EVERYONE LOVES A LIST...
OK, I done it, I did it: I've composed my list of 100 Albums Which Changed My Piddly Life. Well, this wasn't such a stretch of a task, since I listed my Top 50 a few years back, then a subsequent "25 Albums Which Should've Made It" list about a year thereafter, so all's I had to do was throw another 25 on the pile and you've got a cool 100 to waste some time with. When I first printed my Top 50 back in, say, was it 2004?, one gent commented and said something to the effect that the list was so unrelentingly "hip" with its head placed firmly up its own backside as to be somewhat laughable. It was seen, I guess, as simply a name-dropping excercise in cool. Whatever! Sometimes a bloggin' man simply can't win. Such was the case when Jay Hinman printed his Top 100 list some time ago, only to be shot down by the hipster cognescenti for listing such "obvious" titles by the likes of Die Kreuzen and the Flesh Eaters. You know, all the kids are talkin' about 'em! Well, mine is a combination of the "hip" (Yoko Ono, Pharoah Sanders, Amon Duul, Swans) and the vaguely dorky (Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, Van Morrison, Led Zep, The Band), and that mix also happens to perfectly reflect what I listen to. Fact is, 90% of the releases herein you could order over the 'net in a heartbeat, so no one should accuse me of being too obscure, but let's drop the pre-emptive defense manouvres and get on with the show!
No particular order here, and for some reason I decided that a band/artist is not allowed multiple entries. Crazee or what?!
100) PRETTY THINGS - SF Sorrow LP
99) ALICE COLTRANE - A Monastic Trio LP
98) THE BAND - s/t LP
97) SLOVENLY - We Shoot For The Moon LP
96) THE NECKS - Drive-By CD
95) fIREHOSE - Ragin, Full-On LP
94) DON CHERRY - Orient 2LP
93) THE CRAMPS - Songs The Lord Taught Us LP
92) LED ZEPPELIN - Physical Grafitti 2LP
91) SUICIDE - s/t LP
90) SCOTT WALKER - 4 LP
89) WILLIAM PARKER/IN ORDER TO SURVIVE - The Peach Orchard 2CD
88) LOU REED - Berlin LP
87) WIRE - Chairs Missing LP
86) AMON DUUL 2 - Yeti 2LP
85) DAWSON - How To Follow So That Others Will Willingly Lead LP
84) VAN MORRISON - Veedon Fleece LP
83) REDD KROSS - Neurotica LP
82) BIG YOUTH - Screaming Target LP
81) PHAROAH SANDERS - Karma LP
80) DEAD KENNEDYS - Plastic Surgery Disasters LP
79) SWANS - Cop LP
78) CURRENT 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind CD
77) YOKO ONO - Fly 2LP
76) SPACEMEN 3 - The Perfect Prescription LP
75) RESIDENTS – Not Available LP
74) AC/DC – Back In Black LP
73) TOWNES VAN ZANDT – First Album LP
72) BIRTHDAY PARTY – Junkyard LP
71) CUL DE SAC – ECIM CD
70) THE FALL – Hex Enduction Hour LP
69) THE BYRDS – Younger Than Yesterday LP
68) NAKED CITY – Torture Garden LP
67) AMON DUUL – Disaster 2LP
66) BIG STAR - #1 Record LP
65) BAD BRAINS – Rock For Light LP
64) KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN – Hymnen 2LP
63) TIM BUCKLEY – Live at the Troubadour 2CD
62) PATTI SMITH – Radio Ethiopia LP
61) MAGMA - Kohntarkosz LP
60) JOY DIVISION – Unknown Pleasures LP
59) THE KINKS – The Village Green Preservation Society LP
58) JOHN CALE – Paris 1919 LP
57) MODERN LOVERS – s/t LP
56) TYRANNOSAURUS REX – Unicorn LP
55) ORNETTE COLEMAN – Science Fiction LP
54) NIRVANA – Nevermind LP
53) TELEVISION – Marquee Moon LP
52) HUSKER DU – Zen Arcade 2LP
51) THE SAINTS – Eternally Yours LP
50) THE SCENE IS NOW – Tonight We Ride LP
49) BONGWATER – Double Bummer 2LP
48) HAWKWIND – Space Ritual 2LP
47) JOHN MARTYN – Inside Out LP
46) MERZBOW – Music For Bondage Performance CD
45) GERMS – (GI) LP
44) BRIAN ENO – Apollo LP
43) THE BEATLES – The White Album 2LP
42) ROBERT WYATT – Old Rottenhat LP
41) VELVET UNDERGROUND - Velvet Underground w/ Nico LP
40) MINUTEMEN – Double Nickels on the Dime 2LP
39) SEX PISTOLS – Never Mind the Bollocks LP
38) BOB DYLAN – Blood on the Tracks LP
37) CAN – Tago Mago 2LP
36) LOVE – Forever Changes LP
35) ELECTRIC EELS – God Says Fuck You CD
34) ROLLING STONES – Beggars Banquet LP
33) FLIPPER – Public Flipper Ltd. 2LP
32) THE POP GROUP – Y LP
31) JOHN COLTRANE – Live in Seattle 2LP
30) DIE KREUZEN – Century Days LP
29) NEW YORK DOLLS – s/t LP
28) MILES DAVIS – Get Up With It 2LP
27) NEIL YOUNG – On the Beach LP
26) BLACK SABBATH – Master of Reality LP
25) CHARLES MINGUS – Black Saint and the Sinner Lady LP
24) STOOGES – Funhouse LP
23) MEAT PUPPETS – Up On The Sun LP
22) FAUST – The Faust Tapes LP
21) JOHN FAHEY – Days Gone By Vol. 6 LP
20) HOWLIN’ WOLF – Moanin’ in the Moonlight LP
19) VARIOUS – Nuggets 4-CD box set >
18) SUN RA – Space is the Place soundtrack CD
17) MC5 – High Time LP
16) MX-80 SOUND – Out of the Tunnel LP
15) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. – Metal Box/Second Edition 3X12”/2LP
14) HALF JAPANESE – Charmed Life LP
13) CHROME – Alien Soundtracks LP
12) 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS – Easter Everywhere LP
11) ALBERT AYLER – Lorrach Paris 1966 2LP
10) CAPTAIN BEEFHEART – Trout Mask Replica 2LP
9) BLACK FLAG – Damaged LP
8) FUNKADELIC – Maggot Brain LP
7) PERE UBU – Dub Housing LP
6) CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL – Willie and the Poor Boys LP
5) MOTHERS OF INVENTION – Freak Out! 2LP
4) RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON – I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight LP
3) SONIC YOUTH – Sister LP
2) THE WIPERS – Follow Blind LP
1) VARIOUS – Anthology of American Folk Music 6-CD box set
99) ALICE COLTRANE - A Monastic Trio LP
98) THE BAND - s/t LP
97) SLOVENLY - We Shoot For The Moon LP
96) THE NECKS - Drive-By CD
95) fIREHOSE - Ragin, Full-On LP
94) DON CHERRY - Orient 2LP
93) THE CRAMPS - Songs The Lord Taught Us LP
92) LED ZEPPELIN - Physical Grafitti 2LP
91) SUICIDE - s/t LP
90) SCOTT WALKER - 4 LP
89) WILLIAM PARKER/IN ORDER TO SURVIVE - The Peach Orchard 2CD
88) LOU REED - Berlin LP
87) WIRE - Chairs Missing LP
86) AMON DUUL 2 - Yeti 2LP
85) DAWSON - How To Follow So That Others Will Willingly Lead LP
84) VAN MORRISON - Veedon Fleece LP
83) REDD KROSS - Neurotica LP
82) BIG YOUTH - Screaming Target LP
81) PHAROAH SANDERS - Karma LP
80) DEAD KENNEDYS - Plastic Surgery Disasters LP
79) SWANS - Cop LP
78) CURRENT 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind CD
77) YOKO ONO - Fly 2LP
76) SPACEMEN 3 - The Perfect Prescription LP
75) RESIDENTS – Not Available LP
74) AC/DC – Back In Black LP
73) TOWNES VAN ZANDT – First Album LP
72) BIRTHDAY PARTY – Junkyard LP
71) CUL DE SAC – ECIM CD
70) THE FALL – Hex Enduction Hour LP
69) THE BYRDS – Younger Than Yesterday LP
68) NAKED CITY – Torture Garden LP
67) AMON DUUL – Disaster 2LP
66) BIG STAR - #1 Record LP
65) BAD BRAINS – Rock For Light LP
64) KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN – Hymnen 2LP
63) TIM BUCKLEY – Live at the Troubadour 2CD
62) PATTI SMITH – Radio Ethiopia LP
61) MAGMA - Kohntarkosz LP
60) JOY DIVISION – Unknown Pleasures LP
59) THE KINKS – The Village Green Preservation Society LP
58) JOHN CALE – Paris 1919 LP
57) MODERN LOVERS – s/t LP
56) TYRANNOSAURUS REX – Unicorn LP
55) ORNETTE COLEMAN – Science Fiction LP
54) NIRVANA – Nevermind LP
53) TELEVISION – Marquee Moon LP
52) HUSKER DU – Zen Arcade 2LP
51) THE SAINTS – Eternally Yours LP
50) THE SCENE IS NOW – Tonight We Ride LP
49) BONGWATER – Double Bummer 2LP
48) HAWKWIND – Space Ritual 2LP
47) JOHN MARTYN – Inside Out LP
46) MERZBOW – Music For Bondage Performance CD
45) GERMS – (GI) LP
44) BRIAN ENO – Apollo LP
43) THE BEATLES – The White Album 2LP
42) ROBERT WYATT – Old Rottenhat LP
41) VELVET UNDERGROUND - Velvet Underground w/ Nico LP
40) MINUTEMEN – Double Nickels on the Dime 2LP
39) SEX PISTOLS – Never Mind the Bollocks LP
38) BOB DYLAN – Blood on the Tracks LP
37) CAN – Tago Mago 2LP
36) LOVE – Forever Changes LP
35) ELECTRIC EELS – God Says Fuck You CD
34) ROLLING STONES – Beggars Banquet LP
33) FLIPPER – Public Flipper Ltd. 2LP
32) THE POP GROUP – Y LP
31) JOHN COLTRANE – Live in Seattle 2LP
30) DIE KREUZEN – Century Days LP
29) NEW YORK DOLLS – s/t LP
28) MILES DAVIS – Get Up With It 2LP
27) NEIL YOUNG – On the Beach LP
26) BLACK SABBATH – Master of Reality LP
25) CHARLES MINGUS – Black Saint and the Sinner Lady LP
24) STOOGES – Funhouse LP
23) MEAT PUPPETS – Up On The Sun LP
22) FAUST – The Faust Tapes LP
21) JOHN FAHEY – Days Gone By Vol. 6 LP
20) HOWLIN’ WOLF – Moanin’ in the Moonlight LP
19) VARIOUS – Nuggets 4-CD box set >
18) SUN RA – Space is the Place soundtrack CD
17) MC5 – High Time LP
16) MX-80 SOUND – Out of the Tunnel LP
15) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. – Metal Box/Second Edition 3X12”/2LP
14) HALF JAPANESE – Charmed Life LP
13) CHROME – Alien Soundtracks LP
12) 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS – Easter Everywhere LP
11) ALBERT AYLER – Lorrach Paris 1966 2LP
10) CAPTAIN BEEFHEART – Trout Mask Replica 2LP
9) BLACK FLAG – Damaged LP
8) FUNKADELIC – Maggot Brain LP
7) PERE UBU – Dub Housing LP
6) CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL – Willie and the Poor Boys LP
5) MOTHERS OF INVENTION – Freak Out! 2LP
4) RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON – I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight LP
3) SONIC YOUTH – Sister LP
2) THE WIPERS – Follow Blind LP
1) VARIOUS – Anthology of American Folk Music 6-CD box set
Comments
How could you deny the mind-blowing influence of Public Enemy and NWA on a young Dave Lang?
But: am I to deduce that Bongwater was NOT dorky? (Though I kinda suspect they were going for that.)
CEMENT is better than SLAVE TO THE GRIND though...
everybody knows it's a poor man's 'Last Command'
Dave, you don't need me to tell you to never mitigate your taste. But, Bollocks is almost pure perfection and it's beyond shameful there's been no proper remastering.
RE: Bongwater's possible dorkiness. We were too old even then to be trying to be "dorky". Thanx for the props, but not if you're equating us with Too Much Joy.