A recent series of FaceBook posts amongst friends put forth the challenge to "...choose 10 albums that influenced my musical life. No explanation, no recommendations, no particular order, just the album cover. One album per day in 10 consecutive days and nominating one person per day to do the same." I watched this playing out as several friends met the challenge head on, posted covers from releases that I fist-pumped at the sight of or facepalmed when I realized I'd forgotten about one or more of those wonderful recordings that are truly milestones and masterpieces. As it played out, I commented or liked a few and eventually, I was nominated to share my own set of 10. I had already been giving some though to the idea, mentally sifting through what influenced me. Once nominated, I jotted down a list of titles, strategically paired each with a nominee based on my association of that record with that person, Then eagerly broke from my self-imposed exile and posted on FaceBook again.I made it through 2 posts, and stalled. And it's not because I care to maintain the 'exile'. I stalled for a few reasons including work demands, juggling focus with kids and getting distracted by too many other tasks vying for my attention. But mainly, admittedly, I paused because I simply could not limited the list to 10, I could not come up with 10 nominees, and I wrestled with what "influence" means.
I realized this was a blog post, not a FaceBook post. This is something I've been wanting to do for some time. I already have a master list of songs and an unfinished blogpost titled "My Life In Music", wherein I take the key critical songs that would be the soundtrack I'd overlay the moments that might flash before my eyes upon my demise. Music has been such a force in my life. I assume it's the same for everybody, to a greater or lesser degree, and I always enjoy hearing the stories a song triggers for a friend or a loved one of a moment or time in their life.
This is not that post, though. This is about "Influence".
For me, the idea of records that influenced my musical life isn't about how "Radar Love" transports me every time to pulling weeds in the backyard of my parents house with KFRC playing on a single speaker D-cell powered AM radio. Or how the first few notes of Roxy Music's "Avalon" bring back the blood rushing memories of a specific girlfriend and how, by the time the CD reached the final song we'd be in each others arms. I take the concept of influencing my musical life to mean that it took me someplace new. It turned left instead of going straight. It introduce me to something I'd not been exposed to before. It was a sensory paradigm shift, it broaden my horizons, opened my mind and lead me to numerous other variations of music I'd not have come across had I not first heard that specific collection of songs.
It's not possible to narrow these influences to just 10. No way. I won't do it. I tried to. If I did, I'd leave so many equally worthy references on the sidelines that have had just as much influence as the others.
So, I narrowed it down to 30.
Each of these are 100% game changers in my life. They are my 'gateway' drug for various genres. They were my root sources and introductions to a wide range of artists and styles. They instilled a passion in me for the art of production, the meticulous consideration that goes into a composition, the magic that comes from laying and balancing all of the instruments, vocals and even sound effects into a final piece of art. Through many of these I came to appreciate the poetry of lyrics and it sparked a desire to understand the personal thoughts and experiences going Into the words being sung. I am in awe at range of vocals, the skill of musicianship, and the opportunity to hear a range of compositions that shook up the mix enough to keep me on my toes, intrigued, enticed and motivated to seek out other new sounds.