The Classics

"We've asked some famous friends of The Fuze to share a couple classic album picks with our readers.
You might be surprised at some of their responses."

There’s one album that ranks as an extremely important metal album as far as darkness is concerned, as far as heaviness is concerned, as far as the riffs are concerned…and that’s Black Sabbath, ‘Volume IV’. I was actually just thinking about that album this morning, in exactly that context. This is an album that I’ve recommended so many times, even though it’s an ancient album. But it is still a pioneering album in many ways for the heavier side of heavy metal, and if you look at it in the context of the time that it was made, in the early 70‘s, it’s even more pioneering. It’s sensational.

As far as a modern album is concerned, I believe Gorgoroth’s last studio album, ‘Twilight of the Idols’, is sensational.

Paul Horn at Taj Mahal. That’s an unusual one if you can find it. Paul Horn playing in the actual Taj Mahal in India. Man! My man! Oh, that is a killer album. I mean, for somebody right now, who’d never knew about all that in the day…To listen to that, it supercedes all kinds of recording techniques. A kid would say “Wow, what studio was that in? (laughs). He’s out of control. What kind of digital echo was he using?” It’s amazing.

The other one is an album that just came out, I think last month, of John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. A live show at Carnegie Hall. Look for that. It just came out. It’s phenomenal. I mean, hey, who’s on first? It’s something else!

Miles Davis’ ‘Sketches of Spain’. That’s probably one of my favorite albums.

You can’t go wrong man, I still listen to them, and go “I’m quitting. (laughs) That’s it.”

Jean Beauvoir, solo singer/songwriter, also Crown of Thorns, Plasmatics and Little Steven’s Disciples of Soul

That’s always a tough question. Umm, ‘Led Zeppelin I.’ I hate to go back. Let me see, I mean there’s so many records that I really like, but if I wanted to just say ones that I think are essential listening that everybody with roots of music should have heard at least one time, ‘Zeppelin I’ is one. And can I cheat and say the ‘Beatles Greatest Hits’? It’s a cheat, but let’s face it. To me, those are two of the best records. There are a lot more.

My influences are pretty diverse. One of them would be AC/DC’s ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’. That album was killer. Also Cheap Trick’s first album, with “Surrender” on it. The rest of the album is absolute muscle-car rock, with hooks you could drive a truck through, they’re so big. Also Supertramp’s ‘Breakfast in America’. For some reason, I couldn’t stop listening to that when I was a kid.

Wow. So many great records. I would say ‘Sketches of Spain’ by Miles Davis. Or there are so many great Jaco Pastorius compilations. I’m just trying to nail it down to one Jaco record. You know, his work on a called ‘Shadows and Light’ that he performed with Joni Mitchell. It’s a DVD that saw release about a year ago, with Jaco playing live. Anything with Jaco - a lot of notes, a lot of cool stuff. Basically, enjoyment. Lots of it.

Sometimes I put on a record because I have my Ipod. I go to the gym. I get on the treadmill. I want something that’s gonna pump me. I put on Led Zeppelin. I get off the treadmill. I lay in the tanning booth. Eh, I want to hear Beach Boys, because I’m in a tanning booth.

I want some musical inspiration. I went from Miles Davis to Johnny Parker to Jaco to Yes to King Crimson. As long as it’s good, that’s all that matters. You go to a restaurant to eat good food - whether it’s Indian, Chinese or whatever, if it’s good stuff, it’s good stuff.

Stevie Wonder’s ‘Music of My Mind’ was totally door-opening for me. ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. Marvin Gaye ‘What’s Going On’.

I love people like John Mayer. He’s totally happening. One can’t deny Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey.

The albums that inspired me to play guitar, and helped me learn to improvise, were Jimi Hendrix ‘Are You Experienced’ and Cream ‘Wheels of Fire’. There were only two. I lived with my parents in a little tiny apartment. I had a little shitty record player, with the fucking arm that comes up, and I would switch records from night to night. But there were only two records. I would actually learn while I was sleeping, because when you pull up that arm, whatever that last record is to fall, it’s gonna go around all fucking night long. I swear to God, that’s how I learned how to play a lot of guitar – memorizing the stuff while I was sleeping. Then I just had to learn how to put my fingers in the right place. I listened to a lot of the live stuff from Winterland... “Crossroads”, “Spoonful”…all that stuff taught me a lot about improvising on guitar. That was the beginning for me, learning to play rock music. Blues mixed with rock. I was basically a blues guitar player before that.

Anything by Miles Davis, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Hendrix…just do your homework on the classic rock era, and you’ll get it all. There’s a lot of great shit out there. I was never a punk guy, so you’re not gonna hear me tell you to get the Ramones first album, even though I can dig where it’s coming from. I could take The Clash. I thought they made some great records.

David Lee Roth - ‘A Little Ain’t Enough’ because the songwriting is superb and because Jason Becker plays his ass off. I feel really bad for him because he’s got Lou Gehrigs Disease. When you digest the fact that the kid was 18 years old when he did that stuff, it is amazing.

Tori Amos – ‘Little Earth Quakes’

Joni Mitchell – ‘Turbulent Indigo’|

Fleetwood Mac – ‘Rumours’

I just found and listened to Queensryche’s ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ again. I know, I know...I'm such a reformed metal head, but I really need to add that to the list. I had somehow forgotten what an influence that album had on me - not as it relates to rock or metal, but in terms of learning to write "epic" sounding stuff. Also, anyone who hasn't ever really listened to it as a body of work really should - regardless if they like the genre...

I find ‘The Planets’ by Gustav Holst thrilling to listen to, probably because I’ve performed it a number of times. I think the orchestration is incredible.

For young children, ‘The Young Persons’ Guide to the Orchestra’ by Benjamin Britten, is beautiful orchestration.

Vivaldi’s ‘Seasons’, when you’re in that mood, is terrific.

I admire Yo Yo Mah. I have a few of his albums. I think he’s the consummate artist, and one of the nicest people I’ve ever run into.

When I grew up, it all started with the Rolling Stones and Beatles. The real stuff that I was hypnotized by was Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Leslie West, Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher – anything that was the generation before me. All of these people inspired me to go off on my own and develop into my own little thing. I influenced other people, they influenced people, and it all kind of developed into the stuff that Steve Vai does now, you know? And [Yngwie] Malmsteen. They took it to the extreme. I know that my son goes and looks for Seventies music. I can hear it in his approach. His demo is so good. The way he writes his riffs is inspiring. And I’ve found from other people that their children are looking at Seventies music. I think going back to the roots, which is really the blues…I think going back to Led Zeppelin is enough roots to get inspired on a feeling level, rather than on a technical level. Every time a generation copies another, something is going to be missing and something else is going to be added. So it gets away from the roots, and becomes something else.

You know, I listen to just about everything…all the classic stuff, to Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, a lot of Cheap Trick lately for the 12 string stuff, really everything…except rap…or country…or hip hop…or…

One of my favorites is ‘Cry of Love’ by Jimi Hendrix. There’s some tunes on that record that just blow me away. The Billy Cox stuff. That’s one of my favorites. You know you get the best of and I’ve heard a few tunes off of it, but I’d like to have that in its entirety.

The stuff that I have to have with me at all times is KISS ‘Alive.’ Got to have that. And then Cheap Trick ‘In Color’ or ‘Dream Police’, or the first Cheap Trick – that’s the blueprint of most modern songwriting. KISS ‘Destroyer’, I love. ‘Ziggy Stardust’, by David Bowie. Every single AC/DC record ever put out. The list goes on. There’s so much killer stuff out there. As far as new music, there’s a few things out there, but usually when they have the same influence as I do, I usually like the band. I love The Wild Hearts. They definitely have some of the same influences we do, which is really cool. I like some of the Darkness stuff. They got a real AC/DC groove to them.

Anything by Miles Davis and anything by the Beatles – Miles, he ran the gamut. So did the Beatles. I couldn’t put my finger on just one record by the Beatles or one by Miles. I collect as many as I can.

Black Sabbath – Paranoid. That one really influenced me, and hey – right on through the Rolling Stones, Grand Funk – of course, you know there’s Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and all these bands, but sometimes I forget Foghat…that kind of stuff is rockin’, man!

Kevin DuBrow, singer for Quiet Riot

The Who - Live at Leeds. The best hard rock/metal record I've ever heard. It has all the things in it that really create an aggressive rock band.

Free - Free Live. I just think that for the singing, the simplicity and the way music's supposed to breathe, it's all about that.

Glenn Hughes - Return of Crystal Karma & Hughes/Thrall. Both great records with different kinds of production, where you can hear singing and songwriting at its best.

Sweet - Give Us A Wink. Quiet Riot really got a lot of our sound from them.

The first Montrose album. A real crucial album for me in my career. It was a bouncing off point for American rock n' roll. Van Halen got their whole sound from that, I've always thought.

Spooky Tooth - Spooky Two. I just love that record for singing and cool organ. The organ/guitar thing wasn't trying to be frantic like Deep Purple, but just amazing.

Queen - Queen II. With "Ogre Battle" and "Father to Son". Amazing production. Really goes to show what four guys can do if they're given enough time to just be creative - taking the Beach Boys and adding heavy guitars to it.

And of course, 'Metal Health'.

Derek St. Holmes, singer/songwriter, Ted Nugent, Whitford/St.Holmes, Big People.

It depends on what your tastes are. If you’re a guitar band you definitely have to hear that stuff because that’s the real deal.

If you’re talking about film music - the score to ‘Dinosaur’. I think it’s a great score, brilliantly recorded. It’s got great themes and works incredibly well with that movie. It’s got a lot of emotional content.

Bartok’s ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ and Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’.

And anything by The Calling, for good measure. (laughs) [Note: The Calling features Richard Band’s nephew, Alex Band.]

Also, Vanilla Fudge ‘Near the Beginning’. When I heard Carmine Appice and Ginger Baker – I heard those guys before John Bonham – that turned me around. It made me know “That’s what I want to do when I grow up.” I would listen to this stuff until the grooves wore out.

Stevie Wonder’s ‘Talking Book’ It was really the beginning of a whole new kind of music that would challenge you as a musician. Look at this person - who played all these instruments, sang all these unbelievable lyrics, wrote all these songs, engineered, produced….He was the paragon of what we all wanted to be.

Weather Report – ‘Heavy Weather’ They had an unbelievable band. I saw them live in Sweden in ’77. Those amazing musicians wrapped themselves up in this chemistry in this band and came up with these incredible melodies. (Humming a couple in the background). Unbelievable.

Zeppelin I. I think it was a tremendous album. Tremendous energy, great songwriting. It was done quickly, and got a tremendous drum sound. Robert, Jimmy…everybody played great on that record.

That one, and probably the first Police album. Same thing with the first Police album – a lot of energy, great songs, great drum sounds. The trio was raw, energetic and still sounded really good.

Van Morrison – Astral Weeks. This record was also recorded in 2 days.

It’s absolutely stream of consciousness writing and unbridled passion and musicianship. It’s the most durable since I’ve loved music.

Nichole Nordeman’s first record, ‘Wide Eyed’, which has a song called “River God” on it. It’s a beautiful CD to listen to. Lyrically, it’s very uplifting, and I like very positive music. It blessed me, and it was a record I really loved.

The last Tito Puente record. What an amazing percussion player and human being he is. He’s not just a percussion player, he’s a composer, humanitarian, and that record just signifies someone who has done, I think, 114 records and still sounds fresh.

If you’d ask me tomorrow, I’d give you two different answers. It’s the mood that you want to put yourself in.

Bernardo: TNT "Intuition": Beautiful, dramatic and very special... state of the art LP.

Fran: Marillion “Brave”. It really changed my way of seeing music in a moment that I really needed it, and Heart “Heart” (1985), one of the best AOR albums with the best voice, Ann Wilson, of all times.

Patricia: There are so many good albums I can’t choose one…I like a lot Mr. Big “Live at Budokan”

Oscar: I think that Nexx “Colours” (he he he).. no, I’m joking, well, I think Deep Purple “Made in Japan” is one album that every rock lover should have because it’s one of the basis of our music, also with Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. Anyway it’s not easy to choose just one or two.

Chances are everyone’s heard it. I would pick probably some classic rock, like a great Zeppelin record, or a great Sabbath record.

How about Jimi Hendrix’ ‘Electric Ladyland’? That’s somewhat obscure, in the general swing of things. I suppose people prefer some of the earlier material or a greatest hits. It’s an actual double album that kind of takes you on a trip. Well-conceived, well-played and released on CD for all to hear.

One of the most satisfying albums was the Nirvana ‘Unplugged’ album. I totally disliked their music when they played in a grunge style. But I’d heard the Meat Puppets and I liked their stuff. And then when I heard the ‘Unplugged’ album I thought “The songs really work this way.” They don’t work with the volume turned up. Not for me.

The other album that I played for years and years was the Allman Brothers ‘Live at the Fillmore’ album. That just gets better as the years go by.

The first Emerson, Lake & Palmer album. That’s a stunning piece of work from Keith [Emerson]. Apart from the great songs and the great playing, the sound of it is monumental – the piano sound, the Hammond and the big, giant Moog. I don’t think you can get an album to sound like that anymore. Greg’s [Lake] bass, acoustic guitar and his amazing singing. It’s a great piece of art.

I think the first Boston album is a wonderful piece of work, highly crafted. There’s some wonderful guitar playing on it, and in fact some wonderful Hammond playing as well.

Another album from the 70’s I’m very keen on is ‘Hermit of Mink Hollow’ by Todd Rundgren. He wrote, played and sang everything on it himself. There’s absolutely heart rending songs on there, and some wonderful playing.

In the 90’s some really great rock started coming out of Seattle. I would say that the Alice in Chains album ‘Dirt’ kept the old tradition going. It’s a wonderful album, that. And take your pick of the Nirvana albums. ‘In Utero’ is my favorite.

I could add a few jazz albums. The main person I listen to for inspiration is Jimmy Smith, the organist. He’s my biggest inspiration, and he’s been that since I was eleven years old and found a record of his in a junk shop in my home town of Sunderland in northern England. I’ve still got that record, and I still play it every week.

I have to mention Deep Purple’s “Machine Head” album. That album alone, made me want to be a bass player and give up on any sports-related dreams I might have had. I’ve always thought if I should ever be lucky enough to meet Roger Glover I’d have to tell him - I’m not sure whether to thank him or blame him.

The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’ is definitely my favorite album of all time. It sets a mood, it takes you on a journey and it doesn’t end until that journey’s done.

There are so many cool albums. There’s another album that not too many people don’t know about by Diamanda Galas and John Paul Jones, from Led Zeppelin. It’s called ‘The Sporting Life’. That is a crazy listening experience for anybody. I highly recommend that.

‘Axis: Bold As Love’ by Jimi Hendrix. It’s just incredible. I did an English thesis on the lyrics. He’s just incredible. He’s another guy that got me into the whole paranormal, supernatural, alien…whatever you want to call it. The auras…you name it. That album is just so incredible. Every cut is just a gem. And the messages that are contained within this album – I mean, come on! Just that one song ‘Axis: Bold As Love’ is just…he goes through the auras. “My yellow is not so mellow. I think it’s frightened like me. And all of these emotions of mine prevent me from loving a rainbow like you.” WHOA! I get chills! This guy was tapped! This guy was on it. How incredible is that imagery? And so I’m still stunned by it.

‘Wheels of Fire’ by Cream. “Deserted Cities of the Heart” – what a song. If you don’t got it, you’ve got to get it. Because there’s a hole in your soul that’s missing this type of stuff. Really.

Jeff Beck - Blow By Blow, Best guitar work and production ever.
Billy Cobham - Spectrum, The introduction of Tommy Bolin creating a classic Jazz/Rock Fusion mix.
Tony Williams - Believe it
Alan Holdsworth at his very best…
There are just a few in the Fusion “must have” category.

‘Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy’ by Elton John. It’s the first British album to ever go from 0 to 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. It’s a fabulous album. Elton’s the man. He’s always been the best songwriter, the best singer, and that’s one of his really good efforts. Either that or ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. I don’t know if he’s my biggest influence, but I liked him the best. He wasn’t doing boogie woogie. He wasn’t Jerry Lee Lewis or Fats Domino. He had beautiful songs. ‘Your Song’ came out and just floored me in ’71. I saw one of the shows from his first American tour in 1970. Unbelievable. Fantastic. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Holy moly! There are so many incredible records. We were out of town this weekend – I was up North working on my record – and we listened to James Taylor’s ‘Greatest Hits’. It covers the years 1970-1976. It’s like the songwriter’s record. It’s so amazing. The songwriting is just ridiculous, when you think about how young he was! Here’s how you write songs - singing beautifully and not getting in the way of the song.

‘Physical Graffiti’ for sure, by Zeppelin. It’s the masterpiece of huge rock.

Jamie Oakes’ ‘Shadows and Dreams’ is as good as anything out there, as good as anything I’ve ever heard. It’s with a band, but it’s mostly acoustic guitar, resonator guitar played with a slide. It’s an amazing record. Very atmospheric. Beautiful.

Mahavishnu Orchestra’s ‘Birds of Fire’. I felt like they actually ‘got it’ on that second record. Their first record’s amazing, but it seems like the second record was when they all understood. The songwriting, the recording – everything came together. The performances were amazing. “One Word”, “Hope” and “Birds of Fire” – all those songs are timeless.

‘A Tribute to Jack Johnson’ by Miles Davis is one of my favorite records. I always lose it and have to go buy it again.

Billy Cobham’s first two solo records, ‘Spectrum’ and ‘Crosswinds’. I don’t hear that in my playing, but those records are so amazing. Just jaw-droppping. Tommy Bolin – his playing with Billy Cobham was some of the first songs I learned, to do fusion stuff. And when I listened to ‘Crosswinds’ recently, I was so blown away. What a great record that is.

Love’s ‘Forever Changes’ is probably in my top three. I just think it’s the quintessential rock album, being able to marry strings and orchestration. I think they did it way before anybody else. Also, Arthur Lee’s use of lyrics. I saw them a couple weeks ago. They played in London, and they performed the entire album. I just thought it was extraordinary. It’s a legendary album.

I think any Doc Watson album. I think the ‘Then & Now’ Doc Watson album, just purely from folk/blues verging into popular music done acoustically. Just for playing and preciseness, it’s an essential album. God, I’m being a very old fogey here. (laughs)

I’m a sucker for Gordon Lightfoot. The ‘Sundown’ album. I think it’s one of those albums that, if I need therapy, I don’t go to therapy – I just put on that Gordon Lightfoot album.

KELLY GARNI, founder and bassist for the original Randy Rhoads-era Quiet Riot:

I would say ‘Love It to Death’ by Alice Cooper. That’s a great album. I still listen to it. I listen to a lot of earth music. I think another really good record that I’d recommend people listen to is ‘Meddle’ by Pink Floyd. I love that record. It’s timeless. I just got the new Type O Negative, and that’s really good. Kevin [DuBrow] made me a copy of one of theirs, and I really liked them.

‘Who’s Next’ by The Who. It represented The Who’s finest hour. Every track on that album is classic. “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Bargain”, “Baba O’Riley”…all tremendous. I’ve always been a Who fan, from the earliest days. I used to go see them when “I Can’t Explain” came out. I was there right at the beginning. I’ve seen them play live, and watched them smash up their instruments onstage. I used to sneak out from school at night to see them. They’ve always been a big favorite. I think the opportunity is now lost, but it would have been a tremendous experience to work with them, if I’d ever been given the chance. Maybe I’ll get a surround mixing job. Maybe I’ll get to mix ‘Tommy’ in surround, or something like that. In fact, I think you’ve encouraged me to go chase after that, and see if I can get the job mixing ‘Who’s Next’!

‘Songs in the Key of Life’, I think is something someone should have in their collection, because it’s probably one of Stevie Wonder’s most prolific works. There’s some great, amazing music on there. It was done at the right time. Everything about that record was perfect. Another record that someone should have, maybe if you are going to play jazz, you should probably have ‘Giant Steps’, I guess. If you’re not interested in that, then it’s not gonna do you any good. I guess if you’re interested in heavy metal, you should probably have ‘Back in Black’, right?

Wow. Off the top of my head, I certainly like Norah Jones. I really like Eminem, and the thing I like about him, and I didn’t really think it until I saw the movie ‘8 Mile’, was that the guy’s funny. Anybody who can laugh at himself has got a lot more going for himself than people think.

The stuff that moves me is still The Beatles. I occasionally put on an old Paul McCartney album like ‘Ram’. I just love that shit. There was an old Donovan album called ‘A Gift From A Flower To A Garden’, which was mostly songs for kids. That’s disappeared over the years, but that was a beautiful thing. Cat Stevens, he was great. King Crimson was great. Bowie . And I love to listen to music from the 30’s. I’ve got a lot of that kind of stuff. A lot of modern stuff sounds whiney to me, but that may just be because I’m out of that phase of my life. There’s a lot of good new stuff happening, I’m just not familiar with much of it.

I would definitely say Stevie Wonder’s ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’. That is art. It’s a concept record. To describe it would probably limit it.

B.B. King – I have to choose a B.B. King record. Maybe ‘Completely Well’. It’d be hard to choose, but I’d probably say ‘Completely Well’. I love “So Excited”…his singing on that record…the band is cooking. “The Thrill Is Gone”. B.B. was at a good place in his career.

Ray Charles’ ‘The Birth Of Soul’. It really shows his gospel roots. I love that record.

Aretha Franklin ‘Spirit In The Dark’ probably would be my choice. Just a great singer, wonderful record.

I’m trying to think of guitar players here…Albert Collins’ ‘Ice Pickin’…Donny Hathaway’s ‘Everything Is Everything’. ‘Band Of Gypsys’ by Jimi Hendrix totally reinvented electric guitar. Albert King’s ‘I Want To Get Funky’ was a nice departure, and a nice contemporary statement.

Well there is a music collection and then there’s my music collection. Obviously one of the main ones will be a Beatle album. It will reach so many different peoples’ likes. If I were to pick a classic record, ‘ Abbey Road ’ or ‘Sgt. Pepper’ has a better chance to reach the masses. I think there have been a lot of great albums by great bands. ‘Dark Side of the Moon’, certain Zeppelin albums…Quicksilver Messenger Service. I would be pretty confident that if you gave me 10,000 people that had never heard ‘ Abbey Road ’, 9,500 would come out saying “I like it”. Whereas if I did the same thing with ‘Dark Side of The Moon’, I don’t think I’d get the same response.

Jimmy Henderson, former Black Oak Arkansas guitarist, and currently producer of up and coming talent in Jackson, MS.

I’m going to have to say Steely Dan’s ‘Aja’. An eclectic musical journey. An amazing technological recording. Exotic. Brilliant musicianship. It holds up to this day. If I had to pick an all-time favorite band, it might be them. Not that it’s reflective of anything I’ve done, stylistically. If I was to kick back and listen to somebody else, that’s kind of where it goes for me.

Let me think about that. One classic would definitely be Type O Negative’s ‘October Rust’. I love that CD. I love the production on it, I love the songwriting on it. It takes you to a whole bunch of different places. That band is heavy, yet they know how to write good melodic songs. That band can play a ten minute song and not bore me – that says everything. Another one is Kiss’ ‘Alive II’. I thought that album was amazing. The songs are just simple meat and potatoes, but they just grab me. That, to me when I listen to it, doesn’t sound like an old band. It just sounds like good rock. Beyond that, any of the early Pantera like ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ – that’s a big one for me. I’m not Mr. Esoteric. It’s not like I have some influence you’ve never heard of. (laughing)

Interesting. I remember the first UFO album that I heard was called ‘Lights Out’. I thought it was a great album, from a guitar standpoint. I think Deep Purple ‘Machine Head’, believe it or not, is a brilliant album, as well as Deep Purple ‘Burn’. The first Journey album, before Steve Perry joined the band, I thought was a very musical record for Neal Schon and Aynsley Dunbar. I think ‘Here Comes Shuggie Otis’ was beautiful. He was fifteen years old. I sometimes listen to ‘Johnny Winter And…”, with Rick Derringer. That’s all great guitar stuff, and of course all the first Jeff Beck stuff was wonderful as well.

Donny Hathaway ‘Extensions Of A Man’. It’s an absolutely fabulous record. It has everything in it. It has a little bit of full orchestra, it has beautiful vocals and it has great songwriting. It’s considered a classic in its own right. Anything by Donny Hathaway.

And in the rock scene, you gotta listen to Glenn Hughes. The man sings like a #@*$!

Beatles: Abbey Road and Let It Be - Albums that marked the end of an era; and the songs!

Yes: Close To The Edge – The seminal thematic album from the fathers of progressive rock that influenced so many that followed.

Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark – From the most masterful songwriter of our time, this is one of her finest.

Buddy Miles drummer and vocalist for Hendrix' Band of Gypsys, Santana and Buddy Miles Express.

Lemme see…that’s a good one. Today I like Ashanti , I like Dre and Snoop. Back in the day? Zeppelin, of course. Cream, Allman Brothers…Ten Years After, to some degree. ELO – I liked a lot of their stuff. I definitely was into Pink Floyd.

Oh my God, that’s a big question. I like ‘Pet Sounds’ by the Beach Boys. I remember listening to Paul McCartney say he was driving in his car, listening to ‘Pet Sounds’, and he cried. ‘Pet Sounds’ is one of my favorite albums. And of course, the Beatles’ ‘White Album’ was a great influence on me. I think it was the best thing the Beatles ever did.

I love Buddy Holly, too. I met his niece in Lubbock , Texas and I got a photograph from her that Buddy Holly had signed. Buddy Holly – oh man! And the Stray Cats – that guy [Brian Setzer] is a great player. Incredible. What a great fucking guitar player. I think he’s one of the best players I’ve ever heard.

I only get one or two? I can’t do that. I’ve got fifteen hundred CD’s here. I love old AC/DC, Skynyrd, Doobie Brothers…I’m not gonna go there, cause everybody knows that those are classics. CD’s that should be classics? There’s a Canadian band called Harem Scarem. ‘Mood Swings’ is the album that would be one of my top ten desert isle CD ’s. I think that album, from start to finish, is flawless – from performance to songs to production. Anything Glenn Hughes sings on seems to be pretty magical. There’s a dud here or there, but everything he sings on I can always listen to.

I love old Whitesnake, pre-1984. Gary Moore, when he was doing rock – ‘Victims Of The Future’ or ‘Run For Cover’. Michael Schenker Group, with Gary Barden on it.

I’m a huge Racer X fan., too – every Racer X album made, from the ‘Street Lethal’ album up to the new one, ‘Getting Heavier’. Everything John Sykes has done, from Thin Lizzy to Blue Murder. ‘ Loveland ’ is great. And I loved every single Badlands album, too. Ray Gillen was one of my favorite singers of all time.

I was always a Beatles fan so those first Beatles albums made me want to learn to play guitar and write songs, but when I bought Jimi Hendrix - Are you Experienced and Cream - Disreali Gears I knew I wanted to play lead guitar. I remember that I bought them on EXACTLY the same day at the same time. I had just helped my dad with some work and had earned $5.00. I went straight to M.E. Moses five and dime and bought them for $1.99 each. In fact, I still have them both at my parents house. I played them everyday after school. Don't think I wasn't on overload for like 6 months. They just blew me away. My dad would always yell "Can't you learn how to play something else?" It was great and a real turning point for me musically.

Deep Purple - Made in Japan

This record represents everything that was great about hard rock back in its purest, original form: A smokin' band, playing timeless songs, and really stretching out in the process. I grew up on this record and it's influenced me at least as much as any other single recording. I remember playing "Highway Star" every morning before school, then leaving the house so out of my skin from the adrenaline rush I was ready to tear someone's head off! (Now that's rock and roll!)

There were so many authentic, spontaneous moments on this record. It really captured the improvisational side of the band and showcased what great players they were. You had Ian Paice's bad-ass drum solo on "The Mule," Gillan's incredible pipes on "Child in Time," and Blackmore, Lord and Glover ripping it up throughout, particularly on "Space Truckin'." The funny thing is, this record still holds up today, 30 years later. "Made in Japan" should be required listening for anyone who ever wants to play in a rock band.

The first record to really hit me was the first Ted Nugent solo album on
Epic Records, "Ted Nugent"...I was 11 years old and those sounds just
knocked me out... I remember hearing "Motor City Madhouse" at my
friends house (we had gotten into his uncles record collection) and just wanting
to make that crazy guitar sound...I also remember a while later figuring out
how to play "Where Have You Been All MY Life", the first tune i sat down and
learned on my own...There is a famous quote by Ted that says it all: "If anyone
wanted to know what rock 'n' roll was all about, this is the only album they'll need."

Jimi Hendrix' Band Of Gypsys is a good example, because it was the most unleashed Jimi. He was able to sort of cut loose more than any other album of his that I've heard. And also, I prefer the rhythm section on 'Band of Gypsys' to the Jimi Hendrix Experience. I think Buddy Miles and Billy Cox - that made it chug!

Over the years, I really got into the Police. People go on about Sting, and he's talented - a great singer, great musician. But I thought that his best work was always with the Police. The combination of those three people was something that worked incredibly well. Everybody was totally left field. Their approach was totally unexpected. It was so original and fresh. Stewart Copeland is one of my favorite drummers - he's fantastic.

One album? It would change from one minute to the next. How about 'Axis: Bold As Love' by Jimi Hendrix? That's a cool record! Jimi was cool. 'Axis: Bold As Love' and 'Electric Ladyland'. We'll toss in a second - two Jimi records. Both of 'em are cool!

"I would say 'A Night At The Opera' from Queen. It's got to be an all-time favorite. It just says it all. It's light, heavy, nostalgic...novelty......you get harmony, melody, attitude, emotion, progression - it's just got it all."

Led Zeppelin was very popular. Then I started really, really, really listening to Stevie Wonder, Al Green and Wilson Pickett. I was really into music in the early Seventies.

Out of all the young singers on MTV today, I think Britney Spears has probably had her last big record. Christina Aguilera is probably dipping her foot into territory that she shouldn’t. Justin Timberlake is gonna have a huge career. The rap stuff, I don’t know much about. I won’t comment on that.

I do like what comes out of England. The one band that will last the test of time, that will become a U2 band, will be Coldplay. You’ve gotta check that out. Check out the last two records, ‘Parachutes’ and ‘A Sudden Rush of Blood to the Head’. Really brilliant! Coldplay for sure is going all the way.

Jeff Buckley, an artist that I really like - I listened to his material on the album ‘Grace’ and was blown away.

Derringer/ex-Pat Travers drummer Tom Curiale.

I would have to say Deep Purple "Machine Head". I was 10 in 1972 when it came out and that album just "blew my mind"! That was the first hard rock I was turned onto, having only AM radio in our house. That album was way ahead of it's time..I still feel that record came out today, it would be a huge hit.

2nd would be Pat Travers Band "Heat In The Street', which turned me on to Tommy Aldridge, who is one of my biggest drumming influences... still a huge TA fan to this day..

Thanks for asking... Take care, Tom Curiale

As far as an album that I would like to mention, well an old favorite of mine that had a great influence is "Beckola" (Jeff Beck - guitar, Ron Wood - bass, Nicky Hopkins - Piano, Tony Newman - drums and Rod Stewart - vocals) recorded in about 1969. The bass playing on this album really made my ears prick up and I was already a Beck fan. The whole vibe of the music that speaks aggression and fun at the same time topped with the unmistakeable "Rod the Mod" vocals won my admiration immediately and has ever since.

Another bit of recording that I would like to mention is the "Donny Hathaway Live" album featuring Willie Weeks on bass - now there's a bass player. He features with a solo that remains the best bass solo I' ve ever heard - tasteful, clever, melodic, great groove and brilliant sound. Recorded in about 1972 at The Troubador (spelling?) in L.A. and partly in N.Y. If you're a fan of tasteful bass playing, don't miss this one!
Cheers,
Bob Daisley

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