I'm Right Here, Waiting

Here's a special Erik-inspired music post. All of these songs will always remind me in some way of my friend.

Blink 182 - "Not Now"

We used to sit in my dorm room and play this song over and over. We both loved the drums in it, and it's a great song to play loudly. He especially loved the part right after the first verse where Tom DeLonge screams "Please save me."

Unfortunately, the song -- because of its lyrics -- took on a whole new meaning after his diagnosis. I'm not sure if he ever knew it, but Anne and I listened to this song and couldn't help but think of him, hoping it never came to what it eventually came to.



Yellowcard - "Only One"

This is another great song to play too loudly. Again we both loved the drums in this song, and the buildup in the chorus. His favorite line was always the part where the singer literally screams the words "Scream my lungs out." I can still see him mock-screaming it in my room.



Reel Big Fish - "Trendy" and "Beer"

If you've ever sat in my car at all, you've heard a Reel Big Fish CD --guaranteed. Whenever Erik would ride with me, he always specifically asked me to play these two songs. "Trendy" is a fun song with a great horn line, and "Beer" is just as classic a RBF song as there is.





Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"

I'll never forget listening to this song with him over and over and over in my dorm room. I lost track of the number of hours spent trying to teach him the guitar solo to this song. I'm certainly not guitar master, but I can play a few songs, and I can figure out a few things. Erik desperately wanted to play, and I had my electric guitar in the room. It was a good match.

He'd come in and ask for something easy to play that he could learn fairly quickly. This song played randomly one day, and he heard the solo. He asked if I knew it, so I messed around and figured it out -- it was a pretty rudimentary solo, but it sounded awesome -- it's essentially just sliding your hand up and down the fretboard. He'd try it for a while and just miss the right frets. Occasionally, he'd hit the right frets in the right rhythm, and he'd be so satisfied with himself.



Good times, man; good times. I also had a drum practice pad and some sticks in my room. He'd poke his head in and be like, "hey man, can I play with your practice pad some?" He'd sit behind me and try to play along with whatever song I was listening to at the time, and I tried to give him a few pointers. One thing I wish: I know how much he wanted to play the drums, and I wish he could have sat behind mine just for a few minutes so he could have played on a real set.

Anyway, just a few songs that will always remind me of Erik. I really do miss my friend.