Desperado (Or: The Time I “Discovered” the Eagles and Got Publicly Dragged for It)
I just recorded myself singing “Desperado” by the Eagles, and before anyone starts typing “Johnny, that song is ancient”— YES. I KNOW. Trust me. I learned that lesson the hard way. See, there’s this dangerous little phenomenon where something is new to you, so your brain confidently decides it must be new to everyone. This story is Exhibit A of why that thinking is a trap. Growing up in Taiwan, regular kids like me had zero exposure to the Eagles. Classic Western rock just wasn’t part of the soundtrack of our lives. Sure, my parents—who owned nightclubs and booked entertainers—knew who the Eagles were… but that knowledge never filtered down to the kids running around clueless and innocent. Fast-forward to me at 14, freshly immigrated to Canada, still trying to figure out everything. One day, my best friend—also from Taiwan—comes at me with the energy of someone who has just uncovered buried treasure. “HOLY SH*T. Have you heard of this NEW band called the E...