Missing’s remix broke Everything but the girl. The ubiquitous Todd Terry remix was on dance floors, coffee shops, radio ads, and even outside of underground stations, on those not entirely legal mixes people sold to commuters. The Grunge Mortis Post Alternia era was in its infancy and by ’97, electronica and folk electronica was having a field day in many countries, including Mexico.

Most of the alternative types I knew were deep on all electronica genres possible. Like I’ve mentioned before, I did move on, still keeping my ear on the ground to loud stuff, see if it was decent enough.

I liked Missing, but it got on my nerves. I don’t have patience for overplayed songs, with some exceptions I’ll mention later. I thought Wrong was a lesser version of Missing and sales of Walking Wounded seemed to indicate this feeling was shared. So I did not pay heed to the rest of the album.

Then Val Kilmer’s take on The Saint came out. I loved the movie, even if I was confused by scenes shown on trailers that weren’t on the movie. The music was excellent and that OST had to be in my collection. Underworld, Duran Duran, Duncan Sheik, Sneaker pimps, Moby, Orbital. All great acts on a cool collection whose booklet…also had scenes not in the film?

Turns out there was a whole different ending, with an extended action scene and it all went to the cutting floor as it involved the fridging of Elizabeth Shue’s character. Fair enough, and I’ve seen these cut scenes on youtube and I think the snipping of her death scene should’ve sufficed and leaving the action bits. Oh well, I’m just an action junkie, I guess. A lost Val Kilmer classic.

Before today feels like a perfect closing track, and it’s weird that it opens Walking Wounded, an album I learned to appreciate. I much prefer that weird feeling of relief it brings. Imagine going through something overwhelming and finally getting a cathartic end. That feeling of uneasy calmness permeates the song. Everything is ok, but it’s the end. Pack up, let’s go.

When I went back to Sheffield in 2018, I had two things on my mind: get back some of the stuff I left there, and sort things out with a friend from Hungary. A lot of my things went missing, and although I lamented the material loss, maybe it was for the best. Regarding my Hungarian friend, well, we always had a solid relationship, the one where you can pick up a conversation where you last met, whether it was a few hours or in this case, five fucking years, and continue to talk for hours. We only had time to meet twice. One for a delicious fish stew she made, then walking as the sun set in the warm summer sun. The second time, and I knew it was going to be the last time we would talk, was a picnic at the Botanical Gardens. We walked to and from her apartment and once the door was closed, I knew we would never see each other again. As I walked down the stairs back to West Street and walk my way to Norton Lees, all I could listen to was Before today. Roll credits. See you in our memories, Gab.

-Sam J. Valdés López