The Clash Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus Sex Pistols - Never Mind The ******** Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles The Smiths Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy REM - Murmur Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Lol. Yer not often right but yer wrong again. I mentioned this because there was a television program about the influence these albums had on the music business. Other artists were talking about the band and the albums. I knew they were great for their time - but I didn’t realise how widespread that influence had been.
Well - if you watch the Bowie interviews he will confirm it. Plus of course Bowie later worked with Brian Eno.
Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson Argus - Wishbone Ash Camembert Electrique - Gong H to He - Van Der Graaf Generator Abbey Road - Beatles Meddle - Pink Floyd The freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan Split - The Groundhogs Who's Next - The Who Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin
Beatles - Please, Please Me Beatles - Help Beatles - Abbey Road Beatles - White Album Led Zeppelin - II Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Black Sabbath - Paranoid Shadows - Mustang Status Quo - Hello Beegees - The Beegees
As a septuagenarian :- Freewheelin' . . . . . . Bob Dylan Please Please Me . . . . The Beatles The Band . . . . . The Band Songs of Leonard Cohen Born to Run . . . . . Bruce Springsteen Ramblin' Boy . . . . . Tom Paxton Forever Changes . . . . . Love Beano Album . . . . . . John Mayall and the Blues Breakers Retrospective . . . . . . Buffalo Springfield Blonde on Blonde . . . . . Bob Dylan Sorry could only get Dylan down to two.
I'm going to take this as specific vinyl records that influenced me, rather than a 'Best of' list. It's been fun to think about. 1) Neil Young: After the Gold Rush. I read ages ago an interview with Gaz Coombes of Supergrass saying this was the archetypal great record you find in your father's record collection. And so it was for me. There is something magical about this vinyl- the gatefold silvery negative picture and the inside with Neil sprawled out in the dressing room after a show across it. I can see the orangey yellow of the record's label itself, with the tugboat of reprise records. You put it on, and it's like sunshine beamed from 1865. 2) The Moody Blues: On the Threshold of a Dream. I can't remember if this is one of my dad's, or one I bought after hearing other Moody Blues records, but this is a classic vinyl experience for me. The sleeve is stunningly weird- eyes and ears growing on a plant in an violet and ultramarine abstract painting. One of those records that evokes the mood of its cover and transports you. Some of the cod-surreal poetry of white eagles and stuff is hilarious, but its a fantastic piece of psychedelia. 3) Bowie- Ziggy Stardust... I first put this on at my uncle's house after a student night out- he lived in Oakwell but let me stay over although he worked early. I got told off a bit in the morning, but it was worth it. I can still remember creeping about, quietly dropping the needle on to the record as hearing the drums for Five Years fade up... wow. Things were not the same again! 4) Dylan- Dylan- This is nowhere near his best album- I think it was cobbled together from outtakes without his permission by his record company. But I love it as a record. It is bizarre, all tie dye acid washed sleeve, and songs that sound like they have come from the memory in a peyote hangover. I got this from the fantastic second hand record stall on Barnsley's Tuesday market in the late 90s. Anyone remember that? It was a couple of quid as noone bought records in that era. 5) Loaded- The Velvet Underground. I also got this for a fiver from the record stall! It's not the best VU album (for me, with Nico) but has a fantastic sleeve of the Paris metro and is a proper cool record to pop on, 'who loves the sun' chiming out... 6) Sebadoh- Sebadoh III. Utterly stoned, wonky record evocative of a certain time of rural passtimes before the internet... I borrowed this off a friend and never gave it back. Sorry! 7) Pavement- Watery Domestic EP. I sought this out in one of the record shops- Casa Disco? And have since sadly lost it. A perfect EP for me: fast, visceral, literate 8) Devo- Q-Are we not men? A- We are Devo. I started buying records again about five years ago. This was one of them that reminded me how great they are. You drop the needle and your blood rises... What a record. 9) Sparks-Propaganda. I bought this at a record fair in Headingley, having no idea what to expect really and only knowing 'This Town Ain't Big Enough...'. Russel's vocal acrobatics filling the living room before that melodic frenzy is unforgettable. I went and bought about 6 records more of them in the next weeks. 10) Violent Femmes- Hallowed Ground. Better known for their eponymous debut, but for me this is the better record. A great 'night' record, dropping to a hush one minute, then rising to howls and twisting, punching basslines the next. Man.
This is a great thread and I've loved the memories some of those titles listed have evoked Hard to limit it to just 10 but having a go but I am sure I've missed some David Bowie -The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - sheer class Queen - A Night at the Opera - First Queen Album I bought and got me hooked Rush - Hemispheres - not their best album thats 2112 but the first I heard and the one that got me into them Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - Along with everyone else - nothing to add Blondie - Parallel Lines - probably not a good fit but I loved this when it came out bit of a one off though I didnt get their later stuff Barclay James Harvest - Live Tapes -OK its a live compilation but its the album that got me into this group - strangely not popular in the UK but massive elsewhere. Heart - Dreamboat Annie - schoolmate of mine had a brother in Canada and he got me into this group Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road -so many classics on this album Fleetwood Mac - Rumours U2 - October - Joshua tree is a better album but this was my first U2 and its a great album too
With respect nudge. everyone to their own. Brian Ferry’s voice cut through me. I realise Rocky Music were popular. But a no from me. I’m cringing about that voice whilst writing. I would never say anyone’s crap. I may not like summat but doesn’t mean it’s crap. Bit like olives and sprouts you either love em or hate em. I’m in the second category.
Close to the edge - Yes After the gold rush - Neil Young Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky Sandy Denny - Any of her material Clifford T Ward - Escalator Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon Elton John - Madman Across the Water Bruce Hornsby - The Way it Is Dan Fogelberg - Souvenirs Wishbone Ash - Argus Not in any sort of order!
Queen - Queen U2 - The Joshua Tree Deep Purple - Made In Japan Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here Manfred Manns Earthband - Watch Curved Air - Second Album Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall Stevie Winwood - Talking Back to the Night Fleetwood Mac - Rumours