When Was the First Party that You've Attended?

"Dad, how old were you when you first attended a party?"

Wow, let me think.

It was almost 40 years ago! I was only 11, in 1982, when I started spending my summer vacations at the house of the family of my late uncle Kúya Edmund (Aranzamendez) in Better Living Subdivision, in Bicútan, Parañaque. He and his friends had a group called TRoPa '82 and a mobile disco named Metrou. It was in that summer or maybe the next when they first took me with them to one of those so-called New Wave house parties held in Annex 16-18 of the subdivision.

"Were there lots of people, Dad?"

Oh yes, friends of friends of friends usually attended. Sometimes, there were even gatecrashers. When teenagers in the subdivision learned of a coming party in the area, they just went there.

"Like in the movie Valley Girls that we watched, Dad?"

Yes, but without the bullying part. Fortunately, seldom were there fights. Most just wanted to have a great time, meeting people and enjoying and dancing with the music.

"What songs were playing at the party, Dad?"

New Wave music, of course. It was the 1980s! Two songs that always reminded me of that party were "In the Big Country" by Big Country and "Transfer Affection" by A Flock of Seagulls.

"I wish I was already there with you, Dad!"

Well, those were some of the happy days of my life. We could only relive them with music.

Every time we play these CDs, just imagine my younger days.

Here are some of the albums that soundtracked those parties that I attended in the early '80s, mostly in 1982 to 1985. These were some of the favorite New Wave bands in that period.

*Modern English - After the Snow (1982)

* Duran Duran - Rio (1982)

* Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain (1983)

* Siouxsie & the Banshees - Juju (1981)

* The Fixx - Shuttered Room (1982)

* Fiction Factory - Throw the Warped Wheel Out (1984)

* A Flock of Seaguls - Listen (1983)

* Blue Zoo - 2 x 2 (1983)

* Big Country - The Crossing (1983)

* Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell (1981)

* The The - Soul Mining (1983)

* Spandau Ballet - True (1983)

* Tears for Fears - The Hurting 

* U2 - War (1983)

* Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980)

* Siouxsie & the Banshees - The Scream (1978)