Well...if we're talking influential, let's go back a bit and trace the ol' musical roots:
Growing Up - 1975 - 1988
The Beatles, The Lovin' Spoonful, Led Zepplin, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen - These were the things that were usually on in the background during my formative years.
U2 - October to Zooropa - The Joshua Tree was the first actual album I personally owned, although my mom had most of their earlier stuff on tape (CD players were still damn expensive back then). After Zooropa left a bad taste in my mouth (largely due to other events that were happening in my life at the time). I pretty much stopped listening.
The (Mostly) Metal Years - (1989-1992)
Metallica - Master of Puppets: I swear this must be the required fucking soundtrack for every comic book store in existence. I don't think I've ever walked into one that didn't have this album playing at some point. Anyways, I got hooked on it.
Anthrax - Persistence of Time: I almost burned a hole through this album I played it so many times. "Belly of the Beast" is still a kickass track.
The Cure - The Head In The Door, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Disintegration: Really. Even when I was a big honkin' metalhead back in the late 80's/early 90's I was still unbelievably affected by the music of The Cure.
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss: I actually never owned this album, although I did hear most of it, along with Reign In Blood performed live during the Clash of the Titans tour. They almost completely won me over.
Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth: Terrible. I listened to this only because I knew it would annoy the hell out of my sister. It's like people listening to King Diamond. Does anyone really like him?
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger: Late at night on MTV, long before they banned the video because they're MTV and for some reason the idea of a crucified Terminator was offensive to them, I saw this and went out the next day and bought the album. Instantly hooked.
1992-1993 - Transition
Alice In Chains - Dirt: I should really say Facelift here, since that's how I got introduced to the band, but frankly, Dirt is a much better album.
Faith No More - Angel Dust: Again, I should really say The Real Thing here but Angel Dust is a much better Album.
Nirvana - Bleach: I liked Nevermind. Everyone who was a teenager at all in the early nineties owned a copy of Nevermind. I owned a copy of Bleach. Go Figure. Their cover of Love Buzz is still tops.
Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese: Ah, the brilliant bass work of Les Claypool! The intrinsic drumming of Tim "Herb" Alexander! The, um...capable guitar playing of Larry LaLonde!"
1993-1995
Sonic Youth - Dirty: This wasn't even an album of theirs that I owned. I actually owned Goo and Daydream, but this sticks out in my head because this tour was the first time I saw them. It's also the first time I was introduced to -
The Boredoms - Pop Tatari: Every single one of my friends never understood why I liked this album. In a way, I feel sorry for them.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream: I owned Gish. I liked Gish. Musically this was light years beyond Gish. Mayonnaise. Need I say more?
Lush - Gala: They were one of the few bands I liked that I never had the chance to see live. My best friend and I were at Lollapalooza '92 and arrived just after their set. I believe this was the Spooky tour. The things we miss.
Digable Planets - Reachin': They redefined hip hop for me with this album. This album is, to me, the soundtrack of New York City in the mid-90's.
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders: This really showcased the brilliance of Tribe, and gave us "Award Tour." Can't go wrong.
Orbital - Orbital I: Belfast is still one of the most beautiful songs ever produced period.
Moving Forward:
1993-1995 - Evolving
Bjork - Post: This album got me hooked, back when she was still fun and poppy and not eccentric and weird. This also ranks as one of my Top 5 concerts of all time. The only other group I've ever seen that matches her energy on stage from this era are The Go! Team.
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2/The Ventolin Remixes: Both of these were instrumental (no pun intended) in developing my love for electronic music. Track 1 still calms me down, even though they used it in a Fruitopia commercial.
Bad Boy Bill - Bangin' The Box Vol. 1 - You know those albums you're embarrassed you used to own?
Simply Jeff - Live at Plastic - I must've ruined the magnetic strips on this tape.
Dieselboy - Witness The Strength - The first Drum & Bass mix I owned and the first DJ who got me to enjoy it.
Metalheadz presents - Platinum Breakz: There were just too damn many classic tracks on this compilation. Solid, but still not quite as good as:
LTJ Bukem Presents - Logical Progression: THis was pretty much it for me. In addition to having an early version of the Photek classic "Rings Around Saturn," it also included the excellent vocal mix of "The Western" and "Horizons." Although I think overall that Blame, Seba and DRS are better producers, DJ's and MCs respectively, This comp. really hooked me on the sound.
Photek - Modus Operandi: Rupert Parkes, when he wants to, makes the sickest beats in the unverse, hands down.
1995-2000 - Evolution II
Portishead - Dummy: Yeah. I don't think I even need to explain why this album is brilliant. If only they'd get their shit together and put out that third album they've been promising for the past three years.
Massive Attack - Protection: I'm infatuated with the sound of Tracy Thorn's voice.
Everything But The Girl: Walking Wounded: See above. Plus the Omni Trio remix is aces.
DJ Andy Smith - The Document: Anyone who can flawlessly mix Jeru The Damaja, Tom Jones, Grandmaster Flash, Barry White and Steve Winwood into one mix and make it sound good deserves your undying respect.
The Herbalizer - Very Mercenary: Blow Your Headphones got people's attention, but this album stepped up their game. "The Missing Suitcase," "Wall Crawling Giant Insect Breaks" and "Starlight are all favorites.
The Roots - Illadelph Halflife: Their best album. I don't know what they're doing lately but with the departure of a few key members I don't think that they can recapture the perfection that they acheived on this album.
Reprazent - New Forms: If only their first album wasn't so damn good, I don't think In The Mode would've been so disappointing. Even the solo work by the four individual members outshined the sequal to this album. Still, it stands the test of time.
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo - Ki-Oku: another brilliant combination. This album is, in my opinion, what Acid Jazz should always be.
Aril Brikha - Deeparture In Time: This album really got me into deeper techno. Most people will cite "Groove La Chord" as a favorite. For me it was always "Setting Sun."
Jesper Dahlback - Stockholm Mix Sessions 1: For deep house mixes (and deep house in general) you can't beat Svek.
