First Album
The passing of MCA is truly sad news. I was a big fan.
Licensed To Ill was the first cassette tape I ever bought with my own money. I carried it to school with me every day and delighted my friends with the mild cuss words printed on the cassette insert. I haven't listened to it in years but I bet I still know every word. I can certainly make it through Paul Revere without a hitch.
It's almost a shame that my children will never experience the thrill of holding an album or cassette or CD. (Or, I suppose, the thrill of thrusting an 8-track into the stereo and listening to two songs simultaneously.) They weren't just tapes. They were my tapes.
And Licensed To Ill was my first tape. Born in the U.S.A. was my first album. Cooleyhighharmony was my first CD.
I have no idea what my first MP3 download was.
What was your first album? What does it mean to you? Describe your experience.
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Re: First Album
First album:
This was actually purchased for me by my parents and it remains one of my favorite albums. The cover art is so 80s (and also CoC non-compliant) and added to the experience.
My first cassette tape was the Sugarcubes' Life's Too Good. I heard them play on Saturday Night Live one night while I was babysitting and I walked down to the cassette tape store and bought it the next weekend. I loved that tape and it remains a favorite. I was pleasantly surprised to go to a dinner party recently where the hosts played that during the dinner. My 13-year-old self would not have imagined such a thing. Here's the art for that one:
Re: First Album
The other thing is that I never quite got into CDs. I figured I'd skip that technology and pick up whatever followed. But then I ended up just amassing huge vinyl record collection. It remains my favorite way to listen to music and I pulled out the Beastie Boys today so my daughters could dance their way to a better understanding.
Re: First Album
I don't think I can recall the first one I bought, but I remember being about 14 and betting someone that I would listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd's One More From the Road album once a day for the rest of my life (an "MCA" product, coincidentally).
I lost that bet, but sometimes when I'm driving a distance I'll still listen to the whole thing.
Still a fan of Southern Rock, the best of the rock genres!
Whenever we are somewhere a band is playing, one of my wiseguy sons will yell "Free Bird!" just to make me laugh.
Jul '10
Re: First Album
Kevin Walker called it. There was a Batman album based on the music from the Adam West series which did a riff off the opening theme and then descended into the deepest, darkest circle of commercial filler taken from demo tapes found in a dumpster. A fine and proper introduction to commercial music as it was then.
The first albums I glommed onto were Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow and Revenge. They belonged to my mom and the LPs had died the death by the time I left home. Bought them online and play them for my kids from time to time. "Noah" alone is worth the price of admission.
Nov '10
Re: First Album
I had older siblings, so it took a while. The first album I bought was the soundtrack to the film The Thomas Crown Affair. ( Michel LeGrand, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway. ) I was 14. It defined my life!
My older sister's first LP was Meet the Beatles. Having that album in our home was one of my most exciting memories. And yes, I loved Paul best.
Explains a lot.
Edited on May 6, 2012 at 5:21amNov '10
Re: First Album
Wow, I had to really think about this...
So it turns out, my first vinyl: Rolling Stones, Tattoo You, circa 1981-82, age 11. With memories coming back, I now distinctly recall having felt guilty buying it -- rock music is transgressive/degenerate, etc. My instincts were basically right! (Heh).
First cassette: U2, The Unforgettable Fire.
Yes, I'm an old fogey.
May '10
Re: First Album
Tommy De Seno:
Whenever we are somewhere a band is playing, one of my wiseguy sons will yell "Free Bird!" just to make me laugh.
My first concert was Skynyrd. The opening acts were Drivin' n Cryin' and Bad Company. I was 13, I think.
The music was great, but what I remember most about it was coming home stoned from all the people around us and my older sister trying to convince my parents that it wasn't her fault.
Mar '11
Re: First Album
My first trip to the record store (I believe it was Wherehouse Music) I bought three cassettes:
I remember my dad catching me listening to "Fight for Your Right" on the radio and was told to change the station because I wasn't old enough. I must have been about 12 years old. I also had a crush on Tiffany. These tapes helped launch me into my teens and I still enjoy all three albums.
Apr '12
Re: First Album
Gilbert and Sullivan's version of a "best hits" album.
First album I can remember realizing was an album was a Michael Jackson record with him-- still cute-- and some white tiger cubs on it.
Second album I realized existed?
"Johnny Horton Makes History". Now there's an album I'd pay top dollar for.
Jul '10
Re: First Album
Yeah, of course you dug the cool stuff Mollie. I'm guessing Talking Heads, Yes, Queen. It is known.
When I went on a People-to-People exchange to the CCCP in the late 80's, my friend and I were the babies (15 amongst 17-18 year-olds) of the group. We listened to Winger and White Lion, and were asked questions by the big kids listening to Living Colour, The Indigo Girls, and Edie Brickell like: Top 40, really? But their songs all sound the same, right? It was a great experience.
My question: what did Mark listen to?
Re: First Album
ChristmasBeard: My first trip to the record store (I believe it was Wherehouse Music) I bought three cassettes:
I remember my dad catching me listening to "Fight for Your Right" on the radio and was told to change the station because I wasn't old enough. I must have been about 12 years old. I also had a crush on Tiffany. These tapes helped launch me into my teens and I still enjoy all three albums. · 17 minutes ago
Those are three seriously divergent artists. Also, I'm glad my parents weren't the only ones telling their kids to turn off the Beastie Boys. It added to their charm.
Re: First Album
Palaeologus
When I went on a People-to-People exchange to the CCCP in the late 80's, my friend and I were the babies (15 amongst 17-18 year-olds) of the group. We listened to Winger and White Lion, and were asked questions by the big kids listening to Living Colour, The Indigo Girls, and Edie Brickell like:Top 40, really? But their songs all sound the same,right?It was a great experience.
My question: what did Mark listen to?
Even though I own both the Indigo Girls and Edie Brickell, I'm not sure that their fans should be dissing Winger. I love Winger! She's only 17 -- seventeen -- daddy says she's too young, but she's old enough old enough for me. I have to pretend to like them ironically, though.
Anyway, Mark is a bit younger and has impeccable music tastes. But he's all about indie music. He's much less into R&B or 80s music than I am. But much more knowledgeable about indie music. He was into Nirvana. The last concert he took me to was M83. So probably just about every single thing between those two.
Re: First Album
Palaeologus
My question: what did Mark listen to? · 12 minutes ago
Oh, and Mark's been in several indie bands over the years. He hasn't done it for a few years because of our young kids, but hopefully he'll get back to it.
Mar '11
Re: First Album
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
ChristmasBeard: My first trip to the record store (I believe it was Wherehouse Music) I bought three cassettes:
Those are three seriously divergent artists.
What's kind of funny is that I was there looking for an album by The Fat Boys. No luck.
Re: First Album
First Album: "One" by Three Dog Night.
I was 5 and it was 1968. I saved my pennies and bought it at the local Magnavox TV store in Seal Beach, CA. I liked the title track "One Is The Loneliest Number." I can't remember what I thought of the deep cuts, cuz I was 5!
You might be thinking "how precocious," but wait:
Second Album: "Burl Ives sings Little White Duck and other Children's Favorites"
Mar '11
Re: First Album
First vinyl, Queen's Greatest Hits.First cassette, Bryan Adams "Cuts Like A Knife" (Possibly the worst first on the thread?)First CD, Jerry Jerry and the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra "Battle Hymn of the Apartment".First MP3, The Mountain Goats "Heretic Pride"
Mar '11
Re: First Album
I bought the Beatles Blue Album first, followed by the White Album and Abbey Road, and a few years later I started getting cassettes for family car trips (Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Caribou, Bob Seger's Live Bullet, Alan Parsons Project I Robot).
I held off adopting the CD format for a while. I don't remember which CD I bought first. My first CD player was a boombox which also had dual cassettes. I got it because I wanted to dupe a taped series of presentations on the architecture of the Motorola 68000 processor.
I am a nerd.
Apr '11
Re: First Album
Meet the Beatles
score
game over
Apr '11
Re: First Album
Meet the Beatles
score
game over
May '10
Re: First Album
Charlotte
Me too, Casey, if you can believe it. :-)
I remember the first time I saw CDs at a record store--so shiny and mysterious! For a time I honestly thought that they were miniature "souvenir" versions of gold or platinum records won by the artists. · May 4 at 1:25pm
The first time my daughter (born 1995) saw vinyl albums she said, "Look at those giant CDs." I am old.