Category: My Good Life

Hmmm … I have suddenly had an intention to keep track of when and what CDs I buy each day. All in the order of purchase. I will keep updating this page till it is too long.

Date: Before Apr 19, 2005

Will Smith – Lost and Found – Big time Will Smith fan … besides, the review is good too
Mai Kuraki – Wish You The Best – My friend bought for me in Japan … cost me S$50 …
Alison Krauss and Union Station – Lonely Runs Both Ways – Finally a local version … was waiting for the price to come down
Date: Before Mar 22, 2005

Moby – Hotel – It’s Moby … must get right?
Megadeth – The Sytem Has Failed – Heard Dave did this album on his own … respect
Stereophonics – Language, Sex, Violence, Other? – Reminded me of U2 while sampling the music at HMV
Depeche Mode – Remixes 81…04 – Always wanted to get this
Metallica – Some Kind Of Monster – Live version of some of the Metallica songs. Cynthia probably can appreciate this better than I do
Rachael Yamagata – Happenstance – Listened to this a while ago, too expensive so did not buy. I was with TK and we bought it together
BoA – Best Of Soul – Hottest Korean singer now … no idea why I bought it
Do As Infinity – Need Your Love – Big fan of DaI …
Love Psychedelic – The Early Days – Greatest hits with some new songs … how can I resist?
Date: Mar 3, 2005

Tori Amos – The Beekeeper – It’s Tori Amos! So I bought the CD without even listening to it
Donnas – Gold Medal – Caught Donnas’s video while Jason and I was in Cineleisure. All girls band and when I wanted to try their CD at HMV, the saleperson was so keen and he pinpointed which song I shall listen it. Loving it!
Sun 41 – Chuck – On MTV, I was surprised by one of their songs. I thought Sun 41 is all about punk pop but in that video, they sounded mature. So I tried in Tower Record the other day. Pleasantly surprised. At times not sure if they sound more like Linkin Park or Metallica. Doesn’t matter. I like both
Date: Mar 1, 2005

Stina Nordenstam – The World Is Saved – Not sure why I bought this one. Probably drawn to the darkness of the music and the girlie voice
KT Tunstall – Eye To The Telescope – I do like her middle voice a lot and the music with nice guitar strumming
Missy Higgins – The Sound Of White – Smoothing music with a very honey like voice. First listend in Tower Record couple of days ago
The Mars Volta – Frances The Mute – Very intense music. When I first listened to the album playing in HMV, I was with Jason and he could tell that I have immediately fallen in love with the music
Date: Feb 7, 2005

Erasure – Nightbird – I am a huge fan of Erasure. What can I say?
3 Doors Down – Seventeen Days – 3rd album from the group. I kind of like the acoustic stuffs
Good Charlotte – The Chronicles of Life and Death – New discovery. Very unique styles.
Date: Before Jan 30, 2005

Depeche Mode – Black Celebration – This album is 20 years old and it’s probably the best album by Depeche Mode. My ex-girlfriend has it. It’s good that I finally have one too.
Do As Infinity – Do The Best + DVD – Another J-pop album. A true rock album.
Date: Jan 8, 2005

Eriko Imai – Single Collection ~ Stairway ~ – I have to admit that the cover does look very good. Apparently she came from Speed and neither Speed nor Eriko was in my radar. But hey, I am constantly seeking to expand my radar range right? I tried out a couple of the songs and it sounded great. Fast beat and the recording company is avax trax. So it can’t be that wrong right?
Date: Jan 6, 2005

Bon Jovi – 1000,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong … – A box-set with 4 CDs and 1 DVD packed with their previously unreleased materials as well as demos. I was not that keen at first but people’s review from the Internet seems to mention that the quality is high. A closed to S$70 investment.
Date: Dec 22, 2004

Ayumi Hamasaki – My Story. I am a big Ayumi fan. Could I not have bought another album from the Queen of J-Pop?
DJ Tiesto – In My Memory. I love the song Close To You and my trip to HMV was very focused. I was getting this album.
DJ Tiesto – Just Be. I chanced upon this new (or relatively) piece from him. And I took a risk.
Date: Dec 16, 2004

P J Harvey – Rid Of Me. I have always wanted to get another P J Havey album because I draw so much inspiration from her. HMV either does not have it or it is too pricy. So I bought the CD at Gramophone instead.
Nirvana – Unplugged In New York. Didn’t know that this great album was realsed in the year of 1994. So long ago! Jason impressed upon me that there are some great recordings, especially some of the cover songs, and I just couldn’t resist getting one.
Tiesto – Parade Of The Athletes. I bought this trance album without even listening to it. Lyndis has introduced to one of the greatest song by Tiesto called Close To You. I am impressed with Tiesto’s talent and I gambled. I enjoyed the album so far.

Just before end of the day, just before I was heading off to have a drink with my colleagues, my old neighbour from my old department called me if I was interested to have chilli and pepper crab with her and her girlfriend. Absolutely! Besides, my old neighbour is going to leave Singapore for good and return to Canada and I was going to have dinner alone anyway. My neighbour and her girlfriend was known as someone who is absolutely spontaneous. Joining the club, at least for one night only, I was also absolutely spontaneous.

They took me to somewhere near the Singapore Stadium. Absolutely enchanting place. The night view of Singapore could not have looked any better. The restaurant called No Signboard is built right on top of the water. How cool is that?? Eating right above the sea! We had chilli crab, white pepper crab, drunken prawn, stuffed seafood, and veggie. Just for the 3 of us!

On the way back, my old neighbour commented that today’s temperature is between 24 to 28 degree. Wow, did not realise it. It must be winter in Singapore.

Seems to me that this month is the month of criticism with the latest one comes from work. It is as though this unknown force has a quota to fulfill before year end.

Anyway, I have decided to move the contents (and any future ones) that are more geared towards my life out of No Eye Candy website and into my own website. It is kind of comforting to hear from Jeremy that I shall leave these contents in our band website because they are part of what we are (and from Jason that we shall just re-organise the articles). But I guess I have got a lot more to write about my life that is probably beyond the band. Like some of the short stories I write for instance. (And the Singapore Motor Show field trip report has nothing to do with No Eye Candy, right? Unless I end up writing a song on that … hmmm) Looking at the writing habits, it seems to me that I am the only one that is contributing most on writing. Never intended to skew the site content that way.

Besides, it is always cool to be able to post songs in my own website, songs that are sung by me as a songwriter. I guess that way, it is more forgiving to have less than professional vocal track because after all I am a songwriter, not a professional singer. As for No Eye Candy, Cynthia will take the vocal track whenever possible.

Another good point about posting those songs onto my own site is that these songs may not find their ways to the No Eye Candy site which is okay. Because, No Eye Candy is about the band and is about songs that we all love to play. This shall remain the same.

Another thing is that for the songs I am going to post in my own website, they will not be played using my 12-strings. Partly because I want to sound different from No Eye Candy. But mainly because most of the songs that I have written are being created using a classical guitar. Hence, the orignal sound must retain.

And these days, it just strikes me that I need to return to my root, as in just me and my classical guitar, as in writing songs from my heart rather for anyone else. Back in the days when I was working in Paris, I was used to write short stories based on my daily encounters and sent them all to my friends via email (the ancient spam? or blog?). I bet there were some if not many who did not enjoy what I have had written (and they are kind enough not to let me know ;p). But from time to time, I do received a few encouragements and these were enough just to keep me going.

Back to my songwriting and my singing hobby. Over the years, I have had my share bit of criticism on both topics. But I never cease to write. Well, perhaps that is indeed my true passion for over 10 years. I just keep on writing and singing and writing and singing.

Blessed I am now with a band with members whom I look up upon. So, whatever I do must be for the benefit of the band.

Now, that brings us to the second part of this blog – retail therapy. Today I visited the Dave’s Guitar shop for some new strings for my classical guitar. My true intention was to look for a cool new classical guitar preferably with electric pickup (back to my root thingy, remember?). The pretty shop assistance recommended one from Takamine (without pickup) that is selling at $675. If I am to add in the pickup, that will be up to near $1,000 region. I then asked, why don’t I get one that come with Takamine original pickup? (And by the way, the guitar sounds awesomely warm.)

Back to the shopping mode. Now I begin to understand why musicians keep spending money on guitars. And if I am to look for signs, I wanted to buy high tension string for my classical guitar and when I told the shop assistence that I am using a (cheap) Yamaha, she recommended medium tension. Guess what? After I restring the guitar, part of the bridge (how shall I called it? the metal part) came out. I don’t think I can keep my guitar for long. The strings have too high a tension for my guitar to take …

Retail therapy …

How coincidental this can be? My default movie going partner is now in Japan for his business trip. My wife is now in Bangkok in her business trip. And most of my friends were not available this night. Well, such a rare occasion that a foreign film was shown, I have to catch it regardlessly.

On the way to the Arts House, I kept humming the 12-bar blue. And lyrics came into my mind. Potential song title – Devil Won’t Forget. Spooky!

Back at home, I started doing the recording for the Midnight Mix of the song Blood On My Boots. Jason is right, vocal track should be recorded last. Compared to the last time I recorded just with Jeremy’s accoustic guitar, this time round I was really into the song as Jason has enhanced the song much with his clean guitar sound. Hopefully the song is good enough to make it to the bonus track of our Internet Album.

Seems to me that nowadays I have combo blog entries.

I want a classical guitar with electric pickup. I want it so badly that it is just not rational anymore. I just want to own one.

But why?

My old classical guitar is falling apart. I write music using a classical guitar. I want to record my music using just the classical guitar for my upcoming website.

Lunch time, I walked from Dhouby Ghout MRT station all the way back to the office stopping at the guitar shops at Paradis Center area and Peninsula Plaza area. Yes, it is a bloody long walk. Too bad, I did not have my car key with me.

Believe it or not, I have tried the $2,650 Taylar classical guitar and I just can’t appreciate it. I tried the Takamine again and it still touches my heart. The Taylar guitar I tried is made with spruce top while the Takamine one is made with cedar. To be honest, I have no idea how different these two kinds of wood will sound.

I messaged my friend Jonathon for help and he told me (via sms of course) that spruce top is for clarity and provides good tremble while cedar top is for the volume. Fair deal. No wonder!

The fact that I strum the classical guitar (and he asked me why I strum a classical guitar, not supposed to!) probably explain why it did not sound that impressive. If I was to play the classical guitar in a proper manner, most likely I would fall in love with the Taylor.

I am pretty much decided on the brand. Just that the pretty shop assistance still has not get back to me what I can get within my budget. Driving me insane.

Question: what would a songwriter who has lost the inspiration do? Yes, digging up the ghost. I dug up one song that I have half finished more than a month ago. That song was written when I woke up early for warm-up prior to one of our jamming sessions.

I managed to figure out how the song sounded like (I did not record then and I should have, instead I wrote down the notes) and it clocked at 2.30 mins. Today, I picked up the song again and instead of continue writing the song, I just repeated the majority of the song with a twist. There you go! I have the song!

So, why didn’t I continue to write somemore? It is because very few audience can appreciate the songwriting style of mine (one piece with verses of different melody going freeform, i.e. no defined structure, and seldom repeat). So, the key is to identify the “hook” and keep repeating it. It seems to be a winning formula of all the rock and pop songs. How original?! I mean, why do anyone want to keep listenning the same segment of the song again and again – in the same song?? All they need to do is just to repeat the song and there you go! Again, cannot understand how we human being appreciate music.

It has been such an extraordinary weekend to me. My weekend began with the Motor Show that was packed with cool concept cars and decent looking models. Then it was Jason who invited me to watch a Spanish movie with him at the Art House – Torremolinos 73, a black comedy. And it ended with a wonderful jamming session with Jason and listenning to the Blue.

Torremolinos is a movie about a door-to-door encyclopaedia salesman who turned into an educational adult film maker with his wife as the star. While the adult films were banned in Spain, they were hot in the Scandinavian market. His wife wanted a baby so much while the husband, hardly able to sustain a family of two, insisted on using a condom every time they made love. The irony later on as the story unfold was that for the last six years they have been making love with condoms, it was the same six years that the husband has zero sperm count.

The main twist of the story came when the main character has become so good at filming that he has written a new script called Torremolinos 73 – a title inspired by one of the sexy poster he saw while he was making sample for the sperm test. It was a show about a widow who met someone who looked exactly like her late husband in one of the honeymoon resort.

Soon he became the director of his new movie and he got his wife as the main actress. Towards the end of the filming, the producer made an unexpected change in script asking the sex symbol – his wife – to mate with one of the actor – her supposed late husband in the show. The irony was that she actually wanted it because she wanted a baby so much. The most painful scene was that the director – her husband – has to see through the entire act. Well, in the end, he got a movie while she got a baby. Happy ending? Perhaps.

Sunday, it was all about blue. Jason and I had a jamming session and we have covered quite a number of songs as well as some of the songs that could be in the pipeline. We jammed metal music as well as a remix on Sweet Dream (Are Made Of This). After dinner, Jason and I were both into blue music – Eric Clapton, Aerosmith’s latest blue album, Steve Ray Vaughan, Neil Young, and Jimi Hendrix. I am so inspired to write a blue album. We shall see.