I love all kinds of music. The love of music came very early for me. When I was 4 my grandpa Poppy bought me my first record player. It was one of those that looked like a suitcase. I believe that's what started it all. Every time we would go to the store or a garage sale when my sisters would get a coloring book I would get a 45. I still have all those 45s in my parents attic. Most of them are 80s classics such as the Eurythmics, Culture Club, and Denise Williams. One 45 though that I got a garage sale for probably a quarter was a song called "Where you going Billy" by the Poppy's. Funny that Poppy has now been mentioned twice in this blog and I'm only on the second paragraph... That song originally came out in 1969, but I loved it. I was probably around 6 when that got non stop play in my room along side my Muppets.
Then I turned 7 and this amazing record by the name of Thriller came out. You may have heard of it. My parents bought me the record and I did what all 7 year olds at that time did, I took it for show and tell. Mrs. Moyer's class. I stood so proud and said "this is my Michael Jackson album" (I still remember that oohs and aaaahs, I understand boys and girls, I understand). "I love Michael Jackson and I really like his song Beat It". I wonder if that teacher thought to herself "this is not a normal 7 year old". Well needless to say I still have that album. It's up in my closet next to my Jackson 5 Victory Tour picture disc album that my aunt Joni bought me. I'm sure they are worth money, but to me they are far to precious to ever part from.
So came the 80s. My dad was a college student so I did a lot of driving with him to school. Often times I sat in the back of his classes during the summer. I guess you could do that in the 80s or else my dad just hid me behind him well. Don't ask me shit about engineering, I never paid attention, I just colored. My best memories of that time was the music played in his Astro. I to this day can't hear "Puttin on the Ritz" by Taco without think of this bar that was across the street from the Kansas State campus called "the Ritz". I swore that song was about that place. I mean don't all artist write hit songs about a bar in the middle of Kansas? So many great tunes from Huey Lewis and the News to Madonna to the Police. The best musical memory with my dad is David Lee Roth's Just a Gigolo. We would sing that song at the top of our lungs in the car. The best ride of all was when we drove to my grandmother's about 100 miles away blasting that. Those country roads of Kansas had no idea that the best singers in all the land were in that red Astro. Well at least the loudest anyway. Boozdi Boozdi bop.... ok moving on.
So sticking with the 80s came the good ol music video. MTV was first introduced August 1, 1981 (see I told you my musical knowledge is unparalleled) but I didn't have MTV in my house until probably around 1987. What we did have was Friday Night Videos. That's right 1 hour a week that I could stay up and watch Friday night videos. I probably got a good 5 videos the entire hour but I didn't care, I was excited. I remember after that program TV went off. Yes, the star spangled banner played and then you got the whole "off air" color thingy. It was great. The videos I remember most at that time were Smooth Operator by Sade, Wrapped around your Finger by the Police, and Solid as a Rock by Ashford and Simpson. Thanks mom and dad for letting me watch this in your room with the rabbit ears.
Speaking of rabbit ears we now move on to the late 80s. We lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico. I had a TV in my room by then (with rabbit ears and foil of course). I loved Saturday morning. Saturday morning started with cartoons of course on the main tv until my dad woke up and kicked us out of the living room to watch this thing they call football. I would then go to my room to watch the following: American Bandstand and Soul Train (and GLOW as well, but this isn't about wrestling it's about music). Oh how I dreamed I would dance on one of those shows one day!! We then move to Sunday early evening (right before 60 minutes) and we'd have the best musical show of the 80s....Solid Gold. I dreamed of being a Solid Gold dancer. I remember people asking me what I was going to be when I grew up and I'd say "a Solid Gold Dancer". I'm sure my mom was so proud. Sorry mom! Unfortunately, when Andy Gibb died Marrilyn McCoo wasn't the same and the show was eventually canceled. Oh well, time for plan B I guess. Damn it...
We then have the hair band phase. Everyone went through it. My dad came into my room one day and pointed at my Poison poster and said " who are these girls". This was the same time I was into the Columbia Music club. You know the ole "12 cassettes for 1 penny". I split this with my dad and I remember the tapes coming in and he got Bread and I got Ratt. Round and Round I will still jam with a hair brush microphone at first listen.
By 1989 I was able to go to my first school dances. I learned then that I loved R&B and rap music. Of all the music styles I listen to my favorite is some good ol R&B music. The songs of Guy, Jodeci, Keith Sweat take me to another time. On the way home today I pulled out an R and B playlist and felt like I was right back in the 9th grade at Hahn High School. As for rap my first love of rap came when I heard Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. I'm sure my parents hated it. My daughter Keiana's first concert was when she was 5, I took her to Run DMC. I can rattle off any rap group you can think of from Eric B and Rakim to Eightball and MJG. I love hip hop and still do to this day. There is nothing better than young kids pulling up to me at a light and they see this woman and think "that ain't your average soccer mom". No boys it's not, word to your mutha.
As an adult and working with people I've always been the one everyone comments on when it comes to the musical cubicle. "DJ Nay Nay get on the wheels of steel"! I've heard it for years. Back in 1997 I was working for a local cable company. My co workers begged me to try out for this radio contest where you get to be the morning co host. I thought "I will never get it". They begged and I finally sent in my tape to the contest..."Star 104's Girl Next Door". Well about a week later I get a call. "Hi Renee we loved your tape and laughed the entire time, we would love for you to come to the station and try out for the job". First thing I said "who from my job is calling with this sick joke". No joke I was asked to come down. So I grabbed my other musical friend Carina and we trucked it to Mobile Alabama for the gig. 4am is no joke, so those that do morning radio, I salute you. I was nervous, but thought I did well. I didn't get the job, found out the owner of the station gave the job to his daughter. Guess it was rigged, but it was still fun. I think if I could have a "do over" in life I'd major in communication and get into some sort of musical broadcasting. Oh well....
So all that being said music is my outlet. I love it. I love to blast it in my house and clean. Sing it in my car. I love to have a few drinks and sing with people. My favorite person to sing with is my sister Ashley. She's many miles away in Europe and I miss her terribly. She's an amazing singer! I just got the good looks. I love that music gives me memories. Memories of a great life I've been lucky to have. As a military brat I love that songs remind me of people and places and trips. Music is something that has always been there for me, no matter what. I'm going to end this by doing a little musical tribute. Below are people and next to them is the song that takes me back to my great memories of them. Those of you that are on the list...know the memory :)
Mom - More than Words by Extreme
Lane - Mmmmm Bop by Hanson
Ashley - Superwoman by Karyn White
Keiana - My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Patty P - Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson
Tyson - Miss New Bootie (I know that's horrible , but true LOL)
Michelle Delgado - Happy by Surface
Karina Pastrana - Same Love by the Jets
Danis Saenz - Out of the Blue by Debbie Gibson
Carina Hearn - Big Pimpin
Sawanna Graves - Tootsie Roll
Astrid Valenzuela - Knockin the Boots
Nadia Atamanyuk - Lover Girl by Teena Marie
Michael Fooladi - Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money
Sarah Robinson - Sarah by Hall and Oates
Andrea Perez - Hold On by Wilson Phillips
Lisa Delgado - Ice Ice Baby
Traci Flenard - Anything by The Cure
Syndi Cote - Please Don't Go Girl NKOTB Shawn Moreland - Once Bitten Twice Shy Great White Josh Gibson - Brass Monkey The Beastie Boys Cortine Milton - Dance Tonight Lucy Pearl Michael Jackson (my cousin) - Sussudio by Phil Collins
last but not least....
Pierre - Tyrese anything by him and I think of you <3
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