On That Note: Origin Story

[CycloneRulzzz]

This week at On That Note, I want to do a topic that pays tribute to the series’ early days. OTN began as a way to inspire thoughtful music discussion. At times, it has evolved into a "key word" theme with clips. For this segment, we focus more on personal connection to the music-appreciation experience.

This week, the topic is for people to post about their music origin stories.

What all influenced your music tastes? Was it family, friends, the years in which you grew up? Your first album you remember? Album that means the most? Is there a genre you grew to like that surprised you?

Along with your recollections, post some samples of favorite songs & artists that influenced your love for a personal genre of music.

“On That Note” is presented each week on Cyclone Fanatic by @MeanDean, @cyclones500 and myself.


Last Week: On That Note: Us and Them

 

[cytor]

First album i ever bought was Chameleon, by Maynard Ferguson. After I heard it, I wanted to be a professional trumpet player.

 

[MeanDean]

Probably the largest single musical influence for me kicked off with the 1964 Christmas family gift of a console stereo for the family.

Given the destructive nature of my siblings and I, the delicate nature of the technology was driven home hard. The machine was to be treated gently and with respect. Breakage would not be tolerated.

And surprisingly, the message was received.

For me, having just turned 9 the month before, popular music was initially of little interest to me. I knew about the twist and I knew the Beatles had long hair and the girls screamed. I had two older siblings 5-6 years my senior. The perfect age for them to become interested in the teen music scene. It didn't take long for me to become interested as well. I know for a fact, besides myself, save for one girl who also had an older brother, none of my elementary classmates gave a hoot at that age.

Petula Clark's "Downtown" was the first mega-hit I remember. But there were Herman's Hermits, The Dave Clark 5, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Supremes, along with the Beach Boys. I even grudgingly decided the Beatles new hit "Eight Days A Week" was pretty good. I remember my sister informing us she was going to purchase "The Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. My brother chimed in that he thought he would get it. They worked it out where she got that and he bought the Beach Boys single. Those yellow and orange swirl Capitol singles rotating on a turntable still seem magical.

Gaining my own tiny transistor radio was a step I remember. But the batteries we always dying and I had very little allowance to buy more. Besides, I could hardly tune in the good stations on that itty bitty tuner.

I wished for my own table top radio for Christmas in 1967 and I never looked back.

FM radio opened a lot of doors when KIIK began broadcasting in the early 70s. It was still top 40 but some interesting request features. High school classmates introduced me to the Doobie Brothers, Mott The Hoople and others.

College was the best. Borrowing and loaning albums from/to guys on the floor to dub to cassette allowed musical knowledge to grow without the actual cash outlay for an album.

A couple buddies from college with similar tastes were always introducing each other to something new (or old) we discovered.

 

[cyclones500]

"Where to start?" is a good question, regarding where to start.

Although I’ve encountered plenty of my favorite stuff “independently” over the years, influence from others is too vast to count. Not everything has stayed in heavy rotation, but I haven’t forgotten.

My sisters (seven and nine years my elder) indirectly turned me on to a lot of stuff in my early listening period. In quite a few situations, it was albums they “left behind” when they left the nest.

(I’ll label similar examples “Sister Influence,” when I get to them.)

Here’s one!

“Frampton Comes Alive”

I won’t play “the big one” here, since it’s lengthy and we all know it. One of the first tracks that grabbed my attention is from side 1, so it has a special memory for me.

 

[MeanDean]

First album I owned was More Of the Monkees. My mother purchased it for me (under duress - but assured by my grandmother that it was okay) in the summer of 1967



I think the first 45 I bought was "I'm Telling You Now" by Freddie and the Dreamers. My older brother tells me it was "Little Things" by Bobby Goldsboro.

 

[cyclones500]

"You wanted the best and you got it ..."

Early in seventh grade, my close friends (we were tight K-12 and a few years beyond) were urging me to explore Kiss. I didn’t get around to it immediately.

As a surprise birthday gift for me that year, my longtime neighbor friend recorded an 8-track (!) of her favorite stuff from “Alive II,” and that got me hooked. Her family had one of those fancy stereos that allows recording from vinyl to tape.

Over the next 18-ish months, I was obsessed and purchased five LPs. (My K-12 friends co-indulged during the same period, btw).

She skipped a few songs on the LP, and didn’t follow sequence. This was her choice for lead-off track, so it's the first Kiss song I heard (knowingly).

 

[JP4CY]

I didnt grow up on a farm but I did grow up on a larger piece of land where my parents had a lot to maintain with trees, shrubs, garden.
I'd say atleast every other weekend, I'd help dad tow his little trailer of brush, compost, etc to the dump. He'd always have music on like:
Keith Whitley
Eagles
Roy Orbison (probably his favorite)
Charley Pride
Ronnie Milsap

So I'll play a good one from that list:

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Born in 80 so I was a young child in the 80's and teenager in 90's. 00's I was a young adult so the music of that time spoke to me.

What may shock people is for someone born in 1980 I have a huge love for music of late 50's thru the 60's.

Whenever we have a key word topic where I song from that era fits I always ask MeanDean for a few since that's his era of music.

How did I come to like music way before my time? Unlike my OTN cohorts I had no older siblings but instead got my love of that era of music from my parents.

KIOA was my favorite radio station. I loved that there was radio playing "oldies".

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

First album I remember getting was Beach Boys Endless Summer for xmas as a kid. I played the hell out of that cassette.

My favorite BBoys tune



another underrated track from that album

 

[cyclones500]

Not truly an “influence,” but fond memory. My dad’s music preference was mainly country. At some random point when we were in the car, this came on the radio, and he said, “This is a good song.” I was not expecting that. (It does have a bit of C&W flavor/beat).

I already liked the track. It made me appreciate it even more).

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

I grew up with Burl Ives, Kate Smith & Herb Alpert albums on the family stereo along with soundtracks of musicals like The Music Man and Sound of Music. I remember hearing Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan on the car radio and realized there was another world out there.

I've always been a sucker for a good hook. My first favorite song was Sooner or Later by The Grass Roots. Their 16 Greatest Hits album was my first album purchase. Then came The Hollies Greatest Hits after I saw them sing Carrie Ann on In Concert.

I went from Dylan to Springsteen to Mellencamp, then got more into REM & U2. Now, I search for small alt bands with good hooks & big guitars. PONY is a little band I'm really into now.

 

[JK4ISU]

My first albums were by The Monkees and The Beatles. I’m not sure which was first, but I liked Revolver the best. However, I think my taste was most influenced by Jim Croce. I like a lot of different types of music, but acoustic, singer/songwriter I like the best.
I’m going to Omaha to see Croce’s song played by his son. I see he is also coming to Des Moines. Here’s a song I appreciate more now than I did when it came out more than 50 years ago!

 

[cyclones500]

Two of my closest college friends (and eventual bandmates) turned me on to so much stuff, in the '80s and early '90s especially.

R.E.M. is among the signature exposure points.

The first song I recall them playing: "Radio Free Europe."

The second, "Wolves, Lower," from “Chronic Town” EP, which my friend included on a mix cassette for me

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Ropin the Wind by Garth Brooks is probably my favorite album. Banger after Banger. Favorite one without a doubt.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Loved this song because my dad nailed the line "Ridin' along in my calaboose"

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

My mom top 3 favorites Bee Gees, Herman's Hermits David Cassidy

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I discovered Monkees because of their TV show

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

MeanDean mentioned Petula Clark and downtown but that era had several talented women just a few of my favorites.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

couple more 60's favorites

 

[cyclones500]

I don’t know for sure the first album I recall hearing “as a full work,” I’ll have to ponder.

I do remember some of the first songs I heard on AM radio, =before “oldies/classic rock” formats became commonplace.

(Indulging my family's 45s on cheap phonograph is almost a separate topic.)

A few early radio memories:









This one came a couple of years after those, a case of transition from "just happened to hear it" to "actively seeking" phase. I talked my mom into buying the single for me … Probably qualifies as “first record I ‘purchased.’”