Listography...5 First Albums

Kate's theme for Listography this week is the First Five Albums you ever owned. In our household we were inundated with Top of the Pops albums.  Cheesy cover versions of popular songs, sung by some unknown randoms with some page 3-esque bird on the front, was my introduction to vinyl.  I don't know at what age I realised there was more to music than my dad's embarrassing LP collection!

Having two big sisters I eventually had my aural journey started listening to Pink Floyd, Yes, Led Zeppelin,  and Bowie.  By the '80's Japan and the Human League became by favourites by proxy, but I still didn't own any albums of my own.  By the age of 12ish I started to make my own foray into musical choices and racking my brains, I think these are some of my earliest musical possessions.

1: My very first album that I owned was not awfully cool, but it was much loved.  My Tommy Steele Family Album was made of awesome and with hits such as Flash Bang Wallop, it was a sing along sensation for my uncool pre-teen self.  It was bought from Woolies along with a quarter of Pick 'n' Mix.

2: This was followed in about 1979 by "The Grease Monkeys sing the songs from Grease"...not even the John and Liv version from the film, but a shocking cover version that cost a fraction of the price of the OST.  The Top of the Pops upbringing clearly raised its ugly head as I spent my saved up pocket money on this monstrosity.  Needless to say, I can not find any evidence of this LP on the internet.  Clearly I was the only person to have ever bought this hideous travesty.  So I've used a picture of the original...the album I should have got in the first place. 

3: I got cooler shortly after this.  The Best of Blondie was my first dabble into the punkish stage that I was to adopt in my teens.  I loved Atomic.  I still went for a "best of" rather than a proper LP but I was learning!

4: Finally I found my musical niche when I fell in love with Bauhaus in 1981.  I was massively in love with Pete Murphy and their obscure, macabre lyrics spoke to the emerging darkness in my psyche.  They were the first band I ever saw too...amazing!

5: Bowie's Ziggy Stardust was another purchase that cemented my path towards black lipstick, nail varnish and eyeliner.  I loved the Bowie albums and would sing along with my next door neighbour Julie in her bedroom, whilst jotting down the lyrics in our rough books.  We thought we were pretty cool!

Music I want my children to listen to...

Just found this lovely linky on Ghostwritermummy's blog.  The idea is to write a post about the music you would like your children to listen to.  I am in an interesting position on this.  Having older children who have already made their minds up on this subject, it's no longer a case of what I want them to listen to, it's a case of do I approve?

I've always had an eclectic musical taste, so most things go.  Thankfully my children have all made good choices...we are a Bieber-free zone!

As a teenager, I was lucky enough to be taken to Glastonbury and to gigs by my older sister.  Bauhaus was the first gig I went to and I was in the mosh pit with punks...quite a culture shock!  I loved it though, being close enough to touch Pete Murphy!  They were quite influential to 'teen me'...as I immersed myself in their  blend of obscure lyrics and black lipstick!

Marillion was my next big musical crush.  I tirelessly listened to their prog-rock albums, relishing the pseudo-intellectual wisdom of Fish!  I saw them at Hammersmith Odeon on the Fugazi Tour.  It was an amazing concert with lots of extended guitar solos.  I still adore the Script for a Jester's Tear album.  Everything down to the amazing artwork to the lyrics on the inner sleeve resonated with me.  I still sing along to it now!

Other music I'd cite as being influential to me includes David Bowie, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure.  I was a real child of my time loving all the alternative music and dressing accordingly!

Two of my very favourite albums though are not in this genre.  For some reason Prince's Purple Rain became the theme tune to my late teens.  I adored his mix of funk, pop, electronic and R&B.  The fact that his backing singer Wendy was credited on this album gave me a sense of pride in my name!  I would extensively quote:
"Wendy."
"Yes Lisa."
"Is the water warm enough?"
"Yes Lisa."
"Shall we begin?"
"Yes Lisa."
Suddenly my name (that I'd always hated) had an element of cool!

Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell is my other favourite album.  I still can't get enough of the rocked out concept album and you will find me at karaoke parties thrashing out "Paradise by the Dashboard Light".  I adore the story and love belting out those songs!

These would be my recommendations to my children. Thankfully, their tastes have all proven to be good and they do not pigeon-hole themselves to one single genre.  Joe loves N-Dubz but also loves Eminem and Daughtry.  Megan thinks Brandon Flowers  "went inside my head, pulled out all my feelings and put them into song form." Our songstress Ella (named after Ella Fitzgerald) has taken her love of music to the next level, not only loving it but making it herself.  She is a guitarist, pianist, singer and songwriter with a talent that is developing before our eyes.  I am immensely proud of her :)