The first free minute we had, he sat on the stairs with his guitar and played an Indigo Girls song. We bonded, I was sold, and I can’t even begin to fathom where I’d be living or working right now, let alone what I’d be listening to, had we never met.  That being said, he would not necessarily agree with my top choices and favorite records.

When I wasn’t obsessing over U2′s Joshua Tree, the following albums were on shuffle in my 5-disc CD player during four years of research, reading and writing.

FRESHMAN YEAR: 1991-1992

      

   

SOPHOMORE YEAR: 1992-1993

If I may stroll down memory lane on a personal level for a moment, 1993 was a very momentous time in my life. Not only did I officially come out, I spent several months abroad in London. And this album, which remains a favorite of all time, basically held my hand as I went through that process and experienced the revelation:

JUNIOR YEAR: 1993-1994

SENIOR YEAR: 1994-1995

Up next, the ‘now,’ the post-college to contemporary choices which remain music to my ears and soul.

CSI. Law & Order: SVU. Touched by an Angel. NCIS. Crossing Jordan. Robot Chicken…and a little show called Lost.

What do those films and TV series’ have in common? They’ve all featured William Mapother, whom I was honored to interview over on my Lost blog.  He was nice enough to take the time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to answer a few questions; a very kind and fan-friendly actor!

Around the same time that I discovered hip hop and Run DMC was a permanent fixture in my portable boom box, this little teenage girl in Orange County also fell in love with the Beastie Boys. Licensed to Ill remains a personal favorite to this day.

Guns n Roses appealed to my deeply buried rebellious side, but I continued obsessing over the dark, lamenting lyrics from the likes of Depeche Mode and The Cure.

Next up: the college years, when I only partially delved into the world of grunge and flannel, had a very obvious Lilith Fair of my own, and escaped with a lifelong appreciation for real bands like REM and U2. Oh, and I met some guy named Matt who would forever alter my music perspective and life in general…

For a while now, I’ve been attempting to compile my Favorite Albums of All Time. Along the way, I’ve been listening to and rediscovering the ones which have influenced my life in a variety of ways.

So here is Part 1 in a series, a look at the music I grew up listening to. Most of these albums belonged to my dad and brother, and have obvious sentimental value. I seriously doubt that either of them realize the effect that music had on me; that I absorbed and memorized each song as they played them over and over when I was a baby/toddler/child/adolescent/pre-teen from the early 70′s to mid-80′s.

My brother is a drummer, and he was the one who first alerted me to the genius and beauty of individual instruments within a band (my focus at the time was Phil Collins on drums in Genesis and Sting on bass in The Police). He tried to convert me into a Rush and Pink Floyd fan, but to no avail. And thankfully I avoided his Iron Maiden phase like the plague.

I also enjoyed Journey, Foreigner, Toto and even Air Supply. But once I heard the Boss, I was sold. Springsteen remains atop my Must-See concert wish list.

But this is the album which signified a change; my very cassette tape, purchased with my allowance. And I bought it because I had become a breakdancer. Seriously. My name was Cannonball.  I was the only girl among the boys, strutting down the street in my Vans with my special cardboard. What? I was also a soccer player and gymnast.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you “Pimpin’ Pop Culture,” courtesy of Nick H:

Wow. My face hurts from laughing and smiling. Bonus points for the use of both Garden State and The X-Files in the montage.

Thoughts?