I turn 30 this year. Though not so much a natural milestone, most cultures recognize 30 as the dawn of "true" adulthood. Your keys to the clubhouse have been assigned to someone else; please turn them in before adjourning to the adult's table. We are expected to give up certain things, embrace others, and all but renounce the first 29 years of our lives with the axiom "When I was a kid..."
For some of us, however, there is hope. For some of us, every day is 'When I was a kid'. Under the influence of rock-and-roll, we're all "Chuck's children", as Bob Seger famously sang, and we never lose a step. We claim romance and hyperbole as our dictum, rock-and-roll our native tongue. In adolescence, I felt more compelled to pick up a guitar rather than a game controller, so novelty became a passion. Besides my parents, the most influential force in my life has been music, shaping me not only as an artist, but as a person. So, in observance of my 30 year anniversary here on the planet, I will be tallying the 190 albums, compilations, and one-off releases that have made my rock-and-roll fantasies a reality.
For my own sake, I will be abstaining from any type of formal designation until we reach the homiest of home stretches. My dedication to "lists" has waned over time. Although my lust for life has not diminished in my 30 years, my patience really, really has. So when and if you find Pantera at a higher place on this trail of tunes than Pink Floyd, just remind yourself 'This is a lot of work for one barely-free-enough-to-even-go-to-the-doctor music nut to submit'. Exactly. And don't be too surprised, either, if some essays are...briefer than others. They're all important, believe me. It's just that Tuesdays are a little more free than, say, Monday or Wednesday. KnoWhutImean, Vern?
So, for everyone's pleasure and education, I present - the music that makes me me...
190. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel III (Melt) (1980)
When VH1 premiered its Genesis
Behind the Music, I couldn't understand why Phil Collins was so upset with Peter Gabriel's artistic choices. Then I listened to
Peter Gabriel III (Melt); then I listened to
Face Value; and then I understood Phil Collins was simply jealous of Peter Gabriel's artistic choices. Unlike Collins's bar-hall theatrics, Gabriel's voice is so clear and musical. He doesn't have to coax any sort of charm from his pipes to charm an audience; all he has to do is sing. Gabriel's smarter, too.
Recommended Listening:
Intruder,
I Don't Remember,
Biko
189. Slayer - Reign In Blood (1986)
Reign In Blood is 29 minutes long, and every one of those frenzied minutes was first enjoyed in the parking lot of a small rural church just outside of Decatur, Illinois. I'd been moved to adrenaline-fueled manias before, but I hadn't felt so incredibly fierce. Maybe I've held them in a place of love for so long because this album and I share a birthday. Regardless, Slayer fucking rules.
Recommended Listening:
Angel of Death,
Jesus Saves,
Piece By Piece,
Raining Blood
188. Sly & the Family Stone - Stand! (1969)
Stand! is protest music, born of restlessness and inciting spirit everywhere it is heard. Stone's wake up call to arms is funky, it rocks; it flies through space, and it rolls around in the dirt. This is truly undefinable, untouchable American noise. I'll admit to jumping on George Clinton's Mothership immediately after finding this gem, but the Stones will always be the First Family in my heart.
Stand.
Recommended Listening:
Stand,
Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey,
Everyday People
187. Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas (2002)
I was beginning to lose faith in contemporary rock-and-roll around 2006 until Mike Hayes gave me this CD on a snow day. He told me it would cure my cold, and he was right. McLusky were a shot of whiskey, a damn clever anecdote, and a slap in the mouth. Now every time I try to write a song with lyrics it winds up sounding like a bad McLusky song. I blame Mike.
Recommended Listening:
Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues,
Fuck This Band,
Alan Is A Cowboy Killer
No comments:
Post a Comment