Gregg Allman "Laid Back" terrible recording, but the music, oh so good! |
Ben, I well remember buying that LP too and being astonished at how much I loved it! I played it to death then got it on CD when that came out. I used various of my favorite songs on it to put into tape compilations I made for my car. So I pretty much wore it out to death too, like you. Still think it's a great record, by the way. If I were to pick out one LP that seemed to change my life, and to which I've returned so many times in all the years that followed, it's Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. That's my Desert Island Disc, I guess, if I had to pick one and one only. |
But then, I couldn't live without Van Morrison's Astral Weeks either, so I'd have to jam two disks into one cover when I'm sent to that desert island. |
I was a young trumpet player in the late 60s early 70s. I began to play professionally at the age of 16 touring the country in a jazz/rock band of the Chicago, BS&T, Tower of Power ilk.
As a result of the most incredibly fond memories of my life from age 14-23, I can tell you that the music of the follwing bands/LPs in that era have had the most moving, sentimental and largest impact on me and still do today:
1. Tower of Power (self titled LP and Back to Oakland LPs are classics for me - I have 5 copies of each)
2. Ides of March (their main hit "Vehicle" is used right now on Chevy commercials)
3. Blood Sweat & Tears (first 5 are the best, the 1969 Grammy Award winner is a classic, with the other 4 not too far behind, including the much less heralded Child is the Father to the Man)
4. Cold Blood (First Taste of Sin)
5. Chase (best jazz/rock chops in history, Bochawa has to be one of the most powerful songs ever recorded)
6. Puzzle ("On With the Show" from their first LP)
7. Lighthouse (the One Fine Morning LP is one of my all time favorites)
8. Earth Wind & Fire (early stuff)
9. Gino Vannelli (Powerful People, Storm at Sun-up, Gist of the Gemini, Pauper in Paradise)
10. Rufus (Once You Get Started)
11. Dreams (band with Billy Cobham, Randy & Michael Brecker)
12. Ten Wheel Drive
13. Santana (Abraxas, Welcome);
14. Average White Band (early stuff - White Album, Cut the Cake) and
15. Chicago (the early stuff is also classic)
That's a few. I also like from that era, early Elton, Brian Auger, Gary Puckett, Guess Who, Mandrill, Funky Nassau, BarKays, Malo, Lee Michaels, Sugarloaf (Green Eyed Lady), Yes (Fragile), Deodato, Temptations, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye , Smokey, the Dramatics (hey, I'm from Detroit).
Wow, what a nice nostalgic ride that just was! Can't wait to get home and slap on some vinyl! |
I've got my first jazz motivation from the album of Chick Corea "Mad Hatter" 10 years ago.
Recently German progressive/krautrock had become a part of my life. There is NO listening session without Roedelius or CAN period. |
Ben; nothing to compare to your story, but music didn't mean much to me until Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rick Nelson, The Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins and many others invented ROCK and ROLL (of course it grew out of Blues). There weren't many women Rock performers in those days, but a year or so later, Wanda Jackson's "Let's Have A party" was fantastic.
I was 13 years old in 1956; raging hormone storm going on too, and saw Elvis perform on the Ed Sullivan TV show--waist up only of course-- he was great. And my two year older sister pretty much wore out a 45 record by Gene Vincent-- "Be Bop A Lula", on our parents Zenith portable record player (it had tubes:)--and I helped. I KNEW I had to have a guitar-- specifically electric, as a result of all this. Well, many guitars later I still love early R&R music and its progeny;>) I play my stereo system much better than I ever played guitar though-- but still, a life-long love affair with R&R. Cheers. Craig. |
Good thread, Ben. I think one of the LP's that changed my life musically was, East West by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Prior to its release in the mid-60's, I was listening to all the top 10 music on the radio, most of which was known as the "British Invasion" and some great Motown tunes. East West introduced me to the blues. Actually, I was hanging out in Greenwich Village and attended the Battle of the Bands concerts in Thompson Square Park. The Blues Project (Al Kooper's original band) vs. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Mark Naftalin, etc.) After that I was hooked on the blues. Then came the John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat (Hooker-n-Heat) concert at Carnegie Hall. It was the first "rock" concert at Carnegie Hall. I became hooked on boogie woogie. Then there was the Earth Day Festival at UC Davis in the late 70's and Bob Marley and the Wailers played. My life has never been the same! Multiple addictions! |
Ben-this is a hard one and I may change my mind but Chicago VI comes to mind right away. I'll never forget seeing Brian Auger at Ohio State spring of 74'. I was walking in the mall when I heard one song from "Born to Run", had no idea who the band was but 3 minutes later the guy in the record store knew...end of story. |
I LOVED THE CALIFORNIA SOUND: JAN & DEAN, TURTLES ETC AS A YOUNG MAN IN THE 60'S' BUT THE BEACH BOYS SHAPED MY LIFE AND MOVED ME THE MOST; SUMMER CONCERTS ON THE BEACH OR A MARCH CONCERT TO GET ME LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WARM SUNNY SUMMER WEATHER WITH BEAUTIFUL GIRLS IN BAKINI SUITS!!
I MET DENNIS WILSON IN NY ABOUT 1977. I SAW CARL WILSON GIVE HIS HEART TO HIS MUSIC EVEN WHEN HE KNEW HE WAS SOON GOING TO DIE. CARL WILSON WAS MY MOST FAVORITE MUSIC PERFORMER OF ALL TIMES- I SAW HIM OVER 100 TIMES IN CONCERT.
DUE TO THE HEARTBREAK OF LOOSING CARL, I GRAVITATE TO ALL FORMS OF JAZZ TO SOOTH MY SOUL; OLD MAC TUBE TUNERS AND VAC AMPS ETC, I LIVE FOR THE MUSICAL PERSWASIONS OF BLACK ARTISTS: THE SOOTHING SOUND OF THE FLAMINGO'S, THE SOULFUL SOUNDS OF CURTIS MAYFIELD AND THE IMPRESSIONS, TO NATALY COLE; AND FINALLY GRADUATING TO CLASSICAL MUSIC.
I DO LOVE MUSIC AND NOW HAVE ELIVATED MY SOUNDS SYSTEMS TO ACCOMODATE MY LISTENING TOLERANCE.
THANKS FOR AUDIOGON AND THE GREAT PEOPLE I HAVE DONE BUSINESS WITH HERE ON AUDIOGON, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN AND CONFIDENTLY PURCHASE WONDERFUL EQUIPMENT BEYOND MY DREAMS. THANKS TO THE AUDIOPHYLES IN AUDIOGON, I HAVE INFINITELY EXPANDED MY MUSIC APPRECIATION.
GEORGE MARTIN JR |
i remember buying my first copy of "the beatles" (the white album), the day it hit the shelves in iowa city, iowa. i had all the prior beatles lp's in my collection that then totalled around 150. i was mesmerized the first time i played the white album (clean and sober). i kept listening to that tired old copy for years until is was pilfered by my older son, dylan, for his collection. i still return to this double album, particularly when i'm auditioning analog "super systems" (read, $75k+ MSRP). i now have at least 7 different pressings of "the beatles" on vinyl and 4 on cd. the one in the mfsl "beatles box" is the most treasured. the box is in my will, going to dylan. -cfb |
I would have to agree with cornfedboy that the Beatles dominated my listening particuraly Rubber Soul and Sgt.Peppers.Another album that I still listen to constantly is Dave Mason's Alone Together.And of course Fleetwood Macs Rumours.I still have 2 copies of Mason;s the tie dyed album.The Vinyl is still better than the MOFI cd.Some other greats.Iron Butterfly,Ten Years After,Humble Pie,The Who,Led Zeppelin,Sly and the family Stone,Steve Miller,Young Rascals,Simon and Garfunkel,Traffic,Police and so on.This is when it was music,with real musicians. What is out today is just crap. |
My post should read:
MUSIC THAT SERVED AS MARKERS IN MY LIFE.
I hear certain songs and they BELONG to a specific moment. Listed in somewhat the order they occurred at a moment in my life that I cannot forget.
"Jailhouse Rock," Elvis
"Like a Rolling Stone," Bob Dylan
"Baby What You Want Me to Do," Jimmy Reed
"Take Five," Dave Brubeck
"I Want To Hold Your Hand," The Beatles
"Crystal Ship," The Doors
"Magic Carpet Ride," Steppinwolf
"Chelsea Morning," Joni Mitchell
"Here There and Everywhere," The Beatles
"Blue," Joni Mitchell
'Another Brick In The Wall," Pink Floyd
"Don't Get Me Wrong," The Pretenders
"Heart of Glass," Blondie
"Oh Superman," Laurie Anderson
"Siesta," Miles Davis
"The Sensual World," Kate Bush
Some are good memories, some bittersweet. |
grateful dead...they were absolutely dedicated to getting the best sound possible at their shows..they succeeded most of the time
the live recordings I made with vintage microphones (tubes, of course) sound spectacular on the tube gear we are using currently |
My older sisters were constantly listening to music when I was a kid in the early 60's - I didn't pay much attention until I Get Around by the Beach Boys dropped from the 45 spindle (stacked of course with many others) - It sent me searching and my first two Lp 's were Meet the Beatles and Dino, Desi and Billy 's I'm A Fool . It had a lot of great covers by the Stones and Dylan. I haven't stopped since - played in many bands and always still searching for the sounds and now through the years the means to reproduce them. It is still exciting to me and those two LP's that started it all still get played for they keep me focused on when it was fun and I didn't care about the record needle - just the songs coming from it and the 4 inch full range cone attached to the phonograph. Fmpnd - I think I was in a similar band as you were . |
John Wesley Harding...Bob Dylan's traditional folk release is an album that I play over and over...it only gets better each time.
The line "...and if you see your neighbour carrying something, HELP HIM WITH HIS LOAD..." taught me to do just that whenever I could.
'Changed my life, Dylan did, as he did the lives of many of us. |
Roxy Music "For your Pleasure". First heard it as a 15 y/o and it hit me like a Tyson left hook. Shortly thereafter Peter Gabriel's first solo album and Born to Run came out and defined my early college years. I was fortunate enough see all three live on more than one occasion, Gabriel coming out of the balcony singing the opening number, sitting 6 seats down from me, Ferry in his boots and German regalia and Bruce finishing up a 3+ hour show standing on the piano jamming. Heady stuff for a 17-18 Y/O. More than a decade later, the Waterboys "Fisherman's Blues" carried me through a rather dark period and still evokes memories of a pivotal time of my life. |
Some others to add, Van Morrison "Moondance", Beatles "Abbey Road",Carroll King "Tapestry", Joni Mitchell "Court and Spark", James Taylor "Sweet Baby James" , Little Feat "Last record album", Linda Ronstadt "Heart like a wheel", Steely Dan "can't buy a thrill", David Gilmore "David Gilmore", and Billy Joel "The Stranger", Elton John "Madman across the water" and "Tumbleweed Connection", New Riders of the Purple Sage "Adventures in Panama Red" There's plenty others as I think of them i'll post. |
My kid came home with the last Britney Spears album and let me tell ya...it changed my life. I don't have to say which way.
I remain, |
Clueless, did it change your life because there is a good photograph of Britney around for you to stare at? |
When I was twelve I made $10 shoveling snow. I went straight to the record store and bought two albums. Abby Road and Best of Cream (the one with the eggplant). That day my favorite pastime went from playing with Hot Wheels to listening to rock music. It was December and I had to make some serious changes to my Christmas wish list. |
Damn Albert, the Secrets out! The videos are even better!
Sincerely, I remain |
I remember being on vacation with my parents one summer...
We were passing through some god-forsaken town in Missouri
where I happened into a record store and heard the double live album playing of Steppenwolf. "Born to be wild" rang through my head and my parents’ house all that summer and into the fall...I was never the same. Of course from there it was much the same as Albertporter...a heady melange of beautiful and unforgettable music from our turbulent times
done by the true artists and poets of our era. I wish I still had that Steppenwolf record. |
Well Clueless, it sounds like a win win situation. The kid gets to listen to the charms of Britany's "distinctive" style while you get the opportunity to check out the distinctive charms that produce that style.
I am a firm believer in building bridges between generations and it seems you two are well on your way, congratulations! |
Tubegroover, those bridges you suggest building........are those to cross mountains or valley's? |
clueless;
Turn the table on the kids. Drag out David Bowies' Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes or Ziggy Stardust when they are around. The youngsters staring at the old man and wondering what else I haven't told them. The Fish Cheer and Fix'n to Die Rag by Country Joe Macdonald works well also. It is great fun!
Dave |
