An Open Response To An NPR Article

Charlie, I wish I could say that I have long sought to introduce my friends to this album, but the reality is, that like you, I came about it much later than I should have.  My introduction to Patti Smith was at her Hardly Strictly Bluegrass performance in San Francisco, last year.  An uber-feminist friend of mine insisted on seeing her, and since I knew her reputation, I stuck around to check it out.  I learned then why she is one of the god-parents of punk.

I grew up a classic rock fan, as my parents raised me on Floyd and Zeppelin and the Stones and The Beatles, and most of the rest of that Rolling Stone list, but as a child I got interested in metal.  I started listening to Sabbath and Maiden, Slayer and Metallica.  I held that out until my teenage years in California, when people started to introduce me to bands like Tool, Dead Kennedys, Skinny Puppy, Tori Amos, Bjork, Bad Religion, and Primus.

My musical journey continued, much like yours, checking out what was out there; what was relevant; what was respected; and what was important, while at the same time, listening to the new and coming acts.

I went through a lull a few years ago though.  I had been exploring country, and finding that there are great artists out there, beyond Johnny Cash (whom I adore) and Willie Nelson.  I not only realized that my punk and metal years meant that I should love David Allan Coe, but that there are a ton on contemporary country musicians who are labeled Alt, or Indie, who deserve the respect from Nashville that a lot of current garbage gets.  Bands like Lucero, Murder By Death, and Devil Makes Three are perfect examples.

So, aside from my history of listening to way too much Slayer, Tool, Pennywise, NOFX, and The Cranberries, I have always tried to keep my ears open.  So when my friend said she wasn’t going anywhere until after Patti played, I stuck around.

I was blown away when she walked on stage and the first things out of her mouth were: “Jesus died for somebodies sins, but not mine…”

I thought these kind of statements were relegated to the Nine Inch Nails, Opeth, and Black Flag kind of bands… (and yes, you mentioned Suicide, which is an incredible album, but has not really entered the lexicon.)

She put on an amazing performance, and I did some more research into her history.  Being the forefront of punk, and skirting the edge of the singer-songwriter wave of the ‘70’s, she was always relevant, without ever settling into a role.

The whole reason I am writing this, however, is two parts.

The first of which, involves your comments on how 60’s heavy that Rolling Stone list is.  I absolutely agree with you, as I have felt that way since the issue came out (and I was 21 at the time, not in 9^th grade).  What are your thoughts on Frank Zappa’s “We’re Only In It For The Money”?  It is a 60’s album, but it is such a critical backlash of the culture and the music at the time, while being such an amazing composition, that I’ve never felt it truly had an age.

The second part of this, is; what would be you’re top 500?  And why would those be such, given a paragraph per album?

I know I would change that list, though I am not sure how just yet, but there are definitely rankings that would be changed, and albums would be dropped, while others would be included.  The weight of the list, as you said, is too weighted towards the 60’s, but what would you choose to correct that?  I would love to hear more, email me back, so we can discuss this further…