You and Me Both

I am totally out of the loop with music these days. I hear about a band or artist once and again, thanks to my bass student who is a sophmore in high school. I have decided to return to my music obsessing roots and start exploring "what the kids are listening to," and artists who, I in the past have blown off for various reasons. Exhibit A-getting into Led Zepplin two years ago and thinking about downloading a few Blues Brothers tunes. Rubber biscuit anyone?
I wonder if it is nostalgia-influence that has kept me picking the same ol', same ol' for the past couple of years. I could blame the baby for me not having enough time, blah, blah, blah, but it is more than that, so I did an experiment and here are my findings.
A few weeks ago, I had to travel to Canyon Country (yeah, I did not know where that was either) to do some training and I decided to listen to music that I was obsessed with in my Junior High years.
It took me two metro lines and a train to get there, plus I waited an hour at Union Station, so I had time to listen to PLENTY of music.
I started off with David Bowie. I kept only to the Serious Moonlight and Blue Jean era. The music is still pretty good and I appreciate the orchestration and I really like the song "Ricochet," it has a weird feel to it. Also, it is a little embarrassing I admit, but I like the "Dancing in the Street," collaboration he did with Mick Jagger. It is probably because they premiered the video during Live Aid.
After Bowie, I went for Culture Club. I LOVED Culture Club and was fortunate enough to see them in concert. I went through the hits and then decided to listen to "Victims." This song was a pretty big hit in the UK, but was not released as a single in the US. I am sure it is about Boy George and Jon Moss (drummer) relationship and it is depressing. I wanted to lift myself up so I chose Depeche Mode. Mostly, from "Some Great Reward," which let's face it, has a lot of depressing tunes on it. After I listened to "Sometimes", I took a break and listened to a Podcast of "This American Life."

I am really sorry A.
For those of you who are not familiar with Yaz. They were (though they played a couple of years ago) a synth-duo that featured Alison Moyet and Vincent Clarke (who was a member of Depeche and founding member of Erasure). Their music is something else. I was staring out the window looking at the outside world and Yaz put me in a strange state. I was on the train and totally somewhere else.
Their lyrics are so melodramatic but completely sincere. The music is synth-y and not terribly interesting to an untrained techno ear. But damn! I was totally swept away.
My junior high years had some bumps I admit. I tried some pills, kissed some boys, had whiskey for the first time, and barely made it to the 10th grade academically. But I do not remember Yaz being an integral part of my soundtrack and then I remembered. In 9th grade I liked this dude Jim and he totally broke my heart. I think it was the first time I had really had heartache. This might have been when I bought "Upstairs at Eric's," and Yaz can definitely be break-up music. Also, I think that in a strange way their music has stood the test of time. I know that some would very much disagree and you are entitled to you opinion.
"Mr. Blue" is from their second record "You and Me Both (1983)," (which I think is a better record then their first, though the critical acclaim is mostly for their first record) and it is a super sad song.

"Winter sounds are crying-Like an old man slowly dying
And the only sound, the wind that fills the trees
Even colder comes the moon
And though it never seems too soon
A sudden stillness as the rainfall starts to freeze
I'm mister blue and I'm here to stay with you and no matter what you do
When you're lonely, I'll be lonely too."

Whew. For some reason these lyrics get me every time and take me to a place when heartbreak was not only painful, but new...