Music of Memories

 There are many songs, musical bands, and singers, which are related to certain memories and every time I listen or remember them, they remind me of those memories and times regardless of how old they are, they are still as vivid.

Like, now after a long time, when I was listening to Linkin Park, it reminded me of the tender, precarious memories of my college days (11th&12th grade), plausibly the best memories of my academic life overall.
Every song of Linkin Park reminds me of someone or something of those fragmented foregone days.

When I was at the age of starting to learn about music appreciation, the world of music was rather very very concise and territorial in my country. I am referring to the time when broadband internet services were not available in our country yet and people would do a good business in just selling DVD, cassettes to music enthusiasts.

Certainly, living in the suburbs of the city, in a culture where music is not much of a concern for daily life and not enough artistry around. Fortunately, as ever grateful, my (told to be black-sheep of the family) youngest uncle (my father's brother) was chased away by my extremely materialistic, strict grandmother and ended up living with us. He used to be a wonderful guitarist, would sing songs with his local bands, which was extremely criticised by my grandparents.

So, certainly along with his other things, he brought all the DVDs, cassettes along with the big music player. I used to sneak around when I visited my grandparents before, but now that the whole precious collection ended up in our house, I could not be more than happy, even though I had to give up my room for my uncle initially. And he is a super cool guy, and I think some of my favourite habits I picked up from him, like being very unbothered about family issues!!!

Anyway, so of course my main attention remained locked in the music player, sneakily listening to songs, touching the guitar string with small, trembling hands, making noises and getting scolded. Some of his best friends used to come to our house too for him, sometimes to pick him up, sometimes to play and sing music or practice. I loved it the most when they would practice, sing and hang out at our home.

[ Image generated by AI]
Those times were one of the best memories of my early childhood not to mention. And there is this one song I loved listening to from my uncle, that the singer himself seemed no match to him as it felt to me, and I would request him to sing whenever I get the occasion.

Anyway, so my point is, I am privileged I think, to be introduced to the world of music, more broader, fancier, artistic than the existing world, also perhaps for the reason that I do possess certain keen inclination to the music and musical instruments aside from being only an admirer of the art. Due to the exposure, I came to know the musical bands and singers that perhaps I would have been unaware even the rest of my life nor would I develop the fondness towards if it was not for my uncle.

Many boys claimed to have fallen in love with me just because of music taste when I was a teen! It was as if they were admiring, and at this age, now I can discern where that emotion was derived from! I seemed cool to them for being a girl belonging to the suburbs, (do not forget the time we are talking about, when internet connection is a hardly familiar word even to the rich folks) and having such music taste! Now I feel like, men were as usually prejudiced about women regarding music taste, so when someone says they like rock, pop, or metal western music, it creates contradiction, a uniqueness even as irrelevant, eventually a curiosity towards the person also the desire to talk about music of similar taste with the possible love interest!

Uhhh well...anyhow, as I was saying, Linkin Park is and will always be a musical band that transcends not just the level of taste in music but rather all the possible solace one would wish to find in music. It is probably the most common favourite musical band amongst millennials even though late millennials tend to think this band is too cliche and overrated.

You see, music is not just the harmony, it constructs, moulds, shapes many emotions and memories along the way.
Like Megadeth, Metallica will always remind me of my childhood music enthusiasm with my uncle, their hangout, music jamming in our house, that handsome friend of my uncle!
Linkin Park often reminds me of the wasteful days of my college life, the struggle of collecting the songs inside the MP3 devices, the incorrect, hilarious lyrics we used to make up by not understanding and for not having the internet sources to look for lyrics. And then even, some particular songs of this band would remind me of some long lost friends, events, and memories... that are freshly engraved in my mind even after decades!!