I forget to mention this in the previous post about album #6. Zao’s most lasting influence on my guitar playing from their album (Self-Titled) was my choice of fiddle. Scott Mellinger’s axe of choice was an ESP LTD Viper, so naturally I too played an ESP LTD Viper. He played a black one, but I [...]

Now, the next album in our series is one that held a huge place in my development as a person and musician. It marks a turning point in my life. Through P.O.D.’s Warriors EP from album number 2, I discovered Tooth and Nail Records. This discovery turned me on to Tooth and Nail’s harder subsidiary [...]

I know, another Deftones record in the top 15? Yes. White Pony (Maverick, June 20, 2000) was a landmark album for me. After hearing “Change (In the House of Flies)” on the radio I was stoked for its release and actually counted down the days before it finally came out. I remember taking the trek [...]

I was so excited about my musical discovery in the Deftones that I couldn’t keep it to myself. I told all my musically inclined friends including a dude I met online through, of all things, P.O.D.’s message board. His name was Mike, and he had a P.O.D. fanpage that he made on AOL’s hometown servers [...]

It’s difficult for me to pick the next record. The paths of the next two bands that have changed my life are intertwined. I remember when I started listening to P.O.D., Project 86, Blindside I had also started listening to “alternative” and “modern rock” radio stations in my room and in my car. The days [...]

Proceeding from dc Talk we have a few stops to make before we get to the next band and album in question. dc Talk was the first “modern rock” band I ever really liked. And while, at first, they rocked harder than I was comfortable with, my ears eventually adjusted and the songs that rocked [...]

The first entry. 15 album that have changed my life. Before I begin I feel like a distinction needs to be made between between the list I am writing and other “top albums” lists like all-time favorites, or the ubiquitous “desert island” lists. An all-time favorite records list is obvious, it’s a collection of the [...]