These are a few of our favorite songs:
I’m usually not into those ‘best of’ lists that litter every magazine of every topic every December and January, but I started thinking that maybe this year was a little different. If nothing else, it was an opportunity and an excuse. We’ve got a very diverse group of writers and Heckler’s only seven years old. I knew that I had a lot of albums that I liked that came out over seven years ago. What about everybody else? I was both anxious to share my thoughts as well as hear everyone else’s. Why? In the end, it’s because I, and hopefully you, love to listen to really good music and if doing this piece helps me and you both find a few new (I mean old) really good CDs, then we’ve succeeded. The hard part then was choosing what to write about and what to run. What are the criterion? first and foremost was the passion of the writer for the artist they were writing about. If they were 100% convinced, then so was I. Beyond that it gets harder. For me personally, I tried to focus on things that I thought might be a bit overlooked. Elvis, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana- I like them all. A lot. But what more is left to be said? And in many cases those artists, as great as they were, took one or more obscure genres of music, put their own very personal (yet great) spin on it and made it immensely popular. But, who influenced them? Here’s our picks, incomplete & highly subjective, in a vaguely chronological order. -John Baccigaluppi

DJ Spooky
Songs Of A Dead Dreamer
Listening to DJ Spooky’s Songs Of A Dead Dreamer it’s clear why his nickname is “That Subliminal Kid”. It’s because his music plays like the soundtrack to your inner mind. The sound of police sirens dissolve into the distance while echoing hip-hop beats descend into the mix as if from mars. Armed with his upright bass, two turntables, and a sampler, DJ Spooky creates an entire universe of sound. Songs Of A Dead Dreamer is DJ Spooky’s musical manifesto, a declaration of art and sound and philosophy that culminates in what he calls “illbeint”, a term he partly defined. Illbeint is a synthesis of many elements including abstracted hip-hop rhythms and “ill” urban atmospherics like subway sounds, police sirens, crowded streets, etc. It’s relation to ambient music like Brian Eno’s is that the musical emphasis is not on beats and rhythms, it is on the mood and atmosphere the music creates. But while Eno’s “ambient” music affects the listener like NyQuil, creating a withdrawl from the real world, DJ Spooky thrusts the listener into a subliminal, but very real urban landscape. When I put this CD on I feel my mind is transported to a place where ideas float through my head like sounds, it feels like an entire architecture, an entire world is created in the room. And when the CD ends, the absence of the world DJ Spooky creates is intense, like switching off the TV after watching it for hours. Songs Of A Dead Dreamer is unlike any other CD I own, and I should admit is unlike any CD DJ Spooky has created since, so seek it out specifically. (Outpost 1996) -Chachi Jones

Portishead
Dummy
Though it had kind of a sleepy debut in the early ninety’s, Dummy has endured as one of the eeriest, moodiest, and most soulful album our generation is likely to produce. What Portishead has succeeded in doing is to create the perfect marriage between the organic (Beth Gibbons’ voice) and technology (sample based music). While a host of other groups have tried this same formula with modest success (Sneaker Pimps, Bjork, Lamb, Moloko), none can duplicate the cool, minimal, downtempo sound and especially the ethereal, sincere voice of Beth Gibbons. Dummy is by no means an uplifting album, which is what turns a lot of people off to it. Our generation is far too good at making poppy, happy, punky, head bobbing music with forgetable lyrics and a dime a dozen sound. Portishead serves the opposite musical function. Gibbons delivers her lyrics in such a way that even if you don’t catch exactly what she’s saying you can still grasp the passion and the unique sincerity with which she sings them. Every emotion, every syllable, every note and every beat is savored, Portishead strips everything down to just those musical elements that are necessary to give each song its full impact. It’s as if Gibbons sensually licks each word and lets it fall casually out of her mouth. But what has made Dummy endure as a classic is the undefinable atmosphere it creates, it quite literally changes the listener. Dummy forces the listener into a state of detached reflection and contemplation, it conveys loneliness, lovelessness, and elegance. It is sad and beautiful and it will leave a tearful taste in your mouth long after it has ended. (London 1994) -Chachi Jones

PJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love
The favorite ever? Well you know that we all had a lot of trouble deciding which one was The One. But I instinctively turn to this CD when I feel like growling, or smiling, or singing, or dancing or even crying. PJ Harvey and company rocked my world on one of my birthdays, live, in San Francisco. You know when you happen to cross paths with someone, something, at the same understanding point in life? This album speaks, screams, whispers to me, in such a personal way that the music can make me shiver. Course I worship the other albums as well, but this one’s The One. (Island 1995) -Peppermint Patty

Fugees
The Score
The Fugees first album was a little known affair of the early-mid nineties which featured an amazingly good song called Vocab, but lacked much else as far as music landmarks are concerned. But in 1996, Wyclef, Pras, and the now ultra-famous Lauren Hill, turned Vocab’s Brooklyn meets Jersey meets Haiti sound and turned it into an all new, all original LP masterpiece. Cowboys is my favorite track, but start to finish this album is much more than your average hip-hop offering. Wyclef’s solo The Carnival deserves a listen too. (Ruffhouse / Columbia 1996) -Dave Margolis

Cake
Fashion Nugget
So, OK, as an unabashed Sacramento resident, I might have a wee tad of local prejudice. But still! My god, what an album. The battle between John McCrea’s vocals and Greg Brown’s over-the-top rock guitar playing. The incredibly busy arrangements where somehow everything works. The magic of Frank Sinatra, the honest sarcasm of I Will Survive. The long middle sections where everything goes haywire. And the intensity, mostly the intensity. So many things to enjoy. Such an unusual band has to be good, really good, to be successful. And they are. (Capricorn 1996) -Ben Morss

No Motiv
And The Sadness Prevails...
Emotionally challenged? Then this record is for you. Now keep in mind I said challenged not unstable. If you’re nuts then there’s no helping you. Over the past year since its release, And the sadness prevails... is what I reached for in those moments of emotional paralysis when I wished I could scream at the top my lungs, but sanity prevented me from doing so. For all those times when I wasn’t able to express the emotions that threatened to consume me, and the sadness prevails... was the soundtrack that lead me to my own salvation. But more than that this record was there for all those days when I simply wanted to listen to one of the most beautiful, compelling, cathartic, melodic punk rock albums ever recorded. (Vagrant 1996) -Cyanica

Naked Aggression
Gut Ringing Machine
Being a Naked Aggression fan I was inspired by their music before this came out. But I was eagerly anticipating this release. So when the release date came and went I scrounged all local record stores to no avail. So I decided to wait another month to get it when they were gonna play in S.F. at the Cocodrie. So I show up at the venue and there is this notice by the entrance that reads: Last night Naked Aggression’s guitarist Phil Suchomel died due to asthma complications. As a result the band will not be performing tonight. What? No NA tonight or ever again? Ahhh! So a month or so later I finally get the CD and it has remained in my CD player ever since. The production on this is like no other NA recording as they spent close to a year recording this with probably their tightest lineup. And if you think this means they sold out from their nonconformist views, they get down to business from the get go with the lyrics “Don’t got no cash, or a future and most people don’t like me - I don’t get so hung up!” to let ya know they’re still down with the cause. Kirsten displays her versatile range on here that goes from beautiful soft-spoken whispering melodies to her classic “I’m- pissed-off-like-fuck” screams of frustration. But the eerie part of this is a couple of tracks on here portray/predict the death of someone close to them and how they would handle it and question afterlife. Now only Phil knows the question to this as he leaves us with some of his best guitar work with standout tracks Every Day Another Conflict, Chasing Dreams, Desperation and Prose and Cons of Dying. True to their beliefs, Naked Aggression delivers the final chapter to their legacy with a gem of an album to live your life by. (Grilled Cheese/Cargo 1998) -Mitch Soto

Squarepusher
Big Loada
Listening to Big Loada is like a hit of crack to your eardrum. I have literally been drinking less coffee since I’ve bought it. It is the most intense (nearly undanceable), strange, and absolutely beautiful drum ‘n’ bass album ever made. It comes as no surprise that Squarepusher and Aphex Twin are close friends, and that they are on the same recording label, because they both create a brilliant, dense, mad scientist sound that is uniquely their own. In fact, Aphex Twin’s Come To Daddy (also highly reccomended) and Squarepusher’s Big Loada were the result of a friendly competition between the two to create the most outrageous and sonicly furious album. But while Aphex Twin is better at making your brain want to explode from blissful information overload, Squarepusher actually makes your booty move and seems less concerned about sonic gimmickry. But there is a second, and equally compelling reason to buy this CD, because if you stick it in your computer you will be treated to a video from what I consider to be a brilliant film maker Chris Cunningham (who’s directed videos for Portishead, Bjork, and two for Aphex Twin). Bottom line is that Big Loada is a sonic speedball filled with all flavors of drum ‘n’ bass, breakbeat, techno, and even some jazzy flavors that will fill you with energy and make you smile. (Nothing 1998) -Chachi Jones

Jade Tree Records
That this tiny label has released some of the best records of the last half of this decade is not only very cool and slightly amazing but is also so very reassuring. Reassuring in the sense that good music, good taste (Check out the CD graphics if you’re doubting) and youthful energy can still prevail in todays fractured, splintered and cartoon-like pop music market. Bands like Cap’n Jazz and Joan of Arc may never reach a huge audience, but this nurturing label is also the home to soon to be superstars The Promise Ring and Jets To Brazil. Both of these bands not only put out two of the best records of the past decade, but they could have signed to any label they wanted; major or indie. That they stayed put speaks volumes. If Tim Owen and Darren Walters can stick to the principles and aesthetics that got them where they are as they grow, this label will probably be largely responsible for the inevitable rebirth of guitar and vocal based bands that write good songs. Major label A & R reps can be such leeches, thank God for people and labels like this. -JB

Pavement
Slanted and Enchanted
The record that made me believe in alternative rock, just as “alternative” was becoming mainstream. Laconic lyrics sung in a Lou Reed-like voice, catchy bits of recycled rock strung together to make something entirely new. Some fuzzy rock. Plus some beautiful ballads with remarkable solo guitar lines running against the tune. An incredible ambience of magic & mystery. (Matador 1991) -Ben Morss

Jawbreaker
As I sat down to write the words you read now I felt an immense pressure. What exactly do you say about a band that is heralded by so many as being one of the most influential bands of our time? For me personally, my love for Jawbreaker goes beyond the pleasure I receive from their music to something else all together. They have become a measuring stick by which I can judge my own compatibility with others. Like a sign of the Zodiac. People that have never heard Jawbreaker rarely make it past the introduction phase in my life. But the bond that exists and can be built on from a mutual respect and love for this band has been a starting point for many friendships, business contacts, and memorable conversations with complete strangers throughout the better part of the last decade of my life. If bands were stars Jawbreaker would shine the brightest. (1991-1999) -Cyanica

Public Enemy
Fear of a Black Planet
Just as rap was getting soft, Public Enemy reset hip hop’s political agenda with Fear of a Black Planet. Chuck D drops knowledge as Flava Flav plays court jester and Terminator X cuts up vinyl with unprecedented dexterity. Not only does Public Enemy condemn everything from black-on-black divisiveness to a racist Hollywood with clarity and clever wordplay, the beats are as Jeep-worthy as anything the hip-hop community has produced before or since. -Sam Cannon
Even though I was a total stoner rocker, I always liked hip hop and rap. No one group in hip hop has touched me quite like the mighty PE. Public Enemy left the confines of a simple 808 kick drum and created a sonic sound that was heavier than a lot of rock records. I believe this sound culminated on Fear of a Black Planet. As their sound increased volume, their anti-racism message became louder and clearer too. Lord knows, this is one of the hardest hitting hip hop records from some of the hardest pioneers of hip hop. If you don’t know your past, you don’t know your future. (Def Jam 1990) -Sonny Mayugba

The Cure
Disintegration
When I was in high school, I was part of the “metal head” clique. We all would try and impress each other with finding a new band that was harder than our friends. Bolt Thrower, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Septic Death, Anal Cunt, etc. We were the long hairs in school, and wouldn’t be caught dead without being outfitted in a Pushead shirt of some sort. But beneath all my hardcore, there was a Cure fan just waiting to show himself to the world. I loved the Cure. I was so worried about what my friends thought though, that I would hide my Cure albums behind my CD rack so that no one would know. When we all attended our school proms, making fun of them while attending, I would try my hardest not so sing the words when a Cure song came on. It wasn’t until I moved out when I was 19, into a house with four other high school buddies that my metal head friends found out my secret habit of listening to the Cure. Years later though, visiting one of my old rocker roomates, I noticed a whole collection of Cure CD’s in his rack. All he could do was blush and point an accusing finger at me like it was my fault that he got into such wimpy music. Now as an adult, I can happily admit to the world that I am a huge Cure fan, and still be secure in my masculinity! (Elektra 1989) -Brian Shevlin

N.W.A.
Straight Outta Compton
Known for being the pioneers of gangsta rap, Straight Outta Compton’s bad publicity overshadowed the excellence and the unforeseen significance of this album. Featuring the all-star lineup consisting of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella and the late great hip-hop-thugsta Eazy-E, these five individuals redefined rap music and paved the way for many others as their legacy continues today. Dealing with then untouched topics such as drive-by’s, drug-dealing, ho’s and police brutality they got world wide recognition, including threats from the FBI, for their outspoken and innovative music. Lyrically this album is one of the best as all members have memorable parts and when they all collaborated on the same song, it was guaranteed a classic. The beats on here are so simple but so well structured with easy groovin’ bass lines, funky guitar licks, well timed samples and of course some of the most powerful, distinguished voices of rap which make it so raw. You just can’t fuck with this. (Ruthless/Priority 1988) -Mitch Soto

Suicidal Tendencies
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can’t Even Smile Today
Even though I had already been a fan of Suicidal and their first album is a certified classic and should be in here, this album filled a void for me. During a time when punk bands were experimenting with thrash metal, metal bands were wearing hair spray, Suicidal were too busy defining their own sound to get caught up in the mayhem. Adding to their penchant for playing fast with a beefed up and more mature Suicidal, they brought together the best of both worlds for a truly powerful album. Mike’s lyrics are way too good and hit home with emotionally inspiring songs that take you on a roller coaster ride of pent up emotions. Add that on top of two guitars that were rewarded for their efforts with a nomination for Best Guitar Album by Guitar Magazine and solid rhythm section and you’ve got a what they call “A really fucking good album.” (Epic 1988) -Mitch Soto

Billy Bragg
Back to Basics
As Billy Bragg puts it, in his trademark working class British accent, folk singers in the U.S. wear Birkenstocks but in the U.K. they wear Doc Martens. Bragg grew up idolizing The Clash and took that aesthetic to new heights on Back to Basics by stripping his act down to a guitar, a mic, some wit and a lot of heart. Though his socialist tirades made headlines, the highlights of Bragg’s debut are the love songs which cut straight to the insecurity and exhilaration of infatuation with endearing honesty and melody. (Elektra 1987 ) -Sam Cannon

Prince
Sign of the Times
Where do I begin to describe an artist that’s touched by God himself. Sign of the Times, Prince’s fantastic double album, was the follow up to the chart busting Purple Rain. With songs like If I Was Your Girlfriend and Adore, Prince is the world’s best blend of funk, soul and pop. This album is more cohesive than tile mortar, but still gives many diverse elements such as wailing guitar solos, smooth acapella, and sickeningly sweet pop hooks with big fat barbs. Too much love for this record. (Warner Brothers 1987) -Sonny Mayugba

Husker Du
Flip Your Wig
Bristling with Midwestern energy and uncanny, rushed melodies, Flip Your Wig covers much of the traditional punk themes (see Hate Paper Doll or Divide and Conquer) but also fires off love songs with just as much earnestness (“It’s great big world, there’s a million other guys / I feel so lucky when I look in your green eyes”). And that’s just the songwriting. Bands have tried to replicate the Husker Du’s sonic force, including Bob Mould’s follow-up act Sugar, but nothing has even come close. At its best moments, Flip Your Wig strikes the perfect balance between noise, speed and beauty. (SST 1985) -Sam Cannon

The Toy Dolls
Entire Discography
Picking the greatest album or the greatest artist of the 19th century is no easy task. Not only was I born in 74 thus missing 74% of the century but there were just so many damn good bands as well. But as many as there are, choosing one seemed surprisingly easy. Set the way back machine to 1986. A friend of mine asked to borrow my Walkman and in exchange he would give me his Toy Dolls A Far Out Disc tape. This proved to be one of the best trades I’ve ever made. I was introduced to the wonderful wacky world of The Toy Dolls. The Toy Dolls formed in 1979 during the 2nd british punk explosion. They unleashed their brand of “fun punk” or as they would prefer to call it “Toy Dolls Music”. At first they were a four piece. Pete Zulu was on lead vocals and Olga on guitar. But very quickly Pete had left the band and Olga since has carried the flag as lead vocals, lead guitars, and lead song writer. To describe The Toy Dolls I would take Chuck Berry and throw him in blender with Alvin and The Chipmunks and hit the hi-speed button. Silliness, tightness, talent are just a few words to describe these lads. Olga is hands down the best guitarist in punk rock today. As tight as The Dolls are in the studio, this does not compare to the energy and talent they present at their live gigs. Live, they have the energy of a room full of pre- schoolers on a sugar high but they play their instruments with complete precision at the same time. Twenty years and counting The Toy Dolls show no signs of slowing down, aging or growing up. They are the Dick Clark of punk rock. The bottom line of the Toy Dolls is fun!!! Cheers. (Volume Records / Receiver Records 1986) -Kirk “snake” Janowiak

Youth Of Today
Break Down the Walls
It’s hard for me to single out one hardcore record from this time period. I wasn’t old enough to have discovered Minor Threat, so the first real punk record I picked up was by Youth of Today. Even though Break Down the Walls had been out for a while when I got it, it was the first record I thought really spoke to me. I had tried reggae (but never got into pot or the Rasta thing), rap (but wasn’t a gangster), and metal had no real message. Here was a music movement that talked about positive change. Hardcore would turn into more than just the music I listened to, but more of a lifestyle. By reading the lyrics from a 7” record, I picked up Diet For a New America by John Robbins. I’ve been vegetarian now for close to nine years, and vegan for five. By going to shows, I learned of protests, ways to make a difference, and found people who supported free thinking (in a high school world that demanded conformity). I still bump into people at shows, in the workplace, and on the slopes, whose lives have been changed because of hardcore, and the hundreds of powerful emotional records put out by kids who had something to say. Music can be more than sound, it can be a revolution. “Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.” (Boy Sets Fire) (Revelation Records 1985) -Chris Sprouls

7 Seconds
New Wind
When I was 13 or so, I started listening to more and more punk rock. I was really attracted to it because of the energy and intensity level I found lacking in whatever garbage was on the radio at the time. But I was never really an angry kid, so there was always something missing to me in music that was pure anger. I used to just go down to the record store and randomly choose punk stuff because I didn’t really have any friends who were into that kind of stuff. So at age 14 I came home with this 7 Seconds album. It was exactly what I had been looking for. Here was an album with all of the energy of punk rock, but with melody, and lyrics that touched on things like sexual issues. Thirteen years later I still know the words to every song by heart, and The Inside remains one of my favorite songs ever. In many ways this is a west coast companion to what was going on in DC at the time, and part of this album was recorded with Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye, who was in Embrace around that time. More than any other, this album is why I began to love music like I do today. (BYO / Positive Force 1986) -Scott Torguson

L.L. Cool J
Radio
Most hip-hop fans today feel that L.L. has drifted a bit too far toward the R and B side of things, but he was once the baddest around. James was fresh out of Queens in 1985 sporting Air Jordans and a gold chain, but proved he was a true M.C. on tracks I Need a Beat, I Can’t Live Without My Radio, and the legendary Rock the Bells. So if your one of the faithless who thinks L.L. has gone soft, don’t forget his legacy. (DefJam 1985) -DM

Death Angel
The Ultra-Violence
In 1985, I saw a show for a mere $6. It was GBH, Cro-Mags, Verbal Abuse, Sins of the Flesh and Death Angel. If you like punk, you know this is a classic show. All the nor-cal skinheads and punks came out to the show. All the bands were hardcore, except Death Angel. The super-long haired Filipino teenagers wearing t-shirts and pegged Levi’s set up their Marshall stacks and put on their glossy metal guitars. Instantly, they did not fit the bill. They went to hit their first chords and boom, nothing. They started fiddling with amps and cables. The crowd gave them no slack with hecklings like “Typical metal band,” and “Get off the fucking stage you hair farmers!” A few minutes later, they fixed the problems and broke into a sound and speed that caused this crowd to go berzerk. By the end of the show, the valley punks were screaming for more. I’ve never seen a band win over a more prejudiced crowd. It was beauty. The day this album was released, I cut high school, went to Tower Records, bought the vinyl, and broke into my girlfriends parents house and listened to it on headphones 3 times in a row. It is pure thrash metal. One of the fastest, hardest and sickest of the era. No one compares, except Metallica. (Enigma 1987) -Sonny Mayugba

Sonic Youth
EVOL
The only band that I’ve heard make noise really work. They discovered early on that noise could serve an actual musical function, which is to separate periods in which there’s actual melody, that noise should have the same function as a guitar solo. And that something should be happening during the noise, be it a descending bass line or a progression of sound. Sonic Youth had ten years of great records, but this one is especially magical-sounding. It reminds me of driving around L.A. at night, lost in my own mystical world of sound. (DGC 1986) -Ben Morss

Rites of Spring
Embrace
These two albums really go together for me, and deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with each other. Basically everything which now falls under the overused “emo” label owes everything to the movement in the mid 80s in DC known as Revolution Summer, and the bands which came from that movement, these two being in my mind the most important in terms of their influence. Here’s the version I heard of the story: By 1984 or so, the punk/hardcore scene that was created by the early Dischord bands and their friends had been overrun by violent thugs, and many of the originators had begun to drop out. They realized that they had created the whole thing to begin with, so there was no reason they couldn’t start something new. So in the summer of 1985, all these people formed new bands which had all the energy, if not more, of their previous bands, but dealt with emotions other than anger in their lyrics and performance. These two bands, along with others such as, Beefeater and Lunchmeat, completely revolutionized the hardcore scene. Every song on both the Rites of Spring and Embrace LPs is a classic. Rites of Spring’s Drink Deep is to this day, the best song, lyrically, i have ever read. Embrace’s song Spoke speaks volumes of the work of various members of both bands up to the present, “no compromise /no co-op /no giving out /or giving up /or giving in.” In 1987, after these two bands had broken up, member went on to form Fugazi, who have been consistently the best band since then. (Dischord 1985) -Scott Torguson

Elvis Costello
Trust
Pop is big now. Bands like Promise Ring and The Get Up Kids are hella sick, but their songwriting craft is still miles behind Elvis’ Trust. There are more hooks on this album than in the Luhr Jensen factory. Elvis Costello taught me that you don’t need Marshall stacks and Humbucker pickups to make loud sounds. All you need is powerful melody, ineffable emotion, layers of sound, and sweet production. If you like Elliott Smith, come meet his daddy. (Ryko 1981) -Sonny Mayugba

Bad Religion
I’ve had the pleasure to hang out with Greg Graffin and Jay Bentley a few times in recent years and let me tell you, these guys are as smart as they are inspirational. I’ve been listening to BR since I was in 6th grade and there hasn’t been a bigger eye-opener in my life since. I recommend: Suffer, Against the Grain, No Control, No Substance. (Atlantic 1980-1990) -Brad Gobdel

Talking Heads
Remain In Light
David Byrne & Brian Eno
My Life In the Bush Of Ghosts
When Remain In Light was released in 1980, it sounded, and still sounds, unlike anything that preceded it or has come since. A unique fusion of funk, dub, soul, African music, punk and new wave sensibilities all produced with techniques borrowed equally from the avant garde electronic music of the 50s and 60s and Jamaican reggae recordings. The record was that rare confluence of talents; in this case quirky songwriter and singer David Byrne, producer and free thinker Brian Eno and guitarist Adrian Belew. Byrne gave Eno full rein and although he had produced some pretty great records like Devo’s Are We Not Men?, this record surpassed everything he’d done in the past. Much of the record featured numerous guest musicians who were given lots of room to make up parts and play them all over the record. Eno later went back and used what he wanted, re-arranging and mixing the record dub style. Added to this was Belew, a Frank Zappa band alumnus who approached the guitar in a totally unique, very sonic and noisy way. That most of his parts in every song were left in, even though he wasn’t even in the band is testament to his contribution to the album. This record seemed to come out of nowhere fully formed, but a year later My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts was released, culled from a series of songs that Byrne and Eno had recorded prior to Remain in Light. Featuring many musicians from NYC’s early experimental music scene like Bill Laswell, David van Tieghem, Jon Hassell, Robert Fripp, Mingo Lewis and Busta Jones (who later ended up on Remain), this album had all the conceptual elements of that later record in place, although a little bit rougher around the edges. Interestingly, this album had no vocals, substituting found sound elements from other records and radio snippets that were sampled on top of the music. Today this is not even worth noting, but this record predated the invention of the sampler by nearly a decade. As a side note, Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation) cites this album as a major influence. Both of these albums still sound amazingly fresh. (Sire 1980) -JB

Black Flag
Nervous Breakdown’ 7” e.p.
It was around 1980 and me and some friends from Reno were on our way to see a show in S.F. and we stopped at this cool record store in Berkeley called Rather Ripped Records. It was near closing time and the guy at the counter says to us, “Watch this. This is how I get everyone to leave when I wanna close up shop” and he puts on the ‘Nervous Breakdown’ e.p. and all this loud, raw and wonderful punk rock madness comes out of the speakers and sure enough, the 10 or so people in the store practically ran for the doors with the most horrific looks on their faces. I looked at the counter guy and said with a smile, “Who the fuck is this band? I want a copy!” and thus began my love affair with Black Flag. It was maybe a month later when I saw them at the Mabuhay Gardens in S.F. and I remember actually feeling scared to be there but feeling compelled to stand right up in the front where all the action was. It was one of the greatest live shows I’ve ever seen!!! (SST 1978) -Kevin Seconds

Minor Threat
first 7” e.p.
It was 1981. I was still living in Reno and Ian MacKaye had written to me telling me that he had heard good things about my band 7Seconds from his friend Henry Garfield (aka Henry Rollins) and that he was sending the new e.p. of his band Minor Threat in hopes of getting something from us (at the time all we had were a couple of tapes out). I put the record on and it immediately impacted my young punk rock life. At the time, 7Seconds was one of the very few bands on the West Coast playing at the speed we were playing and all of a sudden here’s this incredible band from Washington, D.C. and they even shared many of the same ideals (anti-drug abuse, anti- racism, etc. etc.). I was elated. So was my brother Steve. We turned as many of our Reno friends on to the D.C. hardcore scene as we could and maintained a close and fun relationship with many of the D.C. bands for years. My love and respect for Ian MacKaye is well-known. I don’t know a single soul who possesses the sincerity and conviction he does. Yeah, he’s got his critics but there’s no denying the impact he and his music has had on not only the hardcore/punk rock scene but alternative music in general. My all-time favorite band PERIOD! (Dischord 1980) -Kevin Seconds

R.E.M.
Out of Time
I’ve never been able to get into the R.E.M. that everyone loves, the jangly, quirky band that ruled college radio throughout the 1980’s. But this album really blows me away. The guitar lines, the lush sound, the deadly sincere lyrics, “I thought that it would make me smarter. But it only made me harder.” Well, it just gets me. Listen to the interaction between the insanely complicated guitar riff and pretty melody of Shiny Happy People. This is the album where the band finally matured, where it dropped the college cutesiness and got serious about constructing deep, emotional, layered songs. (Warner Bros 1991.) -Ben Morss

R.E.M.
Murmur, Reckoning, Reconstruction Of the Fables, Life’s Rich Paegant
In 1983, guitar rock was in a pretty confused state. On the one hand you had bands like Night Ranger whose overblown arena rock was so pretentious and just plain bad, that you really did want to barf. Then there were bands like Berlin and Huey Lewis and the News* with skinny ties, who had successfully watered down punk and new wave into a palatable pablum for the mainstream. The first wave of punk had lost it’s direction and focus a bit. Then a little band from the little city of Athens, GA released one of the, if not the, best records of the decade. Punk in spirit, but oblique and laid back instead of overt and angry, the songs on Murmur grabbed your attention from the back of your brain. Then days later, you wanted to hear the album again. 17 years later it still sounds fresh and unique, and I listen to it at least once a month. They followed it up with three more excellent albums, peaking with Paegant, which is probably their best, most focused album. If you’ve only heard R.E.M. after they hit the mainstream, you’ve missed their best work. (IRS 1983) -JB
(*I mention these two bands in particular because I went to see R.E.M. at an outdoor festival and got there late, missing them and having to sit through miserable sets by both.)

Dead Kennedys
Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
One more example of a band’s first album being their very best. Who thought that socially-conscious folk music could be dressed up in a high-octane rock n’ roll suit and be so much fucking fun? For anyone who truly loves rock, one listen to this ought to sell the damn record all by its lonesome. Classic. Makes one almost wish the band had gone into obscurity immediately afterwards. However, note that this listener throws in a big qualifyer - the key word is “almost.” (Cherry Red 1979) -Reverend Ed

Gang of Four
Entertainment!
I made sure that I played a cut from this on each of my college radio shows, so I could run around the studio at 4 a.m. and scream, “Guerilla war struggle is a new entertainment!” An album so original that no one’s managed to do anything quite like it since - instead of chords they have tonally ambiguous guitar riffs. These go along with funk beats and lyrics that make a radical cultural critique relevant to our everyday lives. The result is compelling, simple, and endlessly fascinating. (Warner Bros. 1979) -Ben Morss

Television
Marquee Moon
The recording studio is essentially a sterile place, a place where all the energy your band has live is often sucked out of you. In it’s place, a sheen of overdubs and production tricks are used to keep the music interesting. To make a record that both sounds good and has the kind of energy that makes seeing a band live so exciting is actually very difficult. To make a record that still sounds good and still feels like it’s bristling with energy 23 years later is almost impossible. Marquee Moon is that record, and the fact that the guitars are mostly slightly distorted bluesy Fender type sounds is an interesting thing in the age of ultra heavy massive guitars that dominate much of today’s guitar rock. If only Korn can age this well. When Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd made this record in 1977, they were at the forefront of a budding underground scene in NYC, but were largely forgotten as other bands passed them by. But to hear Marquee Moon is to realize just how many bands of the next two decades owned this record. (Elektra 1977) -JB

Beatles
The record popularly known as the White Album, the double album where John Lennon’s and Paul McCartney’s styles finally and completely diverged, the record that anticipated so many things still to come in rock and roll - metal, roots revival, experimentation with sounds and musique concrete, and did them better the first time. Really, any Beatles album (except maybe Let It Be) could have been on this list, but this one gets my nod because of its rare combination of killer songwriting, great performance, and personal expression. (EMI/Capitol 1968) -Ben Morss

The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The granddaddy of alternative rock, the one that started it all. To get a rise out of my friends, I used to tell them that rock music from the 1970s on could be divided into two branches: on one branch was everything good, which descended from the Velvet Underground, and on the other branch was everything bad, which descended from Led Zeppelin. Now, that’s too dumb to be true, yet there’s a grain of truth: along with the Beatles, the Velvet Underground are the guys who made rock officially interesting, who did stuff because it was just a cool idea instead of because it matched some current trend. And they could also write incredible music! Their achievement was to marry Lou Reed’s romantic-junkie songwriting with John Cale’s minimalist experimentalism, mix that with Mo Tucker’s tom-tom drumming, and out came an album which managed to combine beautiful ballads, hypnotic drony drug songs, and crazed feedback solos. And I still think every track on this record is worth 1000 Led Zeppelin albums. (QPolygram 1967) -Ben Morss

Otis Redding
Live at Monterey
Otis Redding perfected that R&B classic, the “loved & lost” blues, so much so that he’s gone down in the history books as “Mr. Pitiful.” But rather than striking a dramatic pose a la Frank Sinatra or shivering over a stiff drink a la Hank Williams, Redding belts his sorrows from the rooftops without an ounce of shame or restraint. The Monterey Pop Festival, from the sounds of it, was Redding at his best. Classics such as Try a Little Tenderness and a cover of Aretha’s Respect stack up like air raid sirens next to the powerful guitar solos of Jimi Hendrix (whose Monterey set made up the flipside of the original live EP when it first came out) as Otis makes mincemeat of his vocal chords, all in the name of love. Now that’s punk. (Atlantic 1967) -Sam Cannon

Jimi Hendrix
No one artist ever has touched me like Jimi. He is the other half of why I started playing guitar. Ever since I was born, my mom played me Hendrix, but it wasn’t until I was in 8th grade that I really began to understand what was there. His debut, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, is what he’s most famous for. Tunes Like Purple Haze and Fire are still mega hits and that record came out in 1967. Axis: Bold As Love has the most special place in my heart. It is pure divination from everything that exists, both living and non-living. Electric Ladyland, Jimi’s double LP, is a magical collection that hits too hard. Every Hendrix riff and lyric comes through human hands, but from who knows where. How can you explain an artist like Jimi? His musical career only lasted about 4 years, but the impact that little bit made is still being heavily felt. When music touches the soul of another, a connection is made. I will forever be connected to Jimi Hendrix. (MCA 1967-70) -Sonny Mayugba

Frank Sinatra
The Voice. The Chairman of the Board. Ole Blue Eyes. Hell, even Francis. All of these names could only refer to one person - Frank Sinatra. What explanation can I offer that has not already been written a thousand times before? Francis Albert Sinatra, was hands down one of the most important, musicians and entertainers of all time. He didn’t just sing, he belted it out live and recorded it on film. He wasn’t just the typical singer who really wanted to act, he was an Oscar winner for his role in 1953’s From Here To Eternity. Not to mention the millions upon millions of records he sold during his multi-decade spanning career. All of this success was his despite, or perhaps because of, the occasional controversy over women, the Rat Pack and his alleged ties to the mob. Although he didn’t pen the songs he’s famous for crooning, Sinatra had a truly brilliant, natural way of becoming the characters depicted by the songs he sang, and of making the listener feel all of the emotions he wanted them to - be it the sing out loud bliss of love (The Best is Yet to Come, I Get a Kick Out of You, Fly Me To the Moon), the longing of lovers not wanting to part at the evening’s end (The Last Dance), the heartbreak of a failed marriage (Send in the Clowns) or any of the countless others to his credit, including the ever popular The Lady is a Tramp, My Kind of Town, New York, NY, It Was a Very Good Year and the staple My Way. Many books could be, and have been, filled with the reasons Sinatra is the greatest, but for me it’s my own memory as a small child standing on my dad’s feet and dancing to Sinatra records. Frank may have shuffled off of this mortal coil, but I’m sure he’s busy teaching the choirs up above a thing or two about swing. “We’ve come to the last dance /Save me the first dance in your dreams tonight,” you’ve got it, Frankie. (Columbia, Capitol, Reprise 1943-95) -Karen Graves

John Cage: 4’ 33”
As 1999 clicked over to 2000, if there was any single musician of the past century who might have predicted how music sounds today, John Cage is that person. It would take far more space than we have here to explain why, but this piece and one thought will point the way. ‘All sounds are music’ was the basic premise of John Cage’s music, and it was both the first time this was put forth and way ahead of it’s time. At the time the symphony orchestra was the only ‘real’ music and rock and jazz, now both relatively safe and accepted were considered ‘dangerous.’ Keep in mind though that both rock and jazz used only traditional instruments and relatively traditional musical structures. Before Cage, absolutely nothing hinted at hip-hop or electronic music, but in one grand statement John Cage opened the door forever to both, and many more possibilities - 48 years ago. 4’ 33” is one of the most revolutionary pieces of music of this century, but I don’t think a recording of it even exists. Let me describe it; a pianist walks onto stage and lifts the lid of the piano and then just sits there. 4 minutes and 33 seconds later he puts the lid down and then leaves the stage, with the ‘performance’ completed, leaving only the fidgeting of the audience (and thousands, though subtle, sounds) in between. The sheer brilliance and foresight of this piece is completely overshadowed by it’s simplicity and seeming absurdity; simultaneously debunking the seriousness of most music at the time and stating that all noises (and silences) are music. You either get it or you don’t. Despite the respect I have for Cage, I haven’t found much of his music something that I actually listen to. Instead, I have searched out many of the books he wrote and I would recommend them to anyone seriously interested in music. He wrote several and they’re widely available in most library systems. (1959) -JB

Pegboy
God, the first time I heard Strong Reaction / Three Chord Monte I was blown away. All of the other music I was listening to at the time was tame compared to this. Pegboy quickly became one of my favorites. I’ve seen them numerous times live, and even got to interview them, and I am still awestruck at their musical abilities. I recently saw them play their 2nd to last show and felt an overwhelming sadness afterwards. Pegboy will be missed. (Touch and Go 1990) -Brad Gobdel

Jawbox
Although they released only four proper albums, a fistful of 7”s and a compilation following their break-up, Jawbox are without question one of the top acts of the millennium. Jawbox were not an easy band to like, for most people. They didn’t write three minute pop songs, or make videos with wonky camera angles, pyrotechnics and celebrity guest stars - they made music, and damn fine music at that. With intertwining, discordantly melodic guitar lines that were at least as complex as J.Robbins’ lyrics, Jawbox managed to walk the line between smart and intricate, very DC rock (of a caliber that should have made Fugazi nervous), and pompous, exclusionary math rock, never slipping too far into the latter. For most of it’s existence Jawbox was made up of former Government Issue bassist J.Robbins on vox/guitar, Bill “W.C.” Barbot playing the yin to Robbins’ yang on guitar/vox, DeSoto Records head Kim Coletta adding her characteristically smooth bassline to the otherwise near cacophonic mix, and in the role once filled by Adam Wade, later of Shudder to Think, Zachary Barocas on skins. Boasting timeless lines like, “Hey angel /consider /your position /framed to be consumed /Savory /Savoring your sympathy,” (Savory), “Working the wrecking ball /maybe you’d feel less small” (Spoiler) and “Some day he’s going to wake up /in a burning house /and wonder what to save /and wonder who to blame (His Only Trade), it seems likely that the feelings of emptiness, longing and disillusionment Robbins had been trying to express, and perhaps exorcise, for close to ten years in Jawbox will still be relevant for the next ten. Like a lot of truly great things in life, including art and maybe even love, Jawbox wasn’t really appreciated in its time - if it had been, there surly would have been a greater uproar in the music world when they disbanded following an unhappy stint on Atlantic. At present, all the broken hearted Jawbox fans of the world are left with one small comfort in the form of Burning Airlines, an act that finds J.Robbins, and sometimes even Mr.Barbot, continuing to tour and make records. Now, if they’d just play Columbus, Ohio. (Dischord 1990) -Karen Graves

Uncle Tupelo
No Depression, Still Feel Gone, March 16-20, 1992 & Anodyne
In 1990, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy and their band Uncle Tupelo very quietly released a record that would go on to influence an entire genre of music. 10 years later there is a magazine devoted to that genre named after their first album. Jay and Jeff were punk rock fans who felt punk had become routine and were looking for something different and ended up going back to another era to find it. On the first two albums, their punk roots are evident, especially in songs like D. Boon. By the third album, they had pulled in the reins quite a bit, and by Anodyne they had made what many people consider the defining album of a genre. Gram Parsons got there first and his two solo albums prove it; they still sound as fresh as if they had been recorded last week. But, he faded out too quickly and was followed mostly by bands like the Eagles who poorly tried to imitate him. The Tupleo legacy is still very much alive however. Not only in the many great (and not so great) bands they’ve inspired, but in Farrar and Tweedy’s new bands, Son Volt and Wilco. Son Volt has made three excellent albums while Wilco has made two very spotty albums with the occasional gem. Wilco’s third and latest, however Summer Teeth, is maybe the best, and definitely the most different record of the entire batch, possibly showing us what we can look forward too during the next decade. (Rockville / Dutch East India/Sire 1990) -JB

Jane’s Addiction
Ritual De Lo Habitual
If I had to pick one record that had the biggest effect on my life for the past 10 years it would have to be this one. No other band I can think of can ever come as close to being Zeppelin as they did. Jane’s Addiction had the ability of making you angry, sad, happy and wanting to celebrate all within the course of a single song. If there were ever a part two to Stairway To Heaven it would be Three Days. While playing Then She Did on the first and best Lollapalooza it was the first time a band ever brought me to tears. Perry Ferrell was and will always the perfect “rock star” in my eyes - no one could ever top him. He was the perfect combination of mystery, sarcasm, ego, grace, and freak of nature. One thing I can respect about them is that they, like Zeppelin, bowed out at the peak of their success before they could get enough time to suck and instead left the fans with memories of great live shows and incredible music. Jane’s is responsible for music being my life. When I think of nineties music, I think it all started with Jane’s Addiction. There are very few bands that I would call “beautiful” music and they are definitely at the top of this list. Thank you Perry, Dave, Stephen, and Eric for giving us your “gift.” (Warner Bros. 1990) -Shaun Lopez

Big Drill Car
Ever since seeing Snowboarders in Exile I’ve been hooked on Big Drill Car. CD Type Thing is constantly in my CD player and I will never get sick of it. This album is very sentimental to me because every road trip I go on I take this album. It helps me think of all the good (and bad) times I’ve had with my friends and especially my ex-girlfriends. BDC’s mix of poppy lyrics and driving guitars lends itself to the lighter side of punk, but the music is so damn tight that you can’t help but love it. If I never heard Big Drill Car I’d be a much different person than I am today.(Cruz 1989) -Brad Gobdel

Blues Bothers Soundtrack
Probably my first recollection of music that I really liked. Soundtrack to the classic movie featuring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd leading the way on vocals with guest appearances from such greats as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway and James Brown with a backup band featuring Donald Duck Dunn (bass & pipe), Steve Cropper (geetar) and Lou Martini on sax. This album is full of soul with some of the best sing-a-longs played by the names and faces of people who defined R&B. (Atlantic 1980) -Mitch Soto

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Freaky Styley
RHCP were a crazy band. Before this record, I never knew a band could tastefully blend punk, funk, rap, soul and rock. There is a cover of a Sly and the Family Stone song, If You Want Me To Stay, that is worth $1000 alone. The album was part of a movement that turned out a little cheesy, punk funk, but the Chili’s always had the style. This album is sick. (Capitol 1985) -Sonny Mayugba (It should also be noted that this album was produced by George Clinton of P-Funk fame who is very noticeably absent from this list. -JB)

Metallica
Kill Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets
The opening track, Fight Fire With Fire, to Met’s sophomore effort, Ride The Lightning, is a mind blowing cacophony of thrash metal abuse. It was the first song of this super group that I’d ever heard and I have been overcome with fanatical behavior ever since. Kill Em All could be called the first crossover record in history, blending punk aggression and style with metal riffs and heaviness. Ride The Lightning showed that Metallica was no flash in the pan with constant touring and songwriting maturity. Master of Puppets was the ultimate culmination of Metallica coming into their own. That album will forever be sick. I love Metallica and they are still rulers to this day. They kick major ass and these are my favorite of their albums, although And Justice For All is sick too. (Elektra 1985) -Sonny Mayugba

The Replacements
Sorry Ma Forgot To Take Out The Trash, Hootennany
This is one of those records that make the listener think that he or she could do as good a job if not better than the band. That is, until they try it. Loud, raucous and full of pep, I can’t think of a stinker in the bunch. Sure, there are songs that many would call throwaways (Rattlesnake, Otto, More Cigarettes) but the pure enthusiasm makes up for any structural or lyrical shortcomings. Check out Love You Til Friday or Shiftless When Idle for hints of Paul Westerberg’s future as a great songwriter. By Hootennany, the pop sensibilities are emerging (see Color Me Impressed for proof positive of this). It was not until I’d been on a cross country tour with a band of my own that I realized the pure, A-1 genius of Treatment Bound, “First thing we do when we finally pull up /Get shit faced drunk, try to sober up ...Yesterday’ s trash /too bored to crash.” There is a lot of goofy noise on this 20-plus minutes of apparently disposable tuneage. Oddly enough, not one note rings false. (Twin Tone 1980) -Reverend Ed

The Clash
London Calling
Very rarely in rock is there an album that puts it all together - ties up all of the loose strings of the past, is firmly entrenched in the present, and somehow points to the future. When England’s “garageland” scruffs The Clash began recording their third album, they must have known what they were about to accomplish. After the quintessential punk blast of 1977’s The Clash, the bit-of-a-letdown Give ’Em Enough Rope, and a handful of classic non-LP singles, London Calling annihilated everything in its wake. Potently mixing the styles of music the band were surrounded by in late ’70s Britain, The Clash and producer Guy Stevens put together nineteen tunes that collectively answered two obvious questions: 1) Are The Clash just a punk band?, and 2) Is this the best rock ’n’ roll album of all time? The answers, of course, were: 1) No, and 2) Absolutely. The cataclysmic London Calling, followed by the rockabilly Brand New Cadillac, and the laidback, reggaefied Jimmy Jazz open up side one. Sixteen songs later, when the unannounced Train in Vain chugs its way to conclusion, you know you have just witnessed greatness. Typically, when a band tries to tackle as many different styles as represented here, it fails miserably. Tell any friend about all the musicians on London Calling and you’re likely to get a big eyeroll. But here, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simon and Topper Headon put such a personal stamp on each song that there’s no room for eye rolling. It’s likely due to the fact that The Clash weren’t trying to be eclectic, they were just letting it all hang out. And that’s why it all came together so spectacularly. I remember hearing Train in Vain on the radio in early 1980. It had a sound that recalled classic rock songs by the likes of Buddy Holly and his ilk, yet its freshness, in both arrangement and lyrics, clearly made it stand out from what surrounded it on the airwaves. How else do you explain the fact that the song was played on many different formats at a time when radio formats were so black or white? Last year someone put out one of those tribute albums on The Clash, Burning London, and I looked forward to hearing how people would treat this great band’s songs. One night I was driving home with my wife, who had picked it up and couldn’t wait to play it for me, hitting the play button with “You’re not gonna like it.” She didn’t know the half of it. First I heard the Indigo Girls slaughter Clampdown, then No Doubt do a horrible rendition of Hateful, and I lost it. All week long I had kept my cool - stayed calm when I heard my job was being terminated, managed to hold back the tears when my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, and then I lost it over a stupid tribute album. Why am I telling you this? To illustrate what kind of a place these songs hold in my heart. I mean, I still get watery eyes when Death or Glory comes on! I still hear Train in Vain as the greatest rock ’n’ roll single of all time. London Calling will likely be the only album that ever managed to illustrate how powerful rock music could be, how varied it could be, and how terms like “punk rock” (and other genre names) are basically useless. You gotta listen and describe for yourself. The Clash asked us to do this with their album of self-styled revolution rock. “Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this brand new beat!” sings Strummer on what was to be London Calling’s last song. (They added Train in Vain at the last minute, after the artwork and everything had been completed - talk about a bonus track!) That’s about all I have to say about London Calling. Oh yeah, one more thing - it’s been emotional. (Epic 1979) -Marsh Gooch

AC/DC: For Those About To Rock...
We Salute You
I saw them on tour supporting this record in 1982 when I was 11 years old. It was so fucking phenomenal. Their second album after original singer Bon Scott died, AC/DC got harder and heavier for this one. One of the world’s best true rock records, every song kicks major ass. This is half of the reason why I started playing guitar. (Atlantic 1982) -Sonny Mayugba

Code Of Honor: Fight or Die
Sick Pleasure: Dolls Under Control
Punk fuckin’ rock. Being my favorite album from beginning to end this is what I judge everything from. Full length split here from these two bands from California with the only difference between them being the singer. The Code of Honor is incredible. Socially and politically driven punk with intelligible vocals sung so heartfelt you couldn’t help not to want to believe in them. The guitars on here are topnotch and were way ahead of most bands in the way of musicianship utilizing power melodies to insane riffs, raw-well-structured solos, and feedback techniques that would make Greg Ginn cringe. The Sick Pleasure side is a bit more raw led by vocalist Nikki Sikki who brings more of a rough street level approach to the table. Same musicianship to this as C.O.H. but more of a fuck-everything attitude. Great music for when you’re pissed off at the world. This is the only Sick Pleasure recording I know of and there have been other releases from C.O.H. but by far this is the best. The copy I have is on white vinyl and is the only one I’ve seen. So if you see this somewhere while you’re record shopping, do yourself a favor and pay whatever to get it. I’ve been listening to this for over 15 years and this is still my all time favorite record. (Subterranean 1982) -Mitch Soto

Public Image Limited: Flowers Of Romance
One night, while being stoned and studying for some high school history class many years ago, I sat and listened to this. My pop said, “well son, there doesn’t seem to be too much to this.” He, along with many people of the pre-hippy generation, just didn’t get it at all. Not a rock album. Not by a damn sight. Still, Rotten / Lydon and company must have had a ball making this. Mostly drums and vocals. It’s not until the title song kicks in that one realizes the full effect of what these English freaks are up to. Not for everyone to be sure. This stands alone. I’m sure others have tried to put “world music” to creepy poetry without sounding polished to the point of castrated, but then, those folks never did get it right. Best PIL album ever. (Warner Bros 1981) -Reverend Ed

Slayer: Reign In Blood
Pretty much anything you’ve every heard in the past 10 years that resembles metal, black metal, or anything metal or guitar driven owes everything to the almighty Slayer. While Slayer have released countless brutally perfect albums, one masterpiece stands alone - Reign In Blood. Words can’t begin to describe how influential and terrifying these 10 tracks of unrelenting speed and power have been. 10 songs, most under 3 minutes long, that are full of more intensity and speed then a bullet train smashing into a brick wall. By mixing the intensity of metal with the fury of punk they’ve discovered a whole new way to shred the brain. Kerry King torturing his B.C. Rich faster than anyone on earth had ever thought possible. Dave Lombardo taking the speed of double bass drums to a machine gun frenzy. While most bands have tried to forget their satan fueled past, Slayer still embrace it after almost 20 years, hands still covered in blood. Other metal bands have come and gone (and cut their hair) but few have left such a powerful and evil impression. Anyone who has heard Angel Of Death played live will never be the same afterwards. Long live Slayer!!! (DefJam 1980) -Chris Sprouls

Rolling Stones
Exile On Main Street
As the greatest rock and roll band in the world, the Rolling Stones made many records that are incomparable. Beggars Banquet, which opens with the classic Sympathy For The Devil, is straight up ruling. If you ever get the notion, find a copy of the documentary/art movie entitled Sympathy For The Devil. It will bring you insight into how one song was allowed to develop naturally, but with thorough massaging. Beggars Banquet showed the Stones’ love for folk and country, and their twisted interpretation of the styles. Every song is classic. Exile is their double album that shook the world. Released in 1972, it marked the beginning of one of their best phases, their glam psychedelic 70’s full of women, drinking, touring, and drugs. Opening with a song I will listen to for the rest of my life, Rocks Off, this duplex goes from rock and roll to John Lee Hooker blues to James Brown soul. If the Rolling Stones were cocaine, this album is ten thousand kilo’s of 100% pure uncut Peruvian. Pure, baby. (Abkco 1972) -Sonny Mayugba

The Stooges
Funhouse
It took the Stooges’ first record to pound home the idea that I too could be in a band and make music and write songs. After hearing the two chord, ten word, Bo Diddly beats, who wouldn’t feel the same? Then, just as the entire world was ready to dismiss them as a bunch of midwestern, white-trash degenerates, they came up with this masterwork. It belongs on the list of greatest recordings of all time. It transcends mere rock n’ roll and belongs up there with anything Miles Davis or Wagner came up with. And it achieves this on a sub-conscious level. The songs come off effortlessly. From the muted, menacing first riffs of Down In The Street (I am certain I have read this before) to the relentless caterwauling of LA Blues, one is sucked in (seduced might be a better word) and puked right back out. Allegedly recorded completely live by Don “Louie Louie” Gallucci, the drums are violent, the guitars dirty yet completely distinct, the bass fairly singing with childish lines and an Iggy Pop we’d never heard before and will certainly never hear again. The vocals are at times so slurred that you can almost hear the drool hit the floor and at other times so shrill and disturbing you practically want to put the fucker down like a rabid dog. This album changed my entire life and it is absolutely no surprise that such greats as The Damned and Sex Pistols cite this as being a major, if not the major impetus for creating the first two English punk rock albums. Who can blame ‘em? Rock from the heartland. Nearly thirty years later, Funhouse will still scare the hell out of many people. (Elektra 1970) -Reverend Ed

Led Zeppelin
Houses Of The Holy,
Physical Graffiti, Presence
Despite being one of the most influential bands of my youth, I hadn’t planned on writing anything about Zeppelin for this issue. Despite the fact that the main reason that as a sponsored skater, I chilled out on skateboarding when I was 17 and joined a band, and then went on to a 10 year career of recording and producing R & B and punk rock records before I helped start this magazine was because of Zeppelin. I actually produced a Zeppelin tribute album (way before tribute albums were de rigeur) with a bunch of local Sacto bands that sold 22,000 copies and got me interviewed by Kurt Loder. Despite all that, I wasn’t going to write about Zeppelin because I thought that in the end, their lyrics were kinda cheesy and that sort of kept them from true ‘legend’ status in the antithesis of the way that Neil Young’s Harvest album (which I also didn’t write about) ensured his legend status 50 or even 100 years from now. I mean, ‘Bustles in your Hedgerow’ and all that is so new age Napa Valley and if you’ve actually been to California then you know what I mean. So, I was going to let it go until I read Ben Morss’s contribution to this piece. I really enjoy Ben’s reviews in Heckler and I especially enjoyed his contributions to the section you’re reading right now. Interestingly enough, there were very few duplications of bands by all the reviewers in this section. The only exceptions were Public Enemy whom Sonny and Sam both covered and REM and, even more strangely enough, Igor Stravinsky, both of whom Ben and I covered. So, I suppose Ben and I should share some kinship, but when I read Ben’s Velvet Underground review, I was ready to track his ass down and hang him upside down from his wimpy rock critic white underwear. I’ve got hella’ respect for the Velvets (and Ben too) but if you diss Zep, we’re gonna fight. I gotta tell ya’ Mr. Morss that Zep rules and if you need further proof, find that out of print Zeppelin tribute I produced (The Song Retains The Name, Mad Rover/ILA) and witness John McCrea of Cake (another of your favorite bands) bowing down to the Rock God that is Led Zeppelin. Seriously though, Zeppelin was a band of the people. Rock critics hated them but the people loved them and they sold zillions of vinyl records and concert tickets because they rocked. I wish I had seen them live, but I had to settle for seeing the Song Remains the Same over 25 times at the Crestview Theater back when they had keggers in the theater and it was OK to have a bong in the ticket line. (I’ve always thought that seeing Nirvana, one of the other great bands of the century that nobody wrote about in this piece, at the smallish Crest Theater, opening for Dino. Jr. three months before Nevermind was released, made up for that however.) In a nutshell Zeppelin was pretty punk rock when they started out, despite ending up millionaires and along with the Velvets helping to make all that is good in music what it is today. Sure Zeppelin spawned Whitesnake and lots of shitty hair metal bands, but I’m willing to bet my bottom dollar that without Zeppelin there would be no Sonic Youth (another of Ben’s favorite bands). Listen to Jimmy Page’s ground breaking guitar arrangements and production and then tell me that Glen Branca, a big SY influence, never listened to Zeppelin. Besides, The Velvets spawned Pavement but Zeppelin spawned Duane Peters and you know where the safe money is on that one. Sure, the first few Zep albums borrow very heavily on the blues and yes, Stairway to Heaven is way too overplayed, but from Houses through Presence, Zeppelin made some of the most original, most challenging, most innovative, yet totally accessible music ever made. And, no one’s really come close since. It’s easy to take it for granted, but to deny it is just silly. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thanks Ben. (Atlantic 1975) -JB

The Modern Lovers
Jonathan Richman is to me what James Brown is to some other people - the greatest rock and roll performer I have ever seen. Every recording, every live performance, he simply lives in the music in a way that’s so sincere that the uninitiated usually think he’s joking. This particular record collects recordings that Jonathan did with his band, before they broke up in obscurity. At a time when everyone had long hair, Jonathan’s hair was short and mundane. He sang a song complaining about how a cool-looking stoner hippie got the chicks when he couldn’t. He sang rock’n’roll epics of loneliness and trying not to be bitter and the strange beauty of the suburbs. And just when his personal take on stripped down rock’n’roll got big, when punk came out, he shifted to a completely different style, singing cute songs about ice cream and abominable snowmen, just in time to miss another chance to be popular.-Ben Morss
You probably haven’t heard of The Modern Lovers. The band only recorded one album in 1973, and it wasn’t released until 1976 on a small label - almost three years later The Modern Lovers had broken up. Not until 1986 did The Modern Lovers’ self-titled album become easily available, thanks to Rhino Records. Still, the band managed to gain a reputation in spite of itself. The Sex Pistols recorded a version of Road Runner, the best remembered Modern Lovers song, and so did The Greg Kihn Band. The keyboardist Jerry Harrison went on to join The Talking Heads, the drummer David Robinson went on to join The Cars; and the leader Jonathan Richman went on to become one of the quirkiest performers in rock and roll history. If you saw the movie There’s Something About Mary, you know what I’m talking about (Richman is the guy who keeps popping up in trees and hot dogs stands). But what about the album? Simply put and without exaggeration, no rock album compares to The Modern Lovers in its unique brand of teen defiance. Richman isn’t angry at his parents but at his own generation - the “hippie Johnnys” and “bell-bottom wearing ass-holes,” the jaded, drugged-out youth of post-1960s America. Foreshadowing Minor Threat by a decade, Richman declares, “I’m straight,” not because he’s a prude but because he wants to feel alive. He doesn’t want a “cocaine-sniffing triumph in the bar” or any other suffocating cliché. Richman wants to feel “like a roadrunner” driving the highways late at night with the radio blasting. Neon signs, sky scrapers, AM radio, cars, girls, cities, “suburban trees and suburban speed.” “1,2,3,4,5,6... Roadrunner, roadrunner, I go by faster miles per hour,” the album is off and running with the first song. Bouncy, snare to high-hat drum, harsh organ, stark guitar, haunting echo, and Richman’s nasal, off-key voice. The music is inspired by The Velvet Underground and The Stooges, but it’s better. It’s true, Richman understands better than Lou Reed and Iggy Pop what’s best in their own music. Not the noise, distortion, and self-destructiveness, but the rhythm and beat stripped to its raw elements. The songs are stark yet tender, angry yet light-hearted and never too long. It’s as if Buddy Holly has teamed up with Iggy Pop. Nobody before Jonathan Richman or since has managed to have one foot in the past and another in the future in quite the same way. (Beserkley 1976) -Tony Michels

Naked Raygun
Long before punk rock was the flavor of the month a band emerged out of Chicago and brought forth a new kind of punk, something no one has ever heard before. They were just a bunch of working class kids writing songs about everyday life and trying to understand the world around them. Eventually this band gained some notoriety and even a little fame... then they disappeared. No other band has written songs that hit so close to home for me. Every song and every lyric felt like it was written for me, whether it be about fitting in with society or a lost love, Naked Raygun always captured what I was feeling. It is too bad that I came to learn about Naked Raygun too late, and never got to see them live. Only the albums are left and up until now they were rare and very hard to come by. Recently Quarterstick records re-released every Naked Raygun album and helped me, and countless others, complete their collections. The following albums are must haves in my opinion: Understand?, Raygun... Naked Raygun, Jettison, All Rise, Basement Screams, Throb Throb , The Last of the Demohicans. (Quarterstick 1985-1999) -Brad Gobdel

Wire
Pink Flag
The band must have thought that this would be their last shot at getting the tunes on tape. I’ve tried to tape this on one side of a 90-minute tape for about a dozen different people, but the last song or so always gets cut off. That’s right, they cram as many tunes as possible onto the record. Another example of a perfect debut. Extremely short songs with catchy lyrics and a tight, straight-ahead sound from the band (dig the guitar sound!). Amazing. The lyrics are certainly not about your typical “rock” topics. Not a single punk rock reference here either. This came out in 1977 or ‘78 and got none of the notice that fellow Brits, the Pistols, Damned or Clash got, which is sad. They went on to get more and more dissipated until it was too late. Perhaps if Pink Flag had sold even a tenth of what their aforementioned peers did on initial release, they’d have made at least one more like this. Alas, they did not. Still, this is one of those rare records where there ain’t a clunker in the bunch. (Harvest 1978) -Reverend Ed

Talking Heads
Talking Heads ‘77
Another album that’s completely unique. I think the first four albums are much more interesting than their later, dance-groove stuff, and this one is the best of the lot, a true revelation. Fascinating songs with David Byrne’s nerdy vocals, Jerry Harrison’s (see Modern Lovers above) delicate mandolin-like guitar lines, Tina Weymouth’s high, melodic, quirky bass, and Chris Frantz’ danceable foundation. And it’s not all weird or strange - one song is about how nice it is to work in a building, and another one explains, “the book I read is in your eyes.” And to think that this is what they used to call “punk”! (Sire 1977) -Ben Morss

Phillip Glass
Einstein On The Beach
Glass and Steve Reich are often both mentioned in the same breath as the pioneers of ‘minimal’ music, and while I like both almost equally, I think I’d have to say that Reich seems the more focused and original of the two by a slight edge. But it was Glass, who first opened the door to my ears with Einstein. I only have this on vinyl; 6 LPs in a boxed set that I finally found used, long out of print. The vocals are the first entry point, and besides some spoken word bits, are entirely counted time signatures (ie; 1234, 1234, 123, 1235) of odd meters and solfeggio (do, re, mi, fa, sol, etc.) In other words the most basic kindergarten building blocks of music. The depth of this, to me anyway, was immense and at the same time hypnotizing and simple. But only deceptively so. By limiting himself to these basic elements, Glass creates an immensely powerful and moving opera. Hence the term minimal. The idea here is that less is more if you know what you’re doing. Very few people will really like this music, but most will appreciate the idea when it’s pointed out to them in practice in other more accessible music. If you like this, or the latest Stereolab CD, you should also check out Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices & Organ by Steve Reich, the second piece of minimalism that really blew me away. Quietly, of course. (Tomato 1976) -JB

John Coltrane
My Favorite Things
Coltrane was so ahead of his time (and still is even though he’s gone) that it took a familiar point of reference to help him connect with us lesser mortals. My Favorite Things was a song that you sang in first grade back when they still had rudimentary music education in school. It was the perfect vehicle for Coltrane to use to bring his music to the uncomprehending masses. From here you move on to the more challenging albums. Coltrane’s melodic sense is still incomparable and amazing 38 years later and his solos are still required study for most advanced music students. There are many imitations, but ‘Trane is still blowing minds when people hear him for the first time. (Atlantic 1962) -JB

Miles Davis
Kind of Blue
My jazz education at one point, was (and many would argue still is) equal to that of my education of nuclear physics. Sure, I’d heard of it, but didn’t understand it. Miles Davis, being the famous jazz figure he was, seemed a good place to start. So, I went to a record store and bought Kind of Blue. My world was changed forever. If jazz was a universe, Kind of Blue would be the sun and all other jazz records would be the outlying planets and stars. I will listen to this record for the rest of my life. (Columbia 1959) -Sonny Mayugba

Hank Williams
I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But Time
This posthumous release is the first attempt to present the entire recorded works of the man everyone knows as the father of country music and many consider the first rock n’ roll star. There have been other additions to the project, but since this was the first of the series I’ll stick with it, although one could do worse than own the entire collection. It was extremely difficult to pick my favorite Hank Williams record. There are many posthumous releases (there’s that word again), just more proof that Hank just didn’t get the recognition he warranted while he was alive. But I had to pick one and stick by it, and this is it. The earliest recordings of the man’s career are so well done that it’s hard to tell the difference between these and later recordings. Of course, recording sound quality got a little better, but all of the crucial Hank elements that made him “Country Music’s First Superstar” are here in ample evidence. Hank plunking away with a driving rhythm all by his lonesome - and with variations of backing band, The Drifting Cowboys - these are the embryonic “demos” that were presumably shopped around to labels. Some have been released and some didn’t see the light of day until the release of this. Some of the early songs are a bit formulaic, but the total heartbreaking sincerity in the voice goes a long way to make up for it. Truly, the more “novelty” songs here only sound as such when, on the second disc, we hear his blistering cover of the Acuff classic Battle of Armageddon. This cut along with the original Alone and Foresaken show the raw talent and unfiltered feeling that haunts any and all listeners to this day and forever after. (Polydor1 1985) -Reverend Ed

Igor Stravinsky
Rite of Spring
In one sense, Igor Stravinsky was the first punk rocker. When the Rite of Spring was debuted in 1913 a riot ensued, a claim that only a few punk bands can claim today, as punk is one more marketing tool used to sell shoes and sunglasses. To listen to Rite today, it still sounds fresh, although it’s impossible to imagine it causing riots anymore. It’s now one of the more popular pieces of today’s symphonic repertoire, which has mostly degraded into a museum holding the works of dead people that mostly old people visit. This is sad, just like it’s a bit sad that 40 years later Bernard Hermann borrowed many of Stravinsky’s ideas and themes in this piece and turned it into something that now evokes, for many people, an Alfred Hitchcock movie. But like his friend Pablo Picasso, he was the original and if you’re interested you should check out the source. -JB This is music written for a ballet at a time when ballets were full of Nutcrackers and cute chicks wearing white and and all that. This particular ballet featured peasants dancing around in earthy pagan rituals, and the first performance resulted in a riot. That riot can still be heard today in what is some of the rawest and craziest music I have ever heard - wild rhythms, staccato trumpet blasts, music that builds to wild chaos and suddenly shifts into an eerie bassoon solo. This piece extended the boundaries of what music was and what it could do. (1913) -Ben Morss

Music Reviews

Jughead’s Revenge
Pearly Gates
Nitro Records
Just when I thought they had dropped off the planet Jughead’s throws a curve and releases another ass-kicker. It seems like people always discount the awesome power of Jughead’s Revenge. They have the uncanny ability to write songs about what is wrong with this world: shitty bands achieving superstar status, failed relationships and over zealous bouncers at shows. There is something about a Jughead’s album that always makes it a little heavier than most other punker bands out there. They aren’t afraid to speak their mind, and throw down some dark songs with a slick musical style. While Pearly Gates may seem a little toned down at first, after listening to it a few times, it seems like the band is getting tighter and more refined. They don’t need to go a thousand beats per minute to get your blood pumping anymore. They can achieve the same goal by writing better, stronger songs, and still keep their kick ya in the teeth style. -Brad Gobdel

Lab Animals
Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
Digital Dimensions
Many may know of Detroit for its house techno and acid house creations. However, there is a darker side to the bouncy beats and Lab Animals is there to destroy anything in its path. Silent Weapons has a contingency to be oppressed with agro-techno tendencies molding the music from Front 242 style of drum machine, gun clicking, guitar and sampling frenzies reminiscent of an early Fear Factory. There’s also the destructive ambiance highlighted on the song Sky God. Detroit’s industrial atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for the band’s apocalyptic sound only to add weight to their already heavy tunes. Lab Animals create expressive layering to their angry surface contriving a tattered and torn underworld of explosive sound waiting to penetrate the inner sanctum of the mind. -Andrew Duncan

Les Rythmes Digitales
Darkdancer
Astralwerks
Amidst the flurry of infectious French house imports that wormed their way overseas in 1998 was a 12” called Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat) by Les Rythmes Digitales. Though it felt right at home between Francophones Daft Punk and Dimitri From Paris, it turns out there was an imposter in the mix. Les Rhythmes Digitales’ mastermind Jacques Lu Cont is actually from Reading, England (which explains the improper French grammar — it should be “Digitaux”). The 22-year-old “enfant terrible” is obsessed with the ‘80s, especially odd since he’s too young to feel any nostalgia for the music of that decade. At its best, Darkdancer sparkles with the electronic melodrama of such ‘80s legends as Gary Numan, New Order, or The Human League (Nik Kershaw even offers guest vocals on the album’s guilty pleasure Sometimes) driven by Chicago-style house beats and occasional disco rhythms. Highlights include the mindless floor-thumpers From: Disco To: Disco, About Funk, (Hey You) What’s That Sound? and last year’s single. At its worst, the album’s already disposable tracks are unbearably cheesy. The end result is a stylistic melange, consistent in its aesthetic but spotty in quality. -Sam Cannon

Kincaid
Plays Super Hawaii
Kindercore
I first heard this band’s melancholy beach-boy song California 2012 on a Japanese made indie-pop compilation, and it immediately stood out there as unusually well crafted pop. This fourteen track full length does not disappoint. If you like music that evokes the world of 1960s beaches and nostalgia, but with a stripped down modern indie twist, or if you’re the person who likes to bounce around the room and shout “Bop bop Super Hawaii” along with the band, then this is the record for you! It was the record for me. “Ba da da, ba da da...” -Ben Morss Thingy