“They tried to tell us we’re too young,
Too young, to really be in love…”

I was in Grade 5 when I first heard “Toyang”, and I didn’t immediately like it. It sort of grew on me at that time, thanks to the playful lyrics and catchy tune. It took the song “Sembreak”, however, to turn me into a life-long fan.

For days on end I would sing “naalala kita pag umuulan (sembreak)” non-stop, erroneous lyrics and all. Then there was “Overdrive”, “Pare Ko” and everything else that followed.

I fell in love.

I don’t suppose I’ve ever really been this in love with any band/singer before, and I never will be again.

I was young, confused and in rather turbulent waters. It was the music of the Eraserheads that brought meaning to who I was. It sort of just dawned on me then, upon hearing their songs, that there was more to life than just the dreary monotony imposed by a parade of authority figures.

No wonder they kept calling the Eheads the spawn of the devil.

Backmasking and other irrelevant religious inquisitions skewered the quartet for their irreverence, but it merely added to the allure. In a Chinese and Christian high school, listening to the Eheads meant three things: (a) you’re a loser; (b) you’re anti-establishment; and (c) you will go to hell. I was all of those things, and I didn’t care.

Last night, in short, was magic.

I can go on and on about all the horrifying things that I subjected myself to last night, but it would be pointless. Everything else can go to hell. Last night, I was young again. It’s not that I’m ancient or anything. I’ll be 25 in a week, for crying out loud.

But listening to the Eraserheads sing all those songs again last night brought me back to a time when I was just realizing who I was. It was a time when all I wanted was to break free of everything. I was idealistic, raw, angry and just … young. Everything was uncertain, the world before me was fresh and ready for the taking.

Now I’m neck deep in bills, responsibility and reality. The world is no longer my oyster. Money is my sole motivator these days. I sold my soul to the corporate schmuck I ranted about when I was younger.

It’s over.

I harbored no delusions about last night’s concert. Even the Eraserheads had grown much older. They played enthusiastically and their prowess with their respective instruments had multiplied by leaps and bounds, light years away from the time they first broke into the local music scene.

I knew, of course, that this was a one time thing. There’s no way we can bring back what they had before. They can regroup, rebuild the Eraserheads, but it’s gone. The youthful, rebellious energy is gone.

Ely is right. We’re too old.

But for at least an hour or so, I was young and free again.

Yes it’s on. Totally.

I’m going, Kat, thanks to a few changes in schedule. Besides, it’s once in a lifetime (I think), and Raimund promised one hell of a show. So there.

It’s so on.

*And there’s something completely wrong with my image alignment.

I learned three things about Marcus Adoro, erstwhile drummer of the Eraserheads, after listening to his band Markus Highway’s new album, “Behold, Rejoice! Surfernando is Hear Nah.” (That was not a typo)

1. He likes bonfires.

2. He was drunk/high/stoned out of his mind the entire time.

3. He really, really likes bonfires.

I’m sort of compensating, listening to Adoro’s album and Pupil’s “Wildlife” constantly these past few days. I probably won’t be able to watch the Eheads Reunion Concert this August 30, so I compensate by listening to their new bands’ respective albums.

That said, I suppose it’s finally time I admit this. Pupil’s earlier album, “Beautiful Machines”, sucked serious ass. I do have a copy of this album, since I never buy pirated OPM, and I am still completely in love with Ely Buendia. It’s the truth, though. I couldn’t listen to the entire album without falling asleep. I liked “Nasaan Ka”, but the rest really sent me to Snoozeville.

“WIldlife” is a completely different story.

Pupil maintains their futuristic rock attack but this time combined it with a more upbeat and enthusiastic beat. Of all the songs in the album, approximately two can be considered slow. The rest are just serious, all-out rock. “Monobloc”, in particular, sounds a lot like Ely of old.

Even the songs with vocals by Yoko … errr … Diane Ventura worked.

It’s hard not to compare “Wildlife” with “Surfernando”, especially if you listen to the two constantly on a shuffled loop every single day. I have to say “Surfernando”, despite its rather psychotic and disjointed lyrics, won’t lose points to “Wildlife” when it comes to musical prowess. Even with its laidback, DIY feel, “Surfernando’s” music reveals a band filled with raw musical power. Let’s just say both bands show just how far Adoro and Buendia have come from their early Eraserheads “can barely play” days.

The lyrics are an entirely different story.

Buendia penning great songs is no longer a surprise. The man is a frigging genius. But Adoro, well, I think all that I get from all the songs is that he was high the entire time. How do you come up with a song like, “wow wow wow, kalabaw”? Why is he singing in Japanese in “American Girl”? What is this obsession with bonfires?

Not that I’m complaining, though. I have malicious designs on Ely, but Marcus is my zen master. The man knows how to chill, and people who know me know that I’m seriously lacking in that department. I am never “chill”. I swing from paranoid to catatonic. No other emotions come in between.

Both albums merit a spot on your playlist. I highly recommend “Wildlife” to anyone who’s seriously into rock. This is Ely’s redemption; I think he finally got his mojo back. “Surfernando” is a must-have, too, especially on long, boring bus rides. Visions of joints and flowing booze can be quite helpful when you’re pissed and stuck in traffic. Let Zen Master Marcus show you the way.

So I was completely confused last week, when I heard that the Eraserheads Reunion Concert would be free and sponsored by a major corporation. It sucks, really, when you think of it that way. I’m not such a fan of free concerts because I’d rather spend than jostle with people throughout the show. I’m just not built for that. I can’t even box out other people in basketball, so imagine me getting trampled in a concert mosh pit.

Anyway, a bit of happy news has come my way. Though it doesn’t negate that “free concert” bit, it does refute the talk that the E-heads will be playing for only 45 minutes. Here’s an e-mail from Raymund Marasigan. No, he did not email me personally, though I did sort of dream of talking to him last night. I got it from the E-heads fan base in Facebook. I have good reason to think that it’s true.

Here’s the email:

“dear sandwich, cambio and pedicab listers

yes there will be an eraserheads concert
yes im playing drums
it will be on august 30
i havent met the band
and we havent rehearsed as a group
im thinking that will all happen in august

im sure you have read the blogs and newspapers and whatnot.
a lot of things there are not true.

at the moment
the final venue has not been confirmed.
and the promoters are still dealing with the tickets and crowd control
issues.

the promoters promise to answer these questions soon. maybe this
coming week so standby.

there will be no front acts.
it will be a long set.
no theres no talk of an album or tour.

please dont email me privately. ill answer your questions (if theyre
not silly) in the cambio, pedicab sandwich mailing lists.

have a good weekend

rayms marasigan”

I’m sorely tempted to edit that email but it would be less authentic if I did. Anyway, here’s to hoping that the reunion concert turns out to be a fun gig after all.

Read this post, then tell me there’s no reason for me to stop breathing for five minutes and praise the Lord.

I never thought this was possible, considering how they’ve been going around saying it was never going to happen. Now, though, I don’t know what to say.

This is supposed to be an eloquent enough post so I can express my love for them fully, but I’m failing. I can’t say anything coherent right now, so might as well stop.

If this pushes through, I am so there.

I’m freaking speechless.

Yes, I’m high again.

The last time I was this high I couldn’t laugh at the funniest jokes. My insides were shaking but the mind refused to communicate. Maybe that’s what they call catatonia.

No, I’m not depressed. Yes, I had a tooth extracted yesterday. Just like before, I was ordered to take Amoxicillin and Mefenamic Acid three times a day for one week to lessen the swelling and minimize the massive pain that my goddamn tooth was shooting out.

For days on end I couldn’t eat properly. Add that to my hyperacidity problems and you’ve got a diet in the making. Which was sort of horrible, since I can’t not eat when everyone’s joyfully chowing down. It’s sheer torture.

I nearly cried, too, because of the stupid pain that my tooth was causing. Nearly, because I find it difficult to cry under most circumstances. Even pain cannot make me cry, which is weird because I cried when I watched Simba’s father get trampled in a stampede. Un-fucking-explainable.

So I finally got it out yesterday, after the dentist mistakenly cleaned my teeth. Apparently he had no idea I wanted an extraction, and he did a general cleaning instead. But he was nice enough to pull my tooth out afterwards, after my entire mouth had gone numb with three shots of anaesthesia.

Now I’m fine. I’ve been eating tons (as much as my hyperacidity allows) and I’m happy. Plus I’m mandated to take my drugs for three more days. I might go beyond the three days required, though, just to stay this relaxed. Seriously. It’s a bit weird, but taking this cocktail of meds has brought me to new sedative lows. I get bouts of excitement and lots of bouncing, but then I suddenly shut up and feel the need to ignore the rest of the world.

I didn’t get into any fights on the MRT, too, thanks to the relaxing effects of my doctor’s prescription. I like this new sedate me.

Unfortunately, one side effect is that I’m constantly hearing Helter Skelter in my head for no good reason. Which isn’t entirely a bad thing, since I love this song, but it gets a little disconcerting when Paul won’t stop singing inside your head.

I’ll supplant Paul with a bit of Jim this time, just because the latter’s a bit more apt in this particular situation:

You know that it would be untrue/You know that I would be a liar/If I was to say to you/Girl we couldn’t get much…higheeeeer

Yeah.

1. Reply to this post and I’ll assign you a letter.
2. List (and upload, if you feel like it) 5 songs that start with that letter.
3. Post that to your journal with these instructions.

Tagged by my friend Kris, I am given the task of completing this meme with the letter M. Actually, I sort of volunteered for this meme, since I have a lot of better things to do but not the diligence to do them. So then. On to my less than sterling answers:

Mother’s Little Helper ~ Rolling Stones
I think it won’t be difficult to understand why I love this song. It’s all about drugs, baby, hiding in some sweet WASP mom’s drawer. I know what it’s like to barely make it through one day, wishing there was some way to numb yourself and just watch the hours melt away. Sweet, sweet escape.

Many the Miles ~ Sara Bareilles
Yes, I’m in love with Sara B. right now. I’ve been listening to her songs constantly these past few days and I’m hooked. It’s not just the catchy melody; there’s something completely unhinged about the way she sings, like she’s not normal at all. I like “Bottle it Up”, too, but it doesn’t start with M, so what the hell.

Michael ~ Franz Ferdinand
This song is just so gay I have to love it. Sample these lines: “beautiful boys on the beautiful dance floor/Michael you’re dancing like a beautiful dance whore”. Now who wouldn’t love that? Seriously, it’s catchy, infectious and so gay you’ll be singing it for days.

Maxwell’s Silver Hammer ~ The Beatles
The rest of The Beatles thought it was another of Paul’s “fruity” songs. Really. All three (a rare occurrence) agreed that this song is evidence of Paul’s flamboyant gayness. Not that I’ll be swayed. Paul’s still the hottest Beatle ever (though I love John more, sorry) and he’s not gay. Otherwise, the universe will spin in reverse and it’s the end of the world as we know it. Now the song. It sounds funny but the lyrics are brutal. Violent. Bloody. Love it.

Make Yourself ~ Incubus
I’m no longer a big fan of Incubus, and you’re probably wondering why I didn’t pick the mainstream hit, “Megalomaniac” instead. Honestly, Morning View was the beginning of the end. It was still good, but it just wasn’t as good when compared to their earlier albums. “Make Yourself” is one song that will always have a very nice, cozy spot in my heart, thanks to its child-friendly lyrics: “And if I fuck me…I’ll fuck me in my own way”.

Now try it yourself. Or something. Just follow instructions and you’ll be fine.