16 Most Influential Albums

I just did this on Facebook - it's one of those chain survey things you pass around - and thought it would make a good blog post. :)

This is an intimidating one!!!! Almost impossible!

Think of 16 albums, CDs, LPs (if you're over 35) that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dug into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wasu, literally socked you in the gut, is what I mean. Then when you finish, tag 16 others, including moi. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!

... in no particular order:

Heather's 16 Albums

Some of these are cheesy and silly but they are honest answers. Albums that changed me. Not necessarily Top 16 of all time. Some I haven't listened to in years! It was hard not to put down what you *should* have been influenced by (some cool punk or jazz of some such crap) and what you were *really* influenced by. :)

1 - International Pop Overthrow - Material Issue
They will always be my favorite band of all time. My father gave me a sampler they gave out with Guitar Magazine and I was instantly in love. I will always miss this band.

2 - Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
After a summer of my cousins Jennifer and Starr, and my friend Lori, playing it over and over I found an obsession to last me a lifetime.

3 - Labyrinth Soundtrack - David Bowie
I went to see Labyrinth in the movie theater, not truly aware of who David Bowie was, fully aware that I loved the Muppets and all things Henson. When Bowie appeared as Jareth my jaw was on the floor, Who is THAT? As a Bowie fan I could have put down Hunky Dory or something. But if I'm being honest, "Underground" and "As The World Falls Down" influenced me way more than "Queen Bitch" or "Life On Mars".

4 - Janis (Soundtrack) - Janis Joplin
If I was cool I'd write "Pearl" or something. But, as is the case with most of my music, my Dad introduced me to Janis Joplin by renting "Janis" from Videobusters, the documentary film about her that was released shortly after her death. I played the soundtrack non-stop and eventually collected everything she ever recorded.

5 - Help - The Beatles
Continuing with the same theme - now as I write this maybe my Dad had a campaign to make sure I knew good music - my Dad rented Help! I liked the Beatles but after seeing them in this crazy spy-hemed comedy/musical movie I loved them. As you should!

6 - Aspects of Love - Original London Cast Recording
I had seen other shows before Aspects but this was the one that gave me my love of theater, particularly musicals. I mailed away for the libretto and sang along to every word.

These two came after...
7 - Rent - Original Broadway Cast Recording
The first time I played this I hadn't seen the show. I was working at Grass Records as an intern and an advance copy came in the mail. I put it on and was instantly teased so I shut it off. But I took it home and bought a ticket shortly after. I stopped counting how many times I'd seen Rent after 25.

8 - Les Miz - Original Broadway Cast Recording
This was a high school thing. (Mike Johnson? Jessie?) We played it non-stop, acted it out, what dorks we were! But I am still in love with this show. Hello! Terrence Mann as Javert? Friggin amazing.

9 - Exile In Guyville - Liz Phair
OK so this may be a "cool" answer. Something that someone was a teenage girl in the 90s should list but it's true. SHe sang about stuff I didn't exactly "get" yet but thought I did or pretended I did. And she didn't have a particularly good voice but I loved it anyway, maybe because she sounded just like a normal person.

10 - She's So Unusual - Cyndi Lauper
I was 7 when this album came out. Who was cooler than Cyndi Lauper? A girl from Queens who had half her head shaved the rest sticking out in crazy colors? Singing her ass off? I wanted to be her. I passed around a poll in elementary school that said "Who's Better Cyndi or Madonna?" And you had to write your name under either Cyndi or Madonna column to cast your vote. When Madonna started to pick up votes I ended the poll and wrote my name under Cyndi. She beat Madonna by my one vote.

11 - Hey Babe - Juliana Hatfield
There are a few people on this list that know how nutty about Juliana Hatfield I was (Gaspar, Rey, Domenique, Daryl." One of the people on this list called her Basketball Head! I won't say who.) She was the whole reason I ever interned at Mammoth - which in turn changed my life.

Two vinyl records that I first remember owning that I played on my Fisher Price record player until my parents' ears bled:
12 - The Muppet Show - original soundtrack to the TV show
13 - Sesame Street Gold

14 - War - U2
My father loves u2. He went to see them on this tour. I was too little to go. He called me from a pay phone inbetween the show and the encore to tell me about it. They are still one of my favorite bands.

15 - The Monkees - The Monkees
Those who know me from childhood know that the Monkees were an early obsession of mine. They made a comeback in 1986 - their 20th anniversary. WOR Channel 9 started rerunning the entire series that summer. My parents taped every single episode for me on our brand new VCR. I went to see them in concert like a million times. I met all four of them (even Mike Nesmith who wouldn't tour with them and had become a country music guy and TV producer.) Whenever I got grounded the first thing my parents took away was my Monkees stuff because I loved them so much. Still do. :)

16 - Another Love Song - The Frames
This was their first record. And definitely not their best when you compare them to the brilliant band they have become. I am one of the few who got into them because Glen Hansard was in The Commitments and I collected every project from every cast member. The Frames is probably my favorite band that is still active and making music. They make music that punches me in the gut with their awesomeness every time.