Over in the land of Facebook, the latest trend is to post your very own “25 Random Things About Me” list. If I can ever *think* of 25 interesting things about me, I might actually get around to it. In the meantime, I’m seeing a new type of list spring up: “My Top 15 Records”. Listing records is easy. Limiting them to 15? Not so much.
Note: This list is no surprise to anyone who knows me very well, and comments are more than welcome:
1) Rick Derringer – “If I Weren’t So Romantic, I’d Shoot You”
Purchased around the time I discovered liner notes. The title track was a cowrite between Derringer, Bernie Taupin, and Alice Cooper (when I really only had a vague idea who they were). Also included a cover of “Lawyers, Guns, and Money”, a great song by some guy named Warren Zevon.
2) and 3) The Ramones – “Rocket to Russia” and “Road to Ruin”
They never made a dent in my hometown, but I knew I’d stumbled onto something special when I first heard “Rockaway Beach” and “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do”. I have everything they ever recorded, but these two (their 3rd and 4th albums) are the two that I always go back to. Also taught me the effectiveness of a short song.
4) The Cars – “The Cars”
Quirky songs and “sonically” (is that word?) a perfect listen. I still tend to listen to this album in one sitting, from start to finish.
5) ACDC – “Highway to Hell”
High school standard issue. Saw them twice on this tour (once at a “Day on the Green” at the Oakland Colosseum and then at the Santa Cruz Civic) in what would be lead singer Bon Scott’s last.
6) The Kinks – “Low Budget”
Low Budget was my big epiphany album. Story songs. Became a huge Ray Davies fan, and it made me forever take serious notice of who was the songwriter behind anything I liked.
7) The Clash – “The Clash (U.S. release)”
Fifteen songs on one record. When does that happen anymore?
8) and 9) Queen – “A Night At the Opera” and “A Day At the Races”
Queen wasn’t socially acceptable until “Another One Bites the Dust” (off “The Game) became a huge hit, but my buddy Bob and I were hip to them several records earlier. Two great albums full of great songs. Made me learn to first look for the Brian May song on any Queen record. (Someday, I must record his story song, ’39.)
10) J. Geils Band – “Blow Your Face Out (Live)”
Still my favorite live album
11) Neil Young – “Freedom”
I was a late bloomer to Neil. Saw him on this tour and then worked backward through his catalog. It made me want to play the guitar.
12) Social Distortion – “Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell”
They opened for Neil. When I heard their cover of “Ring of Fire”, I was hooked. Was also pleased to see the Ramones’ influence on what was really (at its heart) a country band.
13) Warren Zevon – “A Quiet Normal Life: The Best of Warren Zevon”
A “best of…” on this list might be cheating, but many of my Zevon favorites are on this. Includes “Accidentally Like a Martyr”, which contains one of my favorite lines (“…and if California slides into the ocean, like the mystics and statistics say it will / I predict this motel will be standing / until I pay my bill…”).
14) Robert Earl Keen – “A Bigger Piece of Sky”
KPIG radio took hold in my hometown, I “discovered” Americana music, and learned that country wasn’t just syrupy stuff my parents played. “Jesse With the Long Hair Hanging Down” is the tightest story song I’ve ever heard. Keen made me want to write.
15) Slaid Cleaves – “Broke Down”
I was working on my first songs when this came out. This record pushed me over the edge (in a good way).
16+) Anything by Buddy and Julie Miller
Hard to limit this list to fifteen records, especially at this point. Julie’s “Blue Pony” and “Julie Miller” and Buddy’s “Cruel Moon” and “Universal United House of Prayer” (to name just a handful) are great lessons in songwriting and arranging, besides just being crammed full of great inspiration.