15 Albums

If you are on Facebook you already know about this. If you're not on Facebook, what are you waiting for? People write "notes" on their Facebook pages which are really like blogs. The idea is that I write a note about a certain topic and send it to you, and then you write a note about the same topic. It is actually a really cool way to get to know people. The most popular one going around is "25 Random Things About Me". I didn't write one of those because I couldn't think of 25 things that would even be remotely interesting. However, there is a new note going around that I did respond to. I have posted it below. Warning: This is another music related topic. I apologize to those regular readers who aren't into music that much, but I spent time writing this for Facebook, and I didn't want it to go to waste by not also posting it here. Those of you who love music, please respond with your own choices.

Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, and emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag 15 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!

O.K. before you read my list here are some basics you need to know. 15 albums is not enough, but I have only listed 15 to comply with the rules, even though I don't even know who made up these rules. I have tried to go in some type of chronological order, but I've only included albums from about age 10 through age 20 (once again 15 is not enough). Finally, I only included one album per artist, if not there would have been way too much Journey and Springsteen on the list. Well, here goes:

1. Endless Summer - The Beach Boys
My parents got me this for my birthday when I turned 9 or 10 along with a very 70's looking cassete tape player with multi-colored buttons that I thought was awesome. I could sing lead and back-up on just about every song I listened to it so much.

2. Out of the Blue - E.L.O.
A double album that included "Sweet Talking Woman". I was alone among my friends in my love for E.L.O. In fact, most of them had never heard of them until Xanadu came out a couple of years later. They didn't know what they were missing.

3. Escape - Journey
A Christmas present that was well worth whatever Santa had to pay for it. I still remember me and Jeff Caldwell singing all these songs at school. Amazing hits, but also cool songs that never were played on the radio like, "Stone in Love", "Lay it Down", and "Keep on Running".

4. Beatles Red / Beatles Blue - The Beatles
I've already broken the rules by listing these two as one. All the greatest hits of the Beatles on eight sides of vinyl. Later I ended up collecting almost all of their albums, but this was my introduction to John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

5. Soldiers Under Command - Stryper
Hearing this album was when I discovered that not all Christian music had to be hymns. Seeing them at the old Township Auditorium my senior year was a bonus. I went to stand in line as school let out, of course my buddy Jamie Parler got out of school early to get even better seats.

6. Scarecrow - John Cougar Mellencamp
"Minutes to Memories", "Rain on the Scarecrow", "Justice and Independance" not to mention all the big hits. American music, plain and simple. If you don't like something off of this album you might be a communist.

7. Live 75-85 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
I already had "Born in the USA" but I really fell in love with Springsteen'e music listening to these tapes in my car during my senior year. I had never heard "Thunder Road" before, and I can remember hearing it for the first time and feeling like there was someone out there who understood how I felt.

8. Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin
All my friends from school (Greg Leslie, Billy Lide, etc.) had been telling me I needed to add some Zeppelin to my collection, so bought this tape from Record Bar (the Nice Price) at Dutch Square and popped it into the old Clarion tape deck on the way home. I've never listened to hard rock the same way since.

9. Chronicle - Credence Clearwater Revival
All their greatest hits. Some that took over my life for awhile were, "Fortunate Son", "Travelin' Band", "Someday Never Comes".

10. Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man - Guadalcanal Diary
When I first heard this album I didn't know anything about the Athens music community, and I thought R.E.M. was just for the "slingheads" at my school, but I knew I loved what I heard. This introduced me into a whole new realm of music that I previously dismissed.

11. Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine - The Doors
A compilation of some hits along with some lesser known gems. "Five to One", "L.A. Woman", "Peace Frog" are a few that I couldn't quit listening to. Thanks again to Billy Lide.

12. Nervous Night - The Hooters
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I still think these guys never got the credit they deserved for making some fun music back in the 80's. "And we Danced", All You Zombies", "Blood From a Stone", that's good stuff, not to mention that they co-wrote one of the greatest songs of the 80's "Time After Time" with Cyndi Lauper.

13. Electric - The Cult
Rence Gunnels turned me on to this album. Simple three chord rock that shouldn't be over analyzed. So what if the sound is a knock-off of AC/DC? It's still awesome to crank up as you ride down the interstate.

14. In Step - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble
My first introduction to real blues guitar. Sadly, shortly after I got this album he was gone.

15. Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty
Sherry and I were dating in college, and I played this in my car all the time. "Free Fallin'", "Yer so Bad", and the Birds cover "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" are stand outs. Don't forget the greatest song ever for cruising down the interstate, "Runnin' Down a Dream"

I could do a whole list of honorable mentions, but I won't due to the fact that there are too many to write down. I'll probably look at this list next week and wish I had included something else, but this is the list. Hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to reading yours.