amazing

It's kind of a miracle, or maybe it's just returning to your origins. I started off music listening to pop, and then moving onto pop-rock, then punk rock. Well Linkin Park has their own genre so I can't classify them.

But here's the general trend. The first songs I remember listening to were songs by the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, A1. We have the pop boybands. Afterwhich, Linkin Park came into the picture. I heard Limp Bizkit, and was hooked onto swearing after that. Then I decided to go listen to punk rock bands like Sum 41, Blink 182. Well that was kinda the movement from Primary 4 - Sec 2.

In Sec 3 I ditched punk rock and went into metal and hardcore. I soon got sick of that and I moved on to listening to solo guitar. I first heard of Steve Vai, then I borrowed a G3 DVD from Jen at church. It was the Live in Denver one. I went NUTS about them. I got every video they produced, downloaded nearly all the jams they did. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama, (sth), (sth), Little Wing, Rockin' In The Free World, Voodoo Child, Foxey Lady, La Grange, Smoke on The Water.

After a while I did some research on their influences, and I heard some Guns N Roses songs. I took lessons and Justin introduced me to Guns N Roses. Jia Hui's brother had the Guns N Roses - Greatest Hits CD, so I borrowed it and I went NUTS. I loved it and I still do.

I was inspired by so many influences, and my skills grew from playing power chords to soloing. I started off playing Sum 41 riffs, with songs like The Hell Song, Still Waiting and In Too Deep. Of course the In Too Deep solo was a tad bit retarded at that point of time so I skipped it. But the riffs were good practise. Hey I played them on a CLASSICAL guitar k. Haha.

Now those riffs are simple. The question is not about always about skill, but sometimes about tonal quality and creativity. For one I don't like to play neo-classical, or malmsteen or stuff like that. I admit that malmsteen is good, but he's malmsteen and he has his theory to back his stuff up. Where else do you think his solos come from? I don't really stand in awe of anyone who can play like malmsteen. But someone who can write songs like malmsteen? That's something to look up to.

I'm digressing. This post is about returning to origins. I'm going back to punk rock, I think. The All-American Rejects are getting me high and stuff. I feel happy happy when I play power chord after power chord, the riff may be simple but it's melodic and I enjoy playing it. No crazy finger-twisting solo, but cool and smooth melodic ones. I like that.

And so here's cheers to punk rock.

THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS LYRICS
"Dirty Little Secret"

Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
The way she feels inside (inside)
Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)
These sleeping dogs won't lie (won't lie)
And all I've tried to hide
It’s eating me apart
Trace this line back

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret

Who has to know
Who has to know
From www.plyrics.com

Cheers to all you rockers,
Eugene.