There's been a fun little Facebook post going around. People are listing their favourite ten albums from their teen years. Well I am a sucker for a list, so knew I had to make one - even though this is really going to age me! The idea is, don't think too hard, just write down the ten albums you remember shaping your teen years. Love to read yours in the comments section.
Happy Birthday to me. 40 today. Cue the mid life crisis. But during the lead up to my 40th I have become quite reflective. I have had a few blogs looking back on my favourite things, but this is the ultimate - my 40 favourite songs of all time.
Here we are, back again looking at the 40 Songs I worry have been forgotten over the years. These songs are awesome and I remember them with such great affection - I worry not many others remember them though!
It was a big year for the ARIA awards. There were three artists achieving massive success worldwide, One Direction and Katy Perry were in the building and the broadcast was back in prime time on Channel 10.
Let's talk about the production first. While it was pretty slick and the time passed quickly, I had serious concerns over much of the broadcast. The camera work was shocking, as was the direction. It felt like they decided they needed fast paced shot cutting to keep it fresh, it just seemed jarring. Plus, there were plenty of quick shots of nothing. Not good. Also not sure who's decision it was to play international artists during the ad breaks. I love some Ariana Grande and Beyonce, but this was supposed to be a celebration of Australian music. There's been worse broadcasts of the ARIA's over the years, but that shouldn't be the best thing I say.
Now let's talk about the awards and the music. It was pretty predictable fair, the only award that surprised me was that Sheppard beat 5 Seconds of Summer for best group. But all the favourites seemed to share the major awards. I was super pumped for Kasey Chambers to win country artist of the year and for Sia to win album of the year. It's a great album, and she deserved it - even if she is giving them all away today!
For many years I have hated that the ARIA's mostly snub pop artists. Kylie took years before she was winning ARIA's, even when she was a major international celebrity. It seemed if you were pop, you were snubbed for an indy artist who barely sells but was the darling of Triple J. So it's great to see pop diva Jessica Mauboy nominated most years for best female artist. And while Guy Sebastian will never win a best male artist ARIA, it was great to see him nominated. It's time that opinion is changed, just because music is pop or mainstream, it doesn't mean it's no good. Pop is popular for a reason - so back the fuck off haters!!!!
So how about the performances? There wasn't a bad one in the bunch. Poor Justice Crew, relegated to the red carpet. What that said was, "You've had a number 1 hit but we don't think you're cool enough to sit at the cool table." (See the above paragraph). 5 Seconds of Summer opening performance was great. The boys sounded great and it was a perfect opener. I also loved Jessica Mauboy's "Can I Get a Moment?", obviously. What a great pop performance, she sounded faultless and it was good to see a great production number, even if the staging of the event was average. As a music fan, how could you not enjoy Neil Finn and Paul Kelly's medley? Two powerhouses with a beautiful performance.
The most divisive performance of the night was that from One Direction. Yes, they are a massive act and won an award but should they really have performed on the night celebrating Australian music? And the performance was a little lacklustre, but still, I bloody well loved it! And I feel a little ashamed for loving it so much.
It was an okay ARIA's, I've seen better. In fact, I went to better. Back in 1993 I was a first year Uni student who went to the ARIA's at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. It was a massive night and I had amazing fun screaming for stars at the red carpet. I was a massive Frente! fan and was screaming every time they were mentioned during the ceremony. There's a was girl screaming for Diesel, and she was the only person louder than me in the whole Entertainment Centre, damn that girl, I wanted to be loudest.
So what did you think of last night's ARIA awards? Tell me in the comments section below.
So the year is 1992, I am in my final year of high school at Doonside High School in Sydney's west. The school was a bit rough, so was the area I grew up in, Blacktown. I was a public school kid. I'm actually real proud of where I grew up, it helped make me the strong, independent man I am today. Sure, it wasn't perfect, as a kid who was obviously going to be gay, I got my fair share of bullying. Kids can be cruel, but it's inspired me to write a whole bunch of stuff - so there's a positive. Plus, I did have some great friends, yeah, I'm looking at you Vera Munro Smith.
Part of the idea of this blog, and the initial show, "Internal Jukebox" was that songs are memories, and how music can take you back to a special time in your life. So here's the first proper blog looking back on a time of my life through music. This one, my final year of high school. I'd love you to join in the conversation and tell me what song reminds you of your last year of school.
Erotica - Madonna
It's always a certainty that Madonna reminds me of periods of my life. She is my constant, but no more than in the later years of High School. By the time this album came out I was hook, line and sinker. I had been waiting for this album, impatiently. So the day it came out, I took a day off school and my Mum and I went into Sydney, I got the album, a limited edition disc in a frame from the Virgin Mega Store on Pitt St and some Madonna memorabilia that was put away for Christmas (Santa gave me the Sex Book that year). What a great song this is, I even named a beloved cat after Madonna's alter ego in this song, Dita. The dirty beat and lyrics are a perfect match in the classic Madonna track!
Stay - Shakepear's Sister
This was my favourite non-Madonna song of 1992. Their first album was great with "You're History" and "Run Silent, Run Deep", but this was their best song. I first discovered it late on a Sunday evening when I would listen in bed to the UK Top Ten on the radio. It was where I found a lot of my favourite tracks, sitting in the dark, blaring the songs from my headphones. Then I saw the film clip, wow. A battle for the soul of some random hot shirtless dude, and former Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey playing some evil angel of death, I was captivated.
Ordinary Angels - Frente!
Seeing this band again this year was so amazing! In year 12, I LOVED Frente! So did my best friend Vera. "Accidentally Kelly Street" was a great one, but this was their best. I remember hearing it for the first time on a Saturday morning just before a school excursion (yes, on a Saturday). We were off to the Sydney Theatre Company to see a play. I went to the train station raving about this song. Then for my birthday party that year, Vera bought me the Clunk EP and gave it to me at my party at Sizzler Restaurant, those were the days!
The Best Things In Life Are Free - Janet Jackson & Luther Vandross
This is still a song I listen to all the time, one of Janet's best. It came from a time when movie soundtrack songs were massive, often bigger than the film itself, More people would remember this song more than the film it came from, "Mo Money", in fact the whole soundtrack is pretty awesome. I often quote the line from the movie used in the film clip, "Nothing in America is free", "Love is". Great dance/pop track, this one used to get me up dancing.
Take It From Me - Girlfriend
This one is a bit more embarrassing, but hey, this song did go to number 1, and I loved it. I remember having some local pride, cause lead single Robyn Loau was a Blacktown girl (my Dad used to deliver her mail!). I loved this very catchy girl group song, I think I still know every lyric. This is also funny because I remember some idiot from my school telling everyone he was dating one of the girls. No one believed him. But check out the clip, daggy, but soooo good!
That was only 5 songs, I could list so many more, cause 1992 was an awesome year for music. Snap's "Rhythm is a Dancer" reminds me of my first night club experiences, "End of The Road" by Boyz II Men was a favourite to sing with, and Kylie's "Finer Feelings" had me having all the feels that year.
So tell me, what song reminds you of your last year of high school? Tell me in the comments section below!
