Challenged by sister Julia to choose 10 albums that greatly influenced my taste in music, I’ll respond by changing it up a bit and also to count down the days until my new album is released: I’ll choose 5 albums that fit the criteria of the original challenge, and add some commentary. In no particular order:

We start with the obvious because its influence is all over Inevitable Obscenity: Arguably the best album from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (ELP) is TRILOGY, released in 1972. I love all their albums but if I’m super-critical then this one avoids the early unevenness of previous releases such as Tarkus, but also the over-the-top pretension of later albums. It’s got everything that is good about ELP and nothing bad: Classical adaptations; a ballad; a ragtime; brings the “heavy” and plenty of Moog Modular. “Endless Enigma” and “Trilogy” are examples of ELP at their best.

1972 is a bit before my time – but I can thank Eldest Brother for exposing me to plenty of musical fertilizer from this period.

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Continuing the commentary on top 5 artists and albums that influenced my taste in music, we come to Mike Oldfield. Tubular Bells arrived in 1973 but I’ll chose the 1983 album CRISES as one of my five. Although I’m not a fan of the insipid “Moonlight Shadow” single, I think that the side-long multi-part composition “Crises” could be considered Oldfield’s last great work. Featuring the superior percussion and production work of Simon Phillips; perhaps the last appearance of the Gibson L6-S Deluxe guitar ; introducing the Fairlight CMI (but before it took over as the primary composition medium), and excellent production work.

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I remember hearing music from Tangerine Dream’s EXIT at a ballet based around Night on Bald Mountain. I’m pretty sure that was the first TD album I acquired but it wasn’t the last. Exit represents accessible instrumental pieces from a classic line-up of the band. Definitely an influence (although perhaps more so is the later UNDERWATER SUNLIGHT release…)

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The first time I heard Tony Levin and the Chapman Stick was on the 1983 live release from Peter Gabriel, “Plays Live” (thank you James Mitchell!). However I’ll choose the 1982 studio album “4” as representing the artistry of Peter Gabriel, before SO launched him into popular stardom in 1986. Shock the Monkey!

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We finish up the commentary on the top 5 artists and albums that influenced my taste in music and perhaps the content of Inevitable Obscenity… with THE DREAMING by Kate Bush, released in 1982. I remember seeing the video of the title track on Radio With Pictures. But to be fair, her 1985 release THE HOUNDS OF LOVE perhaps is more of an influence, particularly the side-long multi-part suite “The Ninth Wave”. However I’ll stick with the earlier album to maintain my hipster status.