang tao. Ang iba sa kanila nag-college sa Ateneo, ang iba nag-UP*, at tinuloy ng ilan ang pagba-banda. Eventually nawala sa Parokya ang dalawang original members nito from Ateneo high, pero nag-merge naman sila sa mga dating member ng bandang Looney Tunes. Na-form ang Parokya na kilala natin ngayon:
Chito Miranda on lead vocals
Darius Semana on lead guitar
Gab Chee Kee on rhythm
Buwi Meneses on bass
Dindin Moreno on drums
Vinci Montaner ... ano nga ba siya?
* UP: University of the Philippines. Naging kaklase ko si Chito sa College of Fine Arts. Si Vinci naging kaklase ko sa GE 'nung freshman (sa isang subject kung saan marami kaming binagsak ng walanhiyang prof); naalala ko lang sa kanya ay pogi siya noon at napapag-initan ng prof na mukhang manyak. Madalas kong nakikita ang Parokya boys sa CFA, lalo na kung may tugtog sila sa UP, which is madalas mangyari. Minsang naka-tambay ko sila sa tindahan ni Manang Babes.
Kahit wala pa silang album noon, sikat na sikat sila sa mga nagpapaka-rocker na suki ng Club Dredd* at Mayrics**. Alam ng mga fans ang mga kanta tulad ng Cooking ng Ina Mo, Chikinini (spoof ng Banal na Aso / Santong Kabayo ng Yano) at Pangarap Ko sa Buhay.
* Oo nga pala - nasa Km 19 Edsa pa ang Dredd noon. At ni wala pang Eastwood.
** Sazi's na ngayon ang Mayrics.
1995, sumikat ang kanta nilang Buloy - una sa NU 107 at humawa na sa ibang mga station - at noon sila nakilala sa radyo ng mga taong hindi alam kung ano ang Km 19. Ang Buloy ay tungkol sa totoong tao na na-kainuman nila sa Gulod*. Hindi yata nila alam ang totoong pangalan niya, basta ang tawag lang nila sa kaniya ay "Buloy". Hindi daw talaga siya nag-suicide nung una, pero pinatay nila siya dun sa kanta. Later on naging totohanan na ang suicide niya.* Gulod : tambayan / inuman place sa loob ng UP Diliman Campus; nawala na ito nung 1999
Iilan lang sila na novelty rock acts* - marami kasi noon ang grunge / post-grunge, alternative at metal - kaya medyo naiiba sila sa karaniwang style noon. Pero ang pinakaka kakaiba sa Parokya ay ang husay nilang mag-entertain gamit ang kakulitan (at minsan, kabastusan). Ang maganda pa sa kanila, hindi sila nagpapa-cute tulad ng ibang mga banda na may pa image-image pa. Medyo jologs ang dating nila kung minsan, pero hindi baduy kasi intelihente yung humor nila, hindi slapstick. Nakakatawa kapag nagtanggal ng T-shirt si Chito - patpatin pa ang katawan niya noon, yun nga ang nakakatawa eh. Kung minsan may pekeng tattoo pa na naka-pentel pen lang (wala pa silang mga tunay na tatoo noon).
* Novelty Rock : Rock ang music, pero kakulitan ang lyrics. Ang iba pang novelty rock acts noon ay Grin Department, Tungaw at Ciudad. Pero angat talaga ang Paroyka. Wala pang Kamikazee noon.
Kaya nga nanalo sila sa NU Rock Awards ng Best Live Act noong 1996.
Sila din ang Best New Artist nung taong yon. Official na "recording artist" na sila dahil lumabas na ang unang album nila na Khangkhungkhernitz. Nandun siyempre sa album na 'yon ang mga kantang nabanggit, pwera ang Chikinini, dahil hindi pumayag ang Yano. *
* Medyo mayabang pa ang Yano noon kasi sikat pa sila na pinoy alternative band. Nung 2003, binigyan na rin ng permiso ang Parokya i-record ang Chikinini at isama sa album na Bigotilyo. Nalaos na kasi ang Yano, at sikat na sikat ang Parokya. Mas big-time pa ang Parokya kesa sa kung ano man ang inabot ng Yano.
Lagpas isang dekada nang sikat ang Parokya - nagkaroon na sila ng sampung album, at parang parami pa rin nang parami ang fans nila - at hindi pa sila naluluma. Maganda kasi sa kanila, bukod sa magaling sila tumugtog at magsulat ng lyrics, hindi sila natatali sa genre, at hindi sila takot mag-experiment. Kaya nga nagugustuhan sila ng maraming tao - whether bata o matanda, jologs or soyalin, simpleng tao o inggliserong Atenista level. Patunay dito ang lagpas 10 na panalo at lagpas 20 na nomination mula sa NU Rock Awards, MTV, Awit Awards, MYX at iba pa.
back when cheech and chong had a conversation about santa claus and his old lady
I find it hard to believe that that Santa Claus and His Old Lady was actually released in '71. I first heard it in the mid-'90s, and it sounded quite fresh. It's been a holiday playlist regular of mine, and it still sounds cool. It isn't actually a song but a conversation between a stoned hippie (played by Thomas Chong) and an eager latino (Cheech Marin).
santa claus and his old lady (1971)
santa claus and his old lady (1971)
CHEECH AND CHONG
CM: (Playing piano) "Ma-ma-ma-ma-cita, donde esta Santa Cleese...the vato wit da bony knees...he comin' down da street wit no choos on his feet...and he's going to..." No, no, that ain't it... "Mamamacita, donde esta Santa Claus...da guy wit da hair on his jaws...he's..." Nah. Hey, man, come over here, man. I need some help, man.
CM: (Playing piano) "Ma-ma-ma-ma-cita, donde esta Santa Cleese...the vato wit da bony knees...he comin' down da street wit no choos on his feet...and he's going to..." No, no, that ain't it... "Mamamacita, donde esta Santa Claus...da guy wit da hair on his jaws...he's..." Nah. Hey, man, come over here, man. I need some help, man.
TC: Yeah, man. I can dig that. Like, uh, what are ya doin', man?
CM: Aw, I'm trying to write a song about Santa Claus, man, but it's not comin' out...
TC: About who, man?
CM: About Santa Claus, man. You know, Santa Claus, man?
TC: Oh, yeah, man. I played with those dudes, man.
CM: What?
TC: Yeah, last year at the Fillmore, man. Me and the bass player sat in, man.
CM: Oh, hey, man, you think Santa Claus is a group, huh? No, it's not a group, man.
TC: Wha? They break up, man?
CM: No, man. It's one guy, man. Y'know, he had a..a red suit on, man, with black patent leather choos...you know the guy, man.
TC: Oh, yeah...he's with Motown, ain't he? Yeah, I played with that dude, too, man. He's a good singer, man.
CM: No, no, hold on, man. He's not with Motown, man.
TC: Well, then he's with Buddah, man.
CM: No, aw, man, you don't know who Santa Claus is, man!
TM: Yeah, well, I'm not from here, man. Like, I'm from Pittsburgh, man. I don't know too many local dudes.
CM: Ohhh, I see. Well, hey, man, sit back and relax and I'll tell you da story about Santa Claus, man. Listen...
(background music begins)
Once upon a time, about, hmmm, five years ago, there was this groovy dude and has name was Santa Claus, y'know? And he used to live over in the projects with his old lady and they had a pretty good thing together because his old lady was really fine and she could cook and all that stuff like that, y'know. Like, she made da best brownies in town, man! Oh, I could remember 'em now, man. I could eat one of 'em, man, wow...
TC: Wow, did you know these people, man?
CM: Oh, yeah, man. They used to live next door to me, y'know...until they got kicked out, man.
TC: Wha? They got kicked out of the projects, man?
CM: Yeah, you know what happened, man? They used ta live with all these midgets, y'know, and da midgets used ta make a lotta noise, y'know, like pounding and hammering and pounding all night, man...
TC: Typical freaks, huh?
CM: Oh, yeah, man, they were really freaks, man. As a matter of fact, they all moved up north together, y'know.
TC: Oh, they had to go get their head together, man?
CM: Yeah, get their head together. And they started a commune, y'know. It was called the...uh..."Santa Claus and his Old Lady Commune"; it was a real famous one up there, man. And they used to sit around and groove all the time, y'know.
TC: Oh, yeah?
CM: Yeah, a really good time, man.
TC: That sounds heavy.
CM: Yeah, they eat da brownies, man, and they drink da tea, man...and what they did most of da time, though, was make a lotta goodies, y'know? And they had everything they needed; they only needed to come into town maybe once a year or something like that...
TC: To pick up the welfare check and the food stamps, right.
CM: Yeah... No, no, what they did, man, is that, once a year, when they made all the goodies, y'know, they used ta put 'em in a beeg chopping bag and, then, they used ta take da chopping bag and give 'em to all the boys and girls all da way around da world, man!
TC: Hey, well, that's hip, man. That sounds real nice.
CM: Oh, yeah, they were really nice people, man. And so much class, man...they had so much class, y'know. Like, even take da way they used ta deliver da toys, y'know. It's like, Santa Claus used ta have this really charp chort, man, y'know? It was lowered to da ground, had twice-pipes, candy-apple red and button top. Oooo, clean!
TC: Hey, that sounds like a hip snowmobile, man.
CM: No, no, it wasn't a snowmobile; it was a sled, y'know. One of those big sleds, y'know? And he used ta have it pulled by some reindeers, y'know, like, reindeers?
TC: Some what, man?
CM: Some reindeers, y'know. He used ta hook them onto da sled and then he used ta stand up inside da sled and hold on to da reins and then call out their names, like, "On Donner! On, Blitzen! On Chewy! On Tavo! C'mon, Becto!" And then, the reindeers used ta take off into da sky and fly across da sky, man!
TC: Wow, man! That's far out, man!
CM: Yeah! And then, when they flied across da sky, they used ta come down to places like, oh, Chicago, L.A., Nueva York and Pacoima and all those places, y'know, and then land on top of people's roofs and then 'ol Santa Claus would make himself real small, y'know, like, a real small guy, and he'd come down da chimney and then he would give you all da stuff that he made, man. And...dig this, man...he did it all in one night, man!
TC: Hey, just a minute, man. Now, how'd he do that, man?
CM: Oh, well, man, he took da freeway. How else, man?
TC: No, man. No, man, how'd he do all that other stuff, man? Like, how'd he make himself small, man. And, how'd he, like, how'd he get the reindeer off the ground, man?
CM: Oh, well, man, he had some magic dust, man.
TC: Some magic dust?
CM: Yeah, magic dust, y'know? He used ta give a little bit to da reindeer, a little bit to Santa Claus, a little bit more for Santa Claus, a little bit more...
TC: And this would get the reindeer off, man?
CM: Aw, got 'em off, man? Are you kidding, man? They flew all da way around da world, man!
TC: Hey, that's far out, man! Hey, how come I've never met this dude, man?
CM: Oh, man, he doesn't do that bit anymore, man. It got too dangerous, man.
TC: Yeah, I can dig that, man, 'cause that's a dangerous bit, man!
CM: Yeah, lemme tell ya, it sure was, man. Like just two years ago, man, he got stopped at the border, y'know, and they took him into another room and took off his clothes, man, and searched him and searched his bag of goodies, man...and then, when he was leaving, man, he was flying through the air and somebody took a chot at his reindeer, y'know.
TC: Aw, that's a drag, man.
CM: Yeah, it really was, man. And then, man, he went down South, man, and they tried to cut off his hair and his beard, man. And all the time, he was getting stopped and pulled over and asked for his ID, man....just everywhere he went, he ran into too much recession, man.
TC: No, man, you mean he ran into too much repression, man.
CM: Aw, "repression"..."recession"...man, it's all da same thing, man.
TC: Yeah, man. But, it's a drag, man, 'cause we could sure use a dude like that right now.
CM: Oh, he still comes around, man.
TC: Oh, yeah?
CM: Yeah, but he comes in disguises now...
TC: Aw, he went "underground".
CM: Yeah, "underground", man.
TC: I can dig it.
CM: Yeah. But you ought to see his disguise, man; nobody would ever know it was him, man.
TC: Oh, yeah?
CM: Yeah. He's got a job in front of da department store, ringing this bell and playing this tambourine next to this black pot, y'know?
TC: Aw, I seen the dude, man!
CM: Yeah! You know who I'm talking about, man!
TC: Yeah, man! I played with that cat last year, man!
CM: Wha?
TC: Yeah, we played in front of a store, man! We made a lot of bread, man!
CM: Aw, hey, wait a minute, man! Santa Claus is not a musician, man!
TC: I'm hip, man! That cat didn't know any tunes, man!
CM: Oh, hey, wait a minute, man...no, he's not hip to that at all, man.
TC: No, I played with this dude, man.
CM: Are you sure, man?
TC: Positive!
monday music fix
come around again
RIZAL UNDERGROUND
... Or the day that Come Around Again came around again.
One day as I gazed lazily into space and left a couple hundred brain cells to commit suicide due to their sense of unfulfillment (Did you know that? Brain cells die of disuse!), my random musings opened for a random song to drift into my mind. I haven't heard it in a while - maybe more than a decade - and the band that performed it is now defunct; I even forgot that such a song existed. And though it's one of those cheese-and-corn rock love songs, I found myself missing it, so I Googled a bit and found it.
The lyrics are kinda sappy, but then that's how most love songs are. I love the melody though.
Come Around Again
RIZAL UNDERGROUND
One day as I gazed lazily into space and left a couple hundred brain cells to commit suicide due to their sense of unfulfillment (Did you know that? Brain cells die of disuse!), my random musings opened for a random song to drift into my mind. I haven't heard it in a while - maybe more than a decade - and the band that performed it is now defunct; I even forgot that such a song existed. And though it's one of those cheese-and-corn rock love songs, I found myself missing it, so I Googled a bit and found it.
The lyrics are kinda sappy, but then that's how most love songs are. I love the melody though.
Come Around Again
RIZAL UNDERGROUND
i've taken it through, i've taken it in stride
the feelings i can't show are the ones i can't hide
but they say if sorrow cuts through your heart
until you think its going to tear you apart
or i'll join your heart in the daze
to fill this space i erased
(refrain)
so i close my mind to the pain
(to find shelter from the pouring rain)
and i close my mind to the pain
(to find shelter from the pouring rain)
in your will i am entwined
i'm lost to the thoughts that you left behind
until you come around again(2x)
im waiting for your return
im waiting while the candles burn
im waiting for the hour to pass me
to know how long i could last
you see i'm, i'm awf'ly good today
and salvation has its price
so im holding out with my fingers crossed
until this love turns to ice
(repeat refrain)
until you come around again(4x)
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)