286. follow and feel

On Friday, I met up with Laura at Roppongi to go to a hedgehog cafe (see next post) and as usual, we ended up talking about music until almost the last train home. A few bands that I listened to when I was a teenager have recently reunited or in Aaron Gilespie's words (Underoath's drummer / The Almost vocals) words, rebirthed.

useless fact : Aaron Gilespie has the same birthday as me, I just wiki-ed. O_O (kinda fangirled because he used to be my favorite drummer)

Most of the bands that I loved while finding myself have disbanded, that's why I moved onto listening to Japanese bands. But with bands like Underoath and Saosin reuniting, it made me track back to my roots and I started listening to these bands again. I didn't expect to feel so much while listening to my old music again.

I remember back then I used to question people who are much older than me "Why don't you listen to new bands?" I never understood why they preferred old bands, but now, at this age, I think I finally understand.

It's not that we're not open-minded, I still listen to new bands but the music I grew up with hold a much stronger sense of belonging and there's emotional attachment. When I listen to these bands, I remember all those nights I stayed up crying, laughing and finding myself. Being a teenager was probably the most difficult time of my life thus far.

Without music, I wouldn't have met a lot of important people in my life now. Music has given me a better life, I would say. Also, a boyfriend or two. I'm glad I found my music back then, even though I was outcasted in the last few years of high school. "She's weird, she's satanic," they said.

We also attach memories with the music we listen to, so I am sure that when I leave Japan (if I ever do), lynch. would be that band who will make me feel a lot. Also, now I finally understand why I always love lynch. alone. lynch. fans or should I say visual fans? are completely different from people who listened to post-hardcore, metalcore etc. Since I don't practice visual rituals, it's hard for me to make friends with someone else who likes lynch. Also, I tried but they don't understand what I'm talking about most of the time. If you know me well enough, I hate shallow conversations.

I'm actually happier loving lynch. alone. People still question why I love them, here's one of the many reasons : I respect them as a band for leaving their first record label and doing everything on their own because they wanted to have their own sound. In the 11+ years of them being a band, I think they have transitioned a lot and they, too, tried to "find themselves" as musicians.

I leave you with Saosin's latest, I hope I get the chance to see them live now.

...and I put together 10 songs that helped me pull through those days :

1. Tired & Uninspired - My American Heart
2. Collapse - Saosin
3. A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black and White - Underoath
4. The Words "Best Friend" Becomes Redefined - Chiodos
5.  Let's Get Fucked Up and Die - Motion City Soundtrack
6. Mailbox Arson - Alexisonfire
7. Say This Sooner - The Almost
8. Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin
9. Number Five With A Bullet - Taking Back Sunday
10. The Kids Are All Fucked Up - Cobra Starship

This post was a nice break from writing about my life honestly. It has been forever since I stayed up just to listen to music, I miss that feeling.