10 albums that changed my life..

My one true love (my wife & daughter not withstanding) is music. This was actually a pleasure to write.


1. The Beatles Red\Blue albums (1973)- This was my introduction to music. These are the foundation of my musical being. They made me aware of what a special thing music is. Although I don't listen to them as much anymore, they are part of my DNA.

2. KISS Alive II (1977) - My introduction to hard rock. This was the album that began my love affair with heavy music. I remember going to a friend's house in the third grade in 1977 and seeing a poster of Gene Simmons spitting blood. I asked him what in God's name was that. He proceeded to put on side 1 of Alive II and I was forever changed. I had never heard anything like that before in my life. Thus began my obssession with the band. For a long period of time I was all about KISS and Star Wars. I ended up seeing them for the first time in 1979 when I was ten at MSG on the Dynasty tour. That was another milestone in my life. My mom taking me to a hard rock show dressed in shorts and a Lacoste cardigan. Classic.

I picked up the guitar because of Ace Frehley. I got to sing a couple of verses of "Lick It Up" with the band themselves at a Kiss Convention in 1995. Although, I have lost a lot of respect for Paul and Gene because they have turned the band into a business, their early music will forever hold a special place in my heart.

In short, Kiss was my first true musical love...and you never forget your first.

3. Led Zeppelin II (1969)- Yeah, a lot of people put IV. But it's this one for me. I remember my dad and I driving around in his Orange Dodge Dart in 1982. He had just installed a tape deck and this was on constant rotation. I played this to death. The interesting thing was the tape split "Heartbreaker" and "Living Loving Maid". They ended up on different sides due to time constraints. My dad and I would sit in the car and analyze all the music. When I look back, I consider those some of the happiest moments of my life.

To be fair, Physical Graffiti got a lot of airplay as well. "Kashmir" was my dad's favorite Zeppelin song.

4. Def Leppard - Pyromania (1983) - It is to this day one of my favorite albums...period. It is a complete album. Every track rocks. This was the soundtrack to 8th grade. This and Return of the Jedi were it. It reminds of me of my dearest and oldest friend - Aris. We ruled the Upper East Side from 59th to 86th Street and this was our marching music.

It marks a transition period in my life. The end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence. There is something almost bittersweet to it.

5. Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith (1984). My introduction to heavy metal. My first true metal concert and nothing would ever be the same. This was the album that got us through the summer of 1984. Greenport, Revenge of the Nerds, Bachelor Party, Ghostbusters, sleepovers, manhunt, the 59th to 86th treks, crushes on friend's cousins, heartbreaks, etc. Going to see Priest at the Garden for a second time that year on this tour and remembering the place getting torn apart. Also, Aris had this painted on the back of his denim jacket.

6. Iron Maiden - Live After Death (1985) - Five words "Scream for me Long Beach!"
This is the greatest live album from a heavy metal band. Look, I could put Number of the Beast or Piece of Mind as a choice, but this one has all the band's best songs. Maiden to me is still the greatest metal band there is. If you know me, you'd think I was speaking blasphemy. Isn't Metallica the greatest metal band out there? Err..yes, but Maiden has that 10% extra on all other bands that puts them in a different category. Maybe it's the fact that you feel that you learn something from listening to their music (i.e. history, religion etc.), their mascot Eddie, the incredible album covers, the amazing shows or whatever. Maiden is it.

I saw them twice last year and they are better now than they were 25 years ago.

UP THE IRONS!

7. Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)\Ride the Lightning (1984) - Okay I am a bigamist. I have two wives - Maiden and Metallica. Master of Puppets is the best metal album out there. It was the first Metallica album I bought and I haven't looked back in 23 years. Master as a whole is perfect. I remember pilling into the death mobile (don't ask) with my friends back in the summer of 86 listening to this over and over again. Great memories. Especially of the band (you know who you are).

Ride the Lightning on the other hand, contains my favorite Metallica song ever..."Creeping Death".

There is nothing like seeing 70,000 people chant Die! Die! in a stadium.

Best. Metal. Band. Ever.

To help me sleep better at night, I see it this way: Maiden influenced Metallica. Therefore, out of respect for the elders, I put them first. Here's a little secret - depending who I just saw in concert, that ranking may change. Hint, just saw Metallica three nights in a row a few weeks back.

I would kill to see a double bill. But who would open?

My nirvana - last year, Metallica covered Maiden's "Remember Tomorrow". My favorite band covering my favorite band. I need help.

8. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975) - This album brings tears to my eyes - from "Thunder Road" to "Jungleland". Lately, I have a greater appreciation for Bruce. I believe that his concerts are a religious experience...and I am not religious. Jungleland is simply the greatest song he has ever written. Listen to the sax solo and tell me that Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" didn't bite something off of that. "Thunder Road" is simply poetry set to music. This is the definition of a rock album.

9. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)\Wish You Were Here (1975) - Floyd holds a special place in my heart. They are a constant through the years for me. I know that at any moment I can put on either one these albums and I will be transported to another place. Most of the time that place would be my youth, but lately it has been more of a timeless place of peace. Their music, especially on these two albums creates such an emotional reaction in me unlike any other music. Dark Side is the easy choice because it evokes a mood that although melancholy, is also uplifting in a strange way.

Wish You Where Here is a little different. Although not a dark as it's predecessor, it evokes a feeling of loss. The album was lamenting the loss of the band's original leader Syd Barrett and it is obvious from "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and the title track. What makes it special to me is that it allows me to freely experience that feeling of loss. The loss of my dad, old friends, dreams, my youth etc.

Arguably, Dark Side and Wish You Where Here are Floyd's greatest achievements.

I do want to point out that "High Hopes" off The Division Bell (1994) is the closest they have come to evoking the spirit of these two albums. If you haven't heard this song, do yourself a favor and listen to it. Read the lyrics, immerse yourself in this song. It's the last song on the final Floyd album.

Simply put...Pink Floyd = beautiful music.

10. The Story of Star Wars (1977) - was an album presenting an abridged version of the events depicted in the film Star Wars, using dialogue and sound effects from the original film. It was narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne.

Back in the day before home video, this was the closest thing I had to owning a copy of the film. I reenacted scenes from the movie with my Star Wars figures while this album played continuously. I wish I could get my hands on a copy today. I still have the Star Wars figures ;)

Honorable mentions: Any AC/DC album with Bon Scott; Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell (1980) and Mob Rules (1981); Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction (1987); Ramones' Ramones (1976) and Rocket to Russia (1977); Queen's Live Killers (1979); Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime (1988); Sting's Ten Summner's Tales (1993); Green Day's American Idiot (2004)