Lazy8 wrote:
So this one's personal.
I started with childhood, or rather prenatal. these are roughly in chronological order of my discovering them. As you can see my parents had an outsized influence on my early tastesâthey were folkies. The first cover picture shows my dad with Hedy West at a house party around 1959.
I soon got immersed in the popular music of my youth but most of it didn't stick. I had pretty strong tastes from early on. When I grew up and got a job and finally had money to spend my wife and I would indulge in monthly record binges to catch up on the music we couldn't afford earlier. While there are some cringy top-of-the-charts selections in my collection mostly it reflects what I still listen to.
I became an influence on my kids in turn, and we still share a lot of music. There are a few bands I don't get (Nickleback? Really?) but our tastes are still remarkably similar.
And lastly there's my grandson's playlist. He is a very enthusiastic music fan (also with strong tastes) and his daddy shared his playlist with me. I cut it down from well north of 100 entries to make this. It's mystifying/gratifying/awe-inspiring to see echoes of my parent's taste showing up in his.
Review overdue! Your selections came just as I was getting ready for a vacation so it took a little longer than usual to get thru the 3 discs. This is quite the diverse collection of songs/genres and certainly gives great insight into the Mad Musical Mind of Marty. Like all of us, the influence of our parents certainly set the tone for our ever evolving tastes in music. My mom was a HUGE Barbara Streisand fan and while I do not share her enthusiasm I think it led to my love for solo female artists. And for sure things I listened to as a kid on my own set the tone for what I listen to today. So here are my thoughts along the way of enjoying your musical journey.
Disc #1
* Little Sadie - I felt transformed into Appalachia, pass the moonshine!
* Marie's Wedding - I felt transformed into an Irish Village, pass the scotch!
* Ian and Sylvia - I felt transformed to a Parish in St Jean, pass the Caribou!
* Shady Grove - is this the original?
* Johnny Cash - He is the ultimate original, like that young Marty on that Yamaha
* John Stewart - I don't know this guy, he has a Gordon Lightfoot sound
* Chicago - Was this your first political influence? Mine was Mad Magazine
* Don Maclean - great choir like vocals
* School's Out - The Alice Cooper Band's Masterpiece! I've always thought that the title track was the worst song on the album. I always air-drum to Neil Smith when enjoying this record.
* Teo Torriatte - Nice to hear a deep track from Queen
* Songs from the Wood - Tull as tons of great tunes but if I whittled it down, this song would be in my top 3. "I am the cross to take your nail" - great lyric
* Talking Heads - I was never a fan, not sure why
* Turn that Heartbeat over again - Love this song, such a brilliant debut album
* The Cars - Kings of New Wave - Possibly the best band to come out of Boston?
Disc #2
* Elvis Costello - I'm a casual fan, should listen to him more than what I hear on the radio
* Accidentally Like a Martyr - Far from a casual fan, I'm passionate about Zevon. I wonder if that comes from my Mad Magazine days, his dark sense of whit and all. "Days slide by, should have done, should have done we all sigh" - Genius!
* Tonio K - Who is the guy?
* Modern Lovers - I dig Jonathan Richmond, so unique. I really got into him after seeing the movie There is Something about Mary
* Shattered - Some Girls is my favorite Stones album, played a big part of my life when it came out.
* Century City - Petty was so good even his deep cuts sound like hits
* Riverside - I've heard of the Beat Farmers but don't think I've ever heard them till now.
* Santiago - More Bongo!
* Greg Brown - I need to hear more from this guy
* Carla Sciaky - What a beautiful voice. Mom Miser would approve
* Closer to Fine - released in 1989 but still sounds fresh today
* Nirvana - also bust on the scene in 1989, so their original fans/audience is probably around average age 50. I wonder if the discontent those young fans had back then still pervades
* KGB - this one is right in the Lazy 8 wheelhouse
* Wailin' Jennys - Going to see them in November here is NH. Mrs Miser is a big fan
* Alabama Pines - I've got kin from Bama and my brother went to college there. I still think the one time I was there was the hottest I've ever been.
* Contratopia - Speaking of Mrs Miser, she just happened to walk in when this song was on and promptly stated "Oh, I like this!"
Moguk - is this your grandson's name? You may have shared in the past but my memory fails me if you did. His taste is all over the place, NICE diversity for a kid.
* Pogo - I didn't like this song at the outset but by the time it was over I was diggin it
* You are my Sunshine - I really like this version, unheard by me till now. The state song of Louisiana, who knew?
* Genticorum - Wish I knew French
* Banana Boat Song - Thanks, I've had this song stuck in my head for a few days now.
* Que Sera Sera - Still holds up well since 1956. I think this one was played in my childhood home here and there.
* Ernesto Schnack - Great guitar work! Who is this guy?
* KGB - straight from your wheelhouse to your grandson's wheelhouse, nicely played!
* Tape Five - I dig this style of music, very Radio Paradise
* I Gotsta Get Paid - Prequel to Just Got Paid
* Barra Barra - where do I know this from?
Your influences cover a lot of ground, very eclectic and stimulating. Amazing that quite a bit of your grandson's selections were new to me. Hook him up with Alanna! Thank you for taking what was obviously much effort to put this together. I'm sure it was a labor of love with nostalgic enthusiasm. I certainly enjoyed it!