15 ALBUMS - THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS

There is a "note" circulating on Facebook that reads:

"Think of 15 albums, CDs, LPs that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life."

I normally don't participate in such things, but found this particular "note" to be an interesting look back at the music that helped "create" the "person" that I am today.

These middle seven of the fifteen are all from my three years of high school, some of the most important music years of my life...

Declaration
by The Alarm
1984

If Adam Ant's Friend or Foe was the gateway into a new world of music that was distinct from that of my parents and other adults, then The Alarm's Declaration was exactly what it's title claims. This was music for me to share with my peers. This was music to be listened to loudly. This music was anthemic. It felt working class and revolutionary and prophetic. It was about young men taking a stand, literally and lyrically. It was about going out in a "Blaze of Glory" that didn't sound like anything I had ever heard before. And it did it without being framed within the hardcore music scene (which was also important to the development of my musical self). This was guitar and bass and drums and harmonica and keyboards and vocals. It was hard rock folk.

Red Sails in the Sunset
by Midnight Oil
1984

Growing up in an age of perceived nuclear threat, especially considering I lived near numerous military bases, made this my protest album. Midnight Oil were pop music and politics, without either sounding forced. In addition to the traditional rock instruments, dijeridu and brass and strings were employed. And no one could wail quite like Peter Garrett. This was music which was geographically knowledgeable, political, thoughtful, literate, liberal, local (Australia), and unapologetic about it all. This was thinking man's rock, and I was grateful for their willingness to challenge the (nuclear) powers-that-be.

The Method to Our Madness
by The Lords of the New Church
1984

The Lords of the New Church were like neither The Alarm nor Midnight Oil in lyrical content, although they were musically similar to both. What set this apart was that it was dripping with sex and death, all delivered by the snotty lead vocals of bad boy Stiv Bator. I didn't quite know what to do with this album. It felt rebellious and "dangerous" in the way that the Gene Simmons solo album had. I felt like I shouldn't be listening to it and yet I felt compelled to listen to it. It was by turns melodic and brash, sexy and grotesque, profane and humorous. If there was ever a vinyl album that I almost destroyed by playing it too much, then this was it.

No Remorse
by Motörhead
1984

Plain and simple, Motörhead kicked ass. This double vinyl LP collected the best of Motörhead to date and then some. It was loud, loud, loud heavy metal. It rocked. It was better than 95% of the hard rock and heavy metal that was being played on local radio stations. It was better than most of the heavy metal that any of the headbangers at school were listening to. Enough said.

Bad Music for Bad People
by The Cramps
1984

I never got The Cramps. I bought this album because a bunch of my friends told me I just had to have it. Plus, it had the cool pseudo-skeletal fellow that adorned its piss yellow album cover. When I put it on my record player, however, psychobilly emanated from my speakers. I listened to the entire album once and placed it back into its sleeve. The next day, I took it back to Bill at Northwest Records and asked if I could return it. Bill owned Northwest Records, which at this time was the local place to buy music, especially if it came in the metal, punk, or hardcore varieties. He asked me if I had opened it. I told him that I had. He said that I absolutely couldn't return it then because I could have taped it. I assured him that I did not because I couldn't stand it. He looked me straight in the eyes and asked me why. I told him that I didn't get it. It wasn't my thing. He told me that he would never do this for me again, but that I could go ahead and exchange it. He added it to his collection of albums he played in the store. I exchanged it and bought another album as well. So Bad Music for Bad People ends up on my list of life-changing albums because it made me realize that I didn't have to like a particular album or band and I didn't have to have a reason or justify why. It also made me realize that there were people who understood that and loved music as much (or more) than I did. Bill of Northwest Records was one of those people.

New Day Rising
by Hüsker Dü
1985

Along with Wire and Devo, Hüsker Dü is one of my top three all-time favorite bands. I grew up with them. Their music began as hardcore punk and slowly became more pop-oriented with each successive album. The growth felt natural. New Day Rising is one of the middle studio longplayer albums (number three of six). Therefore, it strikes the perfect balance between its hardcore roots and its pop-punk future. It also strikes the perfect balance between its two primary songwriters—Bob Mould and Grant Hart. The tension inherent in Hüsker Dü—musically, lyrically, amongst band personnel—is just enough and not too much. It also includes one of my all-time favorite songs: "Celebrated Summer."

Loose Nut
by Black Flag
1985

I am a big fan of the band line up of Black Flag on Loose Nut—Henry Rollins on vocals, Greg Ginn on guitar, Kira Roessler on bass, and Bill Stevenson on drums. As far as I am concerned, this is classic Black Flag. By this point, the band is nearing the end of its run and knows how to pummel its listeners. This was music to skate to. This was music to blast out of the back of the Volkswagen Squareback. This was music to eat Crazy Eric's tacos to when I was supposed to be at school for my sixth period "Advanced Problems in Science" research class. It was loud and repetitive and slightly crazy. It was wonderful.

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15 ALBUMS - THE EARLY YEARS

15 ALBUMS - THE LATER YEARS