Led Zeppelin II - Kip

​

     When I was in 5th grade, I became friends with a couple of 6th graders and we decided we wanted to form a band. Our drummer's big brother was the drummer in the local band Free Flite and they practiced in their basement. That house quickly became our after-school haunt and we usually sat around listening to them practice. It was there that I first encountered many bands outside my usual listening circle. The first album that I distinctly remember giving me a “what is THIS??” reaction was Led Zeppelin II. I have listened to that album as much as any in my collection, but I still can SEE the room when first listening to “Whole Lotta Love” and the almost equally awesome “Heartbreaker.” From the monster opening riff, to Plant's howls, to the drug induced musical breakdown right before Page's blistering solo; everything about it was thrilling, dangerous and just perfect. Heck, it even contains a song, “Moby Dick” with a drum solo in it that I don't fast forward!  It is an album that must be listened to in the proper order, even though the vast majority of my favorite tracks are on side 2 of the vinyl. For some reason, from a young age, I was always drawn to the bass players in groups, so I probably listened more to bass lines than the average casual listener, but this was something different. John Paul Jones' parts were front and center in a number of tracks and I don't think I have ever picked up a bass since when I haven't mangled the beautiful parts from “Ramble On.” This was a band who legitimately had four “lead” players in addition to absolutely killer songs. People our age tend to pine for the innocence of youth and, ironically, the time spent over at that house was probably my first experience with things NOT being innocent. There were goods and bads in that experience, but the second album will always be a specific positive from a time when I was growing and expanding my musical tastes. This album would be terrific reminder of a time that I definitely remember with fondness.

​

A Trick of the Tail - Genesis - Mark

​

Hello again from JoJo’s Delight! This month’s selection is Genesis wonderful and amazing A Trick of the Tail. I came a little late to the Genesis most bountiful table. And like other bands I came to love I bought one of their live albums first: Seconds Out. Which in itself is a great double live soirée. I took to A Trick of the Tail like a thief to silver. From the first listen I devoured every track basking in its melodious and storytelling wonders. From the mighty “Dance on the Volcano” to the iconic “Los Endos” it was clear I was in the presence of prog rock royalty and yes this is my favorite Genesis album. I bet I’m not alone on that desert island either. From the glorious Moog Taurus pedal, double neck guitars, the ghostly turning of Mellotron tone wheels to Phil Collins right on drumming and vocals. I knew this record was my boat floater, my ennui buster. (Mellotron… I think this is the surf riding weed smoking Transformer... I could be wrong). And yet today it still moves me in wonderful ways. In my mind it’s a perfect album. If I can I try to listen to it entirely, I feel I need to hear the whole thing, front to back. And I must say it’s a joy every time. Oh, and it just so happens to be one of JoJo’s favorites as well. As I recall he gave it a 5 out of 5 squished bananas review! Wow! Heavy duty dude. Britney on the other hand remains skeptical? I got her a new phone and now I can’t get her weird crabby face out of it. I’m not even sure Coconut crabs have ears to hear. Farewell till next time!

​

​

Please - Pet Shop Boys - Jeff

​

   I remember back in high school, walking into Budget Records and Tapes to pick out a new T-shirt. The decision mattered more than it probably should have, this wasn’t just a shirt, it was a statement. Whatever I wore down the hallways had to represent me as someone cool, someone with good taste. No way was I going to get caught in a goofy band tee that could make me a target for jokes. After sorting through the racks, I settled on an Aerosmith shirt. Now, Aerosmith wasn’t my absolute favorite band, but it was safe, solid, and cool enough that I could wear it proudly. Truth be told, back home I could be spinning KC & the Sunshine Band or Andy Gibb, my girlfriend’s favorite, but those were records I kept to myself. You didn’t exactly broadcast that side of your playlist in high school if you wanted to keep your “cool card.”

   As I got into my twenties, my musical taste only widened, but I was still mindful about how I presented it. At parties, especially with a bunch of guys drinking beer, I’d stick to the safe answers: Kiss, Cheap Trick, Starz. The poppier side of me stayed hidden, tucked away.

   When I managed a record store in the 1980s, one of my employees, Angie, walked in one day with a cassette. On it was a track called "West End Girls", in four different versions. The band was the Pet Shop Boys, no official album yet, just this one song passed around like a well kept secret. We played it over and over in the store, all of us hooked on its sound. A few months later, their debut album Please dropped, with "West End Girls" officially included, and I was all in.

   I’ve always been a synthesizer nerd…Gary Numan, Human League, Ultravox, Tears for Fears, etc. so the Pet Shop Boys’ infectious synth-driven songs felt like they were made for me. And Neil Tennant’s voice! That sealed the deal. I’ve always had this personal rule: if I don’t like the lead singer’s voice, I just can’t love the band. But Tennant’s vocals pulled me in instantly. I loved every track on that first record.

   By the time their second album arrived, with the hit "It’s a Sin", I was hooked even deeper. The Pet Shop Boys had become one of my favorite bands. Then later on for their third album came the video for "Domino Dancing", and it dawned on me…this was a gay band. At first, I’ll admit, it gave me pause. Back in the ’80s, people judged that stuff harshly. I even remember some friends dropping Queen after Freddie Mercury changed his look and leaned into what people called “gay.” I wasn’t one of those guys…I loved Queen too much to care, but with Pet Shop Boys, I had to wrestle with the question: would this change how I felt about them?

   I was raised in a family that accepted gay people, but it wasn’t something openly talked about like today. And while I never had a problem with anyone’s sexuality, the culture of the time made it harder to shrug off. Looking back, it feels shallow that I even hesitated. But the truth is, there was that brief moment of doubt. Then I thought: screw it. I love this music too much to let something like that matter. And I kept listening.

   Nearly forty years later, I’m still listening. Every album since has given me new songs to love. Neil Tennant’s voice still feels as fresh and captivating as it did the first time I heard it. The band has proven themselves endlessly creative, innovative, and avant-garde.

   When I was choosing albums to take to a desert island, I almost went with their greatest hits collection. But in the end, I chose Please. That debut still stands as one of my all-time favorites. The synth sounds they created in the ’80s hold up surprisingly well, where some artists like Gary Numan sound firmly locked in their era, Pet Shop Boys remain timeless. For me, it always comes back to the same thing: the music. And with Pet Shop Boys, the music has never let me down.

​