Ana Barraza
Editor’s Note: The last one needs to get trimmed WAAAAAY down. I suggest cutting out the whole part about his own band, and the rambling at the end, everything after “it feels like home.”
Mae Hambridge, engineering major:”I listen to mostly hip-hop, rap and rock. My favorite bands are The Beastie Boys, Ludacris and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It (music) zones me out. I want to feel the same way the artist does. I listen to Eminem and I have no experience of what he’s talking about, and yet I feel exactly the way he does.”
Donald Dius, music major:”I listen to classic rock like the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Steely Dan. Usually when I’m pissed off I’ll listen to Metallica, or when I just want to listen to some good music I’ll listen to the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin. Actually, the kind of music I like I listen to because I like learning to play it on guitar.”
Christopher David, fashion design/business major:(I listen to) rap, mainly old-school rap, soul, funk. Everything from South Central Cartel to some new-school stuff like Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Lil Easy. It (music) puts me in a certain mood depending on what it is. For example, rock ‘n’ roll gets you hyped up. Some songs are slow and remind you of certain things from your past, good things, bad things. I’ve been listening to hip-hop forever, ever since I was a little kid. My dad, he likes Michael Jackson. He used to listen to a lot of soul, so I used to sing a little bit. I used to listen to soft r&b before I listened to rap. I’ve been listening to rap ever since I was like 7 or 6.”
Lucy Benitez, psychology major:”I like r&b. I like Latin music. I like reggaeton and pop like Maroon 5, or rock like Jon Bon Jovi. I like ’80s music. (I like) Alejandro Fernandez, Shakira and Laura Pausini. Mostly when I think about my boyfriend, I try to listen to romantic music, Hispanic music. When I’m just having fun with my friends, music we can dance to.”
Cherisse Steadman, art/undecided major: “I think the music I listen to is pop because it’s so generic. I listen mostly to Christian pop, but I do like Kelly Clarkson. Not her newest album because it’s too hating. I like Carrie Underwood. I like hip-hop. Since I like to sing, I love music so I am constantly listening to music. It helps me relax so when I come home from school and I’m tired, I listen to music. I’ve always loved music, so I think just because of all the bands that I listened to, I think that’s why I have stuck with that (pop). I still like rock and my brother plays the drums, so I like rock more because I was constantly listening to the drums. A lot of the Christian pop music I listen to they (my parents) grew up with or they liked.My parents influenced my musical taste because I grew up in a Christian home. I love it.”
Faye Nemick, volunteer:”I’m pretty eclectic in my taste, although I’m not into rap. I guess I like a variety of music. I just heard Celine Dion the other day, and boy she was awesome. I find it awesome that she could hit the notes she hits. Her range is amazing. That impressed me. My favorite song in the whole wide world is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” It’s lovely. The lyrics are wonderful. I think I like songs with lyrics that make sense. I love to watch the (American) Idol show because I think they do a beautiful job. Each one of the winners every year is just awesome. Their music is gorgeous. (They’re) very talented.”
Genaro Lopez Miranda, history/automotive science major:”(I like) everything from hip- hop to rock to alternative. Whatever has a good beat, or whatever you feel like that day pretty much. Today is heavy metal. Today is rock ‘n’ roll. Today was Metallica day only because I’m laying my sister to rest tomorrow, so Metallica fits into that. Any other day, hip-hop from Kanye West to T.I. to Mos Def. Tupac, some Biggie, it all depends on what the mood is. Music can set the mood for anything. It can make your day a whole lot better when it’s going bad. It can help you. Today and the last four days I’ve been going through, music has helped me a lot. Shoot, a simple tone helps me remember my sister. It helps me remember my family. It helps me remember good times. I was 7 years old and my sister was playing her Kiss album, then my sister and my brother were arguing because he wanted to throw on Led Zeppelin.”
Derek Liner, nursing major:”Being a musician, it’s different. If you’re an average listener, I don’t understand that kind of person. I listen to everything because to me it’s like, I wouldn’t be a good musician unless I listen to everything. I like jazz and I like fusion and metal. I actually had a year or so where I listened to country just to be a real musician. As a drummer, (I like) Tool. Danny Carey is an amazing drummer. Metallica is just what I listened to growing up. A lot of new stuff that’s coming out, like Finger Eleven, is kind of cool and Coheed and Cambria that has a little more depth to it. It’s got some concept stuff going on. Mars Volta, that’s some good shit. I listen to everything really, from Coltrane to Tool and even beyond. Our (band, Caught Up) is an eclectic type of metal in a way. We blend, or we try to show the connection between everyone, the oneness that everyone has. We are all connected in some way. We bring that through our music. We are definitely heavier like some metal, a little Floyd a little Zeppelin, going old- school. But like Tool, System of a Down, Metallica, just a progressive kind of rock that shows the connection between everyone. I would say spiritual but not religious. When I listen to music, it depends on the mood I’m in. It will determine what style I listen to, but when I listen to music I see things and feel things that others may not because I’m a musician. But to me, I would have to say it feels like home. When I listen to music it feels like that’s where I’m supposed to be. At that very moment that’s what I’m listening to and I just submerge myself in that. To be in that moment is the best thing. Whether it’s System of a Down live at the Roxy or some jazz band at the Baked Potato. It’s like that’s the moment I’m in at that moment, right there. Just to feel that, it’s a lot of emotion to feel what these musicians are trying to portray, and not just go, ‘oh I’m a listener. I listen to Kroq.’ What it does for me or what are they doing, that’s a musician’s standpoint.”