Friday, May 17, 2024

20 Albums That Define Me, Part 2: A Summary Of A Music Fan In 20 Records (or thereabouts)


Following up on yesterday's post of "20 Albums That Define Me, Part 1," which detailed the albums that had the most impact upon my development as a rockin' pop fan, today we turn to 20 albums that present a collective summary of my rock 'n' roll POV. Taken together, these 40 records and/or sets of records paint a picture of music-lovin' li'l me.

And yes, I'm going to cheat right off the bat. Nothing, not even the Ramones, can quite match how integral the Beatles' pre-Sgt. Pepper music has been to my life. Listing every Beatles US Capitol Records release 1964-1966 is the only way to represent that importance. (NOTE: The Beatles Story does not count.)

Other than duplicating Beatles '65/Beatles VI in that leadoff Beatles spot, there is no overlap of individual albums between yesterday's post and today's post. Some individual tracks (by the Four Tops, the Kinks and the Monkees) do appear within albums on both lists.

The albums are not ranked, or at least they're not ranked after we get those Fab Four lads outta the way. 1-2-3-FAW!

THE BEATLES: Every track they released on Capitol Records in America from 1964 through 1966 [One album per artist? Rules are for suckers, man. And besides: NOTHING is Beatleproof!]

THE BANGLES: All Over The Place

THE BARRACUDAS: Drop Out With The Barracudas

THE BEAT: The Beat

BIG STAR: # 1 Record/Radio City

DAVID BOWIE: The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES: Shake Some Action

THE FLASHCUBES: Flashcubes On Fire

THE FOUR TOPS: Greatest Hits

HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS: The Right To Be Italian

THE JAM: Setting Sons

JOAN JETT: Bad Reputation

JOHNNY JOHNSON AND THE BANDWAGON: Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache

THE KINKS: The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society

MAD MONSTER PARTY: Mad Monster Party

THE MONKEES: Monkeemania

THE RAMONES: It's Alive

THE RAMONES: Road To Ruin [Nothing is Ramonesproof either]

THE ROLLING STONES: Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)

THE WHO: Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy

VARIOUS ARTISTS: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5 [Not kidding at all; there's no need to let any misguided attempt at false modesty interfere with declaring This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5 my all-time favorite various-arts pop compilation. Volume 4 is also pretty great.]

HONORABLE MENTION: Next album in would have been the Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man. Are these my favorite albums? Some are. Favorite or not, each is representative of my interests.

Add on a pair of custom-made compilations of my favorites by the Bay City Rollers and KISS, and, well, there you have me. Turn me up!

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar

Carl's book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/

If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl

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