It's 1980ish in a sleepy town in Manila. Kids are wearing blinding neon clothes and sticky hair sprays. We watched so much of John Hughes, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and Stephen King's. Even Freddy Kreuger and Michael Myers were fun. We listened to a lot of music too. We were pretty much up to date with Casey Kasem and MTV. It's quite noticeable, we have a strong American presence here. The 80's was fun.
The first song that hit me was Let's Go to Bed, then The Walk, and backtracked to your Three Imaginary Boys with Grinding Halt. It was nothing like all the genres of music at this time. It felt underground, an outsider. It's that distinct sound, your voice. Ah, your voice. In the midst of all our teenage angst, this sounded different. Like it was the true tone of my generation. At least for me. I remember wearily waiting for your music videos on MTV, or staying by the radio for hours on end hoping they play your songs so I could record them. You exploded in Manila's mainstream with Love Cats, The Caterpillar, and In Between Days, and then on, you never left the Philippines' most loved bands of the era and my generation. It's still heartbreaking that Manila never got to see you play live.
Fast forward to today, I have to admit that I'm hardly a hardcore fan. 20 years ago, my husband made me rediscover your album Pornography, and somewhere together in his collection, there was Pictures of You. I have fallen in love again. I have been listening to it every morning for weeks now. I get lost with it. I find myself looking at a lot of your music videos and interviews, almost forgetting how charmingly quirky you are. For a brief moment, it's 1980's again.
Thank you, Robert Smith. Yours is the voice that transports us to a moment, recalls an emotion, and gives us that sense of comfort. Reminiscent of simpler times. I am truly grateful to have endured growing up with your music. It is timeless. Thank you for the amazing talent you have shared with us. For always staying true to your music.
Congratulations on getting in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. It's about damn time! I hope you did get to a degree of excitement with the induction though. With or without the Hall of Fame, you are already a legend. Trent Reznor eloquently described for all of us how significant your music, and your voice are in our lives. Even after 4 decades.
"I saw you look like a Japanese baby, in an instant I remembered everything, everything..."
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