When We Were Young

A kid from 2P9 sang Malique's song in class today. I told him that it reminded me of myself when I was his age. My buddies and I performed Too Phat's "Anak Ayam" on Teacher's Day.


Later that night I felt like revisiting my 14-year-old hip hop phase. Downloaded D12's "Devil's Night" and to my surprise, a decade later, I could still rap along to those psychopathic but fun songs. Word for word.

Lead

Noel Gallagher's first words to the band that would later become Oasis : "Let me write your songs and I'll take you to superstardom, or else you'll rot here in Manchester".


RZA from what would later become hip hop legends Wu-Tang Clan devised a 5-year plan in which he promised if he was given total control of the group, he would "bring them to the top".

I feel like as a teacher you'd need to take inspiration from these promises. Earn students' faith and convince them that if they let you show the way, you will lead them to betterment. Hopefully I can do that.

The Benefit of Blogging

and nobody actually following your blog : You can post embarrassing stuffs like this.


Happy New Year, Miss Love of My Life! You're awesome, too.

It's That Time Again

...for my birthday. I got a Nintendo DS from Dzeti two years back and a brand new phone from her last year. It feels like these happened yesterday. When I turned 18, my dad surprised me with a guitar, my first ever. Some irresponsible douchebag borrowed it and lost it in 2007. I still imagine having that thing laying around here somewhere.

But things change and time waits for no one.

"I'm 23 and I'm already hazy,
What am I gonna,
What am I gonna do?"
- The Starting Line.

Astro Rock

...is a term coined by Brave Saint Saturn (another favourite band of mine, consisting of former members of the defunct but legendary Five Iron Frenzy).

It refers to their own breed of rock, which is entirely anchored in astronomical concepts. So far spanning across 3 full-lengths, their lyrics revolve around tales of astronauts’ struggle (and at times, failure) to survive in space, all the contrasting emotions that rage inside them as they hover alone million miles from Earth and the sense of accomplishment and victory in their homecoming. It is not an occupation for the timid and it’s really interesting to hear astronauts' trials and tribulations being told in a form of rock music. (Recommended sample: “Daylight”)

It just dawned on me that a few of my other choice rock bands could be considered astro rock too.

Bad Astronaut is an off-shoot band consisting of punk rockers from different bands. They assembled with deep-rooted spirit of punk rock, took inspirations from places beyond the atmosphere, added some mellow heart-wrenching sensibilities with strings, pianos and acoustic guitars, injected some masterful and versatile songwriting, and poof! – you are gifted with a rare gem of original music. (Recommended sample: “Autocare”)

Growing up in the late-90’s, Blink-182 played a huge part in introducing me to guitar distortion and power chords. Plus, I never imagined such immature silliness from an adolescent’s viewpoint actually had a place in music. It was really refreshing, at least for me. Almost a decade later, Tom Delonge grew way older and his musical outlet widened with Angels and Airwaves. Characterized by uplifting melodies and huge U2-inspired guitar works, layered with futuristic electronica that aliens in space might bop their head to, he seems to do the refreshing thing again. (Recommended sample: “Call to Arms”)

And off course I can’t lecture you about my definition of good music without mentioning Coheed and Cambria. This band bases their whole career on an epic tale of cyborgs, space ships, as well as cosmological conception and destruction as penned by geek-genius Claudio Sanchez. Claudio Kilgannon (his own character in the story) is cursed with a power to bring an end to the Keywork galaxy he lives in. Off course he uses it to battle an ominous army and seek retribution from a high-ranked villain with undisputed supremacy who caused deaths of his semi-robotic parents. (Recommended sample: “From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness”)

So if I ever feel like laying on a field, watching the stars, wondering if there are lives out there beyond our reach, I would play my favourite astro rock music. Maybe E.T. will stop by and have a chat.

While It Gently Weeps

Some incidental benefits of me playing/having a guitar.

1. Protruding fingernails make it really unpleasant to play. I'm forced to keep them well-groomed.

2. Sweaty and grimy body leaves dirt ingrained in the guitar surface. I'm forced to bathe often.

3. Oily palms can harm the finish. I'm forced to wash my hands regularly.

4. Guitar hates humidity. I'm forced to close the windows. So, no more runny noses.

5. Guitar is a powerful dust-magnet. I'm forced to tidy up my room.

Now I just need another hobby to force me to do about 1450 other things that I need to do.

Let Me Bring Her There

I don't care about anyone else. Not even myself. I don't have the need to attend the convocation there. It's just that it has been my dream to bring her there. After all that she's been through, nobody deserves it more than her. I remember driving in the midst of unparalleled beauty along South Island lonely roads and each time I saw something like this, ...


... I thought "My mom would love this in front of her eyes".

Big Head and Small Shoulders

Dzeti gave me a bottle of mysterious shampoo (No, not the one referenced in the title of this post. Or is it?) before I left IPBA since my hair had grown unpleasant visually and aromatically. Now, my hair looks silky smooth and smells glorious, though the fact that I had shaven it nearly bald might have given it an additional shine. I also love how the shampoo eases my headaches no matter how bad or why, be it overheating, oversleeping or overthinking, among other things. It works wonders!

My niece is having a time of her life lately. I guess any 2-year-old single child would be. I watch her receiving undivided love from people surrounding her, getting new toys and enjoying these prized precious possessions until she's all exhausted and sweating. It reminds me of myself at her age. I got everything that I wanted and I owned the world. I'm glad she has the chance to experience such wide-eyed joy and excitement. I just desperately hope that it never comes with a price that she'll have to pay later when she's all grown up.

The price that I have to pay.

Perhaps I need to go shampoo now.

"Cliche Guevara"

I spent the day reading Tom Gabel’s blog, tracing my way through the posts in rewind. I recently got into Against Me! and found the man to be quite interesting. I don’t want to be singing praises or displaying my (totally heterosexual) fondness of the guy here, though. It just that it reminds me of how I did the same with Claudio Sanchez’s (for a brief period since it hasn’t been updated) and Jason Mraz’s blogs. They really got me hooked and I enjoy reading about their yarns, opinions, personal struggles and fun times as much as I do watching movies and TV series.

There’s something about the fast-paced life of a touring musician that fascinates me. It’s not just about earning money doing something you love, visiting new places and making new acquaintances each day. I want to know about the unpredictability of life on the road, the changes it causes to the artist as a person and how the whole experience teaches them and defines their overall outlook on life and everything.

I also love reading about the attitudes and philosophies that they stand for. These people are autonomous men who think on their own feet. While influences from others are apparent, they don’t actually seek for endorsement from others since they truly believe in themselves. For so long, this has been my ultimate hope of my upcoming adulthood. I desperately ache to change. I want to be the guy in the future who, when he meets my 23 year-old self, would be ashamed that he knows me at all. I want him to shake my 23 year-old self and scream at my face ruthlessly, “What the hell are you doing!?”.

At this point, my lifestyle is the direct opposite of sophistication. I am not social person, I don’t read, I haven’t got my finger on the pulse of the world and I don’t think much except for morbid destructive things. In short, I am a little useless sad guy who resides in the lowest and furthest rank possible from successful touring musicians. Even if they just happen to have an interesting job and are actually ordinary people with their own everyday ups and downs.

Like a kid wishing to be their favourite superhero, I really like to live these people’s lives. At such time when (for undisclosed reasons) I feel my life has already been dragged to a halt before it commences, I feel the need to daydream about something real that someone else is experiencing at this very moment. Being a touring rockstar is certainly not a fairy tale and this resonates with me. The interesting eventful life is something that I wish for but on the other hand, the frustrations and hopelessness that they can’t escape reminds me that my own frustrations and hopelessness might not be exclusive to me.

Sullivan

We don't share continents
Or worlds for that matter
But he gave me something
It pulled myself together

He never did know my name
Or a name like mine
The other day he died
It made me think for a while

I read about it out of nowhere
I was silenced by a phrase
It didn't freeze my blood
But my sight dimmed for a day

Saw his life through a peephole
Felt his energy through sound bites
The other day Sullivan died
It made me think for a while

.

I’ve seen your secrets. I wish I’ve never dug them out.

I’m trying so hard each day not to resort to hate since I can’t bear regretting it later. Yet, I could not muster another feeling for you. I am confused. Should I put on an endearing smile as if everything is alright? Should I keep on looking for the bright side of things and ignore everything that lurks in the shadows? Or should I not think or feel at all and just accept things as they are?

I don’t know. You tell me. You’re supposed to be the one with the plan. It’s just hard to believe that desperation has actually been a part of the plan all along. You’re supposed to be the example for me. It’s just hard to accept that all that I should be is everything that you’re not. You're supposed to be many things that you're not. So, you tell me.

How I wish that you’d tell me. I believe I am man enough to face the truth, no matter how ugly it is and no matter how it contradicts each aspect of what I have been picturing my past, present and future to be. I’m strong enough to overlook told lies and receive the hidden reality. I’ve grown and am ready enough to find that my whole life so far has only been the sweet and colourful icing of a rotten moldy cake. I’m well-prepared to see that my future will not be bathed in shiny sunlight as I have hoped it will be. I’m strong enough to discover that this bullshit is endless.

But I’m too frail to find out from anyone but you yourself.

The Importance of Being Idle

"Lonesome is the only way that I truly feel free"
- MxPx, Lonesome Town.




(I think Twitter is lame but I haven't been inspired to write longer posts for quite some time. Way to go!)

She Would Turn 34 Today

I have so many things to tell you,
So many stories to share,
I wish the door would open and you would walk in smiling,
But you'd never be there.

*Al-fatihah for Allahyarham Riza Marina bt Abd Razak, my dearly beloved and deeply missed sister. It has been 2 years and I miss her so damn much.

Sebulan Aje Lagi

False alarm, it wasn’t the end,
Seems we meet each other again,
Heave relief, it isn’t so bad,
Another year will wait around ahead

Another year is just a blur
Can’t figure out what I’m after
More hours in my hands than I need,
But I’m slowly releasing the grip.

Inertia tosses me
As time accelerates
I’d regain my poise in a minute
Except I never did

These are our good old days
Moments we’ll wish to retrieve
But I’ll finally see it years too late

In our hazy sight, tomorrow waits,
And our footprints left behind will fade.

Record Producer at Work

Gotta hire the best

Maaf Zahir Batin...

...and Selamat Hari Raya, everyone.

Do have fun. Celebrate. Feel glorious. Be grateful.

Unless we don't really deserve it.

-Hisyam

These Are The Good Old Days

First and foremost, Coheed and Cambria was two weeks ago. This blog has been devoid of updates since my laptop is really messed up lately. Anyway, the gig was great, despite a few shortcomings which I have already gotten over (and not worth mentioning). In the previous post, I talked about a guy who I envied for meeting the band at the airport. Well, turned out that I met him at the gig and hung out with him and another die-hard fan throughout those few exhilarating hours. After the show, I approached the tour manager to find out whether we could catch the band on their way away at the airport. Their departure time was very untimely since I got to be in IPBA in the morning but the other two new friends endured the exhaustion and waited for them at KLIA. The result was photos of them with the band having a good time and me being miserable looking at the photos. Haha. So, that was the end of my fanboyism episode.

Anyway, lately I've been thinking about these last few months as a student. Soon, I'll be completely out of my comfort zone into total adulthood. These are the good old days that I'll remember later but I don't know if I'm prepared. I suck horribly at coping with changes and I succumb to misery when life passes by too fast.

Fanboyism (Current Level : Unbearable Excitement)

Disclaimer: This post will be filled with childish remarks. Fanboyism, when not treated, could inevitably cause this. Keep your distance if this kind of thing irks you (as it does to even me).

I was surfing Facebook (using Dzeti's account. I've let her reset my password and keep it as a secret, for reasons not to be revealed). Checked out Coheed's page and there's a picture of a Malay dude welcoming them at KLIA. Dang! Jealousy elevates skyward.

I'm preparing myself for the big night, which turned out to be tomorrow (I thought it would be on Monday till Dzeti reminded me this morning) so I'm maximizing the Coheedistic spirits in me with some rituals such as ironing the band T-shirt (which has been worn a thousand times, as most probably noticed by people around me), sliding the ticket and KillAudio hardcover neatly into my bag, preparing photos to be signed during meet and greet and once this is all done, I'm impatiently waiting for these 18 hours to lapse, all with nothing but Coheed discography in endless loops in the background.

As evident here, fanboyism can also result in run-on sentences. And I'm quite surprised that I managed to type without caps and multiple exclamation marks.

OHMIGOD COHEED'S GIG EEZ TOMORRROOWW!!!!!! OH MAN I CAN BARELY CONTAIN MYSELFF!!!!













Damn! Almost.

Fanboyism Part 2

Some exciting updates from Junk website. Love Me Butch will open for Coheed. Yay, I only get to get glimpses of their energetic performances through Youtube all this while. And another thing, Coheed will hold a meet-and-greet session before the show. Meeting Claudio for the third time! Can't wait for 1st of August.

This Kinda Coo Yaw

The other night I wanted to prepare some character cards to help kids learn about "Phantom of The Opera". I intended to make something like those Pokemon or Marvel trading cards that I used to treasure as a child. I wondered if they were templates online and I discovered this really cool character trading card generator.

Check it out at http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/trading_cards/ and do see what other stuffs ReadWriteThink has to offer.