Thursday, July 20, 2006

50 albums that changed music

Click on over to The Observer to see their list of 50 albums that changed music. I have a decidedly biased view of such things so the first thing I look for are the albums I know and love and, sure enough, there are many that I don't know. That might make the list suspect but I don't know enough about The Velvet Underground and Nico to say that they messed up by putting it at #1 and Sgt Pepper at #2. The only mention of U2 on the list is in #15 where Brian Eno's Discreet Music (1975) comes in and they mention the impact on U2 that it had. Do we really have to get down to #36 before we hit a Who album - and not Tommy or Who's Next but My Generation.

I should make a list of 10 albums that changed me. Here is a start (this is, of course, subject to revision and these are in no particular order):

1. Meet the Beatles - the Beatles first Capitol album in the US changed my musical life.

2. More of the Monkees - the first album that I remember getting in Stereo. I listened to it a lot.

3. Sgt Pepper / The Beatles - I think it influenced everybody that summer.

4. Blind Faith - my first Clapton album.

5. Tommy / the Who - I still hear more than a bit of Townshend in my guitar playing.

6. Allman Brothers Band Live at the Fillmore East - the duel guitars and melodic leads were the soundtrack to my freshman and sophomore years in college

7. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - taught me that progressive rock was cool.

8. War / U2 - started me on the U2 bandwagon.

9. Love Broke Thru / Phil Keaggy - introduced me to Christian Music that mattered to me.

10. Crosby, Stills and Nash - I discovered three part harmony.

3 comments:

Rev. Ronald J. Hatton said...

Not one disk here I can disagree with, Bob!

c said...

prog rock is cool ??
(kidding.)
i like the premise of your list. i wonder if i could pin down 10. maybe i'll try.

kwpershey said...

I'm really interested in hearing more Phil Keaggy. I've heard more about him than I've heard of his actual music. I recently ran across a live recording in the used Christian rock section at Amoeba music, but it featured that live guitar looping technique that I'm not too fond of. Perhaps I'll track down this one you mentioned.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.
:-)