Reminiscing (or, the reasons I need to listen to more Bon Jovi)

So today I was cleaning my kitchen and whilst scrubbing away at my bright, shiny cabinets I found myself humming along to a much beloved tune: Dead or Alive by Bon Freakin' Jovi. I got a little carried away, progressing from a low hum to me belting out the guitar solo while air-guitaring. It. Was. Awesome. As soon as I finished rocking out to that I could hear the opening notes of Blaze of Glory (From the Young Guns II soundtrack, I believe) and as I started to sing along to the tape deck playing in my head I realized I haven't listened to Bon Jovi in SO LONG! Why?!?!

I've always considered myself a pretty musical person. My siblings can attest to the many hours I spent (loudly) playing piano during their favorite TV shows or singing along to my Newsies soundtrack in my room (dude, how hot was Christian Bale in that movie and why did I totally want to move to Santa Fe after watching it?!). So music has always been a big part of my life. I'm realizing now that certain music acts almost like a place holder, marking the passage of time through my metamorphosis from little-girl Anna to big-girl Anna. Anytime I hear a classic Sesame Street song I can visualize myself sitting in front of the TV after my half-day Kindergarten. The song Que Sera Sera reminds me of my first experience in front of an audience as an extra in a middle school musical when I was 7. I can still sing "Consider Yourself" from Oliver, which was the next musical in third grade. It was done by the High School and I thought I was totally radical for getting to hang out in the high school cafeteria while waiting for our scenes (read: I WAS totally radical in third grade and have remained so to the present day).

Miami Sound Machine, Get on Your Feet was the song of my DANCE SOLO in fifth grade. I can still remember wearing some pink stretch pants and dancing my hiney off. See above about me being totally radical.

Godspell and Annie were the next community theater projects, but in my free time I was singing along with every Disney animated musical. Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King. See above about me being totally radical.

At some point I decided that it was time for me to be a grown up. So I decided that I liked Depeche Mode. That's reasonable, right? Sure. Every 6th grader is listening to Depeche Mode in 1991! Okay, not really. I was mostly listening to them for the same reason I was reading Kurt Vonnegut. Because my big sister did it. And, in case you were wondering, she was totally radical. No, but seriously. I could show you pictures of her hair in '89 and you'd understand why. It defied gravity. And her acid-washed jeans were glorious in all their pleated-ness. So anyway, yeah. I wanted to be just like Chrysta so I started listening to DM. And to this day I still love them. Thanks, sis.

When I turned 14 I got to start going to DANCES. At the dances I got to meet all of the kids from the area who were members of our church and they introduced me to all sorts of insane music. So anytime I hear Violent Femmes I think of church dances. Hmmm...so appropriate, right?

In high school the grunge movement was in full swing. Picture me with purple (or pink) hair and a flannel tied around my waist rockin' along to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and you'll have a pretty good idea of my life during the first three years. Senior year I moved back to PA and met a group of kids who were into "underground" music. I spent HOURS listening to all sorts of random indie bands who recorded on VINYL. Yes. Just when I finally bought myself a CD player with my hard-earned K-Mart salary I decided I should listen to emo singers whining away on scratchy vinyl albums. See above about me being totally radical. And when I wasn't listening to it on vinyl I was standing in some back room of a record store watching them live. I cut off all my hair, wore big baggy pants and hoodies and referred to myself as "hard core." But PRIVATELY? I was listening to Indigo Girls and Sarah McLaughlin. Senior year was also during the "Lillith Fair" hey day.

In college I discovered Dave Matthews Band. Because, really, what college kid doesn't listen to DMB? I don't remember if our bookstore even SOLD posters for any other band. Every party I ever went to had DMB playing in the background and all the long-haired romeo's would sit around strumming his melodies. By the end of my first semester I practically had a degree in DMB.

When I met Chase I fell back in love with the Beatles and Radiohead - two of his favorite bands. Though we only knew each other a short time before getting engaged I knew by looking at his CD case that he was the one.

Anyway, there's not really a point to this blog. It's just fun to think about all the different events in my life and what I was listening to at the time. Along the way I've discovered some really great music. My greatest musical influence has been the great Pittsburgh Sara. The girl owns, like, a million CD's and has perfect taste in music. She listens to EVERYTHING (except country, but including bluegrass) and is always finding newer, cooler stuff. And what I admire about her, and what ultimately prompted me to write this blog, is that she's not afraid to embrace what she likes even if other people might not think it's cool. She recently attended a NKOTB concert! I don't like them myself but then again, some people don't like Bon Jovi. But guess what? I do! I think Bon Jovi is one of the most consistently cool bands of all time! And I'm not afraid to say it. We all need a little more Bon Jovi in our lives.

That is all.