100 Records

My mom gave me a record player when I was 4. It was portable and battery powered, so I could take it anywhere. This concert in a box was heavy for my small frame but I would have towed a wheel barrel to bring music with me. At that time I owned 2 records, one by The Beatles and one by Simon and Garfunkel; both of which told stories over pianos and guitars. I never went anywhere without that glorious, clunky record player.

41 years later, I walked the streets of San Francisco @ Midnight, the tune "what's the use" echoing in my brain having just left a concert hall full of Phish fans. Amid all the twists and turns that life loves to throw our way, there is one always-accessible and glorious escape:

MUSIC

So when facebook stepped away from political entendre to offer an opportunity to share 10 albums that changed your life.... I multiplied it by 10.

I've played in bands and owned a record label and entertained people and recorded music. Making music was a wonderful part of my life but I've always preferred listening to it.

I've stood in front of Jerry Garcia, sat in a symphony hall with a few thousand people in complete silence while Ben Folds played piano, rushed the stage at Lollapalooza, shook hands with Kurt Cobain, cried my eyes out hearing Thom Yorke sing "fake plastic trees", had my head split open, hugged a stranger and helped a stranger find some peace in where music is played across the world.

I sit at a coffee shop most mornings before my neighbors are awake: my headphones on.... tunes (new and old) filling my heart as I type these keys. It's my favorite part of the day.

My first car was a Mercury Tracer. I had a suitcase of tapes on the floor of the passenger's side. My friends and I drove the back roads listening to Dylan and The Grateful Dead; when it was time to cause trouble across town the soundtrack changed.       

MUSIC

It's always been there. I've always loved it.

Here are the 100 records (in no specific order) that changed my life:

1.Big Night Without You by Emmet Swimming
2. News of the World by Queen
3. After the Gold Rush by Neil Young
4. Check Your Head by Beastie Boys
5. Moon Pix by Cat Power
6. Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio
7. Aim and Ignite by Fun.
8. Ben Kweller (self-titled)
9. Irresistible Bliss by Soul Coughing
10. Speak of the Devil by Ozzy Osbourne
11. The Doctor Came at Dawn by Smog
12. I Am Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo
13. I Get Wet by Andrew WK
14. The Execution of All Things by Rilo Kiley
15. Is This It by The Strokes
16. Michigan by Sufjan Stevens
17. Sea Change by Beck
18. Out of the Blue by ELO
19. The Brooklyn Side by Bottle Rockets
20. All The Nations Airports by Archers of Loaf
21. Tallahassee by The Mountain Goats
22. Let Go by Nada Surf
23. Person Pitch by Panda Bear
24. Hysterical by Clap Your Hands Say Yea
25. Into The Blue Again by The Album Leaf
26. Rift by Phish
27. American Beauty by The Grateful Dead
28. Songs for a Blue Guitar by Red House Painters
29. Kindly Now by Keaton Henson
30. Infinite Arms by Band of Horses
31. Cardinal by Pinegrove
32. The Night by Morphine
33. Hard Candy by Counting Crows
34. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
35. Strangeways, Here We Come by The Smiths
36. Revolver by The Beatles
35. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
36. Vulgar Display of Power by Pantera
37. The River by Bruce Springsteen
38. A Weekend in the City by Bloc Party
39. Severe Tire Damage by They Might Be Giants
40. Birdie by Slaughter Beach, Dog
41. Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne
42. Whatever and Ever Amen by Ben Folds Five
43. Tennessee by Lucero
44. Europe '72 by The Grateful Dead
45. I'll Sleep When You're Dead by El-P
46. Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
47. Etiquette by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
48. Dead Man Walking (soundtrack)
49. Quad Cities by Virgil Shaw
50. Unfinished Business by EPMD
51. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized
52. Our Endless Numbered Days by Iron and Wine
53. Breakfast in America by Supertramp
54. Suffer by Bad Religion
55. The Coast is Never Clear by Beulah
56. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
57. Either/Or by Elliott Smith
58. 1984 by Van Halen
59. ( ) by Sigur Ros
60. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
61. Cup Runneth Over by Gloritone
62. Bark Your Head Off, Dog by Hop Along
63. Repave by Volcano Choir
64. Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend
65. Forcefield by Tokyo Police Club
66. Keep It Like a Secret by Built to Spill
67. Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
68. Together We're Heavy by The Polyphonic Spree
69. Chip by Pollen
70. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco
71. Strangers Almanac by Whiskeytown
72. 22, A Million by Bon Iver
73. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan
74. Boys and Girls in America by The Hold Steady
75. Hokey Fright by The Uncluded
76. Be Here Now by Oasis
77. Last Night on Earth by Noah & The Whale
78. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
79. Reunion Tour by The Weakerthans
80. The Ghost of David by Damien Jurado
81. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers
82. Back on Top by The Front Bottoms
83. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
84. Something to Remember Me By by Ben Lee
85. Cassadaga by Bright Eyes
86. Songs for Silverman by Ben Folds
87. A Grand Don't Come for Free by The Streets
88. Putting The Days to Bed by The Long Winters
89. Old Ramon by Red House Painters
90. OK Computer by Radiohead
91. Closing Time by Tom Waits
92. Electro-Shock Blues by Eels
93. Windows for Stars by For Stars
94. Workingman's Dead by Grateful Dead
95. Mule Variations by Tom Waits
96. Winter Wheat by John K. Samson
97. The Beast In Its Tracks by Josh Ritter
98. Perils from the Sea by Mark Kozelek & Jimmy LaValle
99. Re-Arrange Us by Mates of State
100. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

Thank You for Listening!

Don't Forget to Remember,

Dave