Honorable Mentions
The thing is, 9 months in Bratislava was really marked with just a handful of albums. The only store we could find dealt in CDs, and although my little sound system had a CD player, it was rarely used for anything other than Limp Bizkit's Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$.
However. Being the even-then obsessed collector that I was, I had acquired a handful of CD's in our first foray into the store. These albums were: Cypress Hill's debut (1991), Black Sunday (1992), Unreleased & Revamped (1996.) I never quite got into these albums until much later, but they did kickstart my discography completionism, only applicable to certain artists. The missing piece was the critically-acclaimed 1995 album, III (Temples of Boom) that I searched for relentlessly, only to locate it in Vienna well into 2003 or 2004.
Out of all these, Black Sunday has the wonderful cover art, as well as being chock-full of dark, gritty, graveyard-shuffle Cypress Hill songs like A to the K, Cock the Hammer, Lick a Shot and of course, the song that made their name, Insane in the Brain. On the other hand, III (Temples of Boom) is the twilight before the dark night of IV (1998) and features a song that was the subject of much controversy, as I later learned.
The song is No Rest for the Wicked. Now, the thing was, B-Real had apparently played the demo of Throw Your Set In the Air to Ice Cube while they were both in the studio. Things started when Ice Cube allegedly stole the hook of this song and used it in a song of his, Friday. When B-Real heard it, he decided to go ahead and write No Rest for the Wicked, which is a reference to Ice Cube's 1992 track, Wicked. The diss elicited a response from Ice Cube, in the form of King of the Hill. The details branch out from there, but suffice to say, this was one of the most prominent and explosive hip-hop beefs of the time. One is even tempted to re-create the opening feud of Romeo & Juliet. "Do you quarell, sir?"
Another album that came during this time was System of a Down's third effort, Steal This Album! (2002.) The main reason why this album gets an honorable mention alone, despite the fact that it was pretty good at time is because System of a Down, right around this time, was taken over by Serj Tankian's politics. Perhaps it was just me struggling with my own lack of nationalist sentiment, or any sort of patriotism whatsoever, but on the whole, I've never liked too much politics in my music. I even majored in political science, gave six years to it, but I still do not like it when music-with-politics turns politics-with-music. But, nevertheless, the album gets a mention, as it was very big with me in those days.
Matchbox 20's Yourself or Someone Like You (1996) was given to me by a dear, dear friend whom had expressed some concern as to my rapidly deteriorating condition. She had already linked my growing obsession with music to my psychological well-being or lack thereof, and she gave this one to me to, in her words, help me see that there's other stuff out there. I did listen to it once, out of respect for her, but honestly, I forgot every moment instantly even while I was listening, and although I tried in later years, there's just nothing for me there. This has happened before and I am certain it will happen again.
Of course, there is my almost natural aversion to recommendations. Although I have been known in some circles as the guy who always breaks a silence with, a "Oh, by the way, I discovered this great band the other day..." I have a hard time taking recommendations. This may be due to my main problem with authority, authority itself, and it projects itself unto friendly suggestions. If I indulge in something you recommended me, then know that if I happen to take a look, that's because you have managed to earn my respect. Otherwise, in one ear, out the other.
Leaving Bratislava
In the end, the situation at home deteriorated to the point that either my father would have to be by himself in Bratislava for a while, or there'd be a divorce. We opted for the former. I remember feeling relieved that I wouldn't have to be in a house where my family either avoided one another or constantly balanced out a clear and present tension.
Upon returning Ankara, we found that we didn't really have a home anymore. We moved in with my grandmother's while my mother was out every day, looking for a 3-bedroom rental. My sister and I were on our own all day, and though I had friends, she had few, so we spent most of the time trying to do whatever. We watched a lot of TV, talked bullshit, went to get something to drink and so on.
Those few weeks would change me in many ways, move me forward, making way for the actual prelude of who I am now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment