Top 12 Albums That Influenced My Taste In Music - DAY 1!

[HiFi Lounge]

Hi all,

So I have been challenged by one of my friends on Facebook to list 10 vinyl albums that greatly influenced my music taste over the years, funnily enough I said to Wendy around a year ago that something similar would make a great blog so I guess with the world in lockdown there is no better time to put my thinking cap on and create a list of albums that helped form my love of music.

I have given this a fair bit of thought over the last few days and I have got it down to 12 albums that to be fair were all recorded between 45 to 25 years ago, as much as I love finding new music it is going back to my favourite's that really give me the most enjoyment when I sit down to listen at home.

The funny thing with this list is that although I love all these albums, it is also the artists that I really love, I mean I could have filled the top 10 with all Bruce Springsteen's albums but this is more the albums that I grew up with, changed me in some way and that I go back to regularly to listen to.

So here we go, these are in no particular order and I apologise for none of them, I will write a few words on each one but will keep it short and sweet and will add another one Daily with my all time favourite album listed last, hope you enjoy and any thoughts feel free to mail me.

Album 1

Elvis - Moody Blue

Elvis was my first love in music, I was 8 when he died and it left a real mark on me how his death affected people around me, this was my first Vinyl record bought by my Nan for me in 1977 and Elvis's last studio album, I went to Graceland in the early 90's and even today Elvis is the biggest part of my vinyl and CD collection which I listen to regularly.



Album 2 - Coming Tomorrow

Cheers,

Paul.

[enrae8]

I was working nights having a Tea break in the canteen when Elvis passing was announced on the radio - I was quite shocked
He made some mighty fine music and was a very charismatic performer
Look forward to your next offering

PS I think my brother bought a load of Rega gear from you a year or two back

[HiFi Lounge]

Day 2 for the albums that influenced my taste in music!

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Welcome To The Pleasuredome

This was an easy one as I was a total Frankie addict back in the early to mid 80's, admittedly I totally sucked in by the hype but aside from that the music was mostly brilliant and listening years later I realised just how well it was produced by Trevor Horn but back in the 80's it was all about the music, I remember getting the double vinyl on the day of release and just listening to it constantly, must have drove my parents mad, I used to even dress like them, sad I know, and one of my very first gigs was seeing FGTH at Hammersmith Odeon in 1985, I'd love to go to that gig again, I also used to collect all their vinyl, importing it from around the world, not easy before the internet I have to say, and when the follow up album was launched 'Liverpool' I queued all night outside HMV on Oxford Street where it was launched and dived under the shutters once they started lifting to become the first person to buy it in the world, crazy but great times.



Cheers,
Paul.

[tapid]

I Yah- Yah-Yah.... feels like fire... ( or something like that ) great stuff Paul.

[AJSki2fly]

Yep a favourite of mine as well, just full of dynamic songs, and full of spark.

[enrae8]

A great album - great Sound Quality to boot

[enrae8]

I wonder what todays offering will be the first 2 are quite different

[tapid]

Something from Steps ?

[HiFi Lounge]

Day 3 for the albums that influenced my taste in music!

Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA

Bearing in mind this list is all about albums that have influenced me then nothing is bigger than this album as it fundamentally changed my life in so many ways, very much like last years brilliant film 'Blinded By The Light’ I remember going shopping with my Mum and Dad in Stevenage in 1984 and while they did their thing I popped into the local record shop and picked up a copy of this on tape then I went and sat in my parents car for my first listen, life would never be the same again, then for the next year or so I listened to it daily on my walkman on my paper round until I eventually wore the tape out.

Then quite possibly the biggest moment of my life occurred, well other than meeting Wendy of course, on July 4th 1985, Independence Day, I went to my first Bruce Springsteen concert at Wembley Stadium, at the time I only knew the Born in the USA Album, funnily enough when he sang Born To Run I actually knew that as Frankie Goes To Hollywood famously covered it for the Pleasuredome album and I thought he was singing a Frankie song, now that is sad, anyway the concert totally blew my mind in so many ways like the length of the set, the love for Bruce in the crowd, the storytelling throughout the concert but mostly the power of the music with 80,000 people singing along, BRUUUUUUCE! Since that day I have seen Bruce all over the world around 85 times, here’s hoping I can break 100 Bruce Gigs on the next tour, in my opinion there is no better way to enjoy yourself in public than going to a Bruce gig, Jungleland live really is something else.

So after that gig I got my first job working in a DIY shop in Ware and I earned £50 for my first week and I went straight down to Tracks record shop and spent every penny on the whole Bruce back catalogue, much to my Mum’s disappointment as she thought she was going to finally get some rent but that sealed the deal as I went on a journey of discovery exploring the 6 albums before Born In The USA making Bruce a really important part of my life, now he is 19 albums in and every one is a classic in my book, right I’ll shut up now as I could go on all day about how awesome the Boss is but Born In The USA will always be one of my favourite albums of all time.



Cheers,
Paul.

[enrae8]

I've never really been a fan - I'll have to revisit his stuff,as you grow older your tastes seem to change