good music won't make you sick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZvbVtkPiHU&feature=related

jas >>> we did the same thing at rainforest years ago huh...haha..

discard the birthday card

the present i got myself for my birthday this year, the only present i have ever got myself actually, is the house keys. the keys were scheduled for weeks ago but due to some technicalities, i was only privileged with holding it for the first time yesterday. technicalities. i kind of like that word. even for the dumbest reason on the face of the dying planet, the word could save you, and your face as you get to walk away sounding substantially intelligent whilst successfully ruining someone else's plans or whatever.

the 29th birthday is just like the 28th and the year before that. and the year before that was something i'm not used to having it plastered on the walls of my mind.

wishes? i can't really say i do have any. but long story short, the keys made my day. the keys are the reason. and the keys are the beginning of something that has everything to do with being 29.

as hope is always a good thing, i do hope in the months to come that these keys will open up doors. not just the house doors but doors to endless opportunities and happiness and all the good things in the whole wide world.

break on through to the other side - jim morrison, the doors.

Lido Beach, JB & Seattle, WA

this day in 1994, Kurt Cobain shot himself. when found three days later, he was wearing a pair of blue Converse One Star. that point aside, he was my hero and still is. and later in 2002, this very day the same world just couldn't be bothered with the death of Layne Staley, another hero of mine. hailed also from Seattle and fronted one of the biggest bands ever, , Alice In Chains (AIC), he had this unique style of singing and a distinctive voice alongside Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell. Layne Staley will always be remembered as one of the spokespersons of our generation.

i first heard "nutshell" from AIC via a true-blue fan and i was totally hooked. maybe teenage angst and rebellious nature were the dominant parts of everyone's lives during that time. like Kurt Cobain used to say when asked about depression and gloomy state of mind, "All of us thought we were going to die in a nuclear war or something".

we were pretty much occupied (or chose to be) with the sound of Seattle in the early 90's and the alternative music towards the end of that celebrated era.

i think Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots once admitted having no superhero of choice. Instead he said, rock stars are our superheroes.

we will listen to the music, trying to dwell in the imaginary world where we believe we could fit in perfectly whilst finding solace in solitude. very true indeed. well, at least for me. it is raining again here in JB and i'm spending my afternoon paying tribute to both.

Q1FY10

congratulations to Insp Suhaimi. it was a very beautiful saturday man. now that you are officially married, we shall have "TAKEN" banner posted on your page. and we shall also make ready the same for Jas and Shiz and err, Mr Khai?

the much-anticipated economic model from present PM's admin will be tabled soon (or did i miss it?). i don't really know what to expect out of it, except that it would perhaps in many possible ways aid me in acquiring a bmw 318ci. or an audi A4 turbo. that will be good too. (man, check out the A5 coupe, i'm literally drooling now!)

i'm not a male chauvinistic but on International Women's day every year, the issue of gender equality being brought up like the world as we know it will end without. it is not a bad thing still but who am i to question? maybe the reunion of spice girls has a lot of things to do with the comeback of "girl power" ideology. spicy!

Pos Malaysia Bhd is currently offering a rather interesting alternative to dispose your awkwardly-posed photos. you'll get like two dozens of your own stamps if i'm not mistaken for the price of twenty bucks. Mr and Miss Photogenic, get yourself in standby mode.

saw a banner which says "5oth Anniversary of SSI". in my whole five years and three months (i was doing lower six, during which many thought i have overstayed my welcome) there, frankly, i didn't even know that the school has existed since 1960. the beloved SSI (read : memorable experience) is half-century old my dear friends. are we celebrating Mr Khai?

angels or devils?

"Angels Or Devils"

this is the last time
that I'm ever gonna come here tonight
this is the last time - I will fall
into a place that fails us all - inside

I can see the pain in you
I can see the love in you
but fighting all the demons will take time
it will take time

the angels they burn inside for us
are we ever
are we ever gonna learn to fly
the devils they burn inside of us
are we ever gonna come back down
come around
I'm always gonna worry about the things that could make us cold

this is the last time
that I'm ever gonna give in tonight
are there angels or devils crawling here?
I just want to know what blurs and what is clear - to see

still I can see the pain in you
and I can see the love in you
and fighting all the demons will take time
it will take time

the angels they burn inside for us
are we ever
are we ever gonna learn to fly
the devils they burn inside of us
are we ever gonna come back down - come around
I'm always gonna worry about the things that could break us

if I was to give in - give it up
- and then
take a breath - make it deep
cause it might be the last one you get
be the last one
that could make us cold
you know that they could make us cold
I'm always gonna worry about the things that could make us cold

90's and being narcissistic

had a great conversation with a friend recently, a conversation which i found rather enjoyable and weird. weird is the fact that i could still recall that moment when i first heard elton john's sacrifice in 1987/88. that was when kimisawa still the legendary supermarket whilst sate ria and white castle are the pulling factors in holiday plaza jb. then came starship's nothing's gonna stop us now. funnily, i think i had my fido dido short on then.

when my brother brought home bob marley's legend and RHCP's blood sugar sex magic in 1991, i was totally hooked. i remember carrying my Sony walkman around, the size of a brick, just to listen to under the bridge, give it away and bssm during recess over and over again. then me and eddy got into metallica and we got into it real bad. we painted our schoolbags and eventually traded a lot of replica posters for 50 cents each.

later in the early 90's, my mom would always bring me to either Lido, Nira or Rex for movies and one in particular was far & away, starred tom cruise alongside nicole kidman when both weren't even dating, i think. no, cineplex was still a foreign word. then in 1993, richard marx's right here waiting was the talk of the town. there was this indian friend who worshipped him and the subject for conversation is always obviously, richard. i also managed to stand in the first row when amy did his tour for magic, that alt-rock, grungy album. one of the best a malaysian artiste ever produced.

not really watching that stupid box but i didn't miss the mask cartoon series when it was shown on telly. and voltron too..hehe..too many to mention. and "dinasours alive", remember that one in pelangi? i shall be back later to reminisce the best decade especially when it comes to discovering nirvana and the alternative scene + jamming session at KOMTAR. till then.

amusing music

zee avi, malaysia's equivalent of norah jones (i'm sure she is) is one talented singer-songwriter. me, being positive as i don't usually do, is a singer-songwriter myself. minus the talented accolade if you must. well, i don't remember writing my own music into a full, ready-to-be-performed composition. considering Am, Bm and Dm to be a must, simply a result of heavy rotations of radiohead's OK Computer, i penned a straight verse-chorus-verse song. which i since decided that it could only be showcased at, none other than my own sweet-smelling bed. with my hungry cat being the only, lonely member of the audience. the only creature present actually, by invitation.

and the lyrics differs every time. depending on the, of course, my mood. it might also occasionally sound like the not-so-punk rock, unedited, mellow version "negative creep". off an album cobain never had. (or be thankful he hadn't).

in conclusion, zee avi is one Talented musician. and she could also consider herself as an accomplished artist. artist because there are obviously lots of arts involved. artistes in a sea of "entertainers". she gets a nod from me.

dishwalla

back when i was still struggling with books and juggling with classes, i could safely say that i succeeded in putting almost two-third of my time to waste. movie, music, "sessions", movie and music again and more "sessions" in between.

that was when i really had the opportunity to do my discovery channel moments. about that band, this band, our band. err, i can't really say that i was ever in a band. i'd go jamming just to maintain my hard-earned sanity. we made friends with just anybody. you know how uber-friendly people get when they're not themselves?. right.

a friend brought along his collection of old cassettes (perhaps so that we know how enlightened he was musically). and i saw one depeche mode tribute album with dishwalla on it. first i thought, the band was merely ok.

fact is, the band totally blew me away. like listening to mellon collie and infinite sadness and say nothing to a friend talking next to you so that you won't miss any part of it. that good. a great collection of songs you can listen to anytime. driving, sleeping, camping, walking, sinking or whatever.

but on a serious note, if you haven't really discovered dishwalla, you should. and you'll thank me and well if you don't, you're on your own.

999

many years ago, i remember toying with the idea of being in an alt-rock band selling millions worldwide. then i'll be drowning in money, surrounded by many, really hot chicks. and that will garner me much-needed respect from my hometown boys, my teachers and envied by just anybody my age. i'll smile whilst saying, i have the best job in the world. doing things i like and getting paid for it.

and then i feel like waking up from a long, deep sleep. the journey stopped even before it even started. that was all naive and embarrassing and funny. but i know for sure, i have no business being a frontman if i can't sing like chris cornell or at least eddie vedder. no, definitely not james hetfield.

so 2nd best option - i thought if you can't be one, you could at least live like one. and that's exactly what i did. haha..that was the period of a very stupid me. still, honestly sometimes i feel like reliving that moment with a pinch of hope to revive the dream. i would always believe, we should all stay young at heart. exception - there'll be no hard-partying or colorful combination of weird looking substances anymore, just natural high. :-p

p/s : i left one important thing behind. should i become an ultra-successful rock star, i'll have my first dodge charger. with big 69 painted on each door. damn!

there is a light.

speechless is a word. we can go on and on just discussing the word with no clear purpose. and maybe that is the whole point. we actually don't really need a purpose for anything. i just feel like saying it. and verbally, i'm no longer speechless.

at 6.24pm, i'm still here. at 28, i'm still here. in 2009, i'm still here. and it might sound that it is never wrong or bad or anything, unless that's what you would prefer to think. unless you would prefer to listen to all the good, mesmerizing stuffs. that is all your ears are reserved for. or perhaps, that will be the sole, contributing agent in keeping your sanity. now, is that mesmerizing and all?

i know many things or ways or tricks i could somehow apply in building walls to avoid such disturbances. and i know i don't really feel like there is anything wrong.

and at 6.31pm, i just decided i should stop typing. at 28, i should just leave. and finally, on a sunny august afternoon in year 2009, i know i need my camels and pearl jam.

August is for Virgins?

my car has been "warded" for two weeks now. been using a friend's honda ever since. i'm beginning to like it but not as much as i would to a 3 series. (remember that line from radiohead's airbag? - "in a fast german car, i'm amazed that i survived...an airbag saved my life"). that's why i'll be getting myself one.

went to KL last friday. almost missed my flight on the next day. thanks to those who braved the saturday afternoon marching on the road (maybe for a reason they themselves couldn't really tell). was there for a presentation and i sincerely hope it shall be the last time i ever needed to be there for. had a good chat with brenda though (niceeee chick!)..hee..

back in town just in time for the closing ceremony of The 6th JB Arts Festival. Si Bongkok Tanjung Puteri, tale of that Robin Hood-y legendary hero, was magnificently enticing. or maybe because i have never been to a musical drama of any sort. but seriously, they were good.

did i mention about enjoying julian mokhtar and karen nunis blackstone (from mississippi to chicago) a night of blues concert weeks ago? not familiar with half of the songs but they really blew me away.

in about three weeks, it's Ramadhan again. time, hmm..

I Miss Being A Little Boy

the boy in that last scene was damn lucky!

J & V

ever since The 6th JB Arts Festival officially commenced on the 10th of July i got so consumed by it. as a matter of fact, weeks before it actually commenced were the most tiresome. it is the sixth year and as always, there is room for improvisation. so far so good though.

i never really listened to roger wang before. and a pretty shame to not ever heard of paul ponnudorai. boy, these guys are very, very good. a friend said something about mr paul being ranked at no 8 for fingerstyle guitar in the world. now that's a big deal, ain't it? i saw roger played "bunyi gitar" by the late Tan Sri P Ramlee and a medley of MJ's songs - man in the mirror and also the crowd favourite - imagine by john lennon. and when i first heard paul sang an old blues number by chet atkins, whoa!...i wish i could play to impress, like he did.

and then the indie nights. that 3-piece band from KL (mystery call, i think) was fantastic. funk, prog shit. and the only band from JB, fronted by an aged bloke started off singing their own song, which was not bad at all. and from the 2nd song onwards, they rocked!. songs from eric clapton bluesy selection, called it a night with cocaine. cool song!

i had to come almost everyday since the festival also allocated fringe performances for our indoor stage. dances, music, arts and many other related stuffs. and on the 3rd day of the festival, i got myself a real bad fever.

took a day rest on monday and tonite i'm ready for more action. tonite is the BassGroove 100 Jazz Concert! not going to miss that one.

you are not alone.

michael jackson was pronounced dead this morning. this morning i think, as that was when i first heard the news. and the next 30 minutes of my journey, i was accompanied by his songs. songs we sang when we were still in primary's or maybe secondary's..(some were still in elementary)..

i strongly believe that almost everybody knows MJ. his rather weird moves, his symbolic black or white video and that moonwalking thingy. MJ is like a hero to many. (i think some of them fans decided to jump off the bridge or building by now). and some others are in-the-closet fans (especially those clad in black tshirts with a big red pentagram screaming at us from two blocks away).

when i was a boy, we would always get to hear MJ's songs in an indian friend's house, on a deepavali. be it from a VHS or TV3 just believed their rating will hit all-time high by showing them videos. whilst paying a visit, chewing the unchewable "bomb" cookies, me and other malay friends would sit, talk and at the same time watch MJ's concert or something.

in my personal opinion, i quite like the guy because of the neverland and his narcissistic nature. i don't know if he was ever a paedophile but the guy somehow made a difference in many lives.

p/s : i hate to break this to you michael but yes, you'll be alone down there.

you make me sick, i make music

evolution. whether premeditated or unintentional, it is difficult (sometimes) yet necessary. whenever i come across that word, my mind would travel hastily searching for the deeply stored information, specifically a sentence uttered by robert de niro in heat.

the girl asks, "are you alone?". mr de niro replies arrogantly, "yeah, i'm alone. but i'm not lonely".

what has it got to do with "evolution"?. articulately, i can't elaborate the correlation though. but it seems as if the word has an indescribable association with human relationships.

people evolve. so do relationships. from just a plain into a commitment-based. so on and so forth. that is what we do. we live and we learn. we fall and we bounce back with revitalised spirits. after which, we shall emerge "evolved".

at this point, i'm sure some are clueless. maybe, some are beginning to worry about me or the health of my mind. whatever it is, evolution is vital. provided it is projected with a positive vibe, for a positive result.

p/s : (never failed to impress, errr no, to complicate).

informed decision

inferiority complex?. or insecurity? i don't think that it is. it's just that i can't be certain about many things, always. especially when it's about being brave enough, with all the courage needed, to make a bold decision. decisions that would change the course of my life. decisions that would, maybe, alter the way i look at things. it would definitely hurt but it's the thing to do. (and i know that for a fact).

and yet, i just can't do it. the determination deteriorates in a blink of an eye. God, help me.

remember?

i remember - lipsnyching to songs from dookie and almost every alt-rock songs. i remember - getting caught while skipping PA class (why the hell would she pick me, and always me to recite the Quran?). i remember - taking a long drag of a fat joint in our classroom on a saturday (poor fuad, he unwillingly were appointed as the sentry). i remember - we laughed hilariously the moment hafiz tripped on a bong session behind the workshop of KMT. i remember - sharing two cans of beer in the toilet minutes before performing "the way" by fastball during our english week. i remember - jamming to songs of nirvana with our seniors at b-sound studio in komtar. i remember - collecting kerrang was an achievement itself. i remember - getting slapped by JR during an assembly. i remember a lot of things. funny and embarassing and both. (no mr khai, i won't embarass myself with my being a fool stories..hehe..). we were so taken over by those teenage angst. naive and sweet at the same time. a blessing we chose to remain disguised back then.

10 years after, here we all are. some of us are now proud parents of lovely kids. retrospectively speaking, i'm happy. no, i'm very very happy. for all of us.

p/s : the theme for diva's nite is 90's. strictly a big NO to sappy love songs..hehe..

lethargical

hectic. hectic. hectic. (they say july is the best time to be in tioman. lots of japanese chicks. grrr...)

Luna In Violin Section

come end of the month, my youngest half-brother is getting married. my other 3 male friends are too. it came as a total surprise to me all of a sudden. everyone around me is getting married and many others are eagerly counting down the days. and definitely they are not doing it because it is the coolest thing to do in 2009. and almost always upon receiving invitations, i would feel happy, sad, bored and clueless.

why? well, it's like "short on words but long on things to say". an aries as they say, would always be secretive. still, hats off to those future parents. to miz maleya, yours will go down in history as one of the most celebrated wedding ceremonies. rawk!

p/s : the julie delpy-ish girl i met months ago is not likely to be my rightful soulmate. ask no more.

fat. they stood up for love.

Mother I'm tired
Come surrender my son
Time has ravaged on my soul
No plans to leave but still I go

Fallin' with the leaves
Fallin' out of sleep
To the last goodbyes
Who cares why?

Mother I've tried
Wasting my life
I haven't given up, I lie
To make you so proud in my eyes

Fallin' out of sleep
Crawlin' over me
To the last goodbyes
Who cares why?

Tuesdays come and gone
Restless I still drive
Try to leave it all behind

Fallin', fallin' out of sleep
Fallin', fallin' with the leaves
I go crawlin', crawlin' over me

Once upon a time in my life...
I went falling...

Mother I hope you know
That I miss you so
Time has ravaged on my soul
To wipe a mothers tears grown cold

Adore. The Smashing Pumpkins. 1998.