I really lucked out here. My number 1 choice is still available...
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)
As an un-apologetic "Americaphil" I can't believe it's still available. Growing up in the 70's my favorite "toy" was my father's Telefunken stereo and associated record collection. It wasn't a huge collection, but to me it was the best and the biggest in the World, with a steady diet of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, Pink Floyd and The Doors. There was only one Beach Boys record - Pet Sounds, then it had to be replaced for wear as I destroyed it by playing it over and over again. It worked out well for me because my dad bought me a Grundig cassette player and a copy of Pet Sounds - so I don't mess up his collection again.
Then two years ago I met this band at my friend's bar, they were playing open mic night. I liked them a lot, we started talking and leader of the band had almost identical story (dad's collection/Pet Sounds) only about 12-13 years later. We've been friends ever since and started our own independent micro-label to publish his works and few other local bands (shameless plug -
www.thebackroommusic.com). In some way, this album has changed my life and inspired me to get into music as a kid and get back into music as an adult, perhaps even repaired my Karma as I was able to help someone go for their dream. Believe me when I say this, I wrote so much evil software for evil companies to eliminate jobs and sometimes whole industries, I need me some good karma.
Here's what Paul McCartney had to say about this record:
"It was
Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. I love the album so much. I've just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life ... I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album ... I love the orchestra, the arrangements ... it may be going overboard to say it's the classic of the century ... but to me, it certainly is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways ... I've often played
Pet Sounds and cried. I played it to John [Lennon] so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence ... it was the record of the time. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice was the bass lines ... and also, putting melodies in the bass line. That I think was probably the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded
Pepper, it set me off on a period I had then for a couple of years of nearly always writing quite melodic bass lines. "
God Only Knows" is a big favourite of mine ... very emotional, always a bit of a choker for me, that one. On "You Still Believe in Me", I love that melody - that kills me ... that's my favourite, I think ... it's so beautiful right at the end ... comes surging back in these multi-coloured harmonies ... sends shivers up my spine."
