So I’m reconnecting with my youth and early music tastes. Recently I’ve been listening to Cream and today I remembered Spirit’s 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus (now on my phone ready for my commute to work). This made me think, what do people think are the most influential rock albums of that period? Influential could mean influential on them or on the music scene in general. I’m really thinking up to mid 70s and pre-punk. I’m hoping to discover some gems I missed and some new stuff to play, so go wild...
A band I’ve never really listened to. I’ll give them a go. I was born in ‘66 in the UK and my parents were more rock n roll and Jazz, so I have some gaps in my knowledge.
Beatles-Revolver(Sgt. Pepper will be the usual knee-jerk response, but this is the real tipping point in their career and artistry...there hadn’t been anything like “TNK” before) Beach Boys-Pet Sounds(breathtaking depth of orchestration and introspection, what more can you say?) Bob Dylan-Highway 61(the full commitment to electricity, and the the full transition to lyrical abstraction) Velvet Underground and Nico(not only sketching out what would eventually come 10 years later, it also was a wake-up call that the world was a complicated, sometimes less-than-pretty place. Practically each song served as a template for multiple bands and subgenres) Jimi Hendrix Experience-Are You Experienced?(There was a before and after in terms of rock guitar playing. This is the line of demarcation) David Bowie-The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust(the 70’s start here)
All great albums Michedelic. Have to confess that the only Beatles I ever really listened to was the White album. But then again I heard almost nothing but Beatles and Elvis on the radio for my first 10 years. Have to give Pet Sounds another go. When I worked in a record shop I tried to “get it”, but maybe it was more about how ground breaking it was at the time? Bowie, Hendrix and Dylan have all had a place in my life, and the Velvets too, but not so much. I’ll add them to today’s play list.
Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow James Gang - Rides Again
Listening to Humble Pie has reminded me of Mountain. CCR BBatHC JA James Gang are all bands I’ve meant hear more if but never got round to. Purple and Sabbath would always be on the list along with the Who and Zeppelin
Deep Purple-Machine Head Pink Floyd-Dark Side of The Moon Grand Funk- Red Album The Who-Tommy and Quadrophenia Santana-Abraxus Led Zeppelin 1 and 2.
Let It Bleed, Beggars Banquet -Rolling Stones, Tommy - The Who, Layla - Derek and The Dominoes, Led Zeppelin II, Truth - Jeff Beck, Sgt. Pepper's - Beatles, Fresh Cream - Cream.
Way too many to list, but a couple of the big ones: Are you Experienced - Hendrix Sgt. Pepper's - the Beatles Fragile - Yes Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Led Zeppelin I - Led Zeppelin I think it's hard to understand unless you were around at the time. From the mid-60's to the early 70's, it seemed like every time you turned around you were smacked with some new, great music. Today, you turn on the radio and it just seems like you're ears are being smacked, but not in a good way.
Had to look it up: sem·i·nal /ˈsemənl/ adjective 1. (of a work, event, moment, or figure) strongly influencing later developments. "his seminal work on chaos theory" synonyms: influential, formative, groundbreaking, pioneering, original, innovative; More 2. relating to or denoting semen. Now I'm even more confused. If #1, I go with "Aqualung". If #2, anything by Cream or 10cc. Riis
A few new ones for me - Grand Funk and The Guess Who (think I’ve only ever heard American Woman). I’ve always liked Crimson but struggle with LTIA