Mr. KLS reveals his roots

October 21st, 2010
Music, Uncategorized

Okay, so, my high school friend Pat K. tagged me in a Facebook meme about record albums that defined you as a teenager. Reed and I started talking about our top 10 albums from high school — not the ones we think are cool now, but the ones that meant the most to us then. He finished his list first, so here it is. And it starts with zero instead of 1 because he actually picked 11 albums, not 10, (plus an honorable mention), and I numbered them from the bottom up, and by the time I got to the top and realized there were 11 I didn’t want to go back and change the numbers. I added some of my own commentary in italics, which contains multiple references to inside jokes that we’ll share with you if you ask nicely.

Without further ado:

REED’S TOP TEN ELEVEN TWELVE ALBUMS FROM HIGH SCHOOL

(0. ) New Order — Power, Corruption & Lies – I heard “Age of Consent” on the radio (rock and rhythm 95.5 KNAC) and was hooked.  Saved my pennies and bought this and enjoyed the whole thing.  Not the first New Order I had heard but this is the album that really got me digging into their first album and other early releases.  Probably the last album by them where there was still a little Joy Division in there.

In other words, the last good New Order album.

1. Elvis Costello and the Attractions  – Imperial Bedroom — Bought this gem of an album at Squid Records around the corner from my house.  That wasn’t the real name, but my friend Greg Soza said there were a bunch of squids who worked there so we called it Squid Records.  Some of those guys really were squids.  Anyway, I had about $6 burning a hole in my pocket and saw this and a Squeeze album and opted for Elvis.  I like this because it is a nice transition from the angry young man phase to his more mature songwriting.

My three favorite songs from his “best of” collection (which I listened to nonstop the semester I met you) are from this album. And it has a cool cover.

2. The Clash — London Calling – I really don’t like Rolling Stone very much.  They spend way too much time covering stuff that flat-out doesn’t matter, is over-rated, or just plain bad.  They did do something right — they determined this album as the best album of the 1980s.  Ding.

And one of the best album covers, period.

For me this album will always evoke memories of Russ chasing your civic.

3. The Alarm — Declaration -- Take this song of freedom …..  Ok, really cheesy, but there are few albums as fun to scream along to.  Plus, they were so earnest.  Also, I am convinced that they saw that U2 had members with names like Bono and The Edge, so the drummer called himself “Twist”.  Not really the same ring to it, huh?  Finally, I saw these guys walking through the Cleveland Airport when I was on my mission (long story).

This album almost made it on my list. It came to me via my brother during his brief indie phase. Besides the obvious accomplishment of the band members’ collective hair, it is, indeed, a fine scream-along album. In fact, I have a vivid memory of screaming the whole thing, start to finish, with my friend Kristin in her bedroom one boring summer afternoon in 1985. (And Twist is the goofiest drummer evar. )

4. The The — Soul Mining -- I remember hearing Uncertain Smile when it first came out in 1982 and thinking it was great.  That piano solo (by some guy named “Jools”) still gets me.  This whole album is incredible, especially when you listen on headphones.  When Matt Johnson re-released this album, he took off “Perfect” which is a great song.

I only know this album because of you. “Uncertain Smile” is one of the songs that makes me remember that summer you left me alone in Provo.

5. Joy Division — Closer – I know the safe bet is with Unknown Pleasures.  But when they zig, I zag.  This one just feels more complete and more mature than their first album.  plus Isolation is a great song for angst-ridden teenaged souls of any age.

I will save my diatribe for my own post. Suffice it to say that where you zag, I zig.

6. X — More Fun in the New World – Honest to Goodness, this is a good album.  It leaves me Breathless.  We are having much more fun so I must not think bad thoughts.  It is True Love when that Devil Doll makes the music go bang.  Enough of that nonsense.  I saw these guys play on a soccer field at Long Beach State.  The opening band “the Ten Inch Men (insert your “compensating for what?” joke here) were so bad, that some of the concert-goers pulled up a piece of turf and hit the keyboardist with it.  That hint was not enough to get them to end their set.

I got this album for $.99 in a cassette bargain bin and never listened to it. My loss, it seems.

7. Gang of Four — Entertainment -- I was introduced to GOF by Greg Soza of Squid Records fame (see above).  The basis of my friendship with Greg was purely alphabetical.  Soz always sat behind Sop.  And he liked to talk to me pretty much constantly in the classes we had together.  Those conversations eventually blossomed into me driving him around to sell bootleg U2 albums to small record stores all over the greater Los Angeles area.  But that is another story for another day.  ANYWAY —- Entertainment is just about the best british marxist punk album ever.  And I mean that sincerely.  Don’t be distracted by “I Love a Man in a Uniform” that came along two or three albums later — this stuff is genius.  I saw them play live (with Greg Soza) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers opened for them before the Peps had released their first album so no one really knew who they were.   The Peppers and GOF were both pretty entertaining.  Also, this  concert marked the time where I saw 2 men kiss for the first time (not Greg Soza).

“Not Greg Soza” meaning he wasn’t one of the two men, or that neither of the two men kissed him, or both?

Points for: being man enough to admit liking GOF, seamlessly referencing Chuck Klosterman, and seeing RHCP before their sock days.


8. REM — Reckoning -- I remember working with this guy at Price Club who felt the best way to judge the character of a person was to determine at what album they started listening to REM.  I think this was cause he started listening to them at Chronic Town when everyone else started with Murmur.  I find Reckoning to be their best all-around effort when Michael Stipe still made noises instead of singing.  Imagine a duet between him and Liz Frasier of Cocteau Twins.

This will always be my fave REM album. It’ll be on one of my future lists so I’ll save the gushing for later. Just two things I’d like to mention:

1. My intro to REM was a poem featured in SPIN by Butthole Surfers Gibby Haynes. ( It began: Michael Stipe/despite the hype . I will skip the rest because this is a family blog.)

2. I think the better way to judge the character of a person is to determine at what album they STOPPED listening to REM.

9. The Jam — Snap — My older brother was big into the Jam, as well as the overall mod scene in Southern California in the early 80s.  He owned this album and after he left on his mission, listening to it helped me to remember and appreciate him.  I’m glad he got this one because prior to this album, I think he owned a Vapors album (“Turning Japanese”) and a Men w/o Hats album (“Safety Dance”).   This album also got me started on my ill-fated attempt to own each and every 7″ single by the Jam.  Why would I want to do this?  I will give you a hint — no girlfriend.

Ironically enough, this penchant of yours helped you get a girlfriend later on.


10. Talking Heads — Remain in Light – This was my first album I ever owned.  Got it for christmas when I was a freshman.  Not the best overall TH album, but some really good songs on it.  It set the foundation for me seeing the Heads play for my first concert experience ever several years later for their Speaking in Tongues album.  I remember at that concert seeing semi-famous KROQ dj “Jed the Fish” there and learning that radio people were only cool when they were on the radio.

They’re usually short and fat and boring or obnoxious in person. Although, I believe Buffy and I were exceptions to that rule.


Honorable Mention — Ultravox — Lament — I know I will get some serious guff for this one.  But those who don’t like Ultravox, have never really given Ultravox a chance.  One Small Day and White China were both pretty rocking songs.   We had to read “On the Beach” by Nevil Shute that year in english class so “Dancing with Tears in my Eyes” really complimented that.  I think you have to cut Midge Ure some slack — he was the one who did most of the heavy lifting for “Do They Know It’s Christmas” but Bob Geldof takes all the credit.  And what did Geldof or the Boomtown Rats ever do that was noteworthy?  Nothing.  At least Ultravox released most of it’s 7″ singles with clear vinyl (I had all of them, not just from this album, but also from their previous albums.  Remember, no girlfriend).

Ultravox encapsulates everything bad about eighties new wave. You’re lucky your musical taste overall is grand enough to cover this sin.

COMING SOON: My list.

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