MUSIC THAT INFLUENCED ME

Here is where you can see what music has infuenced my persona throughout my life.Some of it is good, some of it ain't so good. Either way it's what I feel has made me who I am.Most of the Albums listed had an influence on me probally because of the guitarist.Being a guitarist myself I tend to lean more in favor of that type of music.I like a lot of the music that is being made today, you will be hard pressed to find any kind of a lead guitar solo in the songs.Makes me wonder what Guitar Player magazine has to write about anymore.
also note that this is by no means a complete list of music that has had an influence over me.I don't think I have enough space to or time to put all that here. these are just the ones that had the most air time and influence over me for whatever reason.

I guess I can start here. Yes it's pretty ugly but as a young lad with nothing to infuence me and my mom letting me pick out whatever I wanted,this is what I came up with."The Monkees Greatest hits". Remember I did say I was very young when I got this, and I have it here because it is really the first record that I had that I listened to and fantasized about being in a band.
	From there I moved onto bigger and better things, talk about a jump! "KISS ALIVE". This was for me at the time the hardest music I had ever heard. I didn't know if I'd be able to listen to this it was so hard. HA! Thats funny now, as I see them as almost Bubblegum.Don't get me wrong I still think some of their stuff is classic, especially this album,and one of the first songs I ever learned how to play was a KISS song.Classic stuff.
ANGEL After the KISS album things started to take off and my music collection grew."ANGEL" kind of stood out mostly for this one album and the fact that these guys all had great hair!I believe I ended up with the Ace Freley/Punkey Meadows(guitar player for ANGEL) kind of thing with my hair.This album rocked, later I feel they went more bubblegum.Paul and I road around Myrtle Beach playing this album,ok it was an 8 track.Also of note, they were signed to the same label as KISS, which I always thought would explain their costumes.I hear they had a great stage show but never got to see them live.
	TED NUGENT Ok,Ted is the man! The motor city madman to be exact, although I believe he now resides on a ranch in Montana or some where out west.Anyway, DOUBLE LIVE GONZO has to go on my list of all time greatest rock albums.I wore one of these albums out listening to it so much, and always loud! When I was in my band I always told the guys if we could have Teds intensity we would be a great live band! But trying to match that is something few people can do. CAT SCRATCH FEVER Here is another great one, if for anything the song title/themes, who can forget such classics as "WANG DANG SWEET PUNTANG" or "YANK ME CRANK ME BUT DON'T WAKE UP AND THANK ME".The man is wild!
	LED ZEPPELIN What can I say about them that hasn't already been said.I came to Led ZEP,or I guess I should say they came to me one day as a song stuck in my head that I couldn't identify.I went to a friend and hummed the passage, he knew exactly what it was and put on the album for me,This was the song(without the cats)"IMMIGRANT SONG"LED ZEP had more influence over me than probally any one band,they were the only band that I went out of my way to get hold of their music. I was able to play a lot of their stuff on my guitar, and had found a teacher who liked them the same and would teach me most of their music.I guess out of their catalog the 3rd album stands out as one of my all time favorites."Gallows Pole" is such a cool song.I probally listened to "The Song Remains The Same" more than the others.It seems I have something for live albums.
At and about this stage I was really listening to alot of music, too much to list here,but I will make a list of honorable mentions later.
Here is where we'll get into the next stage of my music life. "QUEENSREICHE,OPERATION MINDCRIME", This album turned my world around.With great guitar riffs and a story about a hit man that is so cool,aka: Rock Opera. I cannot say enough about this album, The music is so good it's not even funny.Again, another one that I wore out.	This picture of the album cover sucks, hope to get a new one soon
	MEGADEATH I just picked an album at random here but I like everything I've heard from them, so you choose.This band may be in here more for spite than anything else.I like these guys a whole lot better than Metallica who everyone seems to think are the metal gods! PULEASE!Dave Mustaine is such a better song writer and player than any of those guys in the other band. At least he can write a song with some diversity, not every one of their songs sounds the same. I have also read that Dave Mustaine is a resent convert to Christianity.You go boy!
Ok now this is getting more personel STEVIE RAY VAUGHN This guy has to rank up there with my and Collettes all time favorite guitar players.If you never got a chance to see him in concert I feel for you.I saw him in concert 3 times and would have seen him as many more times as possible, he was that good.The last time was when he toured with Jeff Beck,I believe that they would take turns as to who would open up the show. On this night Stevie opened, and all I can say is he blew Beck away so bad.And to Collette and my opinion he held back from his normal live shows.He would normally open up with a jam of about ten minutes or so,but he didn't do it on this night,bummer.Out of all the performers I've ever seen or heard he will be missed the most.