My Music History, Part 1: Youth, The Early 70′s-Mid 80′s

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.