I’ve been having a lot of fun on Facebook lately.
Something quite popular right now are certain types of lists where you note your top 10 picks of this and that…or…25 things about you etc.
I usually don’t have time for every query that comes my way but I did bite on two recent music polls that I deemed worthy of sharing here:
1. Your top 15 most influential albums: You know what I’m talking about…the ones you listened to over and over…usually in your adolescence.
2. 2. Your top 10 Christian albums: I actually started this poll after some friendly teasing that my top 15 list contained no Christian music.
These polls are inadequate because it is impossible for robust music fans to confine their favorites this tightly…but nevertheless…I welcome any and all commentary.
Top 15 Most Influential Albums
(In no particular order)
Led Zeppelin – II: Growing up in SoCal in the 70’s…Zep ruled the roost. I listened to all of their records incessantly but I remember playing this one with headphones…over and over…marveling at the tones smashing into my eardrums. John Paul Jones remains one of the most tasty rock bass players of all time.
Black Sabbath – Paranoid: What can I say….Sabbath! The fact that I went to a strict Seventh Day Adventist school made this even more delicious to listen to. Geezer Butler…another of my bass heroes.
Rod Stewart / Faces Live – Coast-to-Coast…Overtures and Beginners: Wow! They recorded this live in Anaheim. One of my very first concerts! This is sloppy British blues-rock at it’s very best. I loved the Faces! They are one of the main reasons I pursued music as a career. They always looked like they were having so much fun! Ron Wood is my ultimate rock hero. The little spike in my hair over all these years is a tribute to Woody.
Kiss – Alive: Say what you will about Kiss…this album probably unleashed more young air-guitarists worldwide than any other. I still love Gene!
The Beatles – Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band: I know it’s a bit cliché…but my older sister turned me onto the Beatles when I was 3 or 4. I think I was 6 when this record came out and it’s the first album I bought with my own money.
Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: People forget how HUGE Elton was in the 70’s. This album came out when I was in junior high. Everyone owned it…and we all knew every word to all of these great songs.
Frank Zappa – Overnite Sensation: One of my older brothers (the biker) turned me onto Zappa. Twas my first foray into heavy musicianship…and twisted humor. This is probably the most “pop” of Zappa’s albums but the unbelievable playing of Frank and the Mothers is forever burned in my brain.
Aerosmith – Get Your Wings: A teenage angst favorite! I would come home after school and put this on with headphones. Seasons of wither…
Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti: This is Zep’s meatiest release. I studied it religiously
Gipsy Kings – Love & Liberte: This record came later…when I was a touring musician. Before we could afford a tour bus…we would tour in a van & trailer. I used to drive what was known as the “butt shift”…2AM-6AM…and I would play this record in the middle of the night…every night. The guys in my band have probably heard this record more than they would have liked…but I love the Gipsy Kings!
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Rastaman Vibration: My other older brother (the hippie) turned me onto this record in my freshman year of high school. Reggae had still not really hit the States yet. What amazes me about this record is the economy of sounds and the space between the instruments. Great heartfelt songs.
David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,: This was a “dangerous” record in its day…which made it that much more attractive to me. More spiked-hair glory. I love Bowie in most all of his incarnations but if I had to pick one…this would be it.
ZZ Top – Deguello: This record blew my mind when it came out. A treasure chest of guitar tones. I saw this tour live. The thickest sounding trio I’ve ever heard!
The Rolling Stones – Some Girls: I am a massive Stones fan and could not pick just one record but this may be their best sounding one. Saw this tour at Anaheim Stadium in the summer of ’78. I was right down front…and Mick came right to the end of the platform and got right in my face. A classic memory!
Queens of the Stone Age – Songs For The Deaf: One of the few records I’ve listened to over and over in the last few years. Something about their buzzy brand of retro metal that I love. Love that distorted bass. My guitar player tells me my ears are permanently damaged from cranking the blown speakers in the van at full volume. This could be why I love the sound of a distorted bass guitar so much.
Top 10 Christian Albums
(Not in order)
Phil Keaggy – Town To Town: This was the first Christian album I ever heard. I had no idea. All I knew prior were church hymns. This was a great introductory album for a musician.
Daniel Amos - Vox Humana: If I had to pick my all-time favorite Christian band…it would be DA. They never had production budgets to do them justice but they made some great brick albums out of straw and mud. Tim Chandler…another great bass player.
Terry Scott Taylor - Knowledge & Innocence: This is what all solo albums from bandleaders should sound like. Terry and Steve Taylor are the cleverest lyricists ever to grace this genre.
Stryper - Soldiers Under Command: I used to kick around the L.A. rock circuit with their prior bands…Roxx Regime and Stormer. Say what you will about Stryper...they are undeniably the most evangelically effective Christian band ever. Their bold stance cut through the dark L.A. rock scene like a sword.
Barren Cross - Atomic Arena: Our L.A peers and Enigma label mates. This is as fine a “White Metal” album as has ever been made.
Bride: Kinetic Faith: I’m pretty sure that this is Dale and Troy Thompson’s least favorite Bride Album. I think it was producer Steve Griffith’s attempt to take them in a “kinder, gentler” direction. More bluesy than metal. I like it!
DC Talk - Free At Last: We did a leg with them on this tour. Perhaps a bit bubblegum but undeniably great songs…and always a great live show.
Amy Grant – Lead me On: A near-perfect record from top to bottom. Great songs and production. This album stands up against any female pop record of all time…period.
Kevin Max - Stereotype Be: Even though I was the A&R guy on this record…and it was my duty to police every album on the roster…it will always be my pleasure to have been involved with this stellar record from the most misunderstood guy in Christian music. Kevin is a true artist. I wish more albums like this emerged from Christendom.
LoveWar – Soak Your Brain: Our Pakaderm label-mate Tim Bushong’s musical genius was never fully realized. These guys were as good as Kings X.
Bonus Pick: Ok…they never really aligned themselves as a Christian band…but “Gretchen Goes To Nebraska” by Kings X messed my head up permanently…in a good way!
Man, I wouldn't even want to start on the most influential albums. That sounds like work. The top 10 Christian albums is a lot easier. Let's be honest, there is just not much good stuff to choose from.
My ten Christian albums in no particular order:
1. 77's - Sticks and Stones: "Don't This Way", "God Sends Quails", "The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes & the Pride of Life" are all personal favorites. This is just an incredible album. There is likely no album I've listened to more than this Christian or otherwise.
2. The Violet Burning - Strength: I don't really even know what to say about this album. It could be argued that their later albums were better, but this is still my sentimental favorite. I couldn't stop listening to this album after I got it and could still listen to it today.
3. Vigilantes of Love - V.O.L.: Yes, I'm wussing out and including what is really a greatest hits album. It really isn't fair to put out a Christian top ten and leave Bill Mallonee off the list. I mean good grief, the guy is still at it going solo and the music is still good. He's put out somewhere close to a bazillion records. It's nuts. "Blister Soul", "Struggleville", and "Losin' It" are all great here. However, "Resplendant" off of "Audible Sigh" and "The Kidz On Drugz (or Life)" on "Dear Life" are my top Bill Mallonee songs overall.
4. Rich Mullins - A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band: Rich never had the best voice, but this record is inspired in a way that few Christian albums ever are. There are several fantastic songs on this album, but "The Color Green" and "Peace" are at the top of the list.
5. Adam Again - Dig: There are a couple weak songs on this album, but it's overall a solid album. Who am I kidding though, I would include this album for "River On Fire" alone.
6. Poor Old Lu - Straight Six: Does a six song EP really count? I'm counting it anyway. "Digging Deep" and "Speak Soft" are my two favorites.
7. Lost Dogs - Scenic Route: The Dogs first album. I'll admit that I came into Scenic Route after Little Red Riding Hood, but both albums are great. What do you expect from the top guys from Daniel Amos, 77's, The Choir, and Adam Again?
8. Lost Dogs - Little Red Riding Hood: The Lost Dogs are the only artist who warranted two albums on my list. I don't know what happened, because nothing they have put out since comes close to their first two releases. This is my favorite album of theirs, although Scenic Route is very close. "Dunce Cap", "Jimmy", and "No Room for Us" are the highlights in my opinion.
9. Jars of Clay - Who We Are Instead: Most of the albums on this list expose the era of Christian music when I was really a listener. That was before working at a Christian label would have ruined it for me even if the music quality hadn't deteriorated to lowest common denominator on it's own. This album by Jars is a rare exception of something put out after that time period that was actually really good. I had their demo CD and know how popular Flood was, but this is really their best effort. Completely out of left field for Jars. I wish they would record more songs like this. "Amazing Grace" and "Lonely People" are my highlights.
10. The Choir - Circle Slide: I am a fan of The Choir in general, but this is my favorite of all of their albums. "Kissers and Killers" would be a close second as far as their albums go. "Circle Slide" and "A Sentimental Song" are the two highlights off of this album.
Posted by: Rusty Mitchell | February 28, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Rusty - Thanks for playing - awesome picks.
Adam Again - Dig: Fer shizzle! LOved that album and that band. Gene was a good friend of ours and Jon even pondered playing with Guardian for a day or so.
Love these other bands as well. Like I said...these lists are impossible to be accurate but they are fun.
Posted by: David Bach | March 01, 2009 at 08:09 AM
Thank you for reminding me of LoveWar. Soak Your Brain spent a lot of time in the stereo back in the day.
My top 10 Christian albums would have to include:
Phil Keaggy -- Crimson and Blue and Sunday's Child: Two of my favorites, and two that I used to turn some people on to the possibilities of Christian music.
Jacob's Trouble -- pretty much anything they released. This is a band that was too far ahead of their time for their own good, I think.
Guardian -- Bottle Rocket. OK, maybe I'm kissing up here, but when I got this album, I was excited. Maybe because it had been a while since I got a Guardian album, but I really loved this one.
Allies -- Virtues and Long Way From Paradise. Long Way From Paradise convinced a girl that she shouldn't date me (I listened to that 'heathen' rock and roll). Allies was another band that I thought never got it's due.
Whitecross -- again, anything they released. Their first release and Stryper's Soldiers Under Command were my gateway into Christian metal.
Barren Cross -- Atomic Arena.
Probably more (Messiah Prophet spent some time in the tape deck back in the day, too), but I'm too old to remember them all ;)
Posted by: Warren | March 01, 2009 at 07:15 PM
Warren - Good picks!
Allies - a great band - I remember seeing them live and thinking wow!
Posted by: David Bach | March 01, 2009 at 07:55 PM
I don't think I can come up with a full Top 10 or 15 list, but I can tell you some of the albums that have left an impact on me (am I dating myself when I call them "albums"?)
Corey Glover - Hymns: Solo effort from the lead singer of Living Colour. "Sidewalk Angel" has some of the best in-the-pocket drumming I've ever heard. Pound for pound, I think Hymns is easily one of the best produced albums I have. There's not a dud on the album. Makes me want to play the drums every time I hear it.
Prince (In his symbol days) - Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic: I've said for years that I believe Prince is the most underrated musician of my generation. How anyone can play so many instruments and do it SO WELL is beyond me. Production values are outstanding on this one, and are a long way from the sexually laden tones of earlier works.
Dream Theater - Images and Words: One of my favorite bands of all time. Thinking man's rock. Pure, over-the-top, technical brilliance. The album that got me turned on to them forever. I bought my first guitar after hearing "Pull Me Under".
Whiteheart - Freedom: I was a DJ at a Christian radio station in my earlier days, when Freedom was a new release. "Let the Kingdom Come" still makes my neck tingle when the drums come in.
Guardian - Bottle Rocket: No kissing up intended. I like stuff that ROCKS. Much of Christian music tends to lack in that quality. I had a T-top Camaro when BR came out, and I used to crank up "Coffee Can" until my ears bled. Great heavy, solid bass work (Okay, so I kissed up there a little).
Petra - Beyond Belief: Arguably, the pinnacle of Petra's career. BB, Unseen Power, God Fixation, and Jekyll & Hyde are my fave works. I could get secular metalhead friends of mine to listen to Petra and not feel like I had to make excuses.
Allies: Pretty much anything they did was gold with me. I was so upset when Bob Carlisle got all Disneyfied with "Butterfly Kisses". This was the guy who sang "Feather In Your Cap", dangit! Allies rocked!
Gotta go to work... more to come later.
Posted by: Shawn Kitchen | March 09, 2009 at 06:57 AM
Continued from this morning...
Steve Taylor - Squint: Steve Taylor could sing the phone book and I'd buy it, but I think Squint was his masterpiece. I love satire to begin with (and Steve was a master), and the guy just has a sense of production that's unequaled.
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare: If you love guitar work and don't have this album, you need your head examined. I still remember the day that I heard this for the first time. I listened to "Liberty" on a 3500W tri-amped PA rig with the volume just shy of painful (and in a very small room), and it made my whole body tingle. In fact, I just now got a shiver thinking about it as I typed this.
King's X - King's X: "Lost in Germany" just blew my mind with how technical Ty Tabor's playing was, yet he made it sound so familiar and comfortable. And ever since I heard Doug Pinnick play that Chapparal bass on "Ooh Song", I've been hooked on the sound of a 12-string. I've bought pretty much every album they've recorded with one or two exceptions.
Lyle Lovett - Pontiac: I don't always admit it in public, but I happen to like Lyle Lovett's songs (I know... which of these things is not like the other?). Rather than being awed by masterful displays of instrumentalism, I'm just constantly amazed at how the man just WRITES GOOD SONGS. I rather like the fact that he"s not widely popular, "cause it makes me feel like I know a secret that few others know.
There's my modest contribution.
Posted by: Shawn Kitchen | March 09, 2009 at 05:57 PM