Those that know me well know I love to listen to music. Always have, always will.
Most music today is unlistenable to me but then I feel lucky to have grown up with some of the best music ever written and played. I base what I like around what is known as ‘Progressive Rock’. And 3 albums that helped launch this sound are what I still consider some of the best ever made. I call them the power trio.
The year 1969 and Led Zeppelin released their first album. My brother Dan bought it and found he didn’t like it. He then traded it to me for a couple of Sir Beef sandwiches (typical Dan). This would the first of many albums I collected over the years. I played this on my sister Debby’s hand me down tabletop record player. Bluesy rock with heavy loud guitar and I was hooked even with a mono speaker. Led Zeppelin launched a whole new version of music that annoyed many a parent in that day.
In 1973 a band with a weird name came out with one of the most unique albums up to that point that some say launched ‘Progressive Rock’ into the mainstream. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon was one of the coolest things I’d ever heard and once again I was hooked. This time the product I purchased was the album upgrade known as the 8 Track Tape. This was hooked to my fathers ‘hand me down’ vacuum tube Heathkit amp. All the bells ringing on ‘Time’ cranked up on that old amp I’m sure always irritated the neighbors. But nothing is a better ‘headtrip’ than a pair of headphones and listening to DSM from beginning to end.
In the summer of 1976 I rode my 10 speed up to the mall and purchased an album (8 tracks were out by then) by a band I’d only heard a little bit. The album cover looked cool and I went home and put the album on my dad’s system, slipped on the headphones and well, once again was hooked. It’s amazing how a 3 piece band can put out such unique sound and jam like they do. My dad walked in about the 3rd time I flipped the album and I slipped off the headphones. He said “Your going to go deaf!” I nodded and slipped the headphones back on. (and yes, I’m a little deaf these days).