I'll play!
CURRENT AGE: 38.
5 - Joan Jett,
I Love Rock & Roll
My parents were musicians in a former life. They used to write songs with two of their friends and try and get some scratch from them. One of the songs they wrote was a song called "I Ain't Gonna Take It." Somehow it made its way to Joan Jett, and there were meetings about her using the song. In the end, my parents walked away from the deal because they had to sign over all publishing.
Still, Joan was a fixture around my parents turntable... and Kiss, and the Beatles, and Donovan, and Cream, and Nazz... so much damn music.
10 - Nirvana,
Nevermind
I initially hated Nirvana. My dad, on the other hand, LOVED them and picked this album up for me.
Clearly transformative the older I got... but my heart today still lies with Incesticide.
15 - Ani Difranco,
Dilate TIE: Jeff Buckley,
Grace
There was sooooooooo much music that entered my world in the five years, but these two albums stand out. I wanted to sing like Jeff Buckley. And I wanted to beat my guitar within an inch of its life like Ani.
I was listening to Jeff Buckley when I found out he died, two months after I turned 16. Ani's music really helped me through that.
20 - Thursday,
Full Collapse
This is one of those albums where you had to be there when it was happening. It was breathtaking to hear someone shouting at me in one breath and crying the next breath and in between trying to keep it together. I saw them at least 15 times between September '01 and spring '03. It never got old. And, to this day, when I hear it, it feels new.
25 - Robert Pollard,
Not In My Airforce
I loved Guided By Voices for years, but I came to this album INCREDIBLY late. It was soooooooo out of print when I found it, I felt honored to hold a second hand copy in my hands.
And there was a good 6 months where I held other albums up to it as a standard of quality versus not caring versus the balance. I still pull it out a few times a year for inspiration and to relive times that at the time seemed desperate and temporary and now seem distant but incredibly beautiful.
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com
30 - The Stepkids,
The Stepkids
I knew these guys for a while. In high school, I was in all-state jazz band with the bass player. I went to college with the drummer (who mastered my forthcoming album). And the guitar player... nice guy I had run into a few times, heard rumors about that all turned out to be true (he toured with Alicia Keys, Cristina Aguilera, etc.).
Then these three came together and made a fantastic album.
With an even better live show.
I saw them at least 30 times, not because I knew them (which helped), but every show was different and that difference depended on how the songs expanded.
They splintered after their second album.
The guitar player currently works with a ton of people, even won a Grammy for work with J Cole.
The bass player recently celebrated a high-profile release with Anderson. Paak.
The drummer is currently an in-demand live performer around these parts, a studio wizard, and someone I am proud to call a friend... who now has a great electronic project with his partner under the name The Telle.
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com
35 - Solange,
A Seat At The Table
...I'm sorry, say that again? Solange has a sister?
After listening to this album, I don't give a shit who her sister is.
THIS. ALL. DAY.
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com