The Heck with GQ's list!!!

[Oil Can Boyd]

In chronological order:

 

Grateful Dead - Europe 72

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

REM - Reckoning (Harborcoat in particular)

Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat

Husker Du - Flip Your Wig

Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

[poppydawn]

Blondie-Parallel Lines-First record I asked my parents to buy me.

 

Me too, and on my list for the same reason.

 

Sgt. Pepper - The Beatles - I swiped my mom's copy when I was 10 or 11 years old and my whole world cracked open.

 

The River - Bruce Springsteen - I discovered it in 1985, when I was 13 years old. I'd stay up all night (or until I conked out from exhaustion), holding my boom box on my lap, headphones cranked up full-blast, lost in New Jersey.

 

The Joshua Tree - U2 - Not so much at the time, but this album has been with me through my life since its release. From the heartbreak of dealing with my U2-loving bipolar childhood best friend to feeling my inutero daughter kicking and tumbling in time to "Where the Streets Have No Name", this album seems to punctuate important moments in my life.

 

All Shook Down - The Replacements Not their best by any means, but it was the one that introduced me to the 'Mats. It was good enough to hook me, albeit too late to see them live.

 

London Calling - The Clash I discovered this about 23 years after the fact. I'd always listened to The Clash, but I clung to this album when I was pregnant in 2003. It was a great way to channel my fear about bringing a child into such a screwed up time in the world. Never mind that babies have been born during much worse times in history. Regardless, I think this album taught me how to fight for my child.

 

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco I'd been a Wilco fan from the beginning, and a UT fan (went to school in Columbia, MO, 1991-1995), but this is the one that spoke to me. Specifically, it got me through dealing with the intensive therapy for anxiety and panic disorders and agoraphobia. As fucking cheesy as it sounds, I honestly believe "War on War" (specifically, the '04 "Austin City Limits" performance) once kept me from doing something really horrible to myself. It was playing in the background when I was about to do something ... hearing "You've got to learn how to die if you wanna wanna be alive" made me stop. Changed my life, and possibly saved it.

 

And now that I've made everyone uncomfortable ...

 

Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul and the self-titled 1982 Scott Baio album - I owned both of these pieces of shit, and they both got destroyed in freak accidents. The Paula Abdul tape got stuck in the door of my 1980 Mustang. The Baio vinyl was the victim of a heavy alarm clock that my cat knocked off the nightstand. How did these incidents change my life? They showed me that God loves me and wants to protect me from really shitty music.

[Spawn's dad]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EL the Famous]

KISS - Rock and Roll Over

First album I bought by the first band I was really 'into'. They were superheroes to me.

 

Beatles - 1962-1966

I always enjoyed the Beatles as a kid, but this was my first actual Beatles LP...my Dad just brought it home for me one day.

 

De La Soul - 3 Ft. High & Rising

While 'Paul's Boutique' ranks right up there in my tops of all time, this album showed me how amazing hip-hop music could be.

 

Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me

My gateway into what I consider the greatest American rock band in history.

 

Wilco - Summerteeth

What I still consider the one of the most perfect blends of lyricism and musicality caught on tape. Expanded my horizons in a way I hadn't experienced since the album mentioned prior.

[poppydawn]

Thanks alot guys. I never really talked about it on the internet or to strangers before but I guess it's nice to share it. Thanks again you guys are great.

 

I'm sorry. I skimmed the list earlier and totally missed this. I'm glad you've had SBS to help you get through your loss. And I'm really, really sorry.