Everyone Deserves Music

Sweet Music

Published on March 5, 2004 By Muggaz In Blogging

As Michael Franti Sings, Everyone deserves music, Sweet music...

My youngest memory of music would be listening to Dire Straights and me dancing around the house using a tennis racquet as a guitar with my Mark Knopfler head band on. My dad actually used to be in security at Melbourne Park entertainment complex, and when i was about 10 years old i met him, and he gave me a plectrum he had... which i find confusing now, because he was known for not using a plectrum!

I also met Jon Bon Jovi at a concert once through my dad... whoop de do!!!

Other music and groups i remember listeing to were Mike and The Mechanics. Whenever i hear the song 'The living years' it almost brings me to tears... It was one of my dads favorite, and its rediculously relevant to my situation with him... Whenever i want to think about Dad, i put that song on, and it makes me ask the questions of myself just to make sure he would be proud of me...

Of course with Mike and The Mechanincs, its a given that Genesis and Phil Collins in general were highly influential. Billy Joel was huge, also Elton John... Cat Stephens (or Yusef Islam) was a frequently played CD... I remember as kids we changed the lyrics from "I am being followed by a Moonshadow, Moonshadow, Moonshadow" to "I am being followed by a poo jabber, poo jabber, poo jabber" As children, we thought it quite ingeneous. "Cats and the cradle and the silver spoon" was always on... another song that makes me think about my dad imensely... simply for the fact that my Dad was nothing like the one in the song. Ugly Kid Joe fudged that song so royally...

I have my Mum to thank for my knowledge of Neil Diamond and all his songs... i will never quite understand that. We also have a local artist named John Farnham... i met him as well... he was the absolute shiznit here, and if any of you have heard of him, i would be surprised... i remember in Grade 4 we had to do a song performance for music/drama and we choose his song, 'chain reaction' had the whole tennis racquet thing going on.

In grade six i loved a song called the floor, i cant remember who by, and 'Tease Me' by Chaka Demus and the Pliers... the evolution process is amazing!

I never got into playing an instrument, simply because i wan't interested in producing music, just listening to it... i didn't really have the time either... i was always an outside kid.

As i got older and 'cooler' I have my sister Erin to thank for educating me on my music tastes. The Doors were very influential, and i loved them... my sister was a stoner, and i didn't know it at the time, but it all makes sense now. The first CD i personally brought was Dookie by Greenday - and still to this day it remains one of my favorites. Any Album with more that 5 above average songs is good in my eye. From Dookie i started liking Nirvana, but i am way over them now. From them to Offspring, who were way cool, but now produce nothing but cheese.

Pearl Jam quickly became one of my favorite groups, and were actually the first international act i ever saw at a concert. It was a bit stupid of me, because they set rediculous expectations from then on.... they remain one of my favorite groups to this day.. Black is an Awesome song, along with Elderly Woman behind the counter in a small town. Magic. My brother Tim actaully sounds like Eddie Vedder when he sings... he should be in a band.

All through my Academic life, i was involved in the School Musicals. My sister had signed me up in year 7, because i was 'too cool' for musicals. Let me tell you, that was one of the best things she has ever done for me. The years 7 musical was Wizard of Oz... I have never had so much success with chicks in my life as compared to the musicals. Artsy chicks are easy, especially if you are 'Artsy' as well!!!! and the ratios were splendid... for every guy in the musical, there was 5 girls. I like those odds. In a full dress rehersal (i was a munchkin from the lollipop guild) I fell into the orchestra pit and hurt my back real badly... I shouldn't have gone on that night, but my dad was there in his wheelchair, this was about a month before he died, and i wasn't going to deny him the pleasure of seeing his son on stage.

The following year was Guys and Dolls, then Oklahoma, then Oliver, then Fiddler on the Roof and then My Fair Lady. Those musical and the afterparties were definitely the fondest memories of my schooling life.

After school i seriously got into Ghetto Rap and hardcore stylez Snoop, Tupac, West Side Connection, Dre and music that i wouldn't be caught dead listeing to now. I suppose thats a lie. Regulate by Warren G will always be one of my favorite songs, and i suppose their is an element to rap i will always enjoy, but i am over it now.

I remember when i first was with my ex she chucked on some Millencolin... i hated those guys at that stage, however, i delt with it, cause i wanted to get some ass. I grew to like them, and now they are one of my favorites - they played at the big day out last year, and i didn't even know... I was so fukn mad at my brother for not telling me. I got into Incubus hard core as well... S.C.I.E.N.C.E is one of my favorite albums of all time, its a shame they haven't followed up with anything half as good. Tim and I went to see them live last year, as far as concerts go, it was ok - but that was just as the commercial radio stations had started playing them, and there were heaps of groupies at the concert.

I have been getting into local talent a bit more... for all you foreigners, get your hands on a song by Hilltop Hoodz called the nosebleed section, and tell me what you think. Its what we call Aussie Hip Hop. I imagine you would find it offensive and wierd, but i really like it!

Lately my favorites have remained pretty steadfast... TOOL are simply fanfukntastic. Deftones are also the shiznit. Ben Harper and Jack Johnson are also constantly playing, and out of these groups just mentioned, i honestly canot see myself ever getting tired of them, or them letting me down, if anyone did, it woulld probably be Jack Johnson, who i saw in November last year, but he hasn't yet, so i will remain faithful.

It kind of like there are two of me... I haven't even gotten into the Electronic music and artists... but that deserves another whole article

BAM!!!

Comments (Page 2)

Superpsych

on Mar 05, 2004

Cool! I watched a programme on the floyd and it went on about the whole Oz thing. Did they really make the CD for the film? Sounds a bit dubious to me!

I love the song The Final Cut from the album of the same name. Rest of the albums pretty cool too! Would love to listen to it now but no speakers on this damn pc! My partner is a floyd/doors/jim morrison fan from years back, so that's where I've got it from

new-age nomad

on Mar 05, 2004

Hey Muggaz,

Look at the top 10 joeuser list. We're hugging.

Trinitie

Muggaz

on Mar 05, 2004

Awesome Trin!!!

Wow... thanks for all your comments guys!!!

Super - go crazy and write whatever you feel!!! thats what blogging is about!!!

BAM!!!

Superpsych

on Mar 05, 2004

I will! Just feel crappy tonight, so it may have to wait as inspiration is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away right now.

Maybe that was slightly bi-polar of me to do that... !!

H

One man

on Mar 06, 2004

Muggaz- wow, great article, really enjoyed reading that! I was blown away when you started talking about where you started in actually getting your own music I think my first CD was Nirvana and then Dookie and then a few I probably a few that I ended up giving to my sis (who so happened to also be the one who really got me informed--weird). Then I got inot Offspring, Ignition, Kick Him When He's Down, I forget the earlier album.. But after that, damn, I guess the needed the cash cos they sure sold out to mainstream... I think their last decent song was The Kid's Aren't Alright (funky video too).

After that I guess my taste sorta diverged from where you went I really got into Bad Religion, still really like their sound--even getting a little attention I think. Anyway, nice one. Brought back some memories for me : )

Muggaz

on May 01, 2004

I thought I would bust this article up again... In preparation for the second installment.. coming soon

Why Techno is so Pro - keep an eye out for it in all good JoeUser forums!

BAM!!!

shadesofgrey

on May 01, 2004

The Living Years also brings me to tears.

Cat Stevens was also a staple of my youth-his "Oh Very Young One" has the innate ability to cause me to cry (hmm..maybe I've struck upon a theme here)..

My mom is a HUGE Neil Diamond fan--I assumed everyone's mom was!

Pearl Jam brings back memories of high school field hockey bus trips--that Pat Benatar's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," and "Eye of the Tiger"...yup, our team was pretty cheese.

It's interesting how the people we date can alter our tastes in music--I despised Portishead for the longest time, until an ex converted me. Exs also inspired my interest in Ani DiFranco (particularly "Untouchable Face")--but in a completely different way

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