Digging Up Your Roots: 5 Records
Today’s edition of digging up your roots spans genres and artists across this great community. Its always cool to see where people draw their inspiration from and sometimes you are truly surprised by their answers. Which is why I asked for 5 records that influenced artists in our local music community…nothing fancy, just read on to see these folks and their picks!
Mark Kilianski
1. The Harrow and The Harvest – Gillian Welch
2. Dog Problems – The Format
3. Blow By Blow – Jeff Beck
4. A Decade of Hits – The Allman Brothers
5. Shaken By a Low Sound – Crooked Still
I think a strong cocktail of those albums sums up my playing and writing
Carlin Tripp
Top 5 most influential albums:
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band: One of the pinnacles of my childhood. Songwriting, melody and texture.
Dire Straits- Brothers in Arms: Some of the catchiest guitar riffs around. A bright light shining through the haze of 80s crap.
Phish- Story of the Ghost: Changed my whole view on what music could sound like. Creativity and imagination mixed with classical talent. Vermont funk.
Josh Ritter- So Runs the World Away: This album pushed the limits of folk rock. Great story-telling mixed with ethereal interpretations of the human condition.
Brett Dennen- Smoke and Mirrors: The album I wish I could make. Brett Dennen just continues to get better and better.
Michael Spaly
1.Asia – Asia
This was the first cassette that I remember actively hearing on the radio and then begging my parents to buy for me; I must have been 7 or 8. I have no recollection of any songs beyond Only Time Will Tell and Heat of the Moment. But the tape on those surely was worn thin and spliced multiple times. This album was the first time I remember thinking about how personal music can be. I didn’t listen to it with anybody else, or even care to share my interest. I just loved a few hooks and wanted to retreat into the world of music by myself.
2.Repo Man – Soundtrack
My gateway album into the world of punk rock. After buying this album and wearing out the vinyl I quickly proceeded to stock up on Circle Jerks, Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, and all related artists I could find. The songs were fun, intense, and everything a pre-pubescent could ask for. Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole – that still stands out as one of my favorite lyrics.
3.Another Side Of – Bob Dylan
My first real introduction to Bob Dylan. I actually stole this tape from somebody during a church trip. I still feel horrible about it and can feel hell’s fire waiting for me. But man, the story-telling and melodies in these songs blew me away and definitely cemented my interest in folk tradition and story-songs.
4.The Complete Recordings – Robert Johnson
Another gateway album. After burning through these tapes (several times) I ended up in a deep dive on blues artists. Just a ton of great stories, melodies, and beautiful guitar. I love the idea that the original recordings were probably 3/4 speed of the tracks we’re all familiar with. While in high school I got pulled over for running a red light. First thing the officer said was “is that Robert Johnson?” I was let off with a warning and I thank that album.
5.Workingman’s Dead – Grateful Dead
My gateway to the Grateful Dead and eventually all that “hippy shit”. Until I heard this album, I assumed the Grateful Dead were in the hair metal genre and I had no interest – probably because of the skulls, etc. and nobody my age was really aware of them. A local classic rock station would play full albums at midnight on Saturday – “perfect album side Sunday” they called it – and they played this. I taped it and just loved everything about it: mixing acoustic/electric instruments; harmonies sung with reckless abandon; complicated, yet beautiful melodies. This album, and all it has lead me to, symbolizes the type of music I now enjoy playing.
Patrick DeCoste
1. Ah Via Musicom (Eric Johnson): this, for me, is the pinnacle of music. Amazing songwriting, tone, technique, musicianship and production. This was the 1st CD where I realized you could speak through music without saying anything.
2. The Division Bell (Pink Floyd): the solos on this record really speak to me. David Gilmour can say more in one note than many can say in a dozen. Beautifully crafted songs wrapped in amazing atmospheres, this record is beautifully crafted from start to finish.
3. Pornograffitti (Extreme): unapologetic and unabashed, Nuno’s playing is fearless and plays with what I refer to as “reckless intent”. “Song For Love” may be my favorite guitar solo of all time.
4. So (Peter Gabriel): from John Cusak holding a boom box over his head to the innovative music videos, Peter Gabriel put images to his music. Using synthesizers, drum sticks to play bass lines and world instruments not commonly heard in American pop music, the album pushed the boundaries of what I was used to hearing – proving there are no rules in music.
5. The Madigrals EP (Howie Day): I’m cheating a little bit here because it’s the included DVD which caught my attention but the record also included some of that footage. Had I not seen the DVD, I wouldn’t have believed it was just one person playing the guitar, percussion, bass, background vocals and lead vocals – but that’s exactly what was happening. This record introduced me to the art of looping – and to how enormously talented Howie Day is.
Allysen Callery
1. The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter- The Incredible String Band . Showed me it was more about the poetry than the hook, & you could sing about literally anything.
2. Parcel of Rogues- Steeleye Span. Maddy Prior’s voice sometimes harsh, sometimes angelic, singing about fairies & tragic love , seemed to be written for me personally. I loved the history of these ancient traditional beauties, and felt connected by my own English heritage.
3. Revolver -The Beatles. The Beatles were played so often in my household, they were like family members. I prefer the psychedelic era Beatles & love when psych slips into my songwriting & production.
4. Reflection- Pentangle . A girl from high school found out I had my fathers guitar, which I couldn’t play- but she wanted me to back her up on the song Will The Circle Be Unbroken – which she said would be ‘easy’ to learn. I happened to have The Pentangle record Reflection ( from my parents collection, as all these records were) & that’s how I started playing guitar. I really loved Omie Wise from that record.
5. Ladies of the Canyon- Joni Mitchell. Always my idol , Joni was a poet who sang. Her skill on the guitar, dulcimer & piano is singular & unmatched . She was beautiful in her very own way, & didn’t write about anything she didn’t feel deeply. My hero.
Paddy Saul
1.AC/DC – Powerage The rock n roll swagger and sexy comical lyric of Bon Scott have given me that little touch of madness that I have in some my tunes. This was SERIUOS Rock N Roll without the lyrics taking themselves too serious at all.
2.U2 – The Joshua Tree I guess they gave me that sense of Irishness meets the USA in my songwriting and I’m living here in Boston now 19 years. This record is really where they tapped into America with both lyrics and sounds. I remember feeling that American vibe vividly when this record came out. They right anthem choruses and please don’t get me wrong I’m not claiming to be like “Hey Man I write anthem choruses but I feel U2’s bigness of sound on this record have definitely influenced me somehow.
3.Bruce – Born In The USA I don’t know how it affected me but it SIMPLY did – MAGIC Album!
4.The Smiths – Strangeways This is simpliar to Born In The USA – I can’t explain how it affects me but it does! It was so cutting edge at the time and still feels so timeless.
5.The Stunning – Paradise in the Picturehouse A band I’m sure you never heard of but they were HUGE in Ireland and never made it out of there – such a pity – I relate to the lyrics and the lively sound of this record. They had little or no money and so it got recorded really fast and live. It shows when you hear it. I got the pleasure of playing with the lead singer once and we still keep in touch.
Dann Russo
Five records?
1. Frank Turner – Love, Ire and Song;
2. Counting Crows – Recovering The Satellites;
3. The Black Crowes – Southern Harmony and the Musical Companion;
4. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run;
5. Richie Havens – Resumé
Dave Yuknat (The Inebriations)
1.”Achtung Baby” – U2 I’ve been a huge fan of since summer camp in 1983. Less so these days, but the 80’s and early 90’s were my formative years. When this record came out it was such a radical departure sonically, and the songs were just… better. Standout song is the obvious choice – “One”, but the second half of that album is fucking gold. “Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World”, Love is Blindess”, Acrobat… all so good.
2.”Fuzzy” by Grant Lee Buffalo They’ve been my favorite band since the moment I stumbled into a WFNX party at Avalon in Nineteen Ninety Something and saw them perform the song “Fuzzy”. Grant’s double-amplified 12 string guitar sound was from another planet and the songs you could just FEEL. Lots of lyrical depth in this record, it was dripping with American stories, from the mystical “Dixie Drug Store” to the snarl of “America is Snoring”. Their followups were good, but this album was perfection.
3.”Bootleg Series Vol 1-3″ – Bob Dylan A peek under the sheets at the master at work. Demos & alternate takes, botched recordings and cool covers – this album blew my mind. It made me realize that demos can be better than final album recordings, and made me think, “I can do that”. Maybe not at that level, but at the end of the day, songs is just chords and melody, right?
4.”Ladies Love Oracle” -Grant Lee Phillips The first post Buffalo album by Grant Lee, recorded almost entirely solo, it showed me that you can go into a basement with a piano, guitar, some toys and a microphone and come out with something amazing. St. Expedite is one of my favorite songs ever, and a top 5 concert experience for me was seeing him perform the song at Passim (complete with “Storytellers” intro) at my request.
5.”Being There” – Wilco Bringing back the double album, this audacious release revealed the real talent driving Jeff Tweedy. A.M. was cool, but this was a whole new level of songwriting and presentation. It blew up. I remember the press for this was huge and thinking… “really? pop culture is latching on to Wilco??” There have been many incarnations of Wilco since then but the Jeff Tweedy / Jay Bennett era was my favorite.
Jess Tardy
Here are my top records for digging up roots!
1.Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits: I grew up listening to this on cassette in my mom’s car, and I distinctly remember her telling me to pay attention to Patsy’s phrasing because it was so completely unique. Mom also told me if you listen close enough you can hear Patsy crying on “Sweet Dreams.” Deep stuff for a five-year-old! Songs like “Crazy” and “Why Can’t He Be You” got me hooked on the pure emotion of a great sad song, and what any country singer who is being honest is really trying to achieve: the unattainable perfection of Patsy’s voice.
2.Dirty Dancing Soundtrack: Laugh all you want, but this record was my gateway to Solomon Burke.
3.”Teatro” – Willie Nelson: After I graduated from college I hitchhiked around Ireland for a summer. This was my soundtrack, and in some ways it still is. “What would Willie do?” is my general approach to music.
4.Ray Charles Greatest Hits: I’m kind of a greatest hits dweeb. Ray Charles’ music was a constant presence in my household growing up and my parents even somehow got us kids to two of his concerts – all the way up in Maine. He’s the alpha and the omega.
5.Delbert McClinton “Live in Austin” This was the record that made me want to play out live. He’s the shit. Bonnie Raitt “Streetlights” My friend’s dad gave this to me in junior high and it was all over. Everything since then is all her fault.
Michelle Cruz
There are many albums that have influenced me but here are 5 I can think of at the moment:
1.Jeff Buckley-Grace-This album transformed music for me. Jeff’s voice especially can just bring you to another place. Absolutely beautiful work…
2.Nick Drake-Five Leaves Left- The song “Three Hours” was pure magic to me. I remember sitting for hours listening to it for hours at a time when I first was introduced to it.
3.Johnny Cash-Man In Black-“Man In Black” was the first Johnny Cash song I ever heard. I remember sitting in my aunt’s house just mesmerized at what I was hearing. From that day on, I collected Johnny Cash records. Legend. What more can be said?
4.Odetta-Odetta Sings Dylan-There are not a lot of Black folk artists on the scene and I certainly gravitated towards her as an inspiration. I was able to meet Odetta at the Newport Folk Festival and we spoke and she gave me advice. Her stirring voice and conviction towards her songs have always inspired me.
5.Loretta Lynn-Van Lear Rose-The song, “Miss Being Mrs.” stopped me in my tracks. The rawness and emotion of that song is something I strive for when I perform.
Brian Carroll
1.Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood : If it wasn’t for SRV I don’t think I would have picked up a guitar in the first place. I remember playing air guitar along to ‘Pride and Joy’ as a kid going to the dump with my old man.
2.Chris Thile – How to grow a woman from the ground : Like Stevie with a guitar, Chris was the reason I picked up a mandolin and even more so, the reason I picked it up a second time and kept with it. This record just slays me everytime. So much emotion, but yet it still has its “holy hell, you can make those noises with bluegrass instruments” moments. This re-defined the genre for me.
3. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest: Understated beauty. Rich harmonies, and David Rawlings’ guitar playing. This is what my ideal record would sonically emulate if I could create a perfect album.
4.John Hartford – Steam Powered Aereoplane: John Hartford is the reason I really got into bluegrass. I remember being a college freshman and hearing this record for the first time (I was a late bloomer I guess) and I was hooked. I wanted to play with banjoists all of the time…and wait, he plays multiple instruments. I was hooked and still am by his energy in this record and through video performances.
5.Ian Fitzgerald – No Time To Be Tender: I went local and with a friend on this one. Since I first listened to Ian’s record just over a year ago it has challenged me to write better and what it means to be a songwriter. This is what good songs sound like.
