The 5 songs that saved my musical life

As a young music fan, I was heading down a very narrow road of nothing but hard rock, pop soul and testosterone. Aside from “Beth” by Kiss, if it didn’t rock – and rock hard! – I wasn’t interested. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Zeppelin, Sabbath and Judas Priest, but if it weren’t for these songs I would have missed out on so much incredible music and some really good times.
Take me to the River – The Talking Heads. The first time I heard this song I was stopped dead in my tracks. I had the feeling I was experiencing something big that I didn’t quite fully understand. Like I was over-hearing an important adult conversation. I had never imagined white people could make music so funky, soulful and deep. This song made me feel down to my core how rhythm is just as important as melody. But what still blows me away is how this song simultaneously sounds fresh and brand new and deeply rooted - and almost anointed - by the oldest of American music traditions. The Talking Heads were the first non-rock band I feel hard for and they opened up the world to me. And who was this David Byrne character? A nerd to be sure, but in total command. Was he serious? Was he a joke? Was he crazy? Whatever he was, he was the man!
Rock Lobster – The B52s. The first time I heard this song I was in my friends front yard goofing around and something very strange came wafting out the window of his older brother’s room. We all looked at each other wondering, “What the hell is that?” I took my music very seriously in those days, and it was a mortal sin to hear “There goes a dog fish – woof woof…” But the disturbing part was I liked it… a lot! This song helped me realize music was supposed to be fun and freaky. It filled me with a sense of abandonment I don’t think I was nearly secure enough to find on my own. And, oh yeah – it ROCKED!
Five Years – David Bowie. I was probably in about third or fourth grade when I first heard Ziggy Stardust and at the time, I completely associated rock with machismo. Here came an androgynous, wafer thin, wanna be spaceman, ass-kicking drama queen to cast the first doubts in my rock-god worship.
Search and Destroy – Iggy Pop. I didn’t quite know what to think of punk at first, but Iggy made it crystal clear to me – it’s just rock and roll. He stripped away the circus and the excess and brought me back to the core of rock.
Meat Puppets – multiple songs live.

Country music was my last musical prejudice. By the time I saw my first couple of Meat Puppets shows, my musical horizons had expanded pretty much every direction except South. It took me a while to figure out that one of the things I liked best about this incredible band was their bastardized country influences. My walls came down and I found some great music. Imagine, I might have lived a life without Willie Nelson!