We're Going to be Friends

This week. is totally. a JACK WHITE week. for me.

A friend who just came back from London bought for me the first two releases of The White Stripes, which (as expected) were not available locally. Now my album collection is complete! Yeah!!!

I have all the four records now:
The White Stripes (2001)
De Stijl (2001)
White Blood Cells (2002)
Elephant (2003)

and thus I will go Wasting My Time letting Jack Jumble Jumble my entire week, yelling “Fell In Love With a Girl” (yeah! the one covered by Joss Stone) and feeling his powerful voice reverberating in my chest while Meg can comfort me In the Cold Cold Night.

Rock on!

BRIDGE

I first heard their song KAHIT NA on NU Rock last year. I loved it at once since I was able to relate fully to the song’s message. I chanced upon one of their live performance during a Libis night-out. Whoa! Instantly, they became my favorite local indie band.

And when I am hooked with something, I unselfishly share it with my loved ones. So for several months after that first performance, I dragged Riki and his barkada, my kikay friends, and even my officemates to their gigs. And what do you know, they were impressed as well. So the next time i made yaya, i don't need to yank them anymore, they willingly agreed to go. Hehehe!

Johnoy and Erica (his girlfriend) became my friends eventually and thus now, I will promote their XMAS COVERS in my blog. Hahaha! Check out their website. Just click on the button on the lower right side of the page and choose the Christmas songs (there are three as of the moment).

Listen to Johnoy’s version of Silver Bells and Oh Holy Night. ASTIG!

And oh, while you're at it (visiting their website), check out the song KAHIT NA na rin! My favorite! :D

Shaider Memories

I am currently (and madly) searching for our copy of the Balahibumpooza’s song Time Space Warp. “Ayoko na, sawang-sawa na. Mabuti pang nasa… Time Space Warp…” I need to listen to that song today. To complete my Shaider experience.

Thanks to a friend’s tip, I chanced upon the re-runs of SHAIDER in a local channel this morning (8:30–9:00 am). This show reminds me so much of my regular rustic weekends during my early childhood days in the province. After attending the early Sunday mass, I would eat my breakfast at the living room with my brother, in front of the television, watching Alexis save the world from the evil Phuma Lei Ar *. He was Shaider, I was Annie!

I was having a good laugh while watching the program again earlier. Aside from the good memories it brings, I can still remember the sequence of scenes (which is the same in every episode)!

Upon finding that Phuma Lei Ar’s fold caused some havoc once again in the community, Alexis will go find his evil men. Thus begin the ever famous fight scenes (the following narration from a woman’s perspective):

Scene One: Initial Fight Scene
The ever-cute Alexis (still in his blue and white suit) fights the villains with the “creature of the day”. The latter is chosen by Lei Ar earlier in the show. The ratio is 10:1 something. Then Alexis will jump to an elevated place, execute his pose and shouts….

Scene Two: The Transformation
SHAIDER!!! He now transforms to his metal “police pangkalawakan” getup. Still blue but now more bionic-looking complete with the mask. The transformation was enabled by deriving energy from the sun. The fight scene continues. The enemies seem to multiply. They even called reinforcements–the flying jets with laser guns. Shaider screams again! SPACE STRIKER!!! Annie (in their headquarters) will release their own jet (she’s driving it...this time her panty is not in view) and one by one blow up all the enemy’s airships. Until only the creature/monster remains.

Back at camp, Phuma Lei Ar (the talking head), after seeing that his force is being slowly defeated (again!) will command his side kick (the priestess) to release their secret weapon. This is the time the priestess will shout this ever famous line, “TIME SPACE WARP, NGAYON DIN!!!” The time and space warp is the world where Lei Ar’s creatures are (supposed to be) more powerful.

Scene Three: Time Space Warp
The monster suddenly got sucked into the TSW. Shaider will follow him. But he needs his transport to TSW first. He shouts again. “BLUE HAWK!!!” His blue motorcycle is released from HQ and at auto mode, drove to his location. He rides it and jumps into the TSW.

This next action scene always boggles me. Halfway thru the warp, he will dismount his bike and swim into the end of the TSW alone. I know this enables him to land in the TSW in his signature roll and pose, but where does the bike go?! Does it return to the opening of the warp on auto mode again?!

Anyways, now Shaider is in the warp. The fight with the (now acting funny) monster continues. Shaider needs his sword. LASER BLASTER!!! Swish here, swish there. Finally, he shouts again, BLADE CUTTER!!! I think it activated a special feature in his sword. Next comes the deadly blow. SHAIDER SUPER SLASH!!! The monster is cut into half…and explodes.

Lei Ar is fuming mad! Defeated once again! So he brings in his final weapon. The big head (which I guess he had numerous of stock since they get blown up every episode!). For this adversary, Shaider cannot use his laser blaster-of-a-sword anymore. He needs an equally big gun. So he calls the BABYLOS!!! The big spaceship is released, Shaider shouts again - MATRIX PROJECTION!!!, and the spaceship takes the form of a gun. He aims it on the big head and yells SUPER BLASTER!!!! The big head explodes to pieces.

The evil forces of Phuma Lei Ar is defeated once again. Shaider rules!!! And he takes his pose finally…which brings him back to the real world – where Annie happily waits for him.

I have to find my tape of that song!!!

* I am not sure if I spelled it correctly.

One Hit Wonders

My good friend Dun, my second ultimate source of good music, shared this cool song-WASH ME-with me today. Part of the lyrics goes like so……

Shut my eyes
Plunge the world the stranger

This threshold cracks
The rosy alcove- this threshold cracks...

In bed, where I can be anything
I stained my clothes and
lost more than I thought
I could win...

Do you grasp the message of the song? If you do, you will definitely go up my list. Hehehe….

It came from the album of an obscure band with the name Elephant Ride. A one hit wonder according to him. Hmmm... if it was indeed a hit, how come I was never aware of it?!

There are so many artists with the same fate. Singers/bands who made history and became famous with just one song. Afterwards, they fade into anonymity again. Top on my own list of such songs are:

1. Turning Japanese (The Vapors)
2. Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus)
3. I’m Too Sexy (Right Said Fred)
4. One of Us (Joan Osborne)
5. I love you always forever (Donna Lewis)
6. Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Eifel 65)

and of course....
7. Tubthumping (Chumbawamba)

If you will notice, all these songs are pop songs. My question thus, are there any alternative one-hit wonders as well? Can alternative music qualify for such a category in the first place?