The Boomtown Rats:

The Boomtown Rats: (1977)

Before we knew Bob Geldof as a large event organizing political activist, or as "Pink" from the Wall, he was in a band called the Boomtown Rats. On this, their debut album, they move between New Wave swagger and Punk snarl with a narrative style that even echoes some Springsteen. I was about 15 when I discovered this record in a thrift store for fifty cents. I knew of the group, but had never heard them before. Got to love thrift store shopping. This album contained the groups first hit with, Looking After No. 1, and would be the start of a six album run before they dissolved. 

Booker T. & The M.G.'s:

Back To Back: (1967)

For my money, it's hard to find a better live album than Back To Back. I believe this was recorded during the Stax/Volt European Tour of '67. In any case the Mar-Keys, with my buddy Wayne on trumpet, backed by Booker and the gang kill it on three tracks, and the rest is pure Booker T. & The M.G.'s. With Al Jackson Jr. laying down a deep ditch of a groove they sail through some heavy soul like, Red Beans And Rice, and Hip Hug-Her. Of course there's the perennial favorite Green Onions, they couldn't bring this Southern Soul stew to Europe without Green Onions. The "M.G.'s" stood for Memphis Group, and they brought their city with them everywhere. 

Melting Pot: (1971)

This is one of my favorite Booker T. & The M.G.'s records. Not just because it has cool cover, with the band looking all badass, which it does. But because, by the 70's everybody was loosening up, and expanding their jams. The hair was longer, and so were the tunes. This album has two that run over the eight minute mark. Unheard of in the earlier Stax days. Melting Pot is an explosion of instrumental soul, with the key tracks for me being the title cut, Melting Pot, and the side one ender, Fuquawi. Also, I still want the rosewood telecaster Steve Cropper is playing the picture on the back cover.

The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band:

I'm The Urban Spaceman; The Very Best of: (1984)

The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Just saying the name makes you smile. If you think you don't know this 60's art school band, well maybe you're right, but you've probably seen them in the strip joint/club the Beatles and their mystery tour guest go into in The Magical Mystery Tour. And their influence can be felt in bands like Roxy Music, and Death Cab For Cutie. The latter taking their name from a Bonzo Band song by the same title. George Harrison sited them as his favorite band. My favorite tune in this collection has to be "Hunting Tigers Out In India". Look it up now!

Sonny Bono:

Inner Views:(1967)

The talented half of Sonny & Cher, and the one with the higher voice, Sonny Bono. This was his first solo album, and is very much a product of 1967, in the best possible way. It features Sonny's ornately decorated pop tunes with tunes like, I Would Marry You Today. A style he was brilliant at. But, you can't really talk about this album with out diving into the opening track, which takes up almost the entire first side at 12minutes 15 seconds. Yes, even Sonny was hopping on the psychedelic bandwagon. When I listen to this album I envision a mythic swinging 60's psychedelic party with bright colors, and lots of booze and drugs, and through the smoke someone says, "Hey Sonny, we need you to cut a record in the next room." And he did! At least that's my take.  

The Blues Brothers:

The Blues Brothers: (1980)

Normally I would have a record like this in the soundtrack section, but this particular soundtrack was so influential on me that it got moved up. A brilliant movie it was, and still is...I intentionally overlook the atrocious sequel from 2000. Ok, back to this record. This record hipped me to Stax, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Aretha Franklin, and Cab Calloway. As a kid I heard it, and actively sought out records by all these people. What more needs to be said? 

Blue Oyster Cult:

Agents of Fortune: (1976)

For me Blue Oyster Cult reside in a foggy murky neither region between cool and overblown 70's rock. And, yes, this album contains probably their most memorable song, "Don't Fear The Reaper", so that would seem to confirm the latter. But, it also has Patti Smith singing and co-writing on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini", which would suggest the former. Somewhere in all that is why I dig this record. The confusion teeters on that fine line, well, like the magic trick being depicted on the cover. For those reasons I own this album.

Blind Faith:

Blind Faith: (1969)

Blind Faith, a pesky "Super Group" made up of members of Cream and Traffic, except...this one works. At least for one album. This album also comes with a legendary controversy over its cover art. Hence the two different ones above. Americans have always been squeamish about nudity, our puritan genes running wild and such. So the record company stateside released the very vanilla cover art of the band sitting around. It was the naughty cover version that fell into my hands at the age of fourteen. All cover art aside, the music on this record overshadows any frivolous BS. I've always found Eric Clapton to work better as a sideman rather than a front, and here who better for him to side for than Steve Winwood. Those soaring vocals on Presence of The Lord, fucking awesome. The guitar exchanges between Winwood and Clapton are incredible. And then when you set all that on top of the Ginger Baker/Ric Grech rhythm section, off to the moon. Can't Find My Way Home is a key track for me, so gentle and understated.