Monday, March 23, 2009

The FTTs & Me -Part 2

Continued from Part 1

FTT 06 -Stir It Up.
No, this tape had nothing whatsoever to do with stirring any kind of cream soup -and a good thing too or I would have burned it! I remember the fine day one a my teachers brought this new fangled tape it to play it to us OCs. (Yeah, thank you Gabe.) I remember that all my fellows loved "Charlie" from the start, while me with my very refined music tastes gave my love to "Doublespeak". That is still (after 13 years) my favorite song on the album. In fact, for any of you who like to hear guitar instrumentals I would highly recommend downloading the BMT from the MO site & giving it a listen. It's awesome. I remember liking very few songs on this tape, as they all seemed either slow with little or no rock guitar, or Latin, which I never really enjoyed. Of course, "Charlie" was & is a great number -and only the original (frowns down the remixes which removed Makoto's lead break)! "Uncharted Seas" was very well done, as was "Instrument of Your Peace". Originally I really liked "Set Me Free", though I have since grown tired of 'approaching level six security zone'.

FTT 07 -Bold & Brave.
This tape was oft heard playing by some new listener, but i didn't get the chance to hear it for myself for about 2 weeks after it was released. My teacher (the mother of the man who gave us Stir It Up) though it wasn't for my age -til my Dad cleared it up (Txs). Then one fine & sweaty cleanup day I got the full dose, back to back with another new release DC's Dropped Out. The only song I remember from that first hearing was "When Will the War Be Ended", a song I disliked until the pictures (music video) came into my imagination. Of course, the song that was the hit with my guitar busting brother & I was "Spend Time", which was all the more helped later seeing Makoto himself playing it at the 1998 India Concerts. Awesome! "Essence of Life" was swallowed by all young females with the urge to dance. (And you can see THAT on the selfsame India Concert) This tape also came out around the time Family Fun 16 came out -yes the one where Chris Konen made his debut & performed his way into the hearts of the entire Family teen girl population on the first ever real Family music video! What many didn't know was that his debut actually came with a song on FTT 07 called "The King's Return", which also had some sweet guitar by his brother Jeff. Another song which passed me by due to total lack of knowledge of the reason behind it's writing was "Jesse's Song", written by Jesse of the Austin Accident, which I still know next to nothing about. Now I hear that song & realise in it's quiet way it was a preceding to the rock era that was coming to the Family -listen closely & you'll see.

FTT 08 -Breaking Down The Walls.
I got this tape on a pre-release recording that was played during a home activity. I remember the first song "Breaking Down the Walls" was totally awesome! I also remember my parents hating it (my Dad still does). Then this tape was lost to me for years, as I think we only had one copy as a home. The next time I heard it was a year or two later, and I started catching some of teh greats in it. I had favorites like "He'll Help You Hold On", "As Time Goes By", "Know The Power"(guys, there is some SERIOUSLY good guitar playing in the background at the end if you listen closely -including the first ever tapping), & "Want Every Bit of Your Love". For some time this became my favorite pre-CD era FTT. I still really, really love it. And now I have added "When I'm Loving You" (a great Haven LJ song), "Child of Weakness", & "Close Your Eyes" to my list.

FTT 09 -Destined
I don't recall exactly when this album was released, but I do remember it being the most played FTT I have ever heard, possibly because there seemed to be a lot of cleanup days at the time. I recall that I didn't think much of this tape, and would have rather heard more of the last one or the other tape that was released around the same time (LJ 02 -Desiring You). Of course, times change & people change, and soon I was in love with "The Upper Road", "You Will Always Care", & "His Love Is Worth It All". I still do not fully understand why just about everyone I knew, and many I didn't know, loved "Lady Maria". I didn't -until Rebellion of David made their kick-arse version! Later, when rediscovering the old tapes at 16, I added "Days of Preparation", & "Don't Put Down Your Crown" (Jeff Konen's debut) to my list. This was the tape that started me chasing Amiee -then called Hopie, as my top favorite female vocalist (since my 1st favorite Sylvia kinda slowed production).

FTT 10 -Heaven Is
This was another tape, like Breaking Down the Walls, where the first song was the beginning of the storm that was the tape. "Heaven Is" was just sexy! This tape also accomplished the deed of making my brother JP want to play guitar like David Hungarian, who he still gives the "thumbs up" too, and for a good reason! With the number "Consider the Poor" it was a guitar experience! (I really should make a music video of that! I have more than enough poor people clips from Cambodia.) Vas also kicked some heavy duty arse with his awesome songs "I Feel It" & "All I Wanna Be". But it was Makoto's guitar licks at the end of "Something Better" that were the rage with the me and JP. I also have a special love for "The Helmet" & "Angel's Wings", both gripping spiritual numbers. But, please never ever remind me that I once liked "X-Tasy". Oh dear!

To Be Continued...............

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

NICE!!!

hi said...

HAHAHAHAHA! X-tasy! That's the coolest song ever! :P Imagine if the girls who did that song were still in the Fam... it would probably be an eternal secret!

Paul said...

The authors of "X-Tasy" (Julia & Emmanuel) are in fact still in the Family. And I'm quite sure at least one of the others girls besides Juila is too.

Drakeot said...

Wow Neo, we really do have similar tastes as far as music is concerned. Most (if not all), of the songs that you put here are my favourites as well in their respective CDs. I personally remember everyone enjoying Charlie, while I stuck to Doublespeak with my whole heart (personally I prefer this one to the one STEM did). Your comments are also almost the same as the ones that I would put, ha!

Unknown said...

I also like the origional Doublespeak better than Stem's version. (and that is unique, cause I like all his other remixes better the thier origionals).

I guess teh similarities in our music tastes reflect the similarities in our upbringing & musical past.

Drakeot said...

Talk about it! Have you been in SEA since you were born?

Paul said...

Yep -and I still have never left!!!

Drakeot said...

Well, I wasn't born on a far flung mission field, but my parents (and I) moved to where I currently am when I was just a few years old so...yeah!

Unknown said...

That's good enuf!