100 ALBUMS THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE
FROM ABBA TO RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, INDULGE-SOUND.COM WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ALBUMS OF ALL TIME!
@indulgesound
/indulgesound
/user/indulgesound
indulgesound
PHOTOS, REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS & MORE About the project... Everyone at Indulge-Sound.com knows each other and became involved with the website through a passion for music, and it’s a passion shared with millions of people. Whether it’s hip hop, rock ‘n’ roll, country, death metal or anything in between, music is important to many people. 100 Albums That Changed Your Life is a project looking for stories and opinions from you to show how diverse and powerful different music can be to people. While there is a heavy lean towards rock because of the website we are, and in turn the tastes of many who follow us, there is plenty in there to spice things up. Thanks to everyone who took part, everyone who helped out and you, if you’re currently reading this! Indulge-Sound.com
Editor & founder: Heather McDaid - heather@indulge-sound.com || @heathermmcd Photographers & reviewers: Sinead Grainger, Shiona Walker, Jade Esson, Lucy Roth, Kyle McGurk, Emma Webb, Tyler Roberts. With thanks to Becky Ferguson, Ren Goodlad, Sophie Egboh, Ian Cheek, Anthea Thomas.
WHAT BETTER PLACE TO START? HOLD ONTO YOUR BOOTS (PUMPS, CROCKS, JCAMPBELLS, DOLLIES, SLIPPERS—WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT) BECAUSE ASIDE FROM THE MASS OF MUSIC, THERE’S A HEAP OF GOOD STORIES FOR YOU TOO! ABBA - ABBA GOLD
John Darley, Stirling I’ll admit that ABBA Gold might be a bit of a ludicrous suggestion to consider as my ultimate album, I could easily sit and write about the likes of The Kinks or Nick Cave, but where’s the fun in that? This is a record that’s shaken the music industry, selling over 5.1 million copies in the UK alone, and even though compilation albums are just a cheap way for record companies to get a bit of extra pocket money for them, ABBA will always be considered a 7” group. Let’s be honest; their albums haven’t really stood the test of time. Songs like Dancing Queen, Waterloo and Does Your Mother Know are tunes that no other pop group could imitate. Their signature melodies make them intriguing to listen to and they also have the skanking ability in getting almost any respectful human being on a dance floor. ABBA Gold is more than just a bit of the camp fun its been cracked up to be; it covers the success and superstardom that the Swedish group concurred all the way to the hardship they faced before their break-up something that never comes across in other Greatest Hits compilations. Despite some people being a little scared to admit what their favourite song on this album is, there’s a track on this record that would’ve had some form of impact on your life, not just mine.
AEROSMITH - GET A GRIP It’s a truth universally acknowledged that when, as a child, you find an album with a cow udder on the front, you listen to that album. That’s how it goes, right? While it may not be Aerosmith’s best album (and what is there best album is much debated), Get a Grip is my personal favourite, as it was what first introduced me to their music. The songs are lively, catchy, sometimes a little risqué, and ultimately enjoyable. I had no idea what half the songs were actually about, but it didn’t matter, I still loved them. I listened to the album on repeat often growing up, so it’s needless to say that I was delighted when I finally got to see them live and they played several songs from Get a Grip. (BF)
ADAM ANT - KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER
KYLE MCGURK - PHOTOGRAPHER, INDULGE-SOUND.COM Every song on that album is a masterpiece of original song writing that, 30 years later, I think no one has come close to matching in quality. The drum sound on Adam and the Ants’ second album has always had a distinct sound that other bands have tried, but the Ants perfected. I can hear its influence in other bands I love: Marilyn Manson songs like Disposable Teens and The Beautiful People, and arguably even Kanye West’s new song, Black Skinhead, but I’d say no band has captured the brilliance of the title track, Kings of the Wild Frontier. Adam and the Ants were the first band I ever really loved, particularly because of the Greatest Hits VHS meaning I could watch the music video to Antmusic every day while wishing I was Adam Ant. I never thought I’d get to see him live, but I did in 2011 - and 5 times since - and the guy’s still got it. He still has the voice, the eccentric and dandy appearance, and even the dancing (even more impressive when he’s pushing 60). No band has shaped my life more. I feel like my personality was somehow shaped around Adam Ant’s career, despite being born 15 years after his first album. "That music's lost its taste so try another flavour - Antmusic"
AGAINST ME! TRANSGENDER DYSPHORIA BLUES
It may seem an odd decision to include a record that hasn't been released for an 'Albums that changed your life' collection, but it's a sure fire bet that Against Me!'s upcoming full length is going to impact some lives, and rightly so. As fans have followed Laura Jane Grace's story, revealing her lifelong battle with gender dysphoria and coming out as a transgender woman - brave by all accounts, let alone when fronting a punk rock band - many have found a new source of inspiration. Take their True Trans EP, featuring two of the upcoming album's tracks in acoustic glory, and you'll find heartfelt music taking on a subject that is so rarely touched upon, and with an incomparable personal verse. It will impact the normal listener in many ways, yes, but the real potential to change lives for those going through similar struggles is unfathomable. Her story has already brought major attention to issues of gender, and they’re using their own music as a vehicle to continue. True Trans EP - released July 12th 2013. Available for free download at - AGAINSTME.NET
ALICE COOPER - TRASH
A live highlight will always be seeing Poison performed live for the first time by Alice Cooper. I’d waited a long time for that moment, and it was worth every minute. The king of shock-rock certainly remains on top when it comes to his death-defying performances, but seeing an all-time favourite song in the flesh is unreal. A stellar introduction to his work, the intro of that track just resonated, and kick starts one of my all time favourite records. He might not ooze as much darkness through each track (I could easily dance to This Maniac's In Love With You than be scared by it), but there's something great in each song, from a groove-riff to a banging chorus. With this album, he kickstarted a lifelong love of theatrical music, and remains at the forefront for me. (HM)
HM
ALEXISONFIRE ALEXISONFIRE
Do you remember the first time you gave Alexisonfire's self-titled debut a spin? Shit, 44 Caliber Love Letter is still one of the best debut openers ever. The Pettit v Green vocal combos were unbelievable, the guitar work was sleek but the aggression was never forced or overwhelming. Alexisonfire were a bit rough around the edges and without one truly defined sound, but that gave them this unbelievably raw and diverse quality. The album is just so intense, it's easy to curl your fists and release your angst. Perfect for venting your teenage anger, an ideal vessel to explore your music tastes through and the beginning of an exciting band's story. It was an exciting band to be around, and an exciting album to discover, especially as a teen.
ALISHA’S ATTIC - I AM, I FEEL
On reflection, they're not really the sort of thing that many people would recommend to a 7-year-old (Read the lyrics for Just The Way You Like It or The Air We Breathe, haha!). Their dangel (no not a typo) mascot shows the dichotomy between good and bad, and I still remember the phrase 'Soft and tough in one breath' from the inside sleeve almost 20 years on. I just generally find their music and their attitude inspiring. They write about love, but were almost never sappy or sentimental about it. In fact, many of their songs are almost creepy to my mind, in the best way possible. (ES)
SW
AVENGED SEVENFOLD - WAKING THE FALLEN (HM)
Avenged Sevenfold were the first 'new' heavier band I discovered in my early teenage years, and - as a guitar player - I honestly could not skip over them. They still remain my favourite band to date. Their duelling guitars have gone on to be one of their main character traits, but that booming opening to Unholy Confessions had me hooked from the off. Sure, they've developed their sound since with orchestral fillings and theatrical themes, but this was A7X at their finest, their basic, raw capacity. As a musician and a music lover, this was an integral album to my musical journey. I think their older and newer albums are great for a number of reasons, but there's just something genuinely brilliant about how stripped back this feels when you look at them now.
AYRIA - HEARTS FOR BULLETS & FLICKER
Emma Selwyn, London Hearts for Bullets & Flicker by Ayria were impactful for me on my year abroad for university. Hearts For Bullets, which I discovered thanks to Alex (Doran) [or whatever you called him in your review magazine.... Scuzzy? Synaptic Reactor? on a podcast radio show he did] and Bad List helped me get through my time in France [Autumn 2009-Spring 2010]. Invisible, Bad List, Lovely Day and Cutting played a role during my time in Japan [Spring Summer 2010]. I'd fallen in unrequited infatuation (I don't want to say lust or love as I think it was both, but I developed FEELINGS for someone, and very unhealthy ones with that) with the person I felt most comfortable around at the time. I always imagine putting people I dislike on a bad list and being kickass, standing up for myself and getting what I want. As for why the other songs are there..... either being in Japan unhinged me a little for a time, or I became unhinged there or in France but just happened to be in a strange place, both geographically and mentally.
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ICONIC BANDS, IT’S HARDLY SURPRISING THAT THE BEATLES HAVE IMPACTED PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS... THE BEATLES SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
Katie Sharp, Glasgow. This was the first album I ever owned - bought for me by my dad when I was about five. Though I drifted away from The Beatles as I got older and am now more interested in totally different genres of music, I always keep coming back to this one album. Partly because it reminds me of days in the park with my dad warbling away to With A Little help From My Friends in a high-pitched, out of key five-year-old girl voice; but also because I SHUDDER to think what music I might be interested in today if I hadn't been brought up listening to albums like this. It stands as good proof that a person can never be to young to start a proper musical education.
SG
THE BEATLES - ABBEY ROAD
I find it hard to judge my favourite Beatles album, as when I was getting to know the band, I never listened to the albums straight through. It was always what was on in the background of my home, or the songs we sang in assembly at my primary school. I learned more and more songs, but not often a whole track list in order. Thus, my favourite songs all exist on separate albums, and choosing one whole album above all others is difficult. My ‘favourite’ at any given moment is ever -changing. Right now though, I’m going with Abbey Road, as I distinctly remember listening to it in my living room, and becoming obsessed with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and Octopus’s Garden (because as a child, what else are you going to be obsessed with?). Now that I’m older, I can appreciate albums as a whole a lot more, and Abbey Road is a great one. And I still love Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, so some things never change! (BF)
BIFFY CLYRO - VERTIGO OF BLISS Rob Damiani, Don Broco.
Last year, we asked Rob from Don Broco his most defining albums mid-interview. Mon the Biff! “It’s a hard one to pick, but I’d probably say ‘Vertigo of Bliss’ by Biffy Clyro. That was one of the first sort of rock records that I heard where it was just mad and they just didn’t care and literally would put whatever they wanted down and record it. It was so varied that you can tell when they went in and recorded that that they just went in and did what they wanted to do. They wrote amazing songs that were all completely different as well.”
BIKINI KILL PUSSY WHIPPED
I swear, music is the ultimate freedom of expression and one of the easiest formats to connect with. I've listened to many people touch on feminism, and fundamentally I agree, but bands like Bikini Kill - gaining a second coming of sorts through the Riot Grrrl resurgence online evoke that connection that others sometimes lack, and put their art where their heart is. They made girls want to do something, to stand up for themselves, to know that they could go up there with a guitar in hand and kick ass. Take Rebel Girl - 'When she talks, I hear revolutions' / 'In her hips, there's revolutions' - they are just a driving force for women to be in control, to push themselves. Kathleen Hanna was a different breed of role model, and it's even more exciting to see it all coming around again.
BIRDEATSBABY - HERE SHE COMES A TUMBLIN’
Dave Taylor, Somerset This is the album that renewed my faith in the 21st century British unsigned music scene. It's in a class of its own, full of tunes that can't be pigeon holed, and on each and every subsequent play there are subtle nuances that make it enjoyable again and again. Mishkin Fitzgerald writes beautiful lyrics to deceptively creative music, more than ably assisted by bassist/guitarist Garry Mitchell and violinist Keely McDonald and driven along by the thumping drumming style of Philippa Bloomfield. This album has all the dark cabaret of the Dresden Dolls mixed with the gypsy dirges of Gogol Bordello with added dashes of classical symphonies and stadium filling rock. From the first strains of Intro, you know you you're in for an aural treat and it keeps you on your toes until the final haunting refrains of Letter To Charlie.
BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID
Let alone changing lives, this album changed the entire realm of music. The absolute classic from Sabbath's collection holds some of Iommi's greatest and most recognisable riffs (a bold claim, considering he's the master of many). With Ozzy on hand, this remains one of the greatest albums of all time, and a seminal work in any heavy metal fans repertoire.
BLINK 182 BLINK 182
Nicole Sixx, Los Angeles. When I first heard those radio interviews about Tom DeLonge screaming across a room just to get the right sound or saw the first videos for Feeling This and Miss You, I had yet to realize what an impact that album would have on my last real summer in Colorado. I had other summers but that one was special. I was young, innocent, in love for the first time, and blissfully carefree about anything else. To me that album is summer. It’s all my favorite romances thrown into one, from heart-races to heart breaks in a way only blink-182 could sum it all up and that year it was forever on repeat. Even now whenever I start to fall in love or feel that summer breeze, it’s the first thing I turn on. Blink-182 is the soundtrack to my infinite romantic summer.
JE
BLINK 182 - TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS AND JACKET
JADE ESSON—PHOTOGRAPHER— INDULGE-SOUND.COM Alongside Good Charlotte and Sum 41, Blink-182 were one of the bands I first got into when I started to develop my own music taste. I’d heard Blink through Enema of The State but it wasn’t until I bought TOYPAJ that I really got into the band. I played the album relentlessly in my Walkman and although the self-titled album is ultimately my favourite Blink album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket is the one that got me hooked. The teenage themes of the album painted an exciting picture of adolescence and the fact that it stayed relevant with me as I then began to experience the emotions behind some of the songs is pretty cool, in my opinion. The closing lyric of the album, “This is the best time we ever had”, from Please Take Me Home is a pretty good summary of how I feel about the years of my life that the album relates to. And as I got those lyrics tattooed on my leg earlier this year, Blink are definitely a part of me for life.
BRAND NEW - DEJA ENTENDU
You know those albums that just play backdrop to your teenage years, seemingly to reflect something in yourself back at you? Those albums that come along at the right time and captivate you like no other, that make you fall head over heels in love with a band? This is what Brand New's sophomore album did. Their music is packed with subtleties that make it such a breathtaking album, and one that still evokes all the same feelings, years down the line.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BORN IN THE USA
Paul Philbin, Stirling. I am ashamed to say I only started listening to "The Boss" in the last few years. My friend from college was in love with the man and I just took his lead. Whilst everyone, including myself, loves the song that the album is named after, my personal favourite has to be Dancing in the Dark. It helped me out a lot before I started University as it tells the story of a guy who feels he is in a rut and has a lot more to give. The lines “I come home in the morning, I go to bed feeling the same way, I ain't nothing but tired, man I'm just tired and bored with myself” summed up my general attitude to life working in my part-time job. Glory Days also tells the story of meeting with people who are still living in the past and how important it is to always live in the present and not dwell on what’s behind you. I managed to see him in Manchester last year and can honestly say, it was one of the best experiences of my life so far.
CKY - INFILTRATE, DESTROY, REBUILD
Stephen Linahan, Philadelphia. I nfilt rat e, Dest ro y Rebuild holds a special place in my heart. It may not be the first record I ever bought but it is the record that is pretty much the original building block from which my life has grown from since. Many of my relationships, both professional and friendship, have come from becoming a CKY fan. The album itself is a perfect ten tracks. In the 11 years since the record has come out, I have seen the band perform the album in many shapes and forms and even in entirety on many occasions.
THE CIVIL WARS BARTON HOLLOW
Some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Joy and John's voices together are just pure perfection.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BORN TO RUN
Becki Cardosi, Newcastle. I remember hearing Born To Run for the first time and thinking that it was like nothing I’d ever heard before – not even from Bruce Springsteen himself. My admiration for Bruce is something that was passed down to me by my mother, although it wasn't until my teenage years that I finally understood what it was she was hearing when she listened to him. This wasn't the first album of his that I heard, nor the album that made me want to listen to him more – but it was the album that made me want to stay. In its entirety, it makes me feel every range of emotion I ever knew I could feel, and no matter what mood I’m in it always brightens my day. It’s even the perfect length of time, there’s not one song that I find unnecessary or don’t like and it doesn't drag on but at the same time leaves me wanting more. There are even a handful of songs on it that I've found have become even more special after seeing them performed live. This album is the album I never knew I was searching for, but I’m glad I found it.
THE CLASH - LONDON CALLING Jamie Jazz - Bleach Blood, ex-King Blues
So, pick your favourite album of all time... That's a pretty big ask. I mean, I know my favourite song of all time (The Cure, Close To Me) but that's just a song, one piece of art, one single snapshot of time. Whereas an album, well, that's a whole body of work. It's a story, it's a complete artwork, it's much more than just music. So if I think about it, there are millions of choices. maybe LCD Soundsystem's Sound Of Silver or Blondie's Parallel Lines. Or Talking Heads, Black Flag, Fleetwood Mac, I could go on and on and on, but I won't. There is one album that has influenced me as a musician and a human more than any other, from its iconic cover of Paul smashing his bass surrounded by the references to Elvis in the artwork to the opening guitars that paint a picture of a nervous, aggressive London on the edge of falling apart, The Clash's London Calling will always be my favourite album. Not one bad song, not one bad lyric - from top to tail I believed and studied everything that Strummer, Jones and Simonon sing. It has everything, sex, drugs, rebellion, it's smart but never too smart, it's stupid but never dumb. A perfect record for anything that life might wish to throw at you .
C O U N T I N G CROWDED HOUSE - WOODFACE CROWS - Woodface is arguably one of the most important albums AUGUST AND E V E R Y THING AFTER Again, This album was pretty much on constant rotation at home. Adam Duritz has a most beautiful, powerful and sometimes haunting vocal, which is showcased on this album. Again, this still sounds as good as it did all those years ago! (LO)
THE CURE THE TOP
in my life. I have so many conflicting emotions connected to it; I absolutely love the band and the songs, and listening to it brings back a lot of happy memories of being a child, but it is also tied to a lot of difficult emotions, and upsetting memories of my childhood. Nevertheless, this album was life-changing to me, and remains my favourite of any Crowded House album. Neil Finn’s voice is one of my favourites; it’s so peaceful, beautiful and full of emotion. The music is unlike that of any other band I know; the melodies and tone are interesting, soothing, fun. Everything about this album is wonderful to me. Four Seasons in One Day is one of my favourite songs in the whole world. It’s one of those songs where you want to write the lyrics onto every surface you find, and makes me wish I knew someone who loves Crowded House too so I can share this feeling with them. (BF)
Every Cure album has changed my life in some way. The Cure is one of those bands that I carry so close to heart. They have pop music, noise rock, depressing sad songs, anthems! There is a Cure song for every mood and each album has it's own theme to me. The Cure just keeps evolving and putting out great music. My favorite album is the Top. Some hardcore Cure fans would gasp at this, some understand. But most would go with Pornography or Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me as the Cure's best album. The Top is a very psychedelic, hedonistic album for the Cure. It was made while Robert Smith was working with Siouxsie & The Banshees, drinking magic mushroom tea with Steven Severin. It's a crazy album. Almost all of the songs are about self hatred, but there is the Caterpillar which is a sweet and cute love song. It's a great album, it's my favorite album from my favorite band. hearing the songs live are 100x better. What's more life changing than this album? The Cure live. Best live band ever, just sayin'. (AF)
DAVID BOWIE—THE RISE & FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST & THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
Katie Muriel, Maine If someone asked me to name a musician that has been instrumental in shaping who I am as I’ve grown up, I wouldn’t even have to hesitate. David Bowie is the clear answer; anyone who’s known me longer than an hour probably wouldn’t have to ask in the first place, because by that point I will likely have found a way to work him into the conversation. David is like a magician in the way he works; you always think you see his next trick coming and you never quite can. Each one is more beautiful and creative than the last, and each has its place in my heart. But The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars is my definitive Bowie album; it’s the one I played sold out air guitar gigs for my teddy bears to at age five. Bowie had fancied himself a bisexual space alien from space and if the persona itself wasn’t enough, the album strikes at you with it in each song, makes you close your eyes and sway, begs you to jump on your bed and dance, invites you to join the Ziggy character in the space he had fallen from. The gods themselves combined to make Bowie and that’s the kind of power he displays in this album. It’s changed me so much and it’s one that should be in everyone’s collection.
DINOSAUR JR. - YOU’RE LIVING ALL OVER ME
This album has changed my life because it's how I discovered the band Dinosaur Jr. They are an alternative band that formed in the 80s and were alongside the Pixies in creating sweet melodic noise rock. They influenced other bands like Nirvana that have influenced me. They started a genre of music (grunge, noise rock) that I really love. J Mascis loud guitar and the distortion he creates with it, such LOUD noise, but they pair that with a sweet melody and a sweet vocal with simple lyrics. Sludgefeast and In A Jar from this album will always be in my heart. Such GREAT songs. I feel Dino is underrated, I always try to share my cds with anybody I know who likes good music. I only found out about them when I saw that The Cure and Nirvana were big fans of them. So I thought I'd check them out and they are just crazy pioneers of rock, this album is amazing. Definitely a life changer. (AF)
THE DISTILLERS THE DISTILLERS
Rough and ready, the band pretty much just kicked ass, and that’s all you need an album to do. Plus, Brody Dalle was a complete sensation to a young me.
DRAGONFORCE INHUMAN RAMPAGE
David Loudon, Glasgow. Because it was the gateway album that got me into everything I listen to now.
THE DRESDEN DOLLS— Y E S , V I R G I N I A LR
Andy Wilkinson, Northern Ireland
This album would be my choice overall due to the combination of quality and influence. Having been introduced to rock music by the usual bands such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, most of the bands that filled my collection were classics or bands pretty common on the pages of popular rock magazines. I always had Faith No More as my quite unique outlet followed by Mindless Self Indulgence in 2000. It wasn’t until 2006 when this was released that I truly embraced the stranger side of rock. Describing themselves as “punk rock cabaret” really doesn’t do them justice, though it is far too hard to find suitable descriptions for such a unique duo. With brilliance such as Delilah, Sex Changes and Mrs. O there was no way my heart could resist falling in love with their lyrical genius and intriguing musical style. Having opened the doors for me to fully accept my love for Emilie Autumn, Mindless Self Indulgence and Faith No More this album deserves its spot as my most important album.
DURAN DURAN - ALL YOU NEED IS NOW
Amanda Duffy, Falkirk. Produced by Mark Ronson, this is their 13th album, and their best one since Rio was released in 1982. The album captures the sound Duran first hit us with when they were catapulted into stardom 30 years ago. But it's probably what happened after the release of this album that makes it so significant for me. They had a world tour planned after the release of this album in 2011, however the entire tour was cancelled when Simon Le Bon was diagnosed with a haemorrhage in his vocal chords. This for a lot of people, myself included, raised some concerns about this being the end of the band, as you never know if a vocalist can come back from something like that. So obviously I was thrilled when he made a full recovery and the tour was rescheduled. Seeing the band perform the songs from this album live is incredible, and you can tell by the way they performed that they were overjoyed to have their new music heard and loved by their fans, especially after the scare and perhaps disappointment they'd endured over the previous months. Having spoken to the band about this album, they believe that working with Ronson helped them recapture that "magic" they had 30 years ago when it all began, and I couldn't agree more. This album contains everything that I could want from the band, and serves as a reminder why I fell in love with them in the first place.
EVANESCENCE EVANESCENCE
Sophie Egboh, London. I haven't always typically been an Evanescence "fan", growing up I listened to their singles but I've never classed them as a favourite band. Their latest self titled album, however, has become one of my favourite albums. I listened to it continuously throughout a rocky few months last year and I was able to vent and really identify with a lot of the emotions felt behind the lyrics, strings and vocals. My Heart Is Broken and End Of The Dream have vocal breakdowns that almost do the job for you when you feel as though you need to scream. It changed my life in the respect that it allowed me to silence what was going on around me for the 60 or so minutes that it was on and channel a lot of thoughts in a time when I most needed to.
FALL OUT BOY - TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE
SHIONA WALKER—PHOTOGRAPHER—INDULGE-SOUND.COM Everyone has that one album that influences their teenage years above any other. Without a shadow of a doubt Take This To Your Grave is mine. It’s had more of an effect on me that I could ever imagine since first hearing tracks live on March 14th 2004. It introduced me to some of my closest friends: led to me travelling across the UK in a ford Ka on multiple tours; hopping around the USA meeting amazing SO'ers and OCKs wherever I went, and even resulted in me crying in a club in Cologne when they dedicated Chicago Is So Two Years Ago to 'friends at the back they didn't expect to see till they hit the UK'. It’s always been so comforting to put it on and hear the intro to Tell that Mick, becoming totally immersed in wonderful music and the absolute best memories for the subsequent 39 minutes. Sure the other albums have been great influencers in my life thus far, but TTTYG is my go-to record for summing up my youth. It’s the album that got me into the band that helped me grow as a music photographer, and that’s such a huge part of who I am today. Without having heard that album or being at that show I simply wouldn’t be me. SW
TRACK X TRACK HEY CHRIS
It’s not often someone gets a song dedicated to them, but for 'Hey Chris' Christopher Gutierrez he's got one in the bank. The long time FOB supporter and occasional merch extraordinaire went on to gain a cult following online and now embarks on worldwide spoken word tours when he's not working on his next novel.
SATURDAY
If there’s one song you're guaranteed to hear at a FOB show it's Saturday. The iconic concert closer became a fast fan favourite. The stage sees bass guitars fly through the air and the front row squashed to pieces as Wentz scrambles to climb the barricade for the final verse.
GRAND THEFT AUTUMN.
The song that spawned the video that makes it seem okay to play drums in the snow or film your girlfriend rolling around her bed in her PJs. It's cool if that's what you're into. We won't tell.
FALL OUT BOY - TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE
Allyson Parrish, West Virginia. Take This to Your Grave was Fall Out Boy’s first full album, and just so happened to be my first rock album to own and love. I consider this album to the most influential of my life because I’ve always loved music, but it didn’t become my passion until I heard this. Fall Out Boy combined the normal “I hate you” punk songs, but then they had songs like Grenade Jumper that allowed their fans to see a more intimate side of their life. Allowing their fans to get closer to their personal life through songs is something many musical artists don’t do anymore and this stuck out to me, and made me feel like all of their fans, including myself, were important to them. The music taught me that I could actually release my teenage angst through a creative sense, and this helped me through high school.
FIRELIGHT UNBREAKABLE
Although I'm not Christian, am wary of a lot of things many Christians I know practice and personally really dislike how they've got more 'preachy' with their most recent release [If I were Christian, I'd probably say "heavier"/"more challenging"/"more explicitly about God"], I happen to really enjoy their music. At the time I really got into this album [Autumn 2009], I was living in France as part of my year abroad. The story of how miserable I was there could fill up a whole book, but this album was one of the things that really got me through my time there. I still vividly remember a sleazy old French guy shoving his tongue down my throat after I told him I was English and deciding to walk back to the apartment rather than take a bus, loudly singing Unbreakable and You Gave Me A Promise all the way through on the walk. Many of the other songs on that album still resonate with me somewhere. (ES)
FLEETWOOD MAC RUMOURS
Again, this is right up the ranks in my top 10 albums of all time. This instantly evokes memories of going on family holidays in my Dad's Saab 95. We named it our "Holiday Tape" and we would listen to it over and over until my Sister and I fell to sleep in the back where the seats were pulled right down to convert the back seats into a bed. Heck knows how many copies we've had over the years (in record, cassette and later on, CD form) due to it being played to death. My Dad walked me down the aisle to one of the tracks on the album, 'Songbird' on my Wedding Day so that song in particular really means a lot to me. The album as a whole has never dated and it sounds as fantastic now as it did then. (LO)
FRANK OCEAN - CHANNEL ORANGE
Best male vocalist around right now in R&B. His song writing is insane. Bad Religion is probably one of my favourite songs ever. (RG)
GALLOWS - ORCHESTRA OF WOLVES
Carina Jolly, Liverpool Just one year after the initial release of Orchestra of Wolves, on July 9th 2007, I was prompted by an email to listen to Gallows as they were re-releasing their first album with four more tracks. One of these tracks, Sick Of Feeling Sick has remained one of my favourite songs of all time. I gave Orchestra a listen to and really enjoyed the album. I was 14 at the time and had just been introduced to proper British punk that was alive and still kicking, furiously. Due to the lack of my friends who listened to Gallows, this album proved to me that I could go out into the big wide world, have a true passion for something and that it was okay if people I loved hated it. Orchestra is by far my favourite album and if you haven’t heard it you’re missing out! After 6 years, 2 albums, one EP, a new singer, one less guitarist, 8 gigs and a tattoo, Gallows are still my favourite band.
GUNS N’ ROSES - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
GASLIGHT ANTHEM SINK OR SWIM When music is full of heart, it's easy to connect with and New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem are about ready to burst. Sink or Swim is the earliest I remember connecting with an album I'd discovered myself. Going on through the years, it happens over and over with their music. Handwritten was just as powerful to me, but this is where it all began. @OLIZICO
Oli Middleton - Zico Chain
Cliché I know, but let me tell you why. I learned to play drums in fucking church! My whole existence was so sheltered and safe; I’d never heard rock music. It was only when I hit 20, and met the boys that would become Zico Chain, that I really started living my life – there was so much out there to explore that I didn’t know about, and I had loads to catch up on. I'd heard Nirvana in school and dismissed it as too heavy, I heard a Green Day track off Dookie and thought it just nasty punk. I didn't have a clue really; it was all a different world. Early Zico Chain delivered me into a world of alcohol, parties, girls, London, adventure and most of all music. Appetite for Destruction was the soundtrack to me finding myself in the real world, it gave me a platform upon which I could justify my eccentricities. Slash became the personification of rock n roll. I used that album to fuel every desire and drive every single one of my decisions while I developed a ‘why the hell not, throw caution to the wind’ attitude. I became a ‘yes’ man, a ‘try everything once’ man with no regrets. I was on my Night Train, never to return. Seven years later, I was in the dressing room at the Hammersmith Apollo shaking Slash by the hand, thanking him for having us on the Velvet Revolver UK Tour.
GREEN DAY - AMERICAN IDIOT
LUCY ROTH—PHOTOGRAPHER—INDULGESOUND.COM Green Day were the band of my early teenage years, and American Idiot was the album that changed it all for me. It was so angry and political but tongue-incheek at the same time; it was about frustration and alienation, which spoke to me as a 12 year old kid who had a hard time ‘fitting in’. It introduced me to the world of punk rock – not just the music but the culture, the values, the attitude, the style; the whole package. I fell in love with it all. I started learning bass, and then guitar, and began playing in bands with my friends (mostly covering Green Day songs at first). If it weren’t for American Idiot, I don’t think I would have discovered most of the bands that I love today, I don’t know whether I would ever have started going to shows. I’m certain I wouldn’t know some of my best friends. It holds some great memories, and I still stick it on from time to time when I fancy a nostalgic moment. I have no doubt that it will always be the album that stands out for me.
GREEN DAY DOOKIE
We all remember our first taste of rebellious music. The music we lit-up too, may have stolen some red licorice, and hung out in the dirt with our buds. As a kiddo mine was Dookie. I remember borrowing it over and over from this cool skater/stoner kid I lived with until he left and I determinedly convinced my adults to let me buy this CD covered in all these things hurling poo. It lasted a few months and was then stolen. I was little, poor, and devastated but I loved the album so as soon as I could, I purchased it once more. Again, stolen. I tried various times, but the damn CD would be stolen, loaned out and lost, or smashed in tragic accidents. I am responsible for at least 20 Dookie sales easy. I know all the songs, each still has meaning to me even now. About a year and a half ago I decided to bite the bullet and download it, my computer died two days later. I love you Dookie, you cursed little fiend. Maybe I’ll try it on vinyl next Christmas. (NS)
HM
HANK GREEN SO JOKES
As a nerdfighter, one album that has definitely changed my life is So Jokes, the debut album of Vlogbrother Hank Green. Listening to it when I first found nerdfighteria really helped me feel more connected to the other people in the community, and just made me very happy. Never on one album have I found such a vast array of song topics. From Harry Potter to Queen Ranavalona; from Obama Llamas to Helen Hunt; from Edward Spoonhands to giraffe love. So Jokes is an album full of fun songs that can be enjoyed regardless of whether you get the references or in-jokes, and I love it. (BF)
HIM - DARK LIGHT
Aline Devine - São Paolo, Brazil When I heard this album for the first time, I felt a totally different feeling. It was as if he spoke everything I was feeling at the time. He touches you deeply and feel touched, he brings a sadness good as comforts you, there is much feeling in it. It's weird, you know? But that album changed my life and my way of doing things since then. He made me overcome many things. It's a band that touches you deeply, you can feel love coming out of each verse Ville sings with that beautiful voice and every note played by the band members. I am grateful to have known about this band for sure 3, 4 years. Since then, they are my favorite band. Dark Light will always be a masterpiece, just like every album they make. Thank you Ville, Linde, Migé, Burton and Gas! Love you so much, guys.
IAMX - THE ALTERNATIVE
Ren Goodlad, Scotland Literally changed everything. From 04 to 07 all I listened to was "rock music" (MCR, TBS, The Used - the usual bunch) and then I was introduced to IAMX by my best friend at the time. They created my love for electro, they made me want to get more serious with making music, they opened my eyes to a whole new genre and world of not only music, but living. Chris Corner is a lyrical genius, and they are some of thee most intelligent being I've had the pleasure of meeting. Every album has been perfect. I can't praise them enough.
JACK OFF JILL - CLEAR HEARTS, GREY FLOWERS
Simon Delaney, Don Broco
Last year, we asked Si from Don Broco about his most defining album...
That was one of the big records that changed my whole perspective on music. I’ve listened to it for years; I still listen to it now and it’s got all the expression it did the day I bought it. That, for me, was probably the record that got me into intelligent rock music. But there are loads of albums I listened to when I was younger – that’s the time to get into music. You can spend all your evenings chilling out and listening to a record over and over again.
I was too young to fully understand the Riot Grrrl movement in its first coming, but I sure as hell could get into the music. Jack Off Jill was a startling sound for someone my age, coming just at the right time as I grew to love the weird and wonderful. Since then I've grown to appreciate more of what they stood for, and wish I'd understood more at the time, but can't fault the love I had for this album regardless.
JOHN FRUSCIANTE - CURTAINS
aSG
INCUBUS - MAKE YOURSELF
JAPANESE VOYEURS YOLK
Oh, god. Do you remember when you discovered music and fell head over heels into a new era of your life? And, as the years go on, you still fall haplessly in love with music, but not quite to the extent of that first hurrah? Well, Yolk was that second hurrah years down the line. Screaming of an old favourite Daisy Chainsaw, Japanese Voyeurs had a darkness and quirk that was so brilliant even on a first encounter. While the band didn't make it until album #2, #1 is still incredible to me. (HM)
Bernadeta, Lithuania. To me, this album played a role of an eye opener. It is as comforting as a best friend's shoulder, if not more. There's enough melancholy to make you cry if you're going through some rough times, lots of appealing lines to inspire you to think things through, and most importantly, Curtains provides a certain vibe, a genuine pat on your shoulder, reassuring that everything will be alright in the end. It was the album that gave me the necessary push to get myself together and live in the moment. Of course, note the signature style of John Frusciante's solo work, the album is full of beautiful vocal harmonies, hypnotizing guitar tracks and... soul. Ultimately, it's a very delightful album both musically and spiritually, and if discovered at the right time, it may end up being one of the greatest finds of your life.
LOREEN HEAL
Got her fame through cheesy Eurovision, but the album is far from that. One of the best female vocalist/dance acts around right now.
THE KILLERS - HOT FUSS
In a list such as this, Hot Fuss is a mustinclude. The debut album of The Killers, and still a firm favourite with many fans, this album was one of many that came to define an era of music in the earlymid 00s.While many inspirations for the sound have been named, Hot Fuss was arguably unlike anything that had been heard before. Brandon Flower’s voice is a contributing factor to the uniqueness of The Killers. There’s an almost odd quality to it that makes it rather interesting and undeniably distinctive. I remember hearing this album being played everywhere when it first came out. And come on, who at least doesn’t know all the words to Mr Brightside? (BF)
LETLIVE - FAKE HISTORY
KISS - LOVE GUN
This has some of their most iconic hits on it and makes me want to rock and roll all night, and part of every day. From maybe 1-3. (CS)
LINKIN PARK HYBRID THEORY
The album that got me into everything I listen to today. From metal to rap, it has the best combinations and songs that will be anthems for a long time! (CL)
SG JE
letlive. garner excitement with every move they make nowadays, and it's a product of their own fearless endeavours. Fake History is a fantastic album, one that really amps you up about modern music. Forget the classics for a moment, because here's a band ready to steal the show. Their new record The Blackest Beautiful is unbelievable, but if it hadn't been for this initial spark, too few people would be around to see it. An absolutely brilliant band, and one that simply makes music exciting again. (HM)
LOGAN - CRUEL LITTLE WORLD Ed Wild, Glasgow
On my 18th birthday I went to see Logan at the ABC in Glasgow and on that night I purchased their 3rd album, Cruel Little World. As soon as I put it into the CD player and turned up the volume I could hear their raw passion for what they did oozing out of my speakers. If I was to sum the album up in one word it would be perfection. Logan opened my eyes as to what a group of Glasgow lads could achieve when they put their minds to it. They played festivals, toured Europe and gave me some of the best music I had the pleasure of listening to in my late teen years and even now I still listen to this album on a regular basis. They showed me it was possible and with that I began my journey into the musical world. If it wasn't for Logan I don't think I'd be in the position I am today, running a music website, deeply involved in the UK rock scene helping new bands break through. Cruel Little World shaped the man I am today and without both it and Logan my life could be quite different.
MADINA LAKE - FROM THEM, TO US, THROUGH YOU
Claire Loudon, Glasgow This album is just musically amazing. It was the start of my love affair with this band and they just keep getting better!
METALLICA - MASTER OF PUPPETS
Growing up a Metallica fan, this just blows you away when you're little. Yes, it's always in the classic lists, but there's an obvious reason for it.
METHOD MAN TICAL
Hip hop will always be my first love and this was the record that got me into half of the stuff I listen to now. I remember my grandma hiding the CD from me when I was 8 because it wasn't "suitable for my age." I listen to it now and realize that she was probably right, but I ended up stealing my cousin's copy and getting grounded for 2 weeks anyway. It's just on another level in my opinion, even to this day. Meth will always be my favourite rapper. (RG)
MICHAEL JACKSON - THRILLER
Whose life wasn’t changed by this album? Surely everyone’s was. At the very least, mine definitely was. As a child who loved nothing more than dancing, being able to watch music videos that included the best dance routines I had ever seen, and teach them to myself… words cannot describe what that meant to me. Plus, this album has such a vast array of styles and sounds on it that there is something for everyone. It’s a true album, with no filler tracks that do little more than bulk out the singles; every song is crafted with the same care. A truly timeless album that revolutionised the music industry, and inspired practically every musician since. (BF)
MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE FRANKENSTEIN GIRLS WILL SEEM STRANGELY SEXY Andrea Fleming, South CA I discovered this album when I was probably twelve or thirteen. It intrigued me and is what made me dive into being a crazy obsessed young fan of MSI. After this album I got all of the MSI merch I could get my hands on, went to every close MSI show, made so many close lifelong friends. This band has really changed my life, and all because of this one album. Being a fan of this band is really like being in a community. I know and am friends with so many people online and in real life because of this band. Their music is smart, satirical, humorous, and really good. The band always puts out good messages to do what you want, have fun, not care about what other people think. Self-love and all that. They've really taught me a lot throughout the years, but at the same time they are just a really fun band. This album will ALWAYS be my favorite MSI album without question. It's just one of those things, makes me so happy it's a really hilarious album and lead me into being a fan and learning from them.
SG
Charley Hemmings, Essex. This was the first Mindless album I owned and it blew me away. It was just so different and unlike anything I had heard before that I fell in love with the album and the band. It lead me into MSI's crazy world of unapologetic lyrics, unreal riffs, back-bending bassists and the ever rare female drummer. MSI take ownership of so many firsts for me: first music concert, first band I ever met, first time I toured for a band. Thanks to MSI I met two amazing fellow fans who I now consider very close friends, which is amazing as they live in Scotland and myself in London. MSI have been a big part of my life and a big dent in my bank account for about 7 years and I can't see that changing any time soon. They have brought amazing music and people into my life and I thank them for that.
MINUS THE BEAR MENOS EL OSO
Sarah Hayhurst, Dunfermline. Imagine this: you are 12 years old and your big cousin hands you over a copy of an album he swears you will love. I suppose most kids would chuck it and think they were too cool for that. I was not that kid. I listened to Menos el Oso on repeat for weeks on my Walkman. The music wasn’t just a chorus you could chant; it was clever, practised, and different. Listening to Pachuca Sunrise and Memphis & 53rd, I was somewhere else, somewhere as weird as me. I am still entranced each time I listen to the record picking out something else I love, new depths to the lyrics and the music itself. It will always be an album I can listen to back to back in any mood, there is a song for everything. The song to sum up the album has to be The Game Needed Me, listen and learn.
MOTORHEAD - ACE OF SPADES
When we saw Anthrax's Scott Ian on his Spoken Word Tour earlier this year, he included a section about the album that changed his life and helped him become a lifelong fan of Motorhead. That album? Ace of Spades. Though few have gone on to share the relationship and experiences with their heroes in the same way that Scott has, most can understand that initial feeling of being completely captivated by a band. It’s one that sticks with us forever.
HM
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK COMMIT THIS TO MEMORY
Alisa Wylie, Glasgow. Commit This To Memory is a record that has stuck with me ever since I first listened to it 4 years ago. It’s poetic and sweet and totally heart-wrenching (in the best possible way.) When I really love a record, I tend to over play it to death until I am sick of it and can’t bear to listen when any song crops up on shuffle. However, this is a record that when you listen to again, it gets right under your skin and makes you feel everything you loved about it in the first place, and with even more vehemence than you did before. It chronicles Justin Pierre’s turbulent life at the time, channelling chaos into quirky synthesisers and catchy lyrics. Closing track Hold Me Down is a song that I requested to hear live when they played at King Tuts last September, and it was as haunting and beautiful live as it is on the record. Pardon the pun, but Commit This To Memory is a record that I believe will stay with me, even when I outgrow my own chaotic teenage years. I hope it never does.
MUSE - ABSOLUTION
David Hart, Essex. Although I no longer listen to them, Muse were once the center of my musical life. They were the band that made me start taking music seriously. It's hard to take that last sentence seriously when you consider how Matt Bellamy now wears TV glasses and LED jackets whilst rapping along to his egotistic space opera. But back in 2001, when all I listened to was American Pop-Rock, discovering the Teignmouth trio was a revelation. In 2003, a group who called me their friend attacked and hospitalised me two weeks after my sixteenth birthday. But after the stitches had been removed and the scar began to heal I still felt abandoned and depressed. That was until my boys returned in July with the first cut of Absolution, a riff-tastic Tool inspired angry belter titled Stockholm Syndrome. In September the album was released and was everything I needed from the band. Despite how popular being a depressed teen has become, for me it was the real deal and through this album I found some peace. Through Muse I discovered more musicians that took my love of music to a whole new level: Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Jeff Buckley, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains etc. Despite not caring for the band anymore I still respect how much of an impact that record had on me. I even have the lyrics from Stockholm Syndrome tattooed on my arm to remind me of that difficult time and how that I got through.
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -
THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE HEATHER MCDAID - EDITOR - INDULGE-SOUND.COM Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge will always be one of those albums. It came along in my formative years as both a music fan and a person, and really kick-started the path of self-discovery in my own musical and personal interests. When you’re 13 and feel like a bit of an outcast, you connect with a band or an album, and—wham! - there was My Chemical Romance. The strong aesthetic of the album—and the band—make this the stand out era in My Chemical Romance’s shape-shifting career, and one that will forever hold a place in ‘the albums that changed [people’s] lives’. This is a band who connected with their fans, who made the most wild and wonderful characters feel welcome and the most desperate of people feel worth something. My Chemical Romance were my creative outlet, my driving force into music and the reason I have come to meet so many amazing friends over the years. While the god awful fashion choices they provoked off the back of this album have thankfully gone, my love of this album never will. A true masterpiece, the best My Chemical Romance ever created, and the biggest influence on my impressionable years.
SAMANTHA GINGRICH - USA. I love My Chemical Romance. Love them. They have been my favourite band since the song Helena came out in 2004. In March of this year (2013) they broke up, leaving thousands upon thousands of fans drowning in tears. While looking back through all their music in an attempt to heal, a good five albums and multiple singles, I discovered that the afore listed album, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, was my favourite. The thirteen songs portray everything from horrible exes to sexual harassment in prison, and even though those topics are a little unconventional, the music is fantastic. Helena, a single from this album and one of My Chem’s most famous songs, was my favourite song for 8 years, until I found an earlier song called Early Sunsets Over Monroeville. I grew up with this band and this album. It will always hold a special place in my little, black heart.
SIMONE KELLY—SCOTLAND The album that dramatically changed my life was Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge by the well known band "My Chemical Romance. Not only did this album change my life, it practically saved it. I was going through a tough time at school, dealing with bullying and stress. When I discovered this album, it had all the angst and hate that I was building up inside myself. It helped to let me know that I wasn't alone, everyone goes through tough times. The bands other albums helped me too, but I really connected with this album. The lyrics all explained how I felt. I would just listen to it on repeat and feel better. Not only did this album help me, it also was just filled with really good songs like Thank You For The Venom and the classic I'm Not Okay (I Promise). If you really sat and listened, you could hear the raw emotion in the lead singer Gerard Way's voice, the compelling drumming and breathtaking guitar solos. The band really put their souls into this album and it clearly paid off.
JUL 31 2009 MCR ENDED THEIR BRIEF HIATUS IN 2009 WITH TWO FACE SHREDDING NIGHTS AT THE ROXY IN LA WITH THE FIRST PREVIEW OF NEW SONGS, INCLUDING WHAT WENT ON TO BE PARTY POISON. A SWEATY AND CRAMPED CLUB, THE BEST KIND OF SHOW.
MAY 25TH 2011, CA, USA
LUCY ONIONS—WILLENHALL This is a perfect concept album from start to finish. I loved I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love so much but when I got my hands on Three Cheers, it just blew me away! It actually reminded me of those years back at senior school when I was having a tough time of things and, yes, I know that sounds incredibly clichéd but it really was like opening a box of memories. Story telling at it's best and the imagery it created went hand in hand with it so perfectly. My Chem adapted and evolved their music with each album and I'm so proud to say I've been a huge fan since 2002. HANNAH BROWN—MASSACHUSSETTS My Chemical Romance has been my favorite band since the moment I saw the video for Helena in 2005. My friend got me the album and I would listen to it every night when I went to bed. (I had a 3 CD changer and it was still in there when I added Fall Out Boy's Infinity On High to it in 2007 if that puts it in to perspective for you.) At that age it was just an awesome album but as I got older and things got more complicated, and I learned more about the band, it got more important. It means a lot to me now because every time I was sad, or something went wrong I would take a break from my newest musical obsession and put that album on. It wouldn't necessarily make me happy but I felt as though, as long as I had that band, that album, everything would be okay. And it is okay. Even though the band is now disbanded, the 5 men who made this thing I fell in love with still exist, and do whatever it is that they do now and it's enough.
THANK YOU FOR THE VENOM
Meaning can be plucked from most songs on Three Cheers, but Thank You For The Venom always kicked most ass on a musical level. That guitar, man. To date, one of the finest MCR tracks around. And it’s also become one of the most popular phrases for a tattoo choice, especially in French...
TRACK X TRACK I’M NOT OKAY
I’m Not Okay spoke to music fans and outcasts across the world, proving to be a song of acceptance. Weird? Different? Great! Just because you don’t know karate doesn’t mean you won’t make it, and NJ’s finest practiced what they
HELENA
A personal track about the loss of Gerard and Mikey Way’s grandmother, Helena sees the band truly put themselves into their music. Dealing with death and difficult farewells, fans not only loved the power behind the track, but the ability to connect with it personally.
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE MAY HAVE CALLED IT QUITS EARLIER THIS YEAR, BUT FANS WON’T FORGET THE CALIBRE OF SHOW THEY PUT ON. LET’S HAVE A LOOK BACK AT SOME WE MANAGED TO CATCH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS...
FEB 24 2011 THE VIDEO SHOOT FOR PLANETARY (GO!), THE KILLJOY ROCK PARTY THAT BROUGHT THE DANGER DAYS VISION TO A LIVE SETTING. CRAZY FUN!
AUG 2011 MY CHEM HEADLINE READING & LEEDS ON MAIN STAGE IN A CAREER HIGHLIGHT, PLAYING THEIR LAST UK SHOWS TO TENS OF THOUSANDS AND PERFORMING ALONGSIDE BRIAN MAY OF QUEEN. WHAT A WAY TO END IT ON UK SOIL...
NIRVANA - NEVERMIND Chas Palmer-Williams
I was living on a housing estate that was a pretty tough place to be a teenager whilst also going to a nearby private school due to me being alright at rugby. At the school I was a "scum bag", whilst on the estate I was a "snob". A guy from Singapore handed me a skateboard and a tape with Nirvana, The Beastie Boys and The Gorilla Biscuits on and said "you need to listen to that". No hype. That was 20 years ago. My life basically took a very sharp change in direction from that moment on. I remember sitting on the bus with my headphones on listening to Nevermind. It just seemed really honest. And I had never heard distorted guitars before. The other guys were chanting Snap or some other 90's pop. Chanting about how they were going to kill the opposition. I thought "I have nothing in common with these people whatsoever". That's when I dropped out of the team. It was the best thing I ever did."
NO DOUBT TRAGIC KINGDOM
When you're looking for female role models at a young age outside the family, people like Gwen Stefani just scream out at you. Not quite as rocky as what I was used to, bringing a lot more pop to the floor, her cooing of “I'm just a girl” made me want to go out there and kick some ass.
OASIS - DEFINITELY MAYBE
I feel like I've kind of grown up with Oasis. Maybe it's because they formed the year I was born. Maybe it's because they broke up on my 18th birthday too. Either way, Oasis didn't try too hard to be the success they were (in my eyes, anyway). They came out with the kind of hits that reinvigorated British music, and the kind that you can listen to at any age and enjoy. Personal disputes aside, Oasis were just fantastic and this album remains their finest.
PANIC AT THE DISCO - A FEVER YOU CAN’T SWEAT OUT
Abby Speakman, Nottingham. I remember the first time I listened to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, and just sitting openmouthed wondering what on earth I'd just listened to. So I put it on again. And again. And again. What I love about AFYCSO is the fact it is so completely different to everything. It's so unique, and weird, and just brilliant. Panic! use so many different instruments to create their own sound, and each song is a masterpiece of its own. It's one of those albums that you can listen to over and over, and it never gets boring. Every time you hear it, you notice something different and that's why it stands out as one of my favourite albums. It also taught me a great life lesson: embrace the weird!
PARAMORE - ALL WE KNOW IS FALLING
Luke Davies, Manchester. I was a very late bloomer when it came to self-consciousness and melancholy. It always seemed that everyone had realised their own sadness by the 2nd year of high school. I decided I wanted to be as reckless as I could when I was 15/16, and started going to more and more live shows on my own (feeling like a bad ass). One of those shows was Paramore's 'UK Riot! Tour' in 2008. As soon as the show opened I knew I had found my band. The music I would always stick with, even when I was a completely different person. After I got home from the gig, instead of listening to the album Riot! that the show had heavily featured, I started at the beginning. Hearing the simplicity, rawness, and exponential passion, I began to see myself clearer and clearer. After listening to that album, I heard more of Paramore, I 'grew up', I moved away and I came to terms with myself. But I will always remember listening to the lyric, 'One day you'll get sick of saying that everything's alright. And by then I'm sure I'll be pretending, just like I am tonight'. Because I had already started a pattern of pretending I was something I wasn't. I had already started smiling for everybody else. And without this album, I don't know if I'd ever have realised that. And if anyone from Paramore (past and present) reads this, you helped me stop pretending.
PARAMORE - RIOT!
Jessica Collazo, Brooklyn. his album is important to me because it was released during a rough time in my life. I was a junior in high school, and I was dealing with a few things - losing friends, the demise of my relationship with the first guy I ever loved, and the fear of what will happen after high school. A few days before the album was released, the ultimate tragedy happened. My aunt passed away. I felt like I was in a dark place in my life, and this album was my lifesaver. It gave me the one thing I needed, which was the ability to have hope even when the world felt like it was crashing down. The song Miracle is still my anthem. I loved the chorus the first time I heard it -"I'm not going, cause I've been waiting on a miracle/and I'm not leaving". I looked at that as a battle cry - I'm not giving up, no matter what. I can safely say this album has changed my outlook on life. Whether you're in need of some hope, a good song to just jam to, or need an angsty song to direct toward the person who attempted to take away your faith in the positive, this album has it. I know it's cliche when a person says "this band saved my life" but it's true. This band has helped to change my perspective on life. Things do get better.
PEARL JAM TEN
Ten came out at a time when I really needed it. I loved senior school but in the first few years I had a real tough time. I suffered abuse; most of it mental with some physical thrown in for good measure at the hands of a bully and apart from a handful of friends and my wonderful family, the only true friend I could turn to was music. Music was and still is, ALWAYS there for me but Ten by Pearl Jam was the album that picked me up, dusted me off, gave me a cuddle and gave me strength. It's still in my top 10 albums of all time and sounds as good and as relevant as it did all those years ago. (LO)
PATTI SMITH HORSES
You know when you're in your 20s and see a show that makes you feel so giddy you're like a child? That's what Patti Smith does. Can anyone really do justice to what this woman single-handedly did to the punk rock scene in New York? And over the world in the years that followed? Patti is magnificent, eloquent and poetic, with a love of life and passion that puts as young'uns to shame. That translates into her music, and proves no surprise as to why she not only impacted a musical scene, but generations of music fans to follow.
PINK FLOYD - THE WALL
Kassandra Lyke, Michigan. The first song I really remember from this album growing up was Nobody Home. My father would pick various songs to play from his vast vinyl collection on Friday nights during our childhood. While my siblings asked for the usual Cheap Trick or Aerosmith songs, I felt a strong connection to Nobody Home. As I got older and learned how to use the record player myself, I began listening to the album, beginning to end, without stopping or repeating songs. I found myself listening over and over again through the years to this particular album above all others. I have never grown tired of it, nor have I ever NOT wanted to listen to it. Every time I venture home, I dig out my father’s warped vinyl and listen all the way through, static and all. This album helped shaped my childhood and influenced the music I listened to. It made me question the world again and again, after every time I listened to it. This album just defines me.
PINK FLOYD - WISH YOU WERE HERE
Pink Floyd is a band I have been listening to as long as I can remember. Wish You Were Here, in particular, features heavily in my memories of my childhood. I remember being in the car, driving to France, and listening to it in between audio books. I’m not usually one who enjoys long stretches of music void of lyrics, but with Pink Floyd, I love it. Maybe it’s because I feel they are actually saying something with the music, rather than just noodling around for the sake of it or to show off. Or maybe it’s just because I had no choice but to listen to it as a child, and it grew on me. Whatever the reason, I love Shine On You Crazy Diamond, a 26 minute long song, split into 9 parts, with the majority of it being purely music. Wish You Were Here was probably the album that really taught me that you can do anything with music; it really is limitless. As a result, it changed the way I viewed music forever. (BF)
PLACEBO - WITHOUT YOU I’M NOTHING Tobias Monsters—The Dead Betas
I first came across this album in 2002 shortly after I turned 13. I lived in the middle of nowhere, near no friends, and in a house I hated. It was a time at which I had begun to realise I was a bit different to a lot of the other kids around me. Confused by sexuality, it was a period of experimentation both with fashion and friends. This was the first album that had ever made me stop and listen, I could relate to it in so many ways; it kind of felt okay to be straight and camp at the same time, it felt okay to be that guy who was almost solely friends with girls, it felt okay to feel the way I felt and it gave a glimpse of happiness in what would prove to be a pretty dark few years to follow. It is an album that has seen me through bad break-ups, hard friendships and family issues. Very few albums since this one have brought me so much joy. For me there isn't a bad track. Placebo have influenced and inspired me an awful lot over the years, and this album gave me the guts to stand up and be me. If i had never heard this album, perhaps my own band, The Dead Betas, wouldn't exist and life would be a bore!
PULP - DIFFERENT CLASS
Common People is my all time favourite song, and it lies in the middle of my all time favourite album. It's hard to explain what exactly this did to me as a person, but when asked to choose a defining album this one is the only that leaps out, because it's perfection.
QUEEN - GREATEST HITS
Becky Ferguson, Nottingham. My all-time favourite band is Queen. It always has been, and I’d like to think it always will be. They were played often in my house when I was growing up, and as far back as I can remember I have been listening to Greatest Hits. It’s one album that is extremely important to me. I know it’s a compilation album, but it’s what first introduced me to the band that would change how I felt about music for the rest of my life. While I soon moved on to their actual records, I always find myself going back to listening to Greatest Hits. I’m not sure if it’s more for sentimental reasons, or because the track list is awesome, but to this day I listen to it regularly. I have such a connection to this album. In fact, once when I was perhaps 10 or 11, I wrote a play incorporating all of the tracks on the album, and I would re-enact it in my bedroom, using my bed as the stage. I feel that epitomises the role this album has held in my life from a young age. Queen was my first love, and Greatest Hits was the album that changed my life.
“HERE IN ALL ITS FREEDOM SITS QUEEN 2 AS THE FRONT RUNNER FOR THE RIDICULOUS.” QUEEN - QUEEN II
Steven Battelle, LostAlone. This is the most beautifully over the top record wrapped in mistoric (the history of mystery) words and guitar orchestrated to a level never before heard. Through the first half of the 70's Queen pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved in the studio, much like Beatles before them but with a few years technological evolution. Brian May wrote side A (called side White) and Freddie Mercury side B (side black) but the shared fantastical concept remains clear. It is one of the most emotional records I've ever heard - the sounds make you feel warm and surrounded. Each chorus possesses melodic qualities that have stuck with me since the day I first heard it. The album contains my favourite Freddie Mercury song—Nevermore—a short ballad that pleads for a lost love or maybe a love not yet found. It set up what was to come over the next two albums where they defined the sound into a commercial entity but here in all its freedom sits Queen 2 as the front runner for the ridiculous.
RADIOHEAD OK COMPUTER
Everyone has a favourite Radiohead album, and mine is OK Computer. Its array of sounds and instruments, teamed with the buried nature of the vocals, and the slow-build style of many of its tracks results in an album that is just perfectly put together. It’s one of those albums that I rarely dip into; if I’m going to play one track, I’m going to play them all. Thom Yorke is on my list of favourite vocalists ever; his voice is just so unique and amazing. It is one of the key features that provides a unifying thread through the songs on the album, and their other albums too. Often soft, and deceptively soothing, his voice manages to make thinly veiled threats such as ‘We hope that you choke’ and ‘This is what you get when you mess with us’ sound almost romantic. A stunning album, that I believe to be a mustlisten for all music fans. (BF)
SAY ANYTHING - ...IS A REAL BOY/... WAS A REAL BOY
Erica Luna, Woodlake, CA I feel like the albums have a lot to do with growth, and sometimes just not caring. I think it came into my life where that was the type of music I needed. I loved listening to Admit It and not giving a damn what people thought, because all I needed to care about was my own self approval and not conforming to the status quo of society. The album is great all the way through and has gotten me through some times when I would give myself anxiety wondering what people thought of me; now I feel ambitious and passionate about certain things, but they are things that I want to worry or care about and I honestly feel like I owe my way out of a cookie cutter personality, appearance, and choices to that album.
@sonicboomsix
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE Barney, Sonic Boom Six.
RATM’s self-titled was the record that changed me from nerdy kid that listened to his sister’s and dad’s records into a fervent worshiper at the altar of heavy rock, alternative, hip-hop, grunge and skateboard culture. More than any of the other bands that defined that world of chequered shirts and scuffed Converse AllStar - even more than Nirvana, RHCP, Senser, Cypress Hill, Fishbone and Faith No More - Rage Against The Machine was the record that galvanised me and my friends into true believers. Their appearances on The Word and BBC 2’s ‘No Nirvana’ music special was the stuff of legend in our school, with worn out VHS copies of the phenomena eventually passed from the cool, grungy older boys into our hands. We would stick it on, pull the cushions off the sofas and leap round our suburban living rooms, aping the mosh-pits we could see and imagine but were still too young to partake in. It was an album that made complete sense in that it spoke the universal language of righteous anger in 4 minute blasts of rap and rock. One didn’t have to parse the lyrical content too deeply to be swept away by the force of the ideological intent and had us raising our fists in the air in the land of hypocrisy in the same way kids had shook their hips to Elvis Presley or picked up a guitar to The Beatles generations earlier. And crucially, like all the best rock music, this was an album that you could pick up your fist basses and guitars and play a reasonable facsimile of the meat-and-potatoes riffs within. Well, they sounded enough like it to us as we blasted through Bombtrack in the garage and of course, we played a mean rendition of Killing In The Name, with its “Fuck You I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” still one of the most iconic refrains in rock history. Without this album and all the lessons it taught me, I would not be doing what I'm doing today.
SAY ANYTHING - ...IS A REAL BOY
Trish Reed, Tennessee. I originally found this album by seeing Say Anything live. They were opening for My Chemical Romance. It was my first concert ever and I was so excited. It was an amazing show! Once I heard them live I knew I had to own their album. After the show I went to their merch booth and picked it up. Once I got home and put it in, I was hooked. A lot of the songs really spoke to me and what I was feeling. I was like any other teenager. Lost, confused, angry. Typical angst. Angst seemed to be some what of a theme on that album. Later on reading up on the making of and touring, I realize why because of what Max Bemis was going through at that time. I completely related. That's one of the greatest things about this album, the songs have meaning years later. Even though you change, the song still has a meaning, it's just changed a long with you. That's true magic. I struggled a lot with depression in my teenage years and on into my now early 20's. Max's words did and still do stick with me. That's something I'll never forget.
SIMPLE MINDS NEW GOLD DREAM
Carol Loudon, Glasgow. It shaped my music taste for the rest of my life and to this day is still my favourite album.
SLIPKNOT SLIPKNOT
Callum Sharp, Edinburgh. This was the first album I ever bought. I got it when it first came out and it pretty much effected the direction of my musical tastes forever. (Because I fucking LOVE metal!) \m/
SLIPKNOT - IOWA
Choosing between Slipknot's albums was difficult for me, because I feel like they've soundtracked so many parts of my life that they all hold some importance. This one holds the most of my favourite tracks, and this links in with my difficult first few years at school. I made it through that, thanks to this album.
THE SMITHS - MEAT IS MURDER
Kat Beadle, Cambridge. I’ll always remember my older siblings constantly playing Morrissey and the Smiths when I was little, and as I grew up this was the album that stood out most to me. To me, there is nothing quite like Morrissey's words and vocals intertwined with Johnny Marr's music; it's perfect and this album represents that beautifully. Musically and lyrically this album goes through so much, it touches so many emotions over every song and I feel as though it's just as relatable to me as it was ten years ago when I was a teenager, and because of that, it will never age. I love the way the songs go from humorous (Nowhere Fast) to heart-breaking (Well I Wonder), and yet flow so perfectly; it's a rarity these days and that's what makes this album so special. There are no tracks I can skip like with most albums, and the title track at the end leaves me with goosebumps every time I listen to it, still - perhaps there isn't another song that has hit me like it, and as a result I definitely think this album has shaped me and will forever remain one of my favourites!
SOUNDGARDEN SUPERUNKNOWN
THE SPIN DOCTORS - POCKET FULL OF KRYPTONITE
THE STONE ROSES - THE STONE ROSES
THE SWELLERS - UPS AND DOWNSIZING
Superunknown was the greatest Soundgarden album ever. It took grunge and just c o m p l e t e l y changed the game. It made them the kings of the genre in my opinion, and they completely kick ass.
Seeing the Stone Roses reform and perform a string of shows in the last year has been the absolute highlight of my life. The Stone Roses album got me very into Britpop and I love my guitar music but I was quite a few years too late to the party to enjoy it in a live capacity. I never thought the day would come.
I wore this album out! I absolutely adore it and it sounds as good now as it ever did. I've been a huge Spin Doctors fan for 20 yrs and in January this year, I finally got to shoot and review them at my all time favourite music venue, The Robin 2 in Bilston. I interviewed guitarist, Eric Schenkman too and was then introduced to the whole band who have since bought one of my promo shots from the night. The bands' management also sent me an advanced copy of the Spin Doctors brand new album, If The River Was Whiskey as a thank you for the work I did, which I subsequently reviewed. I've made four very good friends of Spin Doctors and we continue to chat/catch up on a more than regular basis through Facebook Messenger, email and twitter. Now, how cool is that! (LO)
Being a fan of many bands represented by Fueled by Ramen, when The Swellers came about with their third album Ups and Downsizing, they seemed like a cool new band to listen to. However, The Swellers struck a chord that no other band seemed able to connect with at the time and they instantly became favourites. This led to a search into their history and discovery of the amazing album, My Everest. Through the anticipation of their last FBR album, Good For Me, to their self released single, Vehicle City Blues and EP, Running Out Of Places To Go, their journey has been one that has captivated me and I'm looking forward to what they do next.(JE)
THRICE - THE ARTIST IN THE AMBULANCE Bel Owen, Adelaide One album that changed my life is Thrice's Artist in the Ambulance. I was just out of high school when it got released, becoming more involved in the local music scene. I'd recently started managing a local pop punk band, as was my genre of choice at the time and the guitarist put Artist in the Ambulance on while we all made merch in my shed one afternoon.. It blew my mind. Till then I'd never even heard of Thrice but I was instantly enamoured. The album is flawless, a victory both lyrically and musically and though it's now a decade old, it still has the same impact on me. One sign of a good album is how well it ages, and this is still just as relevant as it was back in 2003. Over the years I've made quite a few 'desert island' lists and Artist in the Ambulance is one of the only constants.
Joe James, Blitz Kids Thrice have always been the biggest influences on me as a musician and I have them to thank for my passion of song writing. They constantly challenge the boundaries of genres and are innovative in their instrumentation and production methodology. I was introduced to Thrice by the guys in my first high school band. We covered Deadbolt from Thrice's Illusion of Safety and we sucked, we just sucked. I was playing the drums, so perhaps that's why. The Artist in the Ambulance came out a few months later and I just got hooked. I'd never heard anything like it before; Dustin's voice was so versatile, he could sing beautifully and his screams were so passionate yet still melodic. ‘The Melting Point of Wax’ cemented itself as my blueprint for how fictional lyrical content could be made to feel so real. ‘Stare at the Sun’ is a prime example of lyrical genius really finding his groove."I'm due for a miracle / I'm waiting for a sign / I'll stare straight into the sun and I won't close my eyes until I understand or go blind". It’s passages like this that appear throughout the record that instilled such a self belief in me at that moment in time, that helped me to choose music, the most uncertain road of every other that lay before me.
TORI AMOS - LITTLE EARTHQUAKES
I remember discovering Tori Amos: I saw the Silent All These Years video on TV and thought, “That’s exactly how I feel.” When I got the album and listened to all the songs, I still thought the same. And I admired her for being achingly honest, sharing her very soul with the entire world. I related (and still do) to her feelings of feeling invisible, insecure and unloved. But the album also showed me that no matter what happens, you can be okay again. Little Earthquakes is about surviving life and enduring what it throws at you. It’s shown me that it’s “normal” to feel the way I feel about myself and the world. But more than that, it showed me I wasn’t all alone in the world like I thought I was, that there is light where there is darkness. In certain situations, Tori’s words will still pop in my head, like “she’s been everybody else’s girl / maybe one day she’ll be her own.” That’s her giving me little reminders of how I shouldn’t bow down to others and be my own person. Or a mermaid, maybe.
TYLER THE CREATOR GOBLIN
Hip hop and rap has always been pushed to the side when it comes to rock fans, but Tyler has managed to create a somewhat new breed of fans with his sound on Goblin. He's bordering on the line between insane and lyrical genius.
TWIN ATLANTIC - A GUIDANCE FROM COLOUR
Dani Silvia, Netherlands. I first discovered Twin Atlantic at the start of 2008 through a related video on YouTube. At that time, they had just released an EP called A Guidance From Colour. I think that while listening to an album for the first time, you pick your favourites and listen to them over and over, while kind of ignoring the other songs. With this EP it’s different - it only contains four songs, but they are all beautiful in their own way. It’s what made me fall in love with this band immediately and I’ve been a huge fan of their work ever since. A Guidance From Colour will always be very special to me simply because it holds so many amazing memories and it makes me feel extremely proud. It is absolutely amazing to see how far they have come and with a new album coming up, I’m sure this band will become even better than they already are.
TYPE O NEGATIVE - OCTOBER RUST
WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING TWIN ATLANTIC FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS—HAVE SOME PHOTOS OF A COUPLE OF THEIR SHOWS SINCE 2011!
Alex, South Wales. October Rust is probably the closest thing there is to a soundtrack of my life. Not necessarily because it’s my personal favourite album ever. Hell, it’s not even my favourite Type O album (that dubious honour goes to World Coming Down.) Actually, it’s because October Rust is one of those albums that always seemed to be background noise to those little important moments of my life. Falling in love for the first time, locked in the gaze of my girlfriend while Peter Steele croons on about letting me love her to death. Campfire drinking sessions with friends, laughing while My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend mixes in with the damp earthy air and oppressive smoke. Driving around the countryside during summer, windows down and that unmistakable distorted riff from ‘Burnt Flowers Fallen’ pounding out the speakers. Those little moments are all stitched together in a tapestry that is accompanied by this album, the album that was the sound of me growing up and becoming a man.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT TYPE O NEGATIVE HITS ONLY 96, BUT FEAR NOT! IN OUR QUEST FOR THE ALBUMS THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE, A FEW REARED THEIR HEAD AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT IN YOUR EMAILS, BUT WITHOUT WRITTEN PARAGRAPHS. WHO COULD TRULY DISCOUNT THESE FOUR BEAUTIES THAT POPPED UP?
SPICE GIRLS - SPICE
‘N SYNC - NO STRINGS ATTACHED
EMINEM THE MARSHALL MATHERS EP
THE BEST DISNEY ALBUM IN THE WORLD... EVER!
KEEP YOURSELF IN THE MUSIC LOOP WITH THE LATEST REVIEWS, PHOTOS & INTERVIEWS AT
INDULGE-SOUND.COM