What were your first albums and what do you think of them today?

[theBoomer]

A Beatles album, but I can't remember which of those I bought myself and which were given to me. The first non Beatles album was The Police's Reggatta de Blanc. I still love them.

 

[Pauli]

I’d guess that was the album of most influence to my pre-teen years music taste. Release date around 1967. Purchased by my father I believe.

The tune from it I loved the most: »Constant Rain« by Sergio Mendes & Brazil ’66

The tune that amazes me most today is »I Should Be Going Home« by Boyce & Hart because it is (was) soooo much ahead of its time:

 

[Burning Sounds]

The Rolling Stones first album in 1964 (mono) - all my pocket money went on that. Then I saved for the next one and whatever singles came in between. I still have it framed on the wall in the music room. It's still playable, but very noisy. It did live a hard life on the Dansette.

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I didn't answer the second part of the question (I seem to remember teachers saying that to me - looks like things haven't changed )

Anyway, my answer is yes and no. No, because I rarely listen to these songs on my main system as I don't particularly enjoy listening to them that way - (there are exceptions).

But I do own three jukeboxes and as 7 inch singles on a jukebox they become something completely different. The first single I bought was the Stones version of Little Red Rooster and it's still one of my favourite songs of theirs. I guess it sounds more "authentic" and how I (think) I remember hearing it in the Rainbow milk bar that us young teens of the 60s inhabited. I also have an interest in the social history of jukeboxes, especially here in the UK, where a report compiled by the BBC, at that time the self-appointed gatekeeper of musical taste, and the whims of local magistrates often made it difficult to get the necessary license to install a jukebox. I guess there's something very rebellious about a jukebox and the music played on it that appeals to me to this day. So, yes, I still like the music from my teen years as long as its played on a jukebox!

 

[Mart68]

the Rainbow milk bar

I'm too young to remember milk bars so mention of them just makes me think of 'A Clockwork Orange.'

 

[fatoldgit]

First were volumes 1,2 and 3 of "Chicago! The Blues ! Today !" in 1970 (at the age of 10) and then in 1971 Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers and in 1972 The London Chuck Berry Sessions.

Imported albums in New Zealand were very expensive (hundreds of $NZ in today's money) so my dear old Dad got me the Chicago! The Blues ! Today volumes then I did odd jobs to get the other two.

And to answer the question..I still love these albums.

The 2nd live side of The London Chuck Berry Sessions is ok..not great... but the first side more then makes up for it and it has a real nice fat, saturated and chunky sound that to this day I never tire of.

It got real good in 1973 when Dad went to New York on a business trip and loaded up on ~30 Blues albums, all to my specification. Obviously compared to NZ, the albums were cheap as chips.


Peter

 

[bluefuzz]

The first records I bought – from my older sister's best friend – were Electric Warrior and Bolan Boogie by T-Rex. It must have been in late '72 or early '73 so I would have been about seven. I still enjoy T-Rex on occasion. Great pop-music.

In fact said older sister's record collection was deeply influential on my musical taste from that time. Roxy Music's Virginia Plain/Pyjamarama was my favourite single. Other singles I remember were The Four Tops Simple Game and Bob & Marcia's Pied Piper and especially the B-side Save Me. Album favourites were Hawkwind's In Search of Space, Lindisfarne Fog On the Tyne, Black Sabbath Paranoid, Groundhogs Thank Christ for The Bomb, Elton John Honky Chateau, Bowie's Changes and Ziggy plus a compilation of his Laughing Gnome period stuff. There was also Focus Moving Waves, Led Zeppelin III, Deep Purple Machine Head, Jake Thackray Bantam Cock and The Songs of Leonard Cohen. A couple of years later sis was well into The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Steeleye Span and Jethro Tull. All good stuff. Alex Harvey's Next is still one of my absolute favourite albums. It's funny to think that my musical taste was largely formed before the age of ten ...

The next records, mostly singles, I remember actually buying myself rather than stealing sister's, were after punk happened: Damned Neat Neat Neat, Rezillos Can't Stand My Baby, Adverts Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Then it all becomes a blur ...

 

[Kagemusha]

I think I was 15 years old, The Cure "Heads on the Door", still holding up. Love that band.

 

[Paul7777x]

This mighty non stop bag of fun. And I still listen to it from time to time and love it.

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Just played this again.

Despite its great age, I still find it as fab as I did in 1977.

Naturally there’s always a bit of nostalgia about your first stuff in any field, especially when a preteen, but nonetheless this albums appeal for me will last exactly as long as I do.

 

[rdenney]

1. Beethoven's 5th and Schubert's 8th on Side 2, Bruno Walter (on cassette, now long gone)--first classical
2. Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin--first rock
3. Elton John, Elton John--first pop
4. Maynard Ferguson, M.F. Horn--first jazz

Rick "give or take half a dozen" Denney

 

[fatoldgit]

1. Beethoven's 5th and Schubert's 8th on Side 2, Bruno Walter (on cassette, now long gone)--first classical
2. Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin--first rock
3. Elton John, Elton John--first pop
4. Maynard Ferguson, M.F. Horn--first jazz

Rick "give or take half a dozen" Denney

that's an eclectic ensemble

 

[rdenney]

that's an eclectic ensemble

Those acquisitions were spread over maybe three years. I could not possibly remember the order in which albums sprinkled in around that time--I had to dig deep to remember the first in each category.

And I'm not including albums my father owned. My sister's albums were of no interest to me

Rick "still like that stuff" Denney

 

[Milt]

This is gonna sound big time boomer, because it is.
Summer of 68. 11 yo.
Both lawn mowing jobs & a paper route for the Summer, if you know what those things are.
Went to an old school dept store, The Bon Marche, when my hometown had a downtown.
The Bon had an eclectic record dept with 3 listening booths a 45's & LP section.
Bought Bookends & Sgt Pepper.
Older brother had a Philco suitcase stereo for HS graduation.
1969 discovered the Record Club of America, AFAIR, 10 albums for $1.00(?!)
I don't remember all of the LPs but I do know the following:
Led Zeppelin, John Barleycorn, Mr Fantasy, Blind Faith, Beethoven 3rd, 6th.
Possibly a couple of Mamas & Papas.

 

[EJ3]

This is gonna sound big time boomer, because it is.
Summer of 68. 11 yo.
Both lawn mowing jobs & a paper route for the Summer, if you know what those things are.
Went to an old school dept store, The Bon Marche, when my hometown had a downtown.
The Bon had an eclectic record dept with 3 listening booths a 45's & LP section.
Bought Bookends & Sgt Pepper.
Older brother had a Philco suitcase stereo for HS graduation.
1969 discovered the Record Club of America, AFAIR, 10 albums for $1.00(?!)
I don't remember all of the LPs but I do know the following:
Led Zeppelin, John Barleycorn, Mr Fantasy, Blind Faith, Beethoven 3rd, 6th.
Possibly a couple of Mamas & Papas.

I started my lawncare company when I was 10 (1967). It still does me well. And keeps me in music money.

 

[LTig]

Your first, or the first two, five, ten (take your pick) you bought with your own money. What do you think of them today?

My very first album was something like 20 Power Hits. It's long gone. The next albums were:

• Kraan: Live
• Eloy: Ocean (my very first live rock concert was the Ocean tour)
• Genesis: Seconds Out (my second rock concert was the ... and then they were three tour)
• Passport: Iguacu
• Deep Purple: Concert for Group and Orchestra
• Edit: Original Soundtrack of 2001
• Edit: Beatles Red Album and Blue Album
• Edit: Kansas: Two for the Show
• Edit:7 inches:
  • The Sweet: Fox on the Run and Teenage Rampage
  • Nazareth: Hair of the Dog

I still have them. If I play them (except the 7 inches and the Beatles) I still like them.

Edit: I have to admit that I "ripped" a lot of borrowed vinyls on tape. I think at the end I had some 100 records on 1/4" 4-track tape at 9.5 cm/s speed. All gone ...

 

[kemmler3D]

first

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second

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third

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fourth

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fifth

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I still really enjoy listening to it today. In fact, I don't think there's ever been a time when I've come to dislike the music I started listening to around the age of 15 or 16.

I just think this Michael Jordan-level streak in choice (or luck?) of first albums is under-recognized in this thread.

 

[Soundproof]

My first albums were Paranoid and Sabotage by Black Sabbath. Still listens to Paranoid every now and then, Sabotage not so much. Not really into Heavy, Paranoid is one of very few exemptions. Had a tradition of purchasing Stones albums on the first day of release, that ended with Steel Wheels in 89. Had been to a concert on friday night, it kicked off, and I was moving too close to the speakers. Steel Wheels first listening was a massive disappointment. I didn't realizie I was half deaf for a while... Punk wasn't and isn't my thing either, just the exemptions after it became slightly mature. Loads of hypercommercial releases to filter out.

 

[Mart68]

My first albums were Paranoid and Sabotage by Black Sabbath. Still listens to Paranoid every now and then, Sabotage not so much. Not really into Heavy, Paranoid is one of very few exemptions. Had a tradition of purchasing Stones albums on the first day of release, that ended with Steel Wheels in 89. Had been to a concert on friday night, it kicked off, and I was moving too close to the speakers. Steel Wheels first listening was a massive disappointment. I didn't realizie I was half deaf for a while... Punk wasn't and isn't my thing either, just the exemptions after it became slightly mature. Loads of hypercommercial releases to filter out.

'Steel Wheels' was terrible I agree, they've not made a good record since 'Emotional Rescue' which was what, '79?

 

[Soundproof]

'Steel Wheels' was terrible I agree, they've not made a good record since 'Emotional Rescue' which was what, '79?

Emotional Rescue was 1980 (cheated). Albeit not my thing at all, In retrospect I believe Some Girls was quite good for what it was, but for me Stones haydays ended with Black and Blue in 76, and I barely listen to anything more recent from them. I like the Bob & Earle Harlem Shuffle cover on Dirty works though. Believe Keith Richards was the culprit twisting arms to get that one recorded and issued. Had every album up to Voodoo Lounge, purchased more as a habit. I had moved on.

 

[Rocky Maine]

To me Some Girls was the last good Stones album.

 

[Soundproof]

To me Some Girls was the last good Stones album.

Disco was seriously not my thing, but they made a coupple of good ones on that album in my opinion. Miss You ranks highly for that genre in my book. As far as I can recall from Jagger interviews, that was the purpose of it - proving Disco can be "done right":