Personal, Meet-ups, Friends, Music
My Kind of Music: Alternative Rock 1993-2002
Alex, JW and I drove down to Seremban on Sunday to meet up with LW, Jin and Hui. It was an unplanned trip and that made it all the more exciting. Among the places we went to was the Jusco in Seremban 2. It was damn crowded, ok. The cars caused a jam outside the mall. To make matters worse, Jusco didn’t allow anymore cars inside its carpark. Parking was hell. Didn’t know Seremban was so happening. Kinda felt like I was in Midvalley or something. Anyway, I stumbled upon something in Speedy Video.
Wow!!! This album certainly caught my attention because of its unique packaging. I thought someone left his Buku Latihan on the shelf (check out the ’school emblem’, lol)! I picked up the album and took a closer look. To my delight, I felt the album was a perfect representation of my kind of music! When I was in school, I listened to and played a lot of alternative rock music. I had a band in school - we called ourselves MILF. No, not inspired by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, but something else (hehe). We played at school functions, talent contests and the prom. When we jammed, it was always alternative rock (actually we called it ‘modern rock’ back then).
The album came in two CDs, and priced at only RM47.90. I really love the way the album was packaged, so old-school (pun intended)! The Buku Latihan-design plus the track listing quickly reminded me of my schooling days. Among the notable tracks in the CD that we used to jam were All The Small Things (Blink 182), Semi-Charmed Life (3EB), Everything You Want (Vertical Horizon), Blurry (Puddle of Mudd), Shimmer (Fuel), Push (Matchbox 20), Hanging By A Moment (Lifehouse), Wherever You Will Go (The Calling), Absolutely (Story of a Girl) (Nine Days), Til I Hear It From You (Gin Blossoms), The Freshmen (The Verve Pipe), Runaway Train (Soul Asylum), and Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis).
Those are my favorite songs. Well, to narrow down (hehe…), I particularly like Semi-Charmed Life, Shimmer, Push, The Freshmen, Runaway Train and Don’t Look Back in Anger. When I was in university, my housemates probably got bored with my playing the guitar while singing to some of these timeless tunes, again and again, lol (especially Freshmen and Semi-Charmed Life). Too bad they were not exactly in the same ‘wavelength’ as me.
Ok, back to the School of Rock album; other tracks worthy of a mention are Video Killed the Radio Star (Presidents of the USA), Buddy Holly (Weezer), Everything About You (Ugly Kid Joe), Walking on the Sun (Smash Mouth), Last Resort (Papa Roach), Kryptonite (3 Doors Down), Anthem of the Year 2000 (Silverchair), One Headlight (The Wallflowers) [omg this is one timeless track!], Bitch (Meredith Brooks), You Get What You Give (New Radicals), and Alright (Supergrass). So, are you familiar with these tracks? Between 1993 and 2002, were you listening to the same music as I was? If yes, then we’re in resonance!
Footnote: No I didn’t buy the CD. I have most of those songs in MP3… lol. But kudos to the team who designed the packaging, really. It instantly took me back to high school!
26 Jun 2007 narrowband
Waa… you so rock wan ka?
*gasp*
MILF???
Oh dear… I hope it’s NOT what I hv in mind… *shocked… terkejut* :p
From your ‘list’, I only recognise Push, Video Killed The Radio Star & Bitch… yang lain… kurang pasti…
So where did you use to jam?
Dun terkejut - back then we were very playful. Now more ’serius’ dy ;p We used to play at my friend’s house alot. But then when we need to betul betul jam then we headed down to SS15, USJ9, and once, even a church! We also liked to do things acoustic style - we had this weird taste for acoustic, live and unplugged versions of rock songs (something not found in original CD).
Cute packaging! I wouldn’t have known that it’s a CD if you hadn’t mentioned. Haha.
I feel absolutely ancient. Don’t recognise any of the songs in your list!
i guess that puts me in the same wavelength as you … those songs definitely beat the crap out of the saccharine sweet boyband (BSB?) songs … rawk on dude!
so what do u listen to now?
Emmm… I’m pretty sure I would recognize most of the songs when I hear them, but not when I look at the song titles.
Matchbox 20, Vertical Horizon, Lifehouse, Oasis and Supergrass - all also I listen one. So got resonance or not? *grin*
you’re a rocker!
hey yo..all ur faves were my faves too..3EB - my all-time fave rock band..Freshmen by Verve Pipe and Shimmer by Fuel are totally classic..
but if i’m the producer of this compilation, i would insert Green Day’s Geek Stink Breath, Soul Asylum’s Misery, U2’s Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, Blur’s Country (or izzit Country House?), Better Than Ezra’s Good, Oasis’ Wonderwall, The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony, Smashing Pumpkins’ 1979, Goo Goo Dolls’ Name, etc etc etc..
The others listed, such as Avril Lavigne and The Calling are not other than comercialized pop-rock..They shouldnt be in the Alternative genre..
Day-dreamer - Dem cute hor!!
Bkworm - Maybe your #1 would know… hehe!
Weng - You know, that genre (alt. rock) kinda died down a little bit… back then 3EB was just coming up (Semi-charmed life being their 1st hit), Matchbox 20 with their first single Push.. and all that.. after a while, their new music wasn’t as ’special’ anymore. I still listen to (on my Winamp) music by Hoobastank, Nickelback, Foo Fighters, Live, Dishwalla, Counting Crows… but not so much like before. After entering university, I was exposed to alotta Chinese music already (man… kinda turned into Mat Jiwang, u kno whut I mean… The guitar + Chinese songs = Good pickup for chicks, dude ;p).
Rinnah - Ei! Resonance lar tu! Haha. I believe we’re from same ‘time zone’… ;p
Wuching - Different from classic rock ya… Kenny Ng is one example of classic rocker… I think he’s quite good at it too cuz he’s got the classic rock ’soul’ in him!
Yatz - Dude~! I nodded in agreement when I read your comments man… esp the Avril and The Calling part. They’re like probably somewhere early 2000’s… and they sound too ‘pop’-ish. Actually even Meredith Brooks’ Bitch also abit not right, I’d rather listen to Alanis Morissette.
Better than Ezra, yeah! (Good is good!). And Goo Goo Dolls, certainly! How could they miss out Goo Goo Dolls! Gee. I love Name… I remember tuning my guitar to play Name, some unfamiliar guitar tuning, almost messed it up on first try. But when playing it, it sounded great. We performed Name during one of our school’s function, during which we also played Gin Blossom’s Til I Hear It From You.
And oh, if I were the producer (heh), I’d have considered throwing in Collective Soul, Foo Fighters, Everclear, Garbage, Primitive Radio Gods (that something something broken phone booth song… lol). But then again, I can always arrange these songs in my Winamp playlist, lol…
I totally loveeeee alternative music. I lived by them 1993-2002 and now too. I still constantly play those songs up till today. I prefer the songs in those times compared to now. The songs nowadays are mostly crap.
aiyoh i thought you bought michael buble’s latest cd! :p
These are the songs of our generations.. kinda grew up with these songs.. bro, which makes our wavelength almost the same length. Glad to know this, not many ppl around (office :p) listen to these kinda good music.. so i’m a lil’ excited here.. :)
oh chinese songs and uni days .. reminded me of an incident i had ..
a group of my uni friends were discussing about the then upcoming Beyond concert, and i quipped, ‘oh yeah, lots of concerts these days coz Linkin Park is coming too’ .. all i get is rounds of quizzical look and 1 of them asked ‘who listens to those crap anyway’ (!!??!?!?) .. i stayed for a while and just quietly excused myself .. lolz
anyway do check out My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade!
Belle - Some of those bands are still around, but then I still prefer their old songs. Maybe it’s because we grew up with these songs so we feel some kinda ‘emotional attachment’ in them. lol!
Julee - Ahaha… aiya. Slightly different wavelength. I began listening to jazz music only some time last year, but not much. Alternative rock, I grew up with it!
Jian - Many people around me in uni don’t really listen to these songs too. I mean, they may know but aren’t fans. Some don’t know title, but have heard of the songs before. That said, I still know a few whose ’soul’ is still in alternative rock…
Weng - Exactly what I’m saying man. That said, Chinese music ain’t bad too actually (omg coming from someone who’s already been a Chinese-music listener lol). From HK we’ve Beyond (even they’re not popular now - we still love their old songs), and from Taiwan, I like Mayday, hehe. The music scene was later filled with newcomers in Hip Pop genre, and it was well received by all ethnicities (bigger market?). Well, it largely depends on the group we’re with… the typical English-speaking ones are *more likely* to have grown up with alternative rock like us.
like they say, hip hop artist are fast replacing the rockers as the face of anti-establishment .. and thus, it will definitely appeal to teens .. gawd, saying that makes me feel like an ol’ geezer.
Hmm I know some and I don’t know most. Hahaha
Cool cd cover. I like School of Rock the movie…yeah! (showing peace sign)
Weng - Hmm, judging from your interest in alternative rock, I guess we’re in the same age bracket. And if you feel like an old geezer, I should be feeling the same way as well, haha.
Che-cheh - I like that movie too, lol. Jack Black was really funny!
I LOVE alternative rock, too. Am totally stunned by the selection of your favorite cos I LOVE them too! Well, OASIS’s Don’t Look Back in Anger is my all-time-favorite. That’s my lullaby, to be exact. Whenever I have mood swing or whatsoever I will switch on this song and sing as loud as I could. Sounds crazy, but fun. Semi-Charmed Life is a charming one. I’ve always enjoying the “cheerful” rhythm of it. The Verve, Smash Mouth, Papa Roach, 3 Doors Down (I’m liking their Here Without You tho :p), Avril…. They are all awesome!
I wonder why Goo Goo Dolls doesn’t included in the album. They are my all-time-favorite band.
Nice blog BTW. :)
Anyway, I think I was listening to something else instead of alternative rock between 1993 and 2002. Just started into alternative rock few years back. :)
So do we have the same resonance? :p
Anyhow, have a nice weekend and cheers.
Yeah! Don’t Look Back in Anger! Have you listened to the MTV Unplugged version? The acoustic guitar sounds really chun la! Many years ago dy this one, I am not sure if I still have the audio or not, even! You wouldn’t believe how much I loved Semi-Charmed Life. I practised singing the song night and day, last time ok! Haha. Now the words just comes out naturally - though I don’t understand some of the lines :p
And yes we’re in resonance, indeed. Haha… can break glass :p Thanks for dropping by (come back often!), and you have a good weekend too, Emily!
P/s: Btw, isn’t Frou Frou the artiste who sang the song from Shrek…? Hehe, not a fan, but heard of it.
I’m not really sure tho. The version I stored in my lappy isn’t MTV Unplugged version. SOunds like really chun. I should listen to it then. Oh if you’ve got the version, may be you can send to my email [by any chance :]. It would be great~ :p
You know how to play Semi-charmed Life? Awesome!! Hey that song is tough! The melody is pretty fast. You must be pro in playing guitar. :D
I’m not sure did she sang the song from Shrek. But I’m sure her Let It Go was shown in The Holidays and Devil Wears Prada. [If my bad memory didn’t mistaken. :p]
p/s: Jasmyin is my house mate. But have known her since my Beta. Oh it’s a small world.. I know Jia Yi too mah :p You’re from FOE?
my housie is here!!! =) sorry dave, a bit too excited so decided to spam a bit. =)
No, Emily, I don’t have that MP3 with me :(. I’ll email you if I find it again. Oh, I’m not a fan of Frou Frou’s - I don’t even know much about her.
Yep I’m from FOE :) Sorry for the late response; Jasmyin would have had told you by now haha.
Yes Jasmyin! Thanks for advertising :p (J/k. I know Emily reached here on her own).
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