Three albums that changed my world in 1985

[jwhitcomb3]

In January 1985 I was between colleges. I'd finished the first part of my dual-degree program at Colgate and was taking a semester off before heading to UMass. I was staying at my mother's apartment in Boston and worked in a deli from 5 AM to 2 PM. I didn't know anyone in town and I had every afternoon to myself in the apartment. I started going nuts with my four track recorder and all my mother's instruments (she's a music therapist and has tons of drums, rattles, bells, recorders etc just lying around). I probably wrote and recorded 4 songs a week, which about matches my annual output today. It wasn't great stuff, but it laid the foundations for my later songs and style.

I read all the local music rags and one day decided to buy three albums that were getting rave reviews:

Zen Arcade - Husker Du

Let It Be - The Replacements

Rattlesnakes - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

Usually I'm pleased when I find a couple of great albums a year, but three in one day was mindblowing. And they are very different from each other.

Zen Arcade is a huge, glorious mess. You can tell that these guys had gelled as a band and were just exploding with creativity (and no doubt some narcotics). I'd heard some of their very early stuff before but wasn't prepared for the combination of power, hooks, noise, and just the scope of the sprawl.

My bass player at Colgate loved to rave about the Replacements "Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash", but it had mostly sounded like a bunch of goofy teenagers fooling around with hardcore. Let It Be had the rough edges of a punk band combined with very personal and immediate lyrics and solid pop hooks. Just a great mix of reckless abandon and pathos.

Rattlesnakes is cut from a different cloth. No punk here, this is well produced and radio friendly. But the sonqwriting is amazing. Lots of acoustic guitar and organ (even some accordian), perhaps too much name dropping and self awareness, but the songs are solid and absorbing. Bob Dylan meets Elvis Costello, sung by Tom Verlaine.

This morning I read that one of my favorite Boston rockers, Ad Frank, has put together a band called "Commotional Rescue" and will be playing all the way through Rattlesnakes at the Paradise on August 30. I can't wait! And it got me thinking about the day I bought three amazing albums that blew my mind 20 years ago.

-Jonathan

[Turdus]

I listened to one Husker Du record in the 80's. I could not tell you a song title or hum any bars, even if somebody had a gun to my head, LOL. Due to the lasting impression, I've never given them a 2nd listen.

Had the Llyod Cole record with "Perfect Skin" on it. Good song, but don't remember anything else from the platter.

I've got both "Let It Be", and "Sorry Ma....". You are right on the money when you say "but it had mostly sounded like a bunch of goofy teenagers fooling around with hardcore". That is what made it a great record. Although "I Will Dare" could be the greatest Replacements song they ever wrote.

[salem]

I have Warehouse Songs and Stories, Husker Du. It is a great album.

[Guest slim]

I've got both "Let It Be", and "Sorry Ma....". You are right on the money when you say "but it had mostly sounded like a bunch of goofy teenagers fooling around with hardcore". That is what made it a great record. Although "I Will Dare" could be the greatest Replacements song they ever wrote.

I'd have to plug "Answering Machine" as one of, if not, their best. Fun band to watch too. They were either truely amazing, or a drunken train wreck. Unfortunately, the latter was the norm.

[Disturber]

I love Lloyd Cole. He's great!

Listened to him A LOT in the

early 90's. His recent albums

are pretty decent too actually.

[Guest teefus2]

i was pretty impressed by the replacements "pleased to meet me". i think the police discs had abigger influence on my guitar playing head back then. rush, boc and rainbow were pretty eye opening to me also.