Menergy 101

I have two passions, writing and music. A music blog seems inevitable. I have all this pent up music energy (menergy, if you will) and I feel that it is somewhat of a waste for me not to share it. So, I plan to share it with whoever is interested in reading this blog. This blog is for all the dancers, concertgoers, head bangers, mp3 downloaders, “I’m With The Band” t-shirt wearers, iTunes enthusiasts, club goers, fist pumpers, and song writers.
I love music. Some may call it obsession. I get infatuated with artists and songs, so much so that I am just bursting with . . . menergy!
I grew up on a variety of genres of music. My mother loves rock. Eric Clapton, U2, Michael Jackson, Cream, The Who, and Queen. She also loves Motown. The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, and The Four Tops. Now, I will give her credit; she is open to trying some current music as well. She gets into the occasional “hit” she hears in the car or on TV. Once I was listening to “Bodies” by Drowning Pool and she started dancing in her seat. “This is fun dance music!” Not exactly, mom.
My mom gave me my first real taste of rock music one day in middle school when she picked me up from school. My parents had recently bought a new car and it was her first day driving it and picking me up. I got in the car and “oo’d” and “ahh’d” at the new leather seats and clean dashboard. "Now, wait a minute," my mom said and she put a CD in the stereo. She turned the volume up really loud which was somewhat uncharacteristic of her. The song was building, but for the first 20 seconds or so, there was more just a faint essence of song. No voices, no beats, nothing that resembled song. Then it picked up. It was “Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2. It was epic.
My dad also likes the classics but on a more folk rock, mellow level. Simon and Garfunkel, Peter Paul and Mary, and John Denver. He also has a lot of new age music, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, Sarah Brightman, he even has a Yanni album (Live at the Acropolis—yikes). He claims he knows good music before it gets popular. Still waiting, dad? He takes it to another level with Gregorian chant albums. Sometimes I walk into his home office which is upstairs in our house, over the garage, and I feel like I am entering a church. Forgive me father, but this is a little much! My dad also loves jazz. Joe Stafford, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., and Nat King Cole are his favorites.
As different as my parents tastes are, we can agree on some. Our family song has become “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane. Just enough rock for my mom and just enough hippy-folk for my dad. God forbid that song comes on in a public place when my parents and I are together—things could get crazy! I appreciate all the music they have brought to my attention over the years. I have copied most of my mom’s U2 albums and yes, I have even bought Enya’s albums.
I like all music and intend to discuss a wide range of music in this blog. However, I choose to omit country music. I don’t listen to it, I don’t respect it and I don’t wish to endorse it by mentioning it. All other music is up for grabs. I like almost everything. I grew up on the Beatles and Elton John. I tried to do a solo dance performance at our 5th grade talent show to Elton John’s, "The Bitch is Back," but I was requested to be the fourth member of a dance performance of Backstreet Boys, “Everybody.” Not gonna lie, we rocked it.
I went through the boy band phase with NSync and Hanson. Then I went through the rebellious phase with Limp Bizkit and Marilyn Manson. Then, one morning, things changed. As I was watching MTV music videos as my normal before school routine, something different caught my eye. "Chop Suey" by System of a Down came on. Their tattoos, weird vocals, screaming, and outright freakiness oozed out of the television. My mom walked in and saw my infatuation. I looked at her. “Oh no,” she said and walked away into the kitchen. From then on, I was a true rock and metal fan at heart. Limp Bizkit was my gateway band but SOAD put me over the edge.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Lady GaGa; I think Beyonce is fierce (I had to); and I own The Last Song with Miley Cyrus on DVD. I love it all. And on this blog, I will never lie about my opinion. I would never lie and say Justin Bieber has talent, or I feel bad that Christina Aguilera got fat, or that I don’t dislike The Notorious B.I.G. Nor will I ever recommend music I do not listen to and love myself.
So I hope you keep reading and keep listening and keep up that menergy!