Song/songs that changed you and made you what U are Today!!!

[shred5]

Hi there Softies...

Its very interesting to see that everyone here is a music lover. Be it local or international.

However, we were once young and naive.. We did not know anything about who we are going to be, what we are going to be, and how we are going to be until we stumble into something that changed our lives forever.

In this case, my point would be music.. It need not be a concert that U attended or songs that U listened for the first. It could be anything. A very interesting incident would be in the movie theater. Imagine being captivated by the movie soundtrack and rushing down to the nearest music shop to look for the Cd.

And the next moment, you would be stuck in the glass of your own world listening to those tunes...

Let me be the first to start it.

Year= 1988
Songs/Song= Hukum Karma by Wings
At that time I was a mere 10 years of age. Not knowing anything about music. What I know was just Transformers, Mask, Dinoriders, Centurion, Silver Hawk, etc.. U get what I mean.. I was into boys toys.

It was until my classmate borrowed me his Wings cassette, Hukum Karma, and I was asking him, what the hell is that thing. He said," its a famous rock band from Malaysia. It plays rock music.. Give it a go and U'll realize something is different."

Ok.. I went home and played it through my dad mini compo.. hur hur hur..
And the first track blew me away.. I was stoned and fixed. Not knowing what to say. The walls of distortion tearing out from those tiny speakers really deafened my small room and as usual, my mum would be screaming at me to lower the volume.

And that my Bros, was my life changing experience. I still have those songs in my Nomad Muvo2.

Year= 1989
Album= The dark sides Mini-LP
Song/songs= No present for Christmas by King Diamond

It was the Hari Raya period and when I went to this particular cousin of mine. I would browse through his cassette collections. There was one cassette that got my attention. The cover was a pic of King Diamond with his trademark makeup and pose. I asked my cousin, who the hell is this. He replied," oh, he's an anti-christ"(no pun offended, to those christians). At that point of time, I really wanted to know what an anti-christ song would be like. So i asked him to play for me some songs.

The moment he pressed the play button, those haunting tunes rose from the speaker and i was really terrified. Really really terrified.. I took me another 2 years to accept King Diamond's music.

So Bros, those are the brief experiences that I had that changed my life from an innocent boy to a Mat Rock until today. Even though I would occasionally listen to Babyface, Eric Clapton, Sting and even Damn Yankees..

Feel free to contribute in this thread..

Cheers

 

[synthman]

John Barry 007

the first Top40 pop song that caught my head:

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY - Sheena Easton

 

[LilacXLolita]

Music has always been in my life... From when I was a tiny kid singing along to ABBA cassettes in my parents' car to being forced to listen to chinese radio stations in Upper Primary School to improve my Mandarin for PSLE. Then there were the grunge days as a teenager... Hole was constantly in my CD player and Courtney Love, Melissa Auf der Maur and Kat Bjelland were my inspirations.


But the one CD that led to my appreciation of the music I have come to be passionate about is "The Art of Drowning" by AFI. That CD sucked me into AFI and from there I discovered bands like Tiger Army, Rancid, Atreyu and Minor Threat, and started looking into East Bay Hardcore and the bands that played at The Phoenix in Petaluma, as well as bands that started their careers playing at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California. From there, I went on to appreciate Redemption 87, Loose Change and Death By Stereo. Then I got into the old school sound of hardcore like Madball, Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags and Gorilla Biscuits... And soon, I was listening to everything... Old school, new school, metalcore, grind and thrash.

I've never felt so appreciative or passionate about any other sort of music in my life. There's something about the outspoken honesty, truth, aggression and no-bullshit straightforwardness in the music that really appeals to me. Maybe after growing up in politically-correct conservative Singapore as a child and teenager, this music is a refreshing change and an outlet for release.

But I have AFI's "The Art of Drowning" to thank for it... It really opened up a whole world.

 

[dreampolice]

American Hi-fi the self titled album, about 3 years ago. Before that i was listening to blink 182, linkin park and even backstreet boys

their hit single flavour of the weak got me in. I bought the CD hoping for all the songs to sound the same, but i was disappointed.
THe initial disppointment fade away quickily. Infact i was pretty impressed by the diversity in the album. the songs are of different styles, ranging from pop punk to even a bit of metal and also even long melodics solos These did help me open up my mind to wider genres. Needless to say i took up the guitar because of it

I was also pretty much impressed by the fact that they sound so raw. Theirs songs are pretty much unprocessed and unsynthesized, unlike most stuff u hear today. They're one of the bands out there to voice out against the use of protools to record music.

 

[Cheez]

I was in the school band playing all the ... band music. I was then asked to arrange some pieces of music for the band for one of those Singapore Bash things - can't remember the names of those music but it was pop. I hated it even though I had to listen to them everyday to transcribe it for the band. The music was ringing in my ears even when I sleep, when I'm awake, when I'm on the bus - you get the idea. That was in my secondary school days. So in this case, "music" had a negative impact!

My very first cassette tape I bought in the music shop - Mahler Symphony No. 1. Also in my secondary school days. I listened to it and was amazed at how complex music can be. Then I got hooked. I still have that cassette tape somewhere although totally mouldy.

 

[atee]

When i was living in the boybands/girlbands 'era', my friend dragged me to guitar lessons with her and taadaa!

 

[faizal_rocks]

I was onli in kindergarten when I start to take notice of music. The year was somewhere in 1988/1989...I was at my grandma`s house and I heard from my uncle`s house..this piece which sounded like a symphony and next thing there was the keyboard melody which was so nice...tat song was Phil Collins`s Another Day in Paradise...

I remember watching the Moonwalker movie...I was like whoa..Michael Jackson was so awesome during his heydays...esp the smooth criminal scene..I was also listening to the Bad album which my uncle lent me...cool..

I also listened to my parent`s old tapes like Beatles, Carpenters etc...during my sec sch days in the mid-90s, sec 1 and 2..was listening to every popular alternative bands tat was hot lke Oasis, Weezer, etc...but from Sec 3 onwards, I was hooked to classic rock after listening to Led Zeppelin...

Right now, I`m listening to Michael Jackson`s 80`s albums...really relive those childhood memories...yeah...so much so tat, I observed how he moonwalk and now I always have the habit to do it in public! Strange but true! Hehehe.....owwwwwwww!!!!

 

[shred5]

Wow!! This thread is getting hotter by the minute..

Let me add a few more

Year=1991
Song/Songs/Album= Guns N Roses UseYour Illusion I & II

This is one the band that I didnt realise that existed in this world until one my cousin said that the albums was banned due to explicit lyrics. I asked him whether are they good and he borrowed me his two cassette to listen. As usual the NCB has done their "good" job in censoring the lyrics..

The opening track from II; Civil War starts with a slow acoustic and bursts into distortion that leaves me severely stunned plus Axl's vocal trademark causing my heart to go faster.. That really leaves an impression on me. Wah!!! This band not bad eh..

It was until I listened to Don't Cry, I was craving for more of GNR.. From then on I was a GNR freak..

Year 1993
Song/Songs/Album= Nevermind (Nirvana)

Yup.. U guessed it.. The opening chords from Smells Like a Thin Spirit has somehow redefine guitar tones form that point onwards.. Even though I'm not a guitarist, Dave Grohl really set a milestone in drumming in a way that no one can.. Loud, excessive and precision... I really dig Nirvana.

My classmates at one point played "Rape Me" for an audition for a teacher's day celebration but with ammended lyrics..

From 93 to 94, grunge really rules the music scene and I'm a Mat Rock + Grunge.. :wink:

Year 1993
Song/Songs/Album= Metallica (Metallica)

The year 1993 was a musical year for me.. As grunge was the ruling genre, metal rose from the ashes with Metallica's self titled album. I wasn't into it but it definitely leave an impression. It is fast, heavy and...... addictive..
Lars double bass shit at Through the Never introduced me to drumming..

Talk about history!!! Hahahahaha.. I hope that no one gets bored with my grandfather stories.. even by typing these words, I'm getting flashbacks of all those events that changed me...

Cheers

 

[synthman]

the next hit ...

after 1982 007 hit FOR YOUR EYES ONLY,
went to buy a $2.00 pirated casette tape
with all movie hits.

the next song that knock me down:

Arthur's Theme (Best that you can do) - Christoper Cross


hahaha!!! sounds i'm a very POPpy guy!???
that's how i started digging into music !!!
at that time started learning technics organ !!!
more music knocked me down !!! no heart to study,
everyday music - here, there and everywhere !!!

hahaha! but i never make it as a music professional !!!

 

[Cavett]

Interesting thread... Here r some songs that definately had a major influence in me musically(and perhaps personaly too)...

1986 - Far Beyond The Sun by Yngwie Malmsteen... I was only 6 then and my brother was just starting into electric guitar when he started playing Malmsteen concert tapes... The moment I saw that fella played it definately awed me and made me wanna pick up the guitar.. However it wasnt until much later that I start to learn it...

1988 - Sweet Child O Mine by GnR... The infamous opening lick to the intro is definately a rock moment... Slash is definately the coolest guitar player in this planet... Still havent picked up the guitar as yet...

1995 - In Utero by Nirvana... Theres not a single weak song in this album IMO.. This is the album that made me like Nirvana and actually got me back tracking to their old albums.. Yes I'm a Nirvana fan.. Sue me... This was also the yr that I learned my first chord on the guitar! :twisted:

1996 - High and Dry by Radiohead... Suddenly heavy metal and rock was not to my liking anymore and I was suddenly into this whole british band phase.. Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede, etc... This was also the first song that I learned to play completely...

1996 - Bullet With Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins... I got into them very late in the yr... Made me like the heavy sound of guitars again and also made me an SP and Billy Corgan fan for life... And I still wear my SP t-shirts proudly! Hahaha...

1997 - Pull Me Under by Dream Theater... I have to thank my friend Andrew for this, for it was him that introduce me to them.. The moment I heard this song, I was totally dumbstruck... Got me into a frenzy and was trying to find out abt this band as much as I could... Lucky there was the internet! DT has been my fav band since and with this song it made me reealise what I've been missing on the guitars... Now its time to practise, practise and practise.. Hehe...

1999 - Jotun by In Flames... Oh my God... What is this am I listening?? Blew me away totally!! It was this song that definately turned me into some sort of a metalhead...

1999 - To Mega Therion by Therion... Same reaction as above...

2003 - Deliverance by Opeth - By this time I was quite exposed to most genres of metals and the bands that played them... Though I've heard of Opeth it wasnt until this particular song that converted me into a fan for life.. One of the most diversified and intense band I've known... Great great shit...

Thats more or less it... Sorry to take up so much space... Wonder what songs will be next... Hmm....

 

[input_output]

hehe interesting thread. for me it has to be NIRVANA bleach album. before dat i was into mc hammer/nkotb bla bla bala (wat do u expect from a pri skool kid) it was after nirvana and acoustic jamming sessions dat i got interested in playin and makin music.

after dat more influences kept comin in... hehh

u guys remembered a time when u were juz starting out? wat songs did u play?
mine was smells liike teeeeen spirit, abt a girl/dun look back in anger/creep
hehehe

 

[synthman]

Air supply - more Oxygen required

NEXT CAME - AIR SUPPLY !!!
Lost in love, All out of Love, Every woman in the world, Sweet dreams...
they knock me down !!!

with Singaporean REX GOH as the lead guitarist,
the idea of making it as a pro musician came haunting me !!!

 

[Mr_X]

Well, for me it'll be L'Arc~en~Ciel's Niji.

I was like watching this anime movie at home watching samurais killing each other until this song came out......i was like OOOOHHHHHH its so damn cool. Niji had this very nice intro played on clean i was very impressed with it. That time i was chinese pop kinda fella.

After that i listened more to L'arc~en~ciel and J-rock and before long, my fren introduced me RCHP, RATM. Slowly, chinese pop was out of my way.

Another song would be Led Zeppelin - stairway to heaven

That was the reason why i picked up my guitar, made my dad say yes to allowing me buy an electric guitar though he said no very often. Though i cannot play the whole song yet, i hope to be able to in say 2 years time or so.

Eagles - Hotel California

Since young, like kindergarten, my dad's car always play this oldies FM station, and it seems they always like to play that song. So from a kid i liked this song and no one told me it was satanic, even after people told me, i still loved it.

 

[ChanMin]

Interstate love song - stone temple pilots.

wish i didnt miss you - angie stone

these are songs whereby the moment you press play... everything slows down to a crawl.... and you "feel " the song.

ofcourse the changing moment where i decided to take guitar seriously(start using a pick) was definitly metalica - creeping death , master of puppets... \m/

and later on .....
yngwie malmsteen - i'll see the light tonight, trilogy suite , i am a viking , black star , RISING FORCE.

and much later on ...
symphony X - sins and shadows , sea of lies , divine wings of tragedy...,many more from these guys ...

Angra - heros of sand ( oooohh )

richie kotzen - burn it down

and the latest song that got me hooked is the killers - somebody told me .

 

[subversion]

hmm.. i can't remember the exact year, hope that detail won't disqualify me...

Level 42- Running in the Family
the song that turned me on to catchy hooks. i have no idea that it was from the bass but it turned me on nevertheless... have been a Level 42 fan ever since...

Loudness- Heavy Chains
arguably the track that introduced me to guitar vituosity.

Mayhem- Grand Declaration of War
the whole darn LP blew me away. the black metal genre appealed very little to me because majority of the songs sounded like there's a sandstorm playing at the background but this one made a diff, particularly because the band's musicianship as a whole is indisputable.

Gambale/ Holdsworth- Rocks (from the LP The Truth in Shredding)
this is the track that redefined shred guitar for me, ever since, i've always tried to incorporate fusion elements into my playing...

 

[DrumDead]

Two things changed my life musically.

1) Watching Buddy Rich's drum solo while play "West Side Story Medley" in Frack Sinatra's Concert for the Americas.

2) The first time I heard Sunny Day Real Estate's "Pillars"

 

[shred5]

I cannot deny that even the mellowest of music will make the toughest man move to tears...

its the same for me.. Even after hearing tonnes and tonnes of heavy music, my ear needs relaxation. I got my relevation after watching Sting's DVD which I borrowed from my friend.

Another MEGABALLAD that inspires me in drumming is of course November Rain by Guns N Roses..

To me that song was a piece of flawless art. Even though Slash's grand guitar solo on top of the piano will caused the piano's manufacturer fuming due to boot's mark, that song is still fresh. Especially the video.. With the lovely Stephanie Seymour...*sigh* :roll:

Oh ya.. I was into hardcore during those Lion City Hardcore days. Till tday, I have the ORIGINAL CD which was featured in the BIGO 1993 special edition.
Ayong's intro drums for Stomping's opening track is like a sledgehammer..
4 Sides, Voiceout, United Blood.... Those guys are the pioneer of the Spore Hardcore scene.

Fuhh... the local scene played a major part in shaping me to who/what I am today and I'm really glad that there are ppl today who still have the fire to support local..

Cheers and enjoy...

 

[jeifen]

X JAPAN's Tears. It was a live performance on Music Station. They looked really weird to me then (though the one on the piano was really pretty) but their music was amazing. The intricacy of the entire song,(I still find interesting things about the song everytime i hear it), from the strings orchestra, to the piano, drums, superb guitar solo, and of course, Toshi's souful voice...just was a superb combination..totally in awe..

and then i started researching on them, and ......

so i guess..they showed me what music should be, and especially Yoshiki, who proved to me sometimes ordinary people are extraordinary

 

[Z3r0_G]

Apache - the shadows
this made me pick up the guitar and learn the lead part. still remeber how my fingers almost bled.

next up,
Watching a live video of Cream playing Crossroads. man, that song changed the way i played bass. Master Jack bruce and his Gibson Eb3 blew me away. i was amazed how the bass can 'solo' throughout the whole song. i can safely say Jack bruce taught me the minor pentatonic scale.

 

[VaiSteve]

Urm, can it be a hongkong band?

Well for me is, Beyond.

Ever since i was little, my dad influenced me with Beyond and I like them a lot, meaningful lyrics and very nice music. Ever since... Primary 4? I'm 16 now.