I couldn't go out to shoot because it was raining hard all day.

So, I took my craft bag (a canvas bag filled with various art supplies - cutter, cutting board, lots of paper in different weights and colors, scissors, pencils, pens and markers, glue) to a nearby coffeeshop and made this sleeve for a mix cd that I put together.

Made of 220 gsm board, I fashioned a simple sleeve that opens into a (very short) accordion fold booklet.



It is held shut by a cardboard band.





I love paper and old songs.

Labels: art, crafts, music

Shooter


Raymund


Kjwan


Tirso

A few more shots from the Karl Roy benefit. Krys says Karl's steadily getting better. There'll be other benefit shows coming up, I hear. Smaller ones in bars. Wanna catch Razorback again.

----

Home dsl is still down. I'm cranky as hell.

Labels: music, photographs

[Taken during the benefit concert for Karl Roy. ]

I'm home from my trip to Cagayan de Oro. My dsl at home is busted. Boo.

Labels: music, photographs

I have just read MTV.com's article about whom they'd like to see in The Hobbit movie and I have to agree with their choice for Legolas's dear old dad:

!!SPOILERS FOR THE HOBBIT!! (also in the article, they talk about plot points in their character descriptors)

Thranduil

Book Says: King of the Silvans, Thranduil leads the Elves of Mirkwood. He imprisons the dwarves when they trespass through his forest, and then demands a share of Smaug's bounty once the dragon is defeated. He is described as having blond hair ... just like his son Legolas.

We Say: If Orlando Bloom doesn't come back for at least a background cameo, we give up. Naturally distrustful of dwarves, Thranduil can be spiteful and terse — but he still possesses the wisdom of his kin. Ideally, the actor cast would be somewhat regal, someone we believe capable of great power but also great benevolence. Ideally, that actor would be somewhat similar in speech and appearance to Orlando Bloom. Ideally, that actor would be David Bowie.

!! SPOILER END !!!
DAVID BOWIE. YES! YES YES YES! I don't know if it's just the timing of this article because I've been worshipping at the temple of Bowie for the past week, but I really would love to see him in The Hobbit.

Hell, I really would love to see him.

He does have experience being a Goblin King, so why not an Elvish King... But then, there's the problem of his puffiness (see here and here). He is turning 61, after all. And Elves are supposed to be ageless. Hmmm. What to do, what to do.

Sayang, a few years ago he would've been just perfect. Like the Bowie here and here.

And imagine if the film was being made at the time when he still looked like this:

photo by Mark Seliger

AAHHHH.

This blog post is shit. I just wanted to talk about David Bowie and the MTV.com article seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. Hehehe.

Panoorin nyo na lang yung performance nya ng Under Pressure on his Reality tour in 2003(?). Gail Ann Dorsey, the bassist, rocks. =)

Labels: music, tolkien

Just a quick post before I turn in. This was taken Monday night, during a break in the boys' TV guesting shoot. I have a lot of other shots of the taping, but they will have to wait. New shots from Strumms coming up, too. Perhaps this weekend I can get everything uploaded.

Labels: music, photographs, the bloomfields

I was thinking of getting one of Case Logic's snug neoprene Pockets (available at Digital Walker) for my Zen Vision M. It comes in 3 sizes and several colors.

I wanted a large pink one for my Zen. My friend Karen uses a small orange one for her iPod nano. The large ones can accommodate ipod video units and zen visions -- but when I tried it at the store, I found out that the hole where the earphones are supposed to go through was in the middle, instead of the side. It still fits, though, but the earphone jack is trapped inside and pokes against the neoprene. It takes away the sleekness of the whole thing. (It's curious, though, that the small Pockets have em at the side.)

So I ended up buying an orange Golla pouch. It's similar to my old Totoro pouch - it has an extra pocket where I can tuck my rolled up earphone cord into. And it's corduroy! Orange cords, pretty funky. I have a Golla lappy bag, too. I really like their designs.

Happy happy.

Labels: gadgetry, music

...is something i've really missed.

These are shots from early this evening (before they played at the PBA half-time). The whole set is here.

In other news, I'm dying for a tall ice cold glass of Coca-Cola.


Jay Jay on the Jaguar


Brothers


The Bloomfields

Labels: music, photographs, the bloomfields

(...Or how the title has nothing to do with the actual post.)

Swiped this off Trish's blog. Just a bit of fun.

1. Total volume of music files on my computer:
12.75 GB. 3,601 tracks. (that's after I accidentally formatted my 20GB dedicated drive for music, now I have to rip everything again, agggh.)

2. The last CD I bought was:
Rivermaya (Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo) -- nice covers of 80's rock songs. Violent Playground! Fun!

3. Five songs I listen to a lot lately, or that mean a lot to me:

Listening to a lot lately:

Thirteen (Big Star)
Give Me Another Chance (Big Star)
'39 - (Queen)

Here, see my top tracks chart for last week hehe.

Labels: music

And so the album is finally out.

The album launch last night was a big success. Lots of people came and bought the album. Overall, a rockin' good time.


Pepe and Louie


Louie


Pepe plays his ol' gee-tar


Rocky on Little B


Jay Jay watching his brother wade in the pool of girls.


Wading in the pool of girls. Can you find Peping?


CD signing


Tired but happy :-)


Fans with their cds.


Other photos in the blooms' gallery.

Get the album! It's out in stores now. (Cover photo layout concept by me heehee :-P)

I'm so proud of them. Sometimes it feels like my heart will burst.

Labels: music, the bloomfields

Yeahoo! Can't wait to see and listen to the album! I just heard "Wala Nang Iba" on the radio, in full this time. I'm really excited to hear the rest of the album. I was able to hear a bit of the other songs, but in their rawest form since they were still recording them. They weren't mixed yet. I'm glad there's already a date for the launch.

I just hope I'm in town on March 23.

It looks like this one tv show we've been planning will push through and the out-of-town shoots will most likely happen in March. *crosses fingers*

So, if you're free, do attend the event. The boys will be performing and that's always fun to watch. And get the album, too! Oh, and if you want to spread the word, feel free to use the graphic ;-)

Labels: music, the bloomfields

I haven't listened to radio in years. I think the last time I actively listened to radio was seven years ago.

I've been forcing myself to listen to radio recently, just so I could catch the boys' first single on air. It's being played on Magic 899. Yes, I'm not just listening to radio, I'm tuned in to Magic as well. It's not really the station I would choose to tune in to, if I really just wanted to listen to radio in general.

I've been helping request the song and of course, I really do want to hear it. It's different from hearing it live or as an mp3. I'm just happy that they're finally getting airplay.

But, it really is so difficult to listen to Magic. It hurts our ears sometimes. All that inane schtug-schtug music!!! I just can't stand it.

I listen to an internet stream. I don't even have a regular radio in my study. The volume radio is set so low so as to lessen the anguish of listening to songs by Stacie Orrico or other, and to keep my neighbors from knowing that I was listening to Magic, gasp! Actually, the Stacie song was one of the more tolerable ones. It gets much much worse. Really, I rather enjoy it when commercials play!

One time I heard strains of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman" and I turned up the volume, relieved to hear a good song at last. But, it was a trick! It was some schtug-schtug-rappy-r & b horror that has sampled the Ray Charles classic! Arrgggh.

Oh well, they do play good songs once in a while. But, the station really tests my resolve to hear 'Wala Nang Iba.' A lot of times, I just gave up and turned it off.

Oh well.

Do request it when you can. Text Magic [space] 899 [space] your message and send it to 2968. Ask them to play "Wala Nang Iba" by The Bloomfields.

But, don't tell them what I said about the other songs that they play!

Labels: music, the bloomfields

Over at the Zombies egroup, someone posted about this great Zombies inspired song: Priscilla by The Explorers Club.

It sounds like it could be part of The Zombies' Odessey and Oracle album! You can almost imagine that it's Colin singing.

The music of The Explorers Club is heavily inspired by the Beach Boys. They've got really beautiful harmonies and melodies. Very trippy. I love all of it.

Check out their myspace page. They've got full tracks there for preview. You'll also find a link to purchase their music on iTunes there.

Visit their blog, too.

-----

Bookpile is now at 16. =)

Labels: music

I was bored (and lazy to do any shopping) this afternoon so I just stayed home, went online, and listened to music. I put on some Beatles and soon started wondering what my top 20 favorite Beatles songs are. And since I'm in the mood to make lists (I'll be posting more lists soon before the year ends), I drafted my Beatles list.

It was difficult to choose just twenty songs, because I'm such a nut. But here is my list. I asked my friend to make his list too. Check it out here.

Except for the song in #1, which is my all-time favorite Beatles song (and very likely, my favorite song, period.), the songs are in no particular order.

1. Strawberry Fields Forever
This is my sort-of swan song. If a movie were to be made of my life, this song has to be in a soundtrack.

2. In My Life
If I ever get married, this will be played. If not, this will be played at the end of my life.

3. I'll Follow The Sun
Are mottos still 'in'? Whatever. This is mine. Lovely song, it is. Oh look, it suddenly played on my media player... Great timing.

4. Nowhere Man
I don't know what to say about this song. It's lonely. And I love how John's voice sounds on this song.

5. For No One
Love the melancholy story and that lonely french horn solo.

6. A Day In The Life
Love the contrasting moods (in tone) of John's parts ("I read the news today oh boy...") and Paul's ("Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head..."). But if you listen closely, both parts are similarly mundane, in a way. Little vignettes of every day, treated with detachment. And that crescendo towards the end -- mindblowing!

7. I Am The Walrus
Just quirky, I love it. It's some kind of twisted nursery rhyme. Go look for Jim Carrey's version from George Martin's album. I think John would've smiled at it.

8. Across the Universe
Just love the poetry of this song.

9. Tomorrow Never Knows
Trippy, to say the least. =)

10. I Feel Fine
I love the intro. Great upbeat song.

11. It's Only Love
This song is a melodic sigh :-) My oh my...

12. Dig A Pony
Don't understand it, but love it!

13. Julia
Beautiful dual purpose love song (addressed both to Julia and to Yoko Oceanchild).

14. All You Need is Love
Such a hippie song! How can I not like it?!

15. Rain
Revolveresque, although it wasn't released in that album. Pretty cool sound.

16. I'm Looking Through You
Cute acoustic guitar intro and melody! Nice and bouncy! It works a french song, too. Check out Quand Tu M'embrasses by yeye girl Danielle Denin.

17. Blackbird
"You were only waiting for this moment to arise..."

18. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Genius George.

19. Hello Goodbye
Just love the words going back and forth throughout the song. Why why why why why why do you say goodbye, goodbye!

20. Hey Jude
I like Hey Jude more than Let It Be. Favorite line: "For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder."

=) Tell me your top 20.

Labels: music

Labels: music

Thirteen is the title of one of my favorite tracks from one of my new favorite old bands: Big Star. I found out just today that Elliot Smith recorded it. His version is so much more heartbreaking. I supposed it's due to the quality of his voice -- kinda frail and whispering and generally just sad. Maybe the fact that his voice is accompanied by just a guitar has something to do with it.

But, I still like the original better (not because it's the original) because I just like the lighter way it was played, and only slightly melancholy.

Wilco performs the song in Big Star Small World, a tribute album that came out in the late 90s. It retained the tone of Big Star's original.

It sounds like an afternoon in the 70s, with images playing back in scratchy film. The same way Elton John's Mona Lisas and Madhatters (and Tiny Dancer) sound to me. An afternoon in the 70s, yeah that's it. Man.

Labels: music

Ok, so how come nobody has ever told me about Big Star?

They've already disbanded (in the mid-70s) AND reunited just recently, and i've only discovered them tonight. Around two hours ago. When I reached #178 of this 500 Greatest Songs according to Rolling Stone Magazine compilation. It was "September Gurls". I instantly liked it. Checked my player to see who the artist was and saw the band was called Big Star.

Allmusic reveals they weren't big stars in the usual sense, but they were highly influential. And they're a band from the 70s! The 70s!!! Why have I never heard of them until tonight?!?

Ok, never mind that. I am, as I type, making up for lost time. Go limey. Gimme gimme.

A few more google searches reveal that Big Star is the band behind the theme song of "That 70's Show," one of the handful of TV shows that I do watch whenever I catch it. Cheap Trick performs the version that the show uses, though. The song is called "In The Street."

How consistent is that.

Gotta check on limey now. Here's "Thirteen", my favorite Big Star track so far.

Labels: music

During the height of my obsession with The Zombies (right before their concert here), I spent a lot of my internet time googling them and found interesting stuff, like French covers of Zombies songs by French60s group Les Sultans (thanks to drugburn's blog). These tracks then led me to search for more French 60s stuff -- some are covers of popular english 60s songs (by The Kinks, The Beatles, etc). Some are straight up French pop stuff.

My favorite is Petula Clark's "Un Jeune Homme Bien", a cover of The Kinks' "A Well-Respected Man." I found them easy to like because I'm familiar with the originals. Plus, I really like the quality of the recordings -- there's so much heat in them. Maybe it's because of the audio quality itself -- kinda unpolished and almost like a grainy photograph? And the voices, sound so alien but familiar.

Interesting stuff you find on the net once in a while =)

Lemme share a few.

Ye ye and french 60s MP3 blogs -- visit them, they have loads of goodies!
Ye Ye Land
blow-up doll
spiked candy

Groups on Last.fm (you can listen to the groups' radio stations)
French 60s
Ye Ye Girls

Ye Ye on wiki.

Labels: music

The concert was in one word: AWESOME.

Colin Blunstone sounded so good, he was simply amazing. Lotuseater remarked that someone should put his voice in a bottle and preserve it for all eternity. He shifts from soft and breathy to coolly powerful with so much ease, sometimes i just find myself watching the show openmouthed.

Rod Argent was fabulous, I loved watching him. The band was so tight, the entire performance was just superb.

They started the show with "I Love You." And followed it with:

2. Sticks and Stones
3. Can't Nobody Love You

They said that a lot of the songs they were playing in the Philippine shows aren't part of their regular repertoire elsewhere, because of the unique affinity they had for the Philippines, having had 10 sold-out shows in the Araneta in 1967. 10 consecutive sold-out shows. Wow.

Next on the show, their bass player Jim Rodford (an elderly gentleman who plays kick ass bass, and who played with The Kinks for 20 years) introduced the next song. It was one of the songs that really cemented The Zombies' place in rock n roll history: "Time of the Season."

After four songs, Colin talked about this trip being an emotional one for
him and Rod, as they had lots of memories in the Araneta. They talked about
1967 trip. And they dedicated the next set of songs (which, like I mentioned, aren't part of their regular set list) specially to the Filipino audience.

5. You Really Got A Hold On Me
6. The Way I Feel Inside
7. Going Out of My Head
8. I Remember When I Loved Her

They mentioned that some of these songs they have not performend on stage SINCE their Philippine shows in 1967. And some they have never played in a show EVER. Of course, I don't know which songs they meant exactly. But, I felt pretty special hahaha.

They also performed Argent's "Keep On Rolling" and they had a gimmick for it. People were invited to go up the stage and dance, and the best one (judged by the crowd) got an autographed acoustic guitar. This one guy who danced up a storm got it. He was fun to watch hehehe. Throughout the whole show he was just dancing on the aisle, in his white polo barong.

The rest of the set:

10. Hold Your Head Up
11. Misty Roses
12. Old and Wise
13. Miles Away
14. She's Coming Home
15. Tell Her No
16. Indication
17. She's Not There
18. I Don't Believe in Miracles
19. Summertime
20. How We Were Before

I can't really say any more about the show except I enjoyed it thoroughly and I am now hoarse from singing and screaming hahaha. Afterwards, Lotuseater, my uncle and I lined up to get their autographs. :)

(Edit: Photo- The floating head of my Tito Jojie watching Rod Argent sign his vinyl sleeve.)

I've uploaded some (30sec) clips that I took with Lightbox. All of the clips are absolute crap**. And the clips are ill-timed. I wasn't able to take whole stanzas or whatever. The last one, though, the #05 one is a clip of their last song "How We Were Before" with the entire venue singing along. I guess it's the most decent clip.

**I was hiding from the guard who wanted me to deposit my camera at the gate because he said we weren't allowed to take shots. I absolutely REFUSED to do what he said haha. In any case, he wasn't too strict -- and a lot of
people were openly taking pics. But still, I thought it was better to be discreet =P

I've always been a little envious of people who were part of that golden rock n roll era. If I was blown away by last night's performance. Imagine how I'd have been in 1967. I would probably have had a stroke.

This is the closest I can come to that age.

I missed them the first time they were here cos I hadn't been born yet.
I have to say I'm so thankful for this chance.

What a great night.



Me! Colin Blunstone just finished signing my cd. Rod Argent in the background.



Tita and two Titos.

Labels: music

I was checking out the writeup on Brian Wilson's SMiLE album on allmusic this morning, and previewing the tracks so I could decide whether to get myself a copy (my friend Aldus had tipped me off about it being 'really trippy').

It's been my habit to read about artists that I like and then actively check out those listed in the 'similar artists' and 'followers' list. It's a habit has happily led me to interesting new finds (not necessarily new artists, just new to me). I love allmusic.

My eye caught this one artist on Brian Wilson's followers list: Shimmer Kids Underpop Association. Catchy name for me, as it has the word shimmer in it. Shimmery harmonies and instrumentation, colorful melodies that herald summer. You know, good vibrations really. Checked out the preview clips on allmusic, liked them, and then went on to find full tracks.

Found them on their website. All tracks from all four albums are available for download. How happy is that?!?!?

Their music is jangly and psychedelic. They're not all-out Beach Boys-y of course. Not really Beach Boys-y at all, I should say. But, they have elements (and maybe an experimental recording attitude) that you might attribute to Brian Wilson being a major influence of the band.

They're shimmery alright.

Sample their tracks:
Full Color Love Affair
Sundowner
Georgia Green
Burning Bridges

Labels: music

...is officially my favorite day of the week.

         Come on pretty baby, let's move it and groove it

If I had been born in the late 40s, I probably would've been smitten silly by the music like I am now, but 100 times more. I'd have been utterly, completely crazy, like those beatlemaniacs screaming in the movie A Hard Day's Night.

         Well a shake-a baby shake, oh! honey please don't lose it.

In don't ever dance. In general.

         It’s rhythm that gets into your heart and soul.

Except on Thursdays.

         Let me tell you baby, it’s called rock n’ roll.

Labels: music

The Zombies' concert at the Araneta is just a few days away! Yesterday, they arrived in Manila and were interviewed on RJFM. Tita gave me a heads up early in the day. Watto helped me find out if the station was being streamed on the net (it was, is: url: http://rjfm.compass.com.ph:8000/). So I logged my media player onto the stream and got the sound recorder ready, so I could share the interview with the group.

I went to work to finish our segments and got back in time for the interview. I was able to record it, yahoo! The files are here in my temporary filesharing space.

Yun lang, pretty excited about the show on Monday. =)

Labels: music

...said one writer reviewing a recent concert by The Zombies. I've been reading reviews and getting myself psyched for their show here in Araneta on February 13. Yes, they're one of the oldies bands that have been steadily streaming in to our shores since last year. Most people not familiar with (or interested in) 60s music would dismiss The Zombies as has-beens -- a laos band coming back from the dead. Pun very much intended.

But, I grew up to (and have developed a deep liking for) a wide range of music, including (and especially) stuff from the 60s. Two of my favorite 60s tracks are "She's Not There" and "Time of the Season."

I never really got to explore the songs of The Zombies that weren't on our vinyl record at home. Not until recently, when I heard they were coming. And fortunately, now, the magic of the internet is already at my disposal.

They're what a lot of music writers have called the definitive psychedelic pop band. Their sound is jazzier than your average 60s group. Accented by insane phrasings and unusual chords that are normally unused in regular pop songs (as a lot of music writers have said), their music was critically acclaimed.

You know the visuals in Austin Powers? The music of The Zombies is the aural equivalent of that. Aural pop art is what their music is to me.

Some critics say their music was way ahead of its time and it was too much for the simple sensibilities of pop consumers then. They had less than a handful of pop hits. But they made a lot of pop gems.

Their sound is a cross between the Kinks and some jazz band. Or maybe, they're more like a jazz band flavored by The Kinks. Right now, I'm thinking that Colin sounds like a choir-boy version of Mick Jagger. The goodboy type you'd probably see sporting preppy clothes, perhaps a turtle neck, but has an underlying raw sexiness that screams rock star. Listen to "Roadrunner."

Oh I dunno, I'm no music writer! Lifeyjazzfan, help me out here.

The band that's performing in town on February 13 is composed of only two members from the original five, backed by their current band. But, I'm glad that the two are Colin Blunstone (vocals) and Rod Argent (keyboards) --- because for me, they're the cornerstone of the Zombies sound. Hell, I'm so happy that I'll be hearing Colin sing live! He's got such a unique voice.

Some adjectives that are always attached to Colin's vocals: gauzy, breathy, fragile, "sometimes detached, often melancholy," which becomes "an icy blast of falsetto when appropriate." Quietly sublime.

I know that he probably doesn't sound exactly like this 60s voice, but from the reviews that I've read (and the audio stream of a recent concert I'm listening to on Rod Argent's site), the unique qualities of his voice are still present. And Rod Argent's keyboard playing is still as jittery and furious as they were on their early recordings.

I'm so excited. I think you can expect my top artists chart to be dominated by The Zombies in the weeks to come.

Curious? Read about The Zombies on allmusic.com.

And go listen to these tracks for a little Zombies 101:

1. She's Not There
2. Indication
3. Time of the Season
4. Summertime
5. She's Come Undone
6. I Want You Back Again

Go on, it'll be good for you, if you're a music fan :)

Labels: music

Looking back on 2005 --

lost a show and gained two, slashed my credit card debt more than 50% (if you know how much it was before I started seriously paying it off, you'll know it's a significant cut =) ), wiped out my savings due to lost show but built it up again, got into yoga, played ultimate a lot, played my first international league, didn't get to go to the beach but got browner and browner due to playing anyway, got dosed with a lot of good vibrations, managed to keep my schedule reasonably skewed to fun, enjoyed my friends' company, and listened to a lot of good music.

No big change in my music landscape, though, except for the appearance of a new favorite band, plus a sprinkling of new artists that I like (not enough to be favorites, but they're on the 2nd tier of my music-liking hierarchy).

According to my audioscrobbler plugin (tracking started April 2005) :

My Top 5 TopFivers [Weekly Artist Chart]:

The Beatles - with 22 appearances in the top 5 (duh)
The Shins -- 14 (imagine that! new favorite even overtook old fave RHCP in the number top five appearances!)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - 13
Simon & Garfunkel -- 11
U2 - 10

*note: my overall top artists chart is a different thing.

And by the end of the year, my very top track, receiving 68 plays (mostly due to being played on repeat mode) is none other than: The Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby" hehe.

And even if I tend to mostly listen to my good old favorites, I got to listen to a ton of new music thanks to friends who shared what they like, so I was able to catch up on new fare (to me only, they're not really new new).

Just hit my 10,000th track on audioscrobbler. Yahoo! I let my player play on random and got Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds. Fun!



I'm excited for this year. I've got a ton of new (to me pa rin) stuff to listen to. And then there's that one album -- a double album -- that I'm eagerly, excitedly awaiting: Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. I think the Shins are releasing an album this year too. Fabulous. =)

Labels: music

Ok, ngayon ko lang nakuha 'tong puzzle pic na 'to. A friend emailed it to me. It's from Virgin Digital, and there are 75 music artists/bands in the picture. Example -- those guns and roses on the cart on the left -- you get it, Guns N' Roses.

Now for the other 74. I was able to guess around 45. Then another 10 with clues from my friend. The other bands I found on this flickr site. I don't have the real key, though. There are disagreements as to what certain images refer to. Anyway, if you're inclined to-- have a go at it.


Click here to download the big pic.

Here are the ones that I came up with -- highlight to reveal
matchbox 20, smashing pumpkins, rolling stones, alice in chains, blind melon, gorillaz, led zeppelin, the eagles, garbage, iron maiden (on the pedestrian lane), white snake, blondie, dead kennedys (the postes of the kennedys on the wall on the left), white zombie, seal, 50cent, eels, nine inch nails, spoon, black crowes, cowboy junkies, madonna (and child poster), the pixies, queen, sex pistols, the police, scissor sisters, dinosaur jr., the postal service, hole, crowded house (some say it's bloc party), lemonheads, red hot chili peppers, green day (calendar date marked green!), BLUR ahahaha, beach boys, prince, talking heads (the people on the telly), go-gos, killers (i couldn't get this one! my friend just gave me clues-- the suitcases could contain guns, they're bloody, etc), kiss (im not sure abt this either. they're two girls kissing -- the two girls probably mean something aside from being a simple kiss?), manic street preachers, scorpions, ratt, the cars, radiohead, black flag, u2, b-52s, the doors (akala ko nung una "colored planks of wood?" hehe), deep purple (the purple building), twisted sister (my friend gave clues lang -- daya, the two contortionists are just bent, not twisted), phish, jewel, great white, bee gees (BGG haha), cypress hill, pink (sky), eminem, white stripes, korn.

Yun lang. Sakit na ng mata ko. Post nyo mga nakita nyo =)

Labels: music

i'm not really a gloomy person hahaha. these days, i just forget to blog when i'm happy, cos wala lang. i'm tamad.

but i simply can't let the last post on my blog just before christmas to be like that (scroll down), now can i?

so, in celebration of this superguy's birthday (and mine, i turn 32 on the 25th too), i give you my drug of choice these days:

presenting my good-vibe 32.

wait, don't dismiss these just because they're old. these are the classics - in pop and rock and roll. and while today's new bands are very good and all, it builds character to know the oldies. besides, these are straightforward-good-vibe-pop/rocknroll. Ok, maybe some aren't as straightforward as the others: Good Vibrations* -- can the arrangement get any stranger? Or better? I don't think so. It's pure genius.) *click it to read a writeup on it on allmusic.com!

Where are The Beatles in this list? Nowhere, naturally. Otherwise, they'd take up the entire list. I always have a hard time mixing Beatles songs with tracks from other artists.

ok -- smoke em, liquify and inject them intravenously, pop em in your mouth, or take em over ice.

pwede rin, just play em in shuffle mode on your favorite media player.

1. Bobby Hebb - Sunny
-- if i ever get married and have that whole wedding party hullaballoo -- i want a live band to play this and i'll dance to this. ok, on second thought, i don't have to get married to do this. but i want it on the beach, barefoot, with my beautiful boy, at 5pm.

2. Bobby Vinton - Take Good Care Of My Baby


3. Buddy Holly - Everyday


4. Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day


5. Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes


6. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode


7. Cliff Richard - Do You Wanna Dance
-- yes, yes, i want to!!!

8. Dave Clark Five - Catch Us If You Can


9. Dave Clark Five - Do You Love Me


10. Dave Clark Five - Reelin and Rockin


11. Del Vikings - Come Go With Me
- dum-dum-dum-dum-di-doobie-dum

12. Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody


13. Gene Vincent - Be Bop A Lula
- sex-in-a-song

14. Hermans Hermits - Bus Stop


15. Hermans Hermits - I'm Into Something Good
-- never fails to get me in a sunny mood

16. Kingsmen - Louie Louie


17. Lovin' Spoonful - What A Day For A Daydream


18. Manfred Mann - Doo Wah Diddy


19. Ritchie Valens - La Bamba


20. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - You Really Got A Hold on Me


21. The Association - Windy
- my kiteflying song (...and Windy has wings to fly, above the clouuuuuudddsss)

22. The Beach Boys - California Girls


23. The Beach Boys - Dont Worry, Baby
-- i think my neighbors hate me na for playing this song on endless repeat.

24. The Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun


25. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
-- galing sobra.

26. The Beach Boys - Help Me, Rhonda


27. The Beach Boys - Surfer Girl


28. The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice


29. The Shadows - Little B


30. The Turtles - Happy Together


31. The Zombies - She's Not There


32. The Zombies - Summertime
-- classic Gershwin song done by The Zombies in that dreamy, psychedelic pop of theirs. Another one of my endless-repeat tracks. Oh I cannot wait to hear this played live. The Zombies will be performing in Manila on Feb. 13, 2006!!!

Ok, that's it. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Labels: music

On a cold December evening
I was walking through the Christmas tide
When a stranger came up and asked me
If I'd heard John Lennon had died
And the two of us went to this bar
And we stayed to close the place
And every song we played
Was for The Late Great Johnny Ace
--- Paul Simon, The Late Great Johnny Ace

Celebrations of Lennon's life:
http://www.whatgoeson.com/wgo.johnlennon.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4464074.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/8/newsid_2536000/2536321.stm

Labels: music

Peachy's on this tagging spree and tagged me even after I asked her not to, waaah. Oh well, I know I don't really have to answer, but it's a fun list, so I'll do it. But I'm not tagging anyone.

In no order:

1) Strawberry Fields Forever (it belongs to my all-time top ten list, too)
2) Kissing the Lipless -- The Shins
3) Tiny Dancer - Elton John
4) Slip Slidin' Away - Paul Simon (also belongs to my all-time top ten)
5) America - Simon and Garfunkel (this one, too)
6) The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen
7) Still Crazy After All These Years - Paul Simon (all-time top ten)
8) Desperado - The Eagles
9) Another Day - Paul McCartney
10) Space Oddity - David Bowie

Labels: music

If I could climb into a song, it would be Simon and Garfunkel's "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her."

Labels: music

One year ago today, I came home drunk from too much tequila too quickly from Beatles night. Tonight isn't very different, I'm drunk from tequila and the music I grew up with. Beatles Night at 70s Bistro is one of my must-attend gigs. I'm no child of the 60s, but I might as well be, what with the influence of my father's youngest brother on the kind of music that I listen to.

The gig was great. The only downside was the participation of one female singer who, at the start of the gig, made the band sound like some two-bit show band. I have nothing against her personally, really, except that she's not suited for the material. She does good back-up vocals, though.

Kev, Ebe and Chikoy were great at covering my favorite band's songs. But, it was Francis Reyes's rendition "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" that brought down the house for me. That's what I love about rock n roll. All those corners and bends in the guitar solos.

By the time the band covered "A Day In The Life", I simply had to contact the person who shared it all with me in the first place. So, a celphone call to Iloilo was in order. At least I was able to share a few bars of my favorite song from Sgt. Pepper's with my uncle. Cosmicly enough, he was actually listening to the Beatles when i called him.

When "Strawberry Fields Forever" came, I was a mess. OA, but that's how it is. It's hard to explain why all of it means so much to me. But the music simply does. It's all those afternoons listening to records, dubbing them to cassette for my walkman, and learning how to play the chords on the guitar.

It's the decade I didn't get to see. Yet, I hold mementos of it.

It's the music that makes me feel right at home.

Labels: music

You probably know about this already if you listen to NU, but thought I'd share anyway that another cd sale is going to happen from October 27 to 29, Raffles building on Emerald Avenue (Ortigas Center). They're open from 10am to 5pm. Just ask the front desk what floor they're in. =)

-----

And on Thursday (the 21st), it's Beatles Night at 70s Bistro on Anonas St. Come together! Yeah yeah yeah!

Update: The band performing on Beatles Night will be comprised of Kevin Roy, Aya, Ebe, Chikoy, Francis Reyes, and some guys from the Itchyworms. =) Sayang sana humabol si Other Brother.

Labels: music

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterbox
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe.

One night in the late 60s, Lennon was literally driven out of bed by words which insisted on being written. They seemed to flow out of him, like endless rain into a papercup.

I'm restless right now, was in bed for around two hours already but couldn't sleep.

Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
possessing and caressing me.

Sigh. I'm no genius stirred awake with the birth of a masterpiece. I'm just melancholy is all.

Nothing's gonna change my world.

Labels: music

I am the proud new owner of a Marvin Gaye 4-disc boxset ("The Master 1961-1984"), The Very Best of Elton John (2-disc), Beck's "Mutations" album, New Radicals "Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too," "The Sweetest Punch" by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, and the Original Broadway Recording of Evita (2-disc). All for only.... P1,500 pesos, from the MCA/Universal CD sale. CDs go for 100 bucks each (except for the Marvin Gaye boxset).

Oh, I also now have the two albums of The Shins and I am loving them as well. (Thank you, LAUNCHcast. And damn you!) But, ack, I just downloaded all the tracks via winmx and kazaalite. I'll buy the real thing soon. But having them in my PC now is a blast.

Now for you, Sufjan.

Labels: music

will play at the Meralco Theatre on May 21. This I've got to see. Even if it means that I have to move things around for it...

Labels: music

Very interesting, this band called Jet.

Saw their video on MTV last night while hanging out at fleabag's and I instantly fell in love with their rhythm-driven sound.

They remind me of the Stray Cats. No, they don't sound like the Stray Cats, but their rocknroll aura hints of Stray Cats attitude. They kinda remind of the Black Crowes, too. But, no, they don't sound like the Black Crowes, either.

They just rock so deliciously is all.

Labels: music

...is not bad at all, especially if you've got the perfect tunes to enjoy it with.

Here's the track list of the CD I burned for P as a farewell gift of sorts:

1. Joy To The World (Three Dog Night)
2. Time of the Season (Zombies)
3. Sunny (Bobby Hebb)
4. Sunshine Superman (Donovan)
5. Windy (The Association)
6. What A Day For A Daydream (Lovin' Spoonful)
7. Louie Louie (Kingsmen)
8. Good Vibrations (Beach Boys)
9. Barabajagal (Donovan)
10. Mellow Yellow (Donovan)
11. Sunny Afternoon (The Kinks)

Groovy, man.

Labels: music