When I was growing up, I lived in a neighborhood with only a handful of kids my age, & because I didn't go to their school & we lived in the "creepy house(we were the people who never cut our lawn, making the house almost completely obscured from the street)", I was bullied a lot by the kids who normally would have been my friends. Instead, I found myself tagging along with kids who were easily 5-8 years older than I was. I was seven years old, & I got to hang out with the high school kids. They kept me out of trouble, & they got me into their music. Sure, I had my first beer way before a lot of people, but they meant well, I guess. They would make me tapes that I would play on my little white & teal cassette player. I'll always be grateful to them for it.
1. Pearl Jam- Ten: The band that started it all for me. My best friend(as best as a 7 year old & a 14 year old could be), Heather, had gotten a new copy of this album for her birthday right after I met her. I remember long days that summer, where we'd sit out in the pool & listen to this & Suicidal Tendencies' self titled album blasted from the stereo in her room that she faced out the window, while the three labradors next door would bark because it was so loud. I still love this band & I always will. They're not metal & I don't care. I have one of their logos tattooed on the back of my neck & I'm proud. They're the reason why I'm so madly in love with music.
2. Guns N' Roses- Appetite For Destruction: I heard "Rocket Queen" at a 4th of July barbecue at someone's house. Still the best song ever. Still the best album ever. In the universe. Ever.
3.Suicidal Tendencies- Suicidal Tendencies: See above
4.Soundgarden- Superunknown: Played ad nauseam by this kid, Dan who lived down the block. "The Day I Tried To Live" got in my head & stuck there. This was one of the first tapes I bought for myself...And then I played it ad nauseam.
5.Black Sabbath- Paranoid: Heather's parents had her when they were pretty young. I think they were 20, or so, then. Meaning they were in their early 30's when I was hanging around. This is where a lot of the metal(albeit, glam, for the most part) crept in. He dad was a trapper, for fun, & he'd always sit in the yard by his pigeon coup & clean his pelts with a little radio. I vividly remember him listening to Iron Man ALLLLLLL THE TIME & thinking that it just sounded like the coolest song in the whole world.
6.Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet: I'm from New Jersey. I have no better excuse.
7. Motley Crue- Shout At the Devil: There was an older kid(who was like 17 at the time), who's name escapes me, who Heather was over the moon for. He lived two houses down from Heather & had his own car(it as a pile of shit) with a CD PLAYER IN IT OMGHOWCOOLISTHAT?!?!?!! that he got after working the summer at some shitty place on the boardwalk. He used to have this blasting all the time while he was fucking around with crap under the hood. We used to go over there, sit on his steps (while he probably ignored us, lol),
& listen to this over & over & over again.
8.Megadeth- Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?: My first real boyfriend's favorite band ever. He definitely influenced me. After we broke up, I went out & bought this album, to really sit down & listen to it, so I could see what all the fuss was about. Well, I got hooked.
9.Bad Brains- Rock For Light: I got really into hardcore & punk before I got into metal. I feel it was a really natural progression. This album is amazing.
10.Van Halen-1984/The Clash- London Calling: I don't feel either of these really need any explanation. Those songs all get in your head & stick there.
OW, MY CHILDHOOD
) So, what music really blew me or you away? What music was special because it was/is connected to some incredible time or moment in your life? Music that made you want to know everything about that music/the people who made it/where it came from? Music that made you switch gears completely? My list included Yes (Close to the Edge), Sex Pistols (Never Mind the Bollocks), Front 242 (Front by Front) and Opeth (Ghost Reveries - not my fave of theirs btw way, but first I heard) - extremely different, yet all fit that bill to be sure.
