Hi Reader,

There are some works of music that leave an indelible impression on you, either from the very first listen or by developing over time. These are the pieces of music that stop you in your tracks and force you to listen and burrow into your psyche.

As an artist, these experiences can change the trajectory of your life—from choosing your career path, to practicing for hours to master a particular style, or ultimately touring the world. The wheels start turning, and this obsession can take over your life—for better or worse, preferably the former.

In no particular order or hierarchy, these are the albums, songs, and works of music that have had the biggest impact on me and continue to shape the way I make music.

The Music That Change My Life, Part I

The Sundays, Reading Writing and Arithmetic, 1990

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So British, so moody, so melancholic—this one really stuck with me. I first saw the video for “Here’s Where the Story Ends” on 120 Minutes, an MTV show hosted by Matt Pinfield and Dave Kendall that aired on Sunday evenings and showcased lesser-known bands, at my childhood home after my parents had divorced, while I was home on break from college.

Something about singer Harriet Wheeler’s crush-inducing voice—simple without being simplistic, understated yet graceful—and the melodies that emphasized major 7ths, 9ths, and suspensions seemed new but also familiar (the real trick of writing great music). Well complemented by guitarist David Gavurin’s harmonies and single-line counterpoint, it all became a wellspring of inspiration for me and the blueprint for how I write my own melodies.

Up until then, most rock and pop music of the time was more blues-based. Here, we get a band firmly writing in modes (Dorian, Lydian, etc.) and not ashamed of emotional indulgence that comes with it.

Favorite track: "You're Not the Only One I Know"

John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra, Star Wars, 1977

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As a young boy sitting in a dark theater, I was completely floored when, out of nowhere, a massive B♭-major chord blasted from the London Symphony Orchestra. This was a formative experience for me and millions of other people. What follows is a hero’s journey full of magic, wonder, and awe that sparked our young imaginations. This was before you could stream any movie whenever you wanted, and the rarity of the experience only intensified its dramatic impact—so the soundtrack album became the perfect way to relive it over and over, hours on end, falling asleep to it every night. . When it came time to choose an instrument in sixth-grade band (I had already started learning electric bass and wanted to learn the treble clef), I picked the French horn because of the way John Williams wrote for it. The range and power of expression were like nothing I’d ever heard before; it sounded the call for an adventure I yearned to join.

AC/DC "Back in Black” 1980

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I'm not a fan of AC/DC, really, and I never owned this album, though my brother may have, but I didn't have to because it was ubiquitous. When I first heard this song on a record player at a kid's party on a family skiing vacation in Lake Tahoe, I didn't know what to do with myself and only hoped that no one noticed that it practically unglued me.

The rawness of Angus Young's guitar tones and the energy of Brian Johnson's vocals, new to the band following the death of their previous vocalist Bon Scott from alcohol poisoning, felt forbidden and just tore through me. I hoped no one noticed that I was actually shaking. I managed to play it cool rather than have a seizure, so my secret was safe.

But this song may have opened a hard rock door that I chose to musically walk through later on in life.

Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain, 1984

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This is not music I am capable of emulating. If I were to cover any of these songs, I would look silly. It's not reflective of my personality at all, and yet it completely reverberates with me as an alter ego. As with its accompanying movie, this album is fearless, indulgent, and unashamed. There is a visceral quality to it, perhaps due to how it was recorded with very few overdubs—live in a warehouse or onstage at First Avenue in Minneapolis.

I was lucky enough and giddily excited to play at First Avenue with both the Eels and Abandoned Pools, though I was disappointed to learn there was no downstairs dressing room like in the movie—only a closet-sized room just off the stage. Speaking of the Eels, I'm certainly not alone in my appreciation for this album. It was a point of bonding for E and me when we first met, and we actually did successfully cover the Prince song "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (from Sign o' the Times) in a way that complemented E's soulful delivery.

Somehow, Purple Rain manages to be both a joyful testimony to faith in God, as in the opening track "Let's Go Crazy," and a burlesque, risqué display of bawdiness in the NSFW "Darling Nikki." As such, the album covers the range of the human condition.

Fun fact: There's no bass in "When Doves Cry." An inspired choice, indeed.

Radiohead, OK Computer, 1997

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As a songwriter, this album is a dangerous rabbit hole that is difficult to escape. You want to make music like this—you aspire to its greatness—and yet you never will, as it is the product of particular circumstances that are almost impossible to recreate: a band that met in their formative years, with each member having their own recognizable style; a band that had a massive hit with “Creep” and wanted to avoid repeating themselves; a fearless guitarist not afraid to take chances; and a mercurial singer with something to prove.

This album was released at the perfect time for me: while I was on tour with the Eels in the spring of 1997, at a time when things were concurrently great and awful for me. Unsure of my role in and future with the band, or what was next for me—and immersed in the high-control atmosphere of the Eels—I heard this album and thought, “Ah, there’s a better way.” I was a long way off from releasing my own album, had barely started writing songs, but OK Computer became the benchmark—the heights I am still attempting in vain to reach.

Favorite track: “Let Down.”

More to follow in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can listen to the Spotify playlist:

The Music That Changed My Li... You're Not The Only One I Kn... PREVIEW   ​

I welcome your responses. What music has changed your life?

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VISIT THE ESCAPING SOCIETY

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Thanks for reading,

Tommy

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