2007-06-10 Part One - How Hanna found good music
I can’t sing nor play any instruments, I know my limits. And that one time I sang karaoke, well I will never repeat it. Still I love music. I have small but expanding CD collection (little over 100 records), 11 vinyls and another expanding music collection in my laptop’s hard-drive.
So it all started from Backstreet Boys, when I was around 8 or 10 years old. I was their worst fan, I barely remembered their names. My favourite songs were Get Down, As Long As I Have You and Larger Than Life. My affair with BSB ended as fast as it had started on a beautiful summer day. I donated all the pictures and posters of them (except one where Kevin looked really hot) to my friend who was still a big fan. I was 13. And that was my boy band era. As said I wasn’t very devoted to worship my heroes, I just happened to like their music.
Well after BSB I moved on, I started listening to good music, like Rammstein, U2, Oasis, Goldplay and little later Depeche Mode and David Bowie. And there I’m still today. Oh yeah I liked also Robbie Williams (my guilty pleasure). My friends didn’t understand me nor my music taste. And I didn’t dare to confess that I thought he was cute. Silly me. On the other hand I was quite happy to be different at least in someway.
Depeche Mode I found summer 2001, when they released Exciter album. I had heard only one song from it; Dream On. And I didn’t like it much. Anyhow I was shopping one summer day and saw this album. I loved the green flower in the cover and knew I needed it. I didn’t have enough money at that moment so I decided to return next day. Which I did. For some reason they had moved CD’s on the different place in the shelf and I was horrified for a second. In the evening I was alone at my grandparent’s house and I ate rice. My first thoughts about the album were something like: “Oh no, what a waste of money.” But in the end I liked it, I guess 
. Since then Depeche Mode has become one the most important band for me. After all, without Gore, Fletcher and Gahan I wouldn’t have met Jo.
Though Depeche Mode is still a small mystery for me. At least that how I ended up as a great admirer of their work. David Bowie on the other hand, it’s easy thing. It happened 27.7.2002 at 10:30-11:30. Was it Fashion or his absolutely sexy way to say “I was la continental”… I don’t know but I was sold. Actually I had been subconsciously a fan at least since I was six. This because one morning show in TV had Starman‘s instrumental version as a theme song. I loved that and I was very disappointed when they changed it. 
But back to 2002. I went to library and borrowed every single Bowie album they had (heroes, 1. Outside, Hunky Dory, Tonight…). I liked them all, except Tonight. My thoughts about Tonight on that moment were something like: arrgh What the fuck??? I still don’t like aforementioned album. Summer 2004 I saw David Bowie for the first (and probably for the last) time live. wow.
Depeche Mode and David Bowie have affected a lot my music taste. I think everything I listen to nowadays can be linked somehow back to them. Is it any wonder that now I listen to bands like The Velvet Underground, Soft Cell or Kraftwerk?
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I went through three stages of “musical taste development” (or whatever you’d like to call it) – my boy band phase, which I think every 90’s preteen went through, my hardcore/punk phase, which only existed because I needed to listen to the antithesis of bubble-gum pop, and I’ve now entered my indie phase, where I think I’ll be forever.
Do you think you’ve reached the peak of your musical interests — distilled it down into what you know you like the most — or is it still expanding?
I kinda hope that this is the peak, cos then I might next start liking Finnish Schlagers and that would be scary. For genres I think I have reached the peak, but I guess I can always find new bands and singers.
Your music taste is great (only I’m not too into Infected Mushroom – I should listen to them again though to see if I’m really not).
My sisters are 9 and 12 years older than me and when they were around 20 they used to get dressed for the disco and listen to Depeche Mode. ALL THE TIME. I kinda grew up with them haha
Soft Cell and Kraftwerk – GOOD music! David Bowie – well, it’s David Bowie – can only be good. Robbie Williams? Great voice, I do like his songs as well. Well, they are good.
I’M going to a concert in November – “Die Ärzte” – maybe you know them. I love them – my favorite band from when I was 13! Ah ok, I just saw your “music moment”… Geschwisterliebe, the good old times
Ultravox, The Cure, Tears for Fears, the music back then was just great and unique. THe music nowadays is not even music anymore (I’m not talking about music from Coldplay, Feist, Dido, REM, Depeche Mode… here), but those casting with “Popstars” or “insertcountry sucht den Superstar”
Do you know the song “See you” from Depeche Mode? My favorite!
Of course I know the Ärzte (considering that Jo (my bf) is German with fabulous music taste), they’re just fabulous.
I have all Depeche Mode studio albums except Ultra and Songs Of Faith And Devotion (of that I have Live version), so I know See You, it’s not really my favourites but from same album My Secret Garden and Sun and The Rainfall, I love them.
Oh and your music taste is great
BSB rocked! I too liked them but I was never a typical fangirl. I’ve never owned a poster of a band I liked or any of their merchandise apart from a t-shirt or two.
Depeche Mode I’ve always had a soft spot for although I don’t know how I was introduced to them! As for David Bowie… is it possible to steal memories? Just a memory of seeing him live would do me just fine. By the way, Labyrinth much?
Robbie Williams is your guilty pleasure? I’m listening to Girls Aloud right now. Top that.