All these things that I'd done.. and forgot..

It's funny the things you forget as you get older. Even things that you were proud of when the event took place. The girls were talking about being famous last week, and how they've been in the media, what with Trinh being a hair model and appearing in the City Weekly etc... My only claim to fame was that I had recorded music with my band in a studio, the prize for winning the Battle of the Bands Western District competition. Well, I *think* it was called that. It was definitely the Battle of the Bands competition, and there were about 30 entrants. Anyway, when we recorded our song, the producer liked our stuff enough to invite our entire school to come back the following year to record another CD in a national competition (or was it state?). See what I mean about forgetting things? So we did.

But even though these events are now foggy in my memory, what I had completely forgotten was that one of the songs my band and I recorded was nominated for Best Indie song in the competition. I vaguely remember going to the Awards night, and seeing our category pop up, and then seeing the competition we faced. Some great musicians that night. It amazes me how little I remember of my music days - it's all become a bit of a blur. I remember we were performing a lot (and most likely because I was in two bands), and I remember we opened a lot of shows, but for the life of me, I don't remember half of our playlist. And goodness knows if I remember how to play one song from start to finish again. Actually, that's not true. I remember Dave Brubeck's Take Five, and I remember Magic Dirt's Sparrow, and I remember Cream's Sunshine of Your Love.

I'm amazed at how little I remember from the days where music meant so much to me. So, lest I forget what little I still remember, some fond moments of those two tumultuous years:

- Playing at Highpoint the very first time with the Fallen Angels. It was the first time I performed to a big crowd, and I was so nervous. When we started playing Spiderbait's Calypso, I stuffed up the riff, which made the drummer lose her rhythm. All of a sudden, the entire band stopped playing, and there was dead silence. Eek! I remember seeing the guys in the audience snicker, 'coz we were a girl's rock band. The one and only time it happened. We rocked them in the end with the Offspring's Gone Away.

- Watching other bands play ALL rock music throughout the day like the Smashing Pumpkins and Chili Peppers at the Battle of the Bands, only to then see us get up and play Bob Marley. We had stuff thrown at us by the crowd 'coz they weren't expecting to hear reggae. Pitifully embarrassed, we finished on a great Magic Dirt track, for us to be booed off stage, before winning the competition. We were too speechless to even give a speech.

- Coming back to compete the following year, and playing the Spice Girl's Stop. This time around, we got the hard core rock crowd rocking, and they were the doing the moves of the song as well! The same crowd then cheered us on to win it this time around.. But we were runners up that year..

- Teaching the drummer how to play guitar while he taught me how to play the drums one afternoon. The first (and only) song I learned? Dave Brubeck's Take Five. Drums are so much fun! It made me want to convert!

- Hearing that of all the years he had taught music (about 30 years??), our VCE group was our teacher's (Mr. Roy Hamilton) favourite, and formed his fondest memory of teaching. *sigh* I do miss playing with them.

- Performing Magic Dirt's Sparrow, knowing that Rebecca (from Rebecca's Empire) - who sang the harmony on the track - was in the crowd, singing the harmony with us!

- Having so much fun playing bass on the Spanish Flea and Superjesus' Ashes song.

- The best feeling being able to play a great solo, like November Rain, Nothing Else Matters, Patience, One, Under the Bridge (the proper way without a capo).

- Jamming with Sarah, James, Andrew and Matt before all of the mess, drama and chaos started. Those afternoon sessions were so much fun.

- Having our groupie, Lizzie, around all the time. You rock, girl!

- Getting into a huge argument as a group with Hamilton, on the easiest of songs, Pearl Jam's Wishlist. We argued for over two hours over the smallest of things: two bars in the song.

- Actual songs I remember performing: Smashing Pumpkin's Tonight, Tonight; Superjesus's Down Again and Ashes; No Doubt's Sunday Morning (I'm sure we played Don't Speak as well - just don't remember with who?); Radiohead's Karma Police; Goo Goo Doll's Iris; Spiderbait's Calypso; Offspring's Gone Away; Spice Girls' Too Much and Stop; Pachebel's Canon; Trisha Yearwood's How do I Live Without You; Bob Marley's Waiting in Vain; Pearl Jam's Wishlist; Mighty Mighty Bosstone's Impression that I Get; Tijuana Taxi and the Spanish Flea medley; Dave Brubeck's Take Five; Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World; Committment's Mustang Sally; Cream's Sunshine of Your Love; Alanis Morrisette's Head Over Heels; Jewel's You Were Meant For Me; Lisa Loeb's Stay; Natalie Imbruglia's Torn. There has to be more - that's not enough, but that's all I can remember.. For now..

I miss those days. I miss it all, and I miss the guys I played with, especially Megan, Tooley, Matt and Andrew. Oh, and Ebinizer!! How could I forget her?! I feared her for all of my high school years 'coz she was this huge girl who looked scary and was always getting into fights, and when I found out she was the lead singer 'coz she came back the following year, I was petrified, thinking she'd beat the hell outta me.. Until I realised she just appeared unapproachable, but deep down, she wouldn't hurt a fly.. Haha! I told her that months after we started performing, and she was like, 'what the hell?! do i look scary?!' Hmm.. But then, I thought Jenny was bloody scary back in high school...