In my own mind, I am a cultural icon, but only so I can pretend that one day I will be featured in KCRW’s Guest DJ Project.
KCRW’s Guest DJ Project invites actors, authors, chefs, athletes,directors, tech entrepreneurs and more to share their musical passions. During the show the Guest DJ gives deep insight into their lives and their creative process through their musical choices. In the show, they share and discuss songs that have inspired and moved them.
Since today is Music Monday on the blog, I thought I’d share a random sampling of music that mark sdistinct periods in my life. They aren’t the best songs from those times but they take me back and they make me smile.
Haircut 100
Ah yes, the British invasion. I was a young nerd who hardly listened to the radio and did anything considered cool, so when a friend shared this with me in a mixed tape (Remember those?), I thought, wow, this is cool. Whenever I hear Love Plus One now, I can’t help but feel happy it reminds me of simpler times.
And now for song number 2.
Confession time. I was so in-love with Depeche Mode, I even started a fan club in the Philippines. I produced a fanzine and everything. Totally DIY, photocopied and all.
I don’t know if this was ever popular in the U.S. but the video is in black and white. Back then videos at least tried to tell a story.
Depeche Mode
Stories of Old
http://youtu.be/fC5NePiWn6k
Somewhere between the British bands I loved as a tween and my college years, I became so totally unhip and clueless. At that time, I didn’t care too much for music and listened to mainstream pop and whatever retro 70s songs the Manila cover bands were doing. It was a horrible time for me musically. So will skip that time.
Fortunately, by the 90s, I was getting my groove back, listening to alternative music including all the Grunge bands, like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But what I was really into then was the Original Pilipino Music rock scene. These artists were my friends and it was such an exciting creative time. It also helped that I was working for the hottest modern rock station in the country then.
This song is obviously Beatle-esque and I chose this to share mainly because it is in English, albeit Filipino-English, so some word choices may be awkward to the American ear. The band is called “The Eraserheads.”
Eraserheads
With a Smile
Cynthia Alexander was both an artist I admired and a friend. I was a bit of a groupie for a while and during my Lilith Faire phase, I even produced a concert featuring her band and other Filipino female-led acts. I think that if she came out in this age of YouTube, her songs would’ve gone viral.
Cynthia Alexander
No Umbrella
http://youtu.be/6vfRIFb8nZk
I’m ending my Guest DJ set with this song, which actually pre-dates my Filipino Rock phase. I was in my 20s and totally identified with the characters in the movie “Reality Bites.” My favorite line was uttered by Winona Ryder’s character Lelaina. There are other cool lines in the movie, but this one resonated with me the most: “I was really going to be somebody by the time I was 23.”
Lisa Loeb
Stay
http://youtu.be/55QHKQszhhc
Love this, Twin! I do a Staff Pick Playlist every Friday at the office for our weekly Social where we hang, eat, and I talk office announcements. I ask someone to pick their ten favorite songs, and we play them as background music. Mine had a lot of choices from my NU107 days!
My all-time favorite E-heads song is definitely Huling El Bimbo though. Love the story, love the video! Nowadays, I’ve discovered Miles Davis and The Rolling Stones. I feel like a late bloomer!
Miss you, friend. Hope to visit you someday so we can listen to a “mixed tape” over a glass of wine. XOXO
Staff Pick Playlist, what a great idea! And I love the weekly social as well. One day our paths will cross again, and we’ll do something awesome. I know this. And by the way, I cant believe little KB is getting married!!! OH my! Congratulations and virtual hugs.
Love the selection, Love Plus One is always a good place to start (although now because of the movie Se7en. With a Smile is a timeless song, it sounds very 70’s inspired, which is comforting. Both DM and the Eraserheads are touring again too.
I’ve been asked why I liked the 80’s and the 90’s so much. I told ’em – It’s more fun then 🙂
Thanks for the trip to an era and a good time when you were still here, Marcie 🙂
I love it! And I miss your bubbly self 🙂 I just have a funny story about the Eheads’ With A Smile. When i was wheeled into surgery in March this year to have two breast lumps removed, an instrumental version of the song was playing in the room which was painted bright green all over. I kept chuckling to myself and thinking that I had to tell Ely and Raymund when I see them next that they were the last people in my mind before they knocked me out with the anaesthetic. LOL!
THe Breast LUmps were benign by the way. ***typing with a smile… :)***
Jaedee!!! Writing this piece definitely brought on happy memories. Music has a way of moving and connecting people. I am glad to hear you are okay 🙂 By the way, I love reading your blog too.
Puro deep cuts!
Well, except for “Stay.” Hehe.
Thanks for the comments, Lille. LOL on Stay. I should’ve added that the reason I included that song was because I actually met Lisa Loeb at the station.
Finally the 80’s I remember. Ask Karina – buttercup and gold make me wretch now. I thought i was asleep but am glad you’ve brought my memories back. Depeche Mode – ha! Totally cool 😉 Had to suddenly hear Men At Work too. Miss you my dear! The last one killed me… The soundtrack that hooked me in and made me realize they exist.
You introduced me to Depeche Mode and for that I will forever be grateful. Hope you are well and I miss you too.
Yes, Buttercup makes her foam at the mouth and have uncontrollable convulsions. Gold…. I’m really not sure because I think I pass out before she does. Haha!!! Just Got Lucky is on a level much higher than these two.
I remember working with you on that concert with the all-female artists at U.P. with the artworks of Kawayan. I really enjoyed that… running around and doing production work. All these songs bring back memories (some I’d rather not remember. Hahaha!). Just kidding. It just so happened that I was reunited with some old friends last night. Flashback overload! 😉 Miss you, Mars!
I miss you too, my friend.
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