The first two CD's I ever owned.

My brothers, who begged and pleaded with me to go with them, returned last night from the Boyz II Men concert. I felt bad, but a trip to Orem to see a band that I haven't listened to in years and I am a little embarrassed of actually liking did not sound too appealing.  Apparently, the Boyz are still alive and actually performing, barely.  Here is a great review of the concert by my brother Ike for those that may be interested.  I highly recommend this reading.

His review inspired me to write about my very first purchase of a compact disc.  I believe that it all began in December of 1993.  (It could have been 92 or 91, but I think that it was 93 because that is just what my heart tells me.)  I had just received an enormous stereo system for Christmas, complete with an audio tuner, turntable, tape player, CD player, amplifier and equalizer.  The entire thing took up about a forth of my room and it was my pride and joy. I cherished that system so. I carried pictures of it around in my wallet for heaven's sake!  I gave it baths on it's monthly birthday. 

The day after Christmas, I visited the local Blockbuster music store to select 2 CDs to start my collection.  I had plodded for months about my upcoming selections and I had already made them in my mind.  I left the store that day with a Boyz II Men CD and PM Dawn.  You see, I was 14 years old and I had not discovered what real music was yet.

I must have listened to Motownphilly over 2,000 times.  I would crank it up in my basement bedroom and think up new dance moves.   I had even created a pathetic fantasy in which the Boyz lose one of their members in a street shooting.  They ask me to become the first white Boyz II men member.  The remaining members tell me that it doesn't matter that I am 14, white or without any sexual appeal at all (made the last part up), it is the music that matters.  They just want to do what is best for the music and if that means hiring a pasty whiteboy, so be it.  I even got a souped up flat top with racing stripes to fit in.

I wish I could tell you that the above fantasy was just made up by me now to enhance the story.  As it turns out, this was a very authentic fantasy and every word of it is true.  I forgot to add that by becoming a member of Boyz II Men, I also became the nation's biggest teenage heartthrob, sending girls into utter and complete shock with the very sight of me. I am not sure why or how I remember this entire fantasy sequence.  I guess it was a very big part of my incredibly piteous 14 year old life at the time.  As long as I am putting it all out there, it was also during this time of my life that I would listen to "Casey Casem's weekly top 40" every Sunday afternoon after church.  I would write down every pop tune in order and then make my own "personal" top ten.  Using my tape deck on my new stereo, and after taping my favorite songs from Casey's top 40, I would make my own "Abe's top 40"  in which I would introduce my favorite songs of the week and count them down myself.  I was a stone cold, perfectly formed and mentally weak - dweeb.  

When I had exhausted myself by dancing endlessly to Motownphilly, I would lay in the middle of my room and just relax to PM Dawn's "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss".  I loved how I could skip to the next song so quickly and effortlessly.  I loved the look of the shiny CD as I took it from the case.  I loved everything about the disc experience.

Thankfully, I broke from the bonds of nerdness, grew into my own and created somewhat of a life for myself.  It's a good thing because had Cathi known about my lonely Boyz II Men dance-a-thons in my room, there's no way she would ever have anything to do with me.  Of course, there are some nerd tendencies I will never grow out of, nor do I want to.  

May I present to you, the two best music videos from my first CDs: