The music we hear when we are young influences our whole life, and I can't help but smile when I hear one of those songs from when I was just a little kid. Mom always played Beethoven, Mozart, and more classical music, as well as some country music, and Disney soundtracks. But of course I dug out her music collection, and I remember the two CDs I could play repeatedly every single day and never get tired of: "Peter, Paul and Mommy too", by Peter, Paul and Mary, and "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles.
One thing I've noticed as I play those CDs again is that no matter how long it has been, I still can remember most of the lyrics. From observing other people, I see the same thing with them, while if we listen to a song now and try to remember the lyrics next week, it's not half as easy.
Given the importance of the childhood "soundtrack", so to say, it worries me what this generation has come to. I have observed kids around the age of seven using swear words at each other, practicing a level of cruelty that you'd never think a child could have, and listening to music that just seemed to worsen it. Children dancing to funk beats as if they were in a clothed orgy, sometimes even dressing in almost nothing and saying it's based off their favorite singer's look, and sometimes even engaging in sexual activities they've learned about through some songs. It seems a little excessive that all that would be influenced by music, but it's not only the tune, it's the content of the lyrics, the way who makes them behaves, and what the parents introduce to their children as music.
Of course, I'm not saying sexual music isn't music, and the styles I've mentioned above are classified as such, I'm not one to judge that. But it's not music for little kids. They need to be introduced to music that will actually contribute to something, or at least not demoralize them. That's my opinion on the subject.
-Kimberly
19.4.11
5.4.11
Shuffle it all.
One thing that I love to do when I'm trying to listen to the songs I like without having to pick each one, is putting my iTunes on shuffle. Sure, for certain moods, you'll need certain songs. I also love just putting in a CD and playing it through, since I have no vinyl player. But when you're in a good mood and really want to listen to those songs you love but haven't played in ages, and don't know where to start, shuffle is the best option.
Today, I decided to write down the songs that came on shuffle as I wrote this, and maybe say something of my own to go with it. So here we go:
1. Phantom Blue - Out Of Control
I really enjoy this band and their music, it's one of the many girl bands I've discovered in these recent months. I also love the bands that came after them, mostly The Iron Maidens from the drummer Linda McDonald.
2. Mötley Crüe - Face Down In The Dirt
I love this band way too much to put into words. I'm also about to see them live, the concert in São Paulo is on May 17th. The whole record, Saints Of Los Angeles, is amazing to me. I don't really understand how people dislike it, and some even say the band was only worth something until Dr. Feelgood, and after that, they went downhill. I enjoy their songs after that just as much as their early songs.
3. Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing
If you knew me, you'd know I'm a complete hopeless romantic. This song in particular makes me incredibly happy and calm, in a cuddly mood. That, and this band is amazing, all of them. Steven's voice is so great to listen to, I can't help but smile as soon as I hear a song of theirs.
4. Led Zeppelin - Tangerine
I first heard this song in the movie "Almost Famous", and surprisingly, I could recognize it as Led Zeppelin. You see, I knew very little of this band at the time, but my dad had me listen to a few songs of theirs before. Now, all I can say is that I want Jimmy's fingers. He's such an amazing guitarist, and the whole band wrote these songs so well... you can actually feel that they clicked.
5. Sixx:AM - Life Is Beautiful
This was the first Nikki Sixx related song I ever heard, sent to me by Alice. After that, I got more into Sixx:AM and Mötley Crüe, which I've talked about on song number two. Sixx:AM has become a big part of my life, helping me through a lot of personal problems and emotional breakdowns. The three of them are amazing people who have been through a lot in their lives, and they really do have important messages for society. I can hardly wait for This Is Gonna Hurt to come out, I need to buy that CD, and hopefully I'll get the book, too.
6. Mötley Crüe - Rodeo
Now, this doesn't surprise me. My iTunes loves to repeat bands over and over. Rodeo is a song I hadn't heard of until I read an interview with Stormy Deal, Mick Mars' daughter. She mentioned it, and I had to listen right after. I love the song, the guitar on it is amazing to listen to, and Vince's voice is soft but still in his style.
7. David Bowie - Magic Dance
Just yesterday, I watched a parody of this song that was absolutely hilarious. Anyway, this is one of his best known songs because of the Labirynth, but I love it. It's so good to dance to, and fun to sing along, not to mention most things Bowie are amazing.
8. Evanescence - Lies
Anyone who's heard Amy Lee's voice can recognize how good it is, she's a truly amazing singer with a great band. I love their lyrics and all the music behind them, it's truly comforting and thought-provoking to listen to their songs, they're about life and nothing more.
9. Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark
This song is so true. I'm not particularly afraid of the dark, but of what's hiding in it. Bruce's voice sends chills down my spine, and the others boys are amazing. I love all the Maiden songs I've heard until now, and I have to say their guitarists are all amazing, and the drums are the best thing to listen to. Yes, I'm a guitarist with a huge love for drum beats.
10. Guns N' Roses - Anything Goes
This song is so completely sexual, but so amazing. Then again, it's Guns N' Roses we're talking about. I'm so glad they showed up on my shuffle now, because or else I'd cheat and put them on anyway, I can't have one of these without Guns. I have footage of this song back in the Hollywood Rose days, where Axl and Izzy played before joining the other guys. It's name back then was My Way, Your Way, but I think the new title and new version are better. Excuse the misuse of 'new', since it's from the 80s, but you can understand what I mean.
Today, I decided to write down the songs that came on shuffle as I wrote this, and maybe say something of my own to go with it. So here we go:
1. Phantom Blue - Out Of Control
I really enjoy this band and their music, it's one of the many girl bands I've discovered in these recent months. I also love the bands that came after them, mostly The Iron Maidens from the drummer Linda McDonald.
2. Mötley Crüe - Face Down In The Dirt
I love this band way too much to put into words. I'm also about to see them live, the concert in São Paulo is on May 17th. The whole record, Saints Of Los Angeles, is amazing to me. I don't really understand how people dislike it, and some even say the band was only worth something until Dr. Feelgood, and after that, they went downhill. I enjoy their songs after that just as much as their early songs.
3. Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing
If you knew me, you'd know I'm a complete hopeless romantic. This song in particular makes me incredibly happy and calm, in a cuddly mood. That, and this band is amazing, all of them. Steven's voice is so great to listen to, I can't help but smile as soon as I hear a song of theirs.
4. Led Zeppelin - Tangerine
I first heard this song in the movie "Almost Famous", and surprisingly, I could recognize it as Led Zeppelin. You see, I knew very little of this band at the time, but my dad had me listen to a few songs of theirs before. Now, all I can say is that I want Jimmy's fingers. He's such an amazing guitarist, and the whole band wrote these songs so well... you can actually feel that they clicked.
5. Sixx:AM - Life Is Beautiful
This was the first Nikki Sixx related song I ever heard, sent to me by Alice. After that, I got more into Sixx:AM and Mötley Crüe, which I've talked about on song number two. Sixx:AM has become a big part of my life, helping me through a lot of personal problems and emotional breakdowns. The three of them are amazing people who have been through a lot in their lives, and they really do have important messages for society. I can hardly wait for This Is Gonna Hurt to come out, I need to buy that CD, and hopefully I'll get the book, too.
6. Mötley Crüe - Rodeo
Now, this doesn't surprise me. My iTunes loves to repeat bands over and over. Rodeo is a song I hadn't heard of until I read an interview with Stormy Deal, Mick Mars' daughter. She mentioned it, and I had to listen right after. I love the song, the guitar on it is amazing to listen to, and Vince's voice is soft but still in his style.
7. David Bowie - Magic Dance
Just yesterday, I watched a parody of this song that was absolutely hilarious. Anyway, this is one of his best known songs because of the Labirynth, but I love it. It's so good to dance to, and fun to sing along, not to mention most things Bowie are amazing.
8. Evanescence - Lies
Anyone who's heard Amy Lee's voice can recognize how good it is, she's a truly amazing singer with a great band. I love their lyrics and all the music behind them, it's truly comforting and thought-provoking to listen to their songs, they're about life and nothing more.
9. Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark
This song is so true. I'm not particularly afraid of the dark, but of what's hiding in it. Bruce's voice sends chills down my spine, and the others boys are amazing. I love all the Maiden songs I've heard until now, and I have to say their guitarists are all amazing, and the drums are the best thing to listen to. Yes, I'm a guitarist with a huge love for drum beats.
10. Guns N' Roses - Anything Goes
This song is so completely sexual, but so amazing. Then again, it's Guns N' Roses we're talking about. I'm so glad they showed up on my shuffle now, because or else I'd cheat and put them on anyway, I can't have one of these without Guns. I have footage of this song back in the Hollywood Rose days, where Axl and Izzy played before joining the other guys. It's name back then was My Way, Your Way, but I think the new title and new version are better. Excuse the misuse of 'new', since it's from the 80s, but you can understand what I mean.
I've been recently going back to japanese music.
I could say I have my "roots" in japanese and asian music. Even if I grew up listening to The Carpenters, The Beatles, and Peter, Paul and Mary, what really got me into music was the japanese pop/rock scene. I could name the main bands for me - AnCafe, the GazettE, Miyavi and GACKT, mostly - and I can still sing along to many of their songs, even those I haven't heard in ages.
No, I can't say I stopped listening to them after discovering new music, I just left the news behind when before I was the first to know. A great part of that was due to AnCafe having gone on hiatus last year, and not coming back yet. But it's all very important to me, because this band saved my life - literally -, and my first real concert ever was Miyavi's show in October 2009. I could list many things, actually, but I won't.
The point of this post isn't to talk about my life story in relation to asian bands, but to how little people see of them. Yes, those bands have a huge fandom outside of their country, at least some of them do, but they're still not as hugely recognized as others. Bands from many countries have gone to the top charts and magazines in other countries, while it's hard to see a band from Japan in those. Also, some people generalize things. I've heard many times that people won't listen to asian music - because it's asian, and therefore, they conclude it must be no good. I have a listening history with most genres, a great variety of bands, and I consider myself to have a good ear. At least to my personal taste. And from that, I can tell you one thing: some of these bands are amazing.
I don't have much time to write now, but I'll be forever wondering if GACKT is David Bowie's long-lost japanese twin brother.
-Kimberly
No, I can't say I stopped listening to them after discovering new music, I just left the news behind when before I was the first to know. A great part of that was due to AnCafe having gone on hiatus last year, and not coming back yet. But it's all very important to me, because this band saved my life - literally -, and my first real concert ever was Miyavi's show in October 2009. I could list many things, actually, but I won't.
The point of this post isn't to talk about my life story in relation to asian bands, but to how little people see of them. Yes, those bands have a huge fandom outside of their country, at least some of them do, but they're still not as hugely recognized as others. Bands from many countries have gone to the top charts and magazines in other countries, while it's hard to see a band from Japan in those. Also, some people generalize things. I've heard many times that people won't listen to asian music - because it's asian, and therefore, they conclude it must be no good. I have a listening history with most genres, a great variety of bands, and I consider myself to have a good ear. At least to my personal taste. And from that, I can tell you one thing: some of these bands are amazing.
I don't have much time to write now, but I'll be forever wondering if GACKT is David Bowie's long-lost japanese twin brother.
-Kimberly
8.3.11
First of all...
I'd like to say I'm no specialist in music, in any way.
My name is Kimberly, I'm in High School studying in Brazil, while also on my second year of learning electric guitar. I've had and still have many blogs and writing places to get out what I want to talk about, but I've recently had an idea of writing about my inspirations and idols in music, the songs I like, music in general and new bands and groups I'm getting into. My other blogs are mostly personal, and even if this one will still contain my personal opinion on the subjects mentioned, I won't want to mix it with all other posts of what is going on in other parts of my life.
People tend to say I have a musical taste that is very mixed and has lots of variety, I don't know how accurate that is given the incredible ammount of genres and sub-genres out there and each band's particular style that can change in itself, from a mixture of a few styles into one solid one, or into getting even more variety or even creating a new one.
Most of the music I listen to, for many reasons, ranges from the 1950s to the 1990s. I don't mean to say there aren't good new bands out there, I listen to many of those, too, they are just hard to find for little divulgation of the media.
Here in Brazil, it's hard to find good new music unless you hang out around any club that's willing to, once in a while, playing songs that aren't on the radio all the time since here all we have playing is international industrial pop, rap (which I have nothing against, and actually listen to some, the problem is that most rappers nowadays don't make lyrics that are worth listening to, and instead write about how much money they have, how many girls they fucked...), and one or two bands that pop up for a year or two and then disappear, aside from samba and other kinds that are popular here. And I hate to admit it - but my mother doesn't let me go out like that, yet.
Once in a while, I do see quality bands show up around the town, mostly formed by people still in school and experimenting around with their instruments, writing a few songs and playing one or two gigs, then disbanding. A few cover bands for artists such as Guns N' Roses, Metallica and Megadeth also show up that way. Still, there is almost no way to send out the news of these bands since the few publications we have in this down - which is a small town - have no interest in the kind of music they play, and rather focus on something like "Oh my god, Justin Bieber cut his hair" rather than new, local music.
Well, this has become long enough for the introduction. I hope anyone who reads this blog will enjoy it, and remember, I don't intend to seem like a professional writer or an expert in the subject, but simply want to get my opinions out there and maybe other people will like to talk about it.
-Kimberly
My name is Kimberly, I'm in High School studying in Brazil, while also on my second year of learning electric guitar. I've had and still have many blogs and writing places to get out what I want to talk about, but I've recently had an idea of writing about my inspirations and idols in music, the songs I like, music in general and new bands and groups I'm getting into. My other blogs are mostly personal, and even if this one will still contain my personal opinion on the subjects mentioned, I won't want to mix it with all other posts of what is going on in other parts of my life.
People tend to say I have a musical taste that is very mixed and has lots of variety, I don't know how accurate that is given the incredible ammount of genres and sub-genres out there and each band's particular style that can change in itself, from a mixture of a few styles into one solid one, or into getting even more variety or even creating a new one.
Most of the music I listen to, for many reasons, ranges from the 1950s to the 1990s. I don't mean to say there aren't good new bands out there, I listen to many of those, too, they are just hard to find for little divulgation of the media.
Here in Brazil, it's hard to find good new music unless you hang out around any club that's willing to, once in a while, playing songs that aren't on the radio all the time since here all we have playing is international industrial pop, rap (which I have nothing against, and actually listen to some, the problem is that most rappers nowadays don't make lyrics that are worth listening to, and instead write about how much money they have, how many girls they fucked...), and one or two bands that pop up for a year or two and then disappear, aside from samba and other kinds that are popular here. And I hate to admit it - but my mother doesn't let me go out like that, yet.
Once in a while, I do see quality bands show up around the town, mostly formed by people still in school and experimenting around with their instruments, writing a few songs and playing one or two gigs, then disbanding. A few cover bands for artists such as Guns N' Roses, Metallica and Megadeth also show up that way. Still, there is almost no way to send out the news of these bands since the few publications we have in this down - which is a small town - have no interest in the kind of music they play, and rather focus on something like "Oh my god, Justin Bieber cut his hair" rather than new, local music.
Well, this has become long enough for the introduction. I hope anyone who reads this blog will enjoy it, and remember, I don't intend to seem like a professional writer or an expert in the subject, but simply want to get my opinions out there and maybe other people will like to talk about it.
-Kimberly
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