I don't have that kind of memory to be able to list the first ten albums that I bought with my own coin. I have to admit that I was a very spoiled brat; most of the 45s and albums that ended up in my mitts were bought for me. (The first album that I owned was purchased for me by my late sister; Elvis Presley's 'Pot Luck' in 1962!) The first album, I think, that I bought with my own money was 'Beatles VI' back in 1965. I believe it was about $1.69 or so at some department store in Northeast Philadelphia.
First album I purchased was Black Sabbath Paranoid. Was visiting my cousin in Charlotte, he’d introduced me to the band with a mix tape of tracks that he had. We went to Eastland Mall and it had all three songs that had hooked me. I didn’t have access to a used shop until I got my license at 17, so I was paying full freight for records until I joined Columbia House. I remember buying The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed and it having the wrong record in the sleeve! Since they didn’t have another copy I think I exchanged it for BOC’s Extra Terrestrial Live.
In 1971 I was 14 yrs old and in 7th grade. I remember buying the first four Credence Clearwater Revival albuma and James Taylor's Sweet Baby James. I lived in the SF bay area at the time. Me and my father would shop at Rather Ripped Records and Tower Records in Berkeley. I was into rock music and my dad listened to traditional country. We both loved going to music stores. Norman
My first album buy was Revolver (mono/USA version) for $2.86 in November 1966. I was in the fifth grade. Bought other Beatle albums in ’67 and ’68. First non-Beatle LP purchase was probably a mail-order blooper album. A summer job as a teenager enabled me to catch up on rock albums going back to 1965. Got more interested in albums of classical and jazz music in college (during the disco era).
Truly fun to watch, and you hit everyone at their core memories here.. With the RCA Victor record club (4 for a penny), my album collection got launched, in this order... 1 Surrealistic Pillow 2 Crosby Stills and Nash 3 Mr. Spocks Music from Outer Space 4.Tom Jones Live in Las Vegas 5. Phil Ochs in Concert 6 Roger Miller/ King of The Road 7 Rubber Soul 8 Suitable for Framing/ Three Dog Night 9 Tumbleweed Connection/ Elton John 10 Tiny Tim / For All My Little Friends A really healthy start, and my mom was scared to death of the Phil Ochs album, which I got at Safeway Food Market for $1.59
We lived in very rural western PA, which in some ways had it's advantages. One was that there were small, rotating album bins full of cut-out's for $0.50 a piece at two of the three grocery stores in town. One store was Riverside. That was where I bought "Get on Up, and Get Away" by The Esquires. Other albums I bought that day were, "Their Second Album" by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs" and "The Time Has Come" by The Chambers Brothers. Another store in town was A&P, where I bought the first album by Blues Image. I also bought there a ten-track compilation album on Columbia's CSP label called "The Best of the Gold Vol. 7." I bought it particularly for "Good Thing" by Paul Revere and The Raiders; but also for "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds and "Don't You Care" by The Buckinghams. A little later, a department store opened up a little farther away from us called Fisher's Big Wheel. They had a beautiful selection of cut-outs! That was where I bought "Focus 3" by Focus. I had already known them from hearing "Hocus Pocus" on the radio, and I knew "Sylvia" by hearing it on a various artists collection. I remember really loving the album's cover! That helped push me toward buying it, I was so glad that I did! I love that album - still one of my all-time favorites!! Another album I bought there was the first album by a New York band called Dust, a three-piece band with a teenage Marc Bell on drums. Later, he changed his handle to Markie Ramone. I also bought Eric Carmen's "Boats Against the Current" because it contained the single: "She Did It" which I liked quite a bit. I also made my first Beatles purchase at that store, albeit full price. That was "Abbey Road," on the orange Capitol label. In town we had a 5&10 store called G.C. Murphy's. I bought a 2-L.P. compilation album there on Sire called "The History of British Rock - Vol. 2." And those were my first ten.
This episode really brought back some memories for me. Years before I began buying LPs, I remember my younger sister buying More Of The Monkees LP. I had just begun buying 45 singles then, this being late 1967. The first LPs I remember buying were the first Bee Gees Greatest Hits LP and the Best of Tommy James & The Shondells, in late 1969. Over the next couple of years I went on to buy the octagonal Through The Past Darkly Rolling Stones Greatest Hits LP and the Who’s Next LP, as I became more enamored with hard rock.
First albums I bought were "Flowers" by the Rolling Stones, "Revolution" by Paul Revere and the Raiders, and "Surrealistic Pillow" by Jefferson Airplane. All newly released at the time. What a start!
1. The Guess Who: Live At the Paramount. 2. Three Dog Night: Seven Separate Fools 3. Deep Purple: Machine Head. My memory’s a little fuzzy after that. Amazingly, I still enjoy them. Another great topic!
the kink kronikles and the beatles 1967-1970 for $10: what a steal...i hardly ever see dave clark 5 records and i have never owned anything by him or by gary lewis. i do like some dave clark 5 singles...i bought michael jackson's "ben", elton john's "goodbye yellow brick road" and elvis presley's "the sun sessions".
Not much money in my family, so my first records were Christmas and birthday gifts. The first one I bought with my own money happened because of an ad in the National Lampoon for a record that could be had for the low price of $1! It was Zapped, the sampler of artists on Frank Zappa's Bizarre/Straight labels. All the strange stuff (and some fairly normal) really turned my head around. I guess that record arrived in the mail around the end of the summer in 1970, and I loved it so much that I took it on a Thanksgiving road trip to play it for my cousin. Unfortunately, it rode next to the heater vent of the family Volkswagen so it was a warped mess by the time we arrived. The following summer I started tracking down used copies of other Zappa albums.
I was very fortunate to have an Aunt who worked for Columbia Records distribution centre in Pitman New Jersey. Aunt Elaine used to give me a stack of albums each Christmas of a variety of genres and artists, from Country to Hard Rock. She gave me albums by Johnny Winter-Ten Years After-Stevie Wonder-Aretha Franklin-Chicago-Blood Sweat & Tears-Jimi Hendrix Experience-The Mama's & Papa's-Conway Twitty-Johnny Cash-Tammy Wynette etc., so I had a great album collection given to me as gifts. When I was able to purchase my own albums at the local record store in my town (it was called The Disc Den), I bought Surrealistic Pillow and Takes Off by Jefferson Airplane, then I bought Meaty,Beaty, Big & Bouncy by The Who, James Gang Yer Album and Rides Again, Steve Miller Band 5, Days Of Future Past by The Moody Blues and Threshold Of A Dream, The Beatles (White Album) and Revolver.
The Animals / The Best Of Yardbirds / Having A Rave-Up The Young Rascals / Collections Sandy Nelson / "In" Beat The Ventures / Walk Don't Run '64 Bob Dylan / Highway 61 Revisited The Wild Ones / The Arthur Sound Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels / Take A Ride The Kinks / Debut Paul Revere & The Raiders/ Just Like Us
Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, best of the Animals, Monkees 1st, High Tide and Green Grass big hits Rolling Stones. 2 older brothers bought all Beatles early LPs
I am old enough to have had a decent collection of 45's. I began collecting albums in college. There were few if any used record racks. The first ten were Shine on Brightly, Procol Harum. Beatles, White. Salisbury, Uriah Heep, Live at the Forum, Three Dog Night. Stand Up Jethro Tull. Benefit Jethro Tull(I was the first in my dorm to get Benefit). Grand Funk Railroad the red and white album. A Step Further, Savoy Brown. (Savoy Brown were a major act back then). Shhhh Ten Years After(I was a huge Alvin Lee Fan) John Mayal and The Blues breakers with Peter Green.
Mid 60’s my older sister and I joined a record club and I still have some of these: High Tide and Green Grass Rolling Stones Before and After by Chad & Jeremy This Diamond Ring Gary Lewis & Playboys Here They Come by Paul Revere & the Raiders Beach Boys Today! Glad All Over and American Tour by Dave Clark 5 loved that band Roger Miller Golden Hits (got a replacement clean copy a few years ago) Fun topic
Great stuff Tom. I didn't have a dime when I was a kid, so I couldn't purchase any music until I got my first job at McDonald's. I started off with 8 tracks first and distinctly remember among my first purchases were Styx The Grand Illusion, Queen Jazz, Steely Dan Aja, and Boston. These were more or less new releases at that time. First vinyl purchase was Led Zeppelin IV. By 1979, I discovered different kinds of music and picked up Drums and Wires by XTC, and Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division, to name a couple. Cheers.
First album purchased -- Leonard Nimoy's "Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space." Bought from the local Gimbels department store record section. Give me a break. I was ten when Star Trek debuted on NBC. I also remember purchasing "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" when I was twelve (though the album had been available for 4 years by then). First albums purchased that drastically altered my musical perspective -- Nick Drake's "Bryter Layter," John Cale's "Paris 1919", Love's "Forever Changes,"and Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks."
My first few albums that I bought with my own money ( from my TV Guide route) were Jesus Christ Superstar, Neil Young Everybody Knows... and James Gang In Concert. Fond memories! Thanks
First albums that I bought at a very young age, ''Beatles 65'' ''Man From Uncle'' soundtrack,''Thunder Ball''soundtrack,Rubber Soul''.All sealed and brand new from ''Woolworths''.Guess I had a thing for''Beatles''and ''Spies''!
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player by Elton John was my first album purchase. Cinematic music with a gatefold concept cover and booklet. Highly entertaining for a pre-teen and great value for money!
My first English-languaged album was "Bridges To Babylon" by the Rolling Stones in 1997 shortly after the release. I heard the single and "Always Suffering" on the radio before the album release. I played the album to death, collected all the other albums and saw them on the "Bridges To Babylon Tour" (my third rock concert). I don't listen to the Stones any more, but these are great memories. I still like the album title and most of the artwork (not the front cover and the band picture).
_The Beatles 1967 - 1970_ was the first album I bought when I was in college. I bought it at the Michigan Union in 1972 and played it a lot. Back in high school, I was not into rock music yet, so I think the first album I bought was Lalo Schifrin’s _More Mission: Impossible._ I also bought plenty of Herb Alpert and Paul Mauriat and all sorts of instrumentals.
Well in 1966 when I was 7 first album Beatles oldies but goldies compilation paid for it with change I had saved up! Unfortunately the second album was a UK comedian Ken Dodd comedy album he did do straight musical albums! This wasn't one! 😆
The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" LP is excellent! So is "Kink Kronikles", both of which I bought new. I've never been a big fan of The Monkees, but I liked "Headquarters". I received The Animals' US debut LP for my 12th birthday, and then bought the debut LP from Herman's Hermits, immediately followed by The Stones' "12X5", which changed everything for me, in regards to my musical taste. "12X5" was, for me, like a college education and I must have played it a million times before I was 13. Interesting vid, CF. We all have to start somewhere and, like you, my first LP acquisitions were hand-me-downs from older siblings. Among them were Bobby Vee's Greatest Hits (a good LP, if you like that sort of thing, and I do), Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits, The Brothers Four, Joan Baez debut, Peter, Paul and Mary In Concert, and The Ventures "Walk, Don't Run" LP. By the way, both "Words" and "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" were recorded before The Monkees by The Leaves (debut LP) and The Astronauts (from Boulder, Colorado). Some links: "Words", The Leaves (debut LP, summer 1966) th-cam.com/video/azCSgy4Jn-Q/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IDaJJrsvkxwLbwPC "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day", The Astronauts (1965) th-cam.com/video/CrW30INwcaM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Sx5Q8Rd5He8iwook 👍😄
I think my first couple of purchased albums were "Christmas 64" by Jimmy Smith and Lou Rawls' "Black and Blue". Oops...I forgot about Ray Charles' "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"!
My first album was the eponymous first Bob Dylan album. I read an article in Time magazine and went to the only record store in the little WY town I lived in and had to special order it. I could only play it in my parents big console when they weren’t home. I was 12.
Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man; Herman's Hermits- Greatest hits; The Hollies- Here! Hear! and Here I Go Again; Yardbirds Rave Up; The Fortunes- 1st Lp on UK Decca (from Lew Lewins Record Paradise on Hollywood Blvd. 1966, also Live at the Cavern various artists UK Decca); Byrds Turn Turn Turn; Monkees 1st Lp, Monkees More of.
The first album I bought was Magical Mystery Tour, the second was the White Album, both in 1968. Among the other albums I bought in the following year (1969) were Tommy by the Who and Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
A few of my first LPs were, Rubber Soul, Help, Beatles 65, Meet the Beatles, Beatles Second Album, Something New, The Early Beatles, Hard Days Night, then I started branching out with Gary Lewis & the Playboys Hits Again, Best of Tommy James & the Shondells,
Two of the first dozen or so albums I got early high school days were Bo Hansson's "Lord of the Rings" and "Zero Time" by Tonto's Expanding Head Band. I mention these because although I had by then Hendrix, Zappa, Beefheart, early Dead, Sabbath, Tull, the Velvet U, and similar others in my collection it was those two albums that freaked my parents out the most. "What is that weird music you listen to?" they'd say. Great fun. We were all acid heads in those days of course.
My memory is vague but the first I can remember buying is "A Collection of Beatles Oldies [but Goldies]" in 1966. When I seriously began collecting albums in the early 1970s I think the first LP I bought was "Paul Simon". I think the second was "Mocking Bird", a Barclay James Harvest "budget" compilation. I these days artists / bands brought out "budget" LPs. EG. "Genesis Live" and "Earthbound" by King Crimson.
Deja Vu by CSNY. Tom Rush purple cover and Wrong End of the Rainbow. Self Portrait by Bob Dylan. After the Gold Rush by Neil Young. Elton John with Your Song on it (later bought Madman for a girlfriend). Sniper by Harry Chapin. Woodstock. Help by the Beatles. Many were on 8 track.
For me it was 'David Live' from 1974. I still love it even though its not a hit with most critics. After that I bought other Bowie albums from the period but can't remember the sequence. Cheers.
1. Dave Clark 5: American Tour 2. Otis Redding: Live In Europe. Great album. Blown away that these performances are now on TH-cam. What a band. I prefer STAX to Motown. 3. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Smash Hits. Amazingly good.
I don’t remember the albums I bought before college, but I remember buying Steely Dan Can’t Buy A Thrill and Genesis Duke. I bought them from a guy who would sells albums at Albany State campus.
My first ten, chrono order, purchased between Summer of 1975 and the end of 1976: 1. Elton John: Captain Fantastic 2. Elton John: Madman Across the Water 3. BTO: Not Fragile (dud!) 4. BTO: Four Wheel Drive (another dud!) 5. David Bowie: Young Americans 6. 10cc: 100cc 7. 10cc: The Original Soundtrack 8. 10cc: How Dare You 9. Ambrosia: s/t 10. ELO: A New World Record
The first rockNroll album I received was A Hard Days's Night, when it was new. I believe the first album I bought was Best of the Beach Boys, Vol II. I mostly wanted California Girls, Help Me Rhonda, and Surfin' Safari. I hadn't heard the songs on at least half of the album before I bought it. I remember bringing my $3 to the appliance store (in the 60s I don't recall any record stores near me, most records were bought at department stores and appliance stores). I didn't have enough money for the tax, but the young lady at the cash register felt sorry for me and paid the tax herself. A Licorice Pizza opened up near me on Victory Blvd in the early 70s, but they didn't have used records. Btw, Lou Reed's first music job was as a staff songwriter for Pickwick Records. I enjoyed your list.
My fist 10 purchased albums (only in english) (in 1969) : 1) Beach Boys - Summer Days (at Sherman, $1,27) 2) Four Seasons - New Gold Hits 3) Lou Christie - (with Isley Brothers and Chiffons) 4) T-Bones - No Matter What Shape 1970: 5) Beach Boys - Wild Honey (regular price : $4,23) 6) Freddie & The Dreamers & friends - Seaside Swingers soundtrack 7) Cyrkle - Red Rubber Ball 8) Beach Boys - Biggest Beach Hits (RCA label) 9) Surfaris - Hit City '65 10) Association - And Then Along Comes Paint Me A Picture (Gary Lewis) was 16) !
I found singles a better value. I could afford three of them every other week at 69 cents each (in the 1960's). First LP with my own money in 1969: The Best of Tommy James & The Shondells. Next up were Cellophane Symphony, Crimson & Clover, The Beatles Hey Jude, 3 Dog Night Suitable For Framing, Tommy James solo album, Rick Nelson In Concert, CCR's Willy & The Poor Boys and Cosmos Factory, Best of The Guess Who, & The 1969 Warner Reprise Songbook 'loss leader', which really opened the doors for me and caused a record collection to start. I almost bought a 99 cent cut out of Morning Dew on Roulette, however, the naked hippies on the cover would not make it past mom, so I put it back grudgingly.
Uriah Heep - Return To Fantasy Deep Purple - 24 Carat Purple Status Que - on The Level Genesis - Live Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality Genesis - Wind And Wuthering Santana - Inner Secrets Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon Yes - The Yes Album Jethro Tull - Living In The Past Kansas - Leftoverture
Special Beat Service by English Beat and Power, Corruption & Lies from NO are the earliest I can remember with my own funds. An older kid on my street clued me in to several albums that I filed away to buy when I could and I remember them being priorities. The next eight are a blur for the most part.
I had quite a few 45's before having enough money to buy a full album. My sister had some albums that I listened to as well. Probably my first album was Kiss Alive. A couple of my early albums were Ted Nugent self entitled and Robin Trower Live. I remember an early high priced acquisition being "Runt The Ballad of Todd Rundgren" an original Bearsville copy. This was before the Rhino reissues and the internet. I paid I think $60 for it in the late 70's.
Not quite sure but there was: Led Zeppelin II, Black Sabbath Paranoid, Deep Purple In Rock, then things like Ekseption (awful), Mungo Jerry (the one with In the Summertime), and later Humble Pie Rock on, Cactus One way or Another, Deep Purple Fireball (disappointing), Alice Cooper Killer and possibly the Rolling Stones get your Ya Ya's out. Cool times
Queen - Greatest Hits Rolling Stones - Rolled Gold David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust Doors - Greatest Hits Vols. 1 + 2 Neil Young - Rust never sleeps Bowie - Heroes Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Iggy Pop - Lust for life Lynerd Skynerd - Street Survivors Aerosmith - Live Bootleg
I feel bad. I'm only 5 years older than you and I can't remember. I want to say "The Early Beatles" That is my final answer. Hopefully I'll win the luggage from the Spiegel Catalog, Chicago 60609. I do remember buying 5 albums for a dollar from Columbia House. They sat the whole summer in between the storm door and the front door because we were not at home. When I got them, they looked like bowls. They played. It was fun watching the needle go up the hill. I know one was ELP - Pictures at an Exhibition, Bette Midler - Divine miss M. Can't remember the other 3.
I love this subject it’s funny to see how many people try to look cool and say there first album they bought is by some cool artist mine was a record who American listeners probably don’t know it’s I wish I could fly by Keith Harris and orvil lol I was 5 so give me a break 😂
I don't have that kind of memory to be able to list the first ten albums that I bought with my own coin. I have to admit that I was a very spoiled brat; most of the 45s and albums that ended up in my mitts were bought for me. (The first album that I owned was purchased for me by my late sister; Elvis Presley's 'Pot Luck' in 1962!) The first album, I think, that I bought with my own money was 'Beatles VI' back in 1965. I believe it was about $1.69 or so at some department store in Northeast Philadelphia.
First album I purchased was Black Sabbath Paranoid. Was visiting my cousin in Charlotte, he’d introduced me to the band with a mix tape of tracks that he had. We went to Eastland Mall and it had all three songs that had hooked me.
I didn’t have access to a used shop until I got my license at 17, so I was paying full freight for records until I joined Columbia House.
I remember buying The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed and it having the wrong record in the sleeve! Since they didn’t have another copy I think I exchanged it for BOC’s Extra Terrestrial Live.
The first album I bought with my own money was Sly and the Family Stone's Greatest Hits.
That’s one of the best Hits albums of all time. Perfect.
In 1971 I was 14 yrs old and in 7th grade. I remember buying the first four Credence Clearwater Revival albuma and James Taylor's Sweet Baby James. I lived in the SF bay area at the time. Me and my father would shop at Rather Ripped Records and Tower Records in Berkeley. I was into rock music and my dad listened to traditional country. We both loved going to music stores. Norman
@@Hunt4disc Very cool 😉
My first album buy was Revolver (mono/USA version) for $2.86 in November 1966. I was in the fifth grade. Bought other Beatle albums in ’67 and ’68.
First non-Beatle LP purchase was probably a mail-order blooper album.
A summer job as a teenager enabled me to catch up on rock albums going back to 1965.
Got more interested in albums of classical and jazz music in college (during the disco era).
Truly fun to watch, and you hit everyone at their core memories here.. With the RCA Victor record club (4 for a penny), my album collection got launched, in this order...
1 Surrealistic Pillow
2 Crosby Stills and Nash
3 Mr. Spocks Music from Outer Space
4.Tom Jones Live in Las Vegas
5. Phil Ochs in Concert
6 Roger Miller/ King of The Road
7 Rubber Soul
8 Suitable for Framing/ Three Dog Night
9 Tumbleweed Connection/ Elton John
10 Tiny Tim / For All My Little Friends
A really healthy start, and my mom was scared to death of the Phil Ochs album, which I got at Safeway Food Market for $1.59
Ha, very cool 😉
Phil Ochs 👍 RIP 1940-1976
We lived in very rural western PA, which in some ways had it's advantages. One was that there were small, rotating album bins full of cut-out's for $0.50 a piece at two of the three grocery stores in town. One store was Riverside. That was where I bought "Get on Up, and Get Away" by The Esquires. Other albums I bought that day were, "Their Second Album" by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs" and "The Time Has Come" by The Chambers Brothers. Another store in town was A&P, where I bought the first album by Blues Image. I also bought there a ten-track compilation album on Columbia's CSP label called "The Best of the Gold Vol. 7." I bought it particularly for "Good Thing" by Paul Revere and The Raiders; but also for "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds and "Don't You Care" by The Buckinghams.
A little later, a department store opened up a little farther away from us called Fisher's Big Wheel. They had a beautiful selection of cut-outs! That was where I bought "Focus 3" by Focus. I had already known them from hearing "Hocus Pocus" on the radio, and I knew "Sylvia" by hearing it on a various artists collection. I remember really loving the album's cover! That helped push me toward buying it, I was so glad that I did! I love that album - still one of my all-time favorites!! Another album I bought there was the first album by a New York band called Dust, a three-piece band with a teenage Marc Bell on drums. Later, he changed his handle to Markie Ramone. I also bought Eric Carmen's "Boats Against the Current" because it contained the single: "She Did It" which I liked quite a bit. I also made my first Beatles purchase at that store, albeit full price. That was "Abbey Road," on the orange Capitol label.
In town we had a 5&10 store called G.C. Murphy's. I bought a 2-L.P. compilation album there on Sire called "The History of British Rock - Vol. 2." And those were my first ten.
Very cool. Great stories. 😉
This episode really brought back some memories for me. Years before I began buying LPs, I remember my younger sister buying More Of The Monkees LP. I had just begun buying 45 singles then, this being late 1967. The first LPs I remember buying were the first Bee Gees Greatest Hits LP and the Best of Tommy James & The Shondells, in late 1969. Over the next couple of years I went on to buy the octagonal Through The Past Darkly Rolling Stones Greatest Hits LP and the Who’s Next LP, as I became more enamored with hard rock.
First albums I bought were "Flowers" by the Rolling Stones, "Revolution" by Paul Revere and the Raiders, and "Surrealistic Pillow" by Jefferson Airplane. All newly released at the time. What a start!
1. The Guess Who: Live At the Paramount.
2. Three Dog Night: Seven Separate Fools
3. Deep Purple: Machine Head.
My memory’s a little fuzzy after that. Amazingly, I still enjoy them. Another great topic!
the kink kronikles and the beatles 1967-1970 for $10: what a steal...i hardly ever see dave clark 5 records and i have never owned anything by him or by gary lewis. i do like some dave clark 5 singles...i bought michael jackson's "ben", elton john's "goodbye yellow brick road" and elvis presley's "the sun sessions".
Not much money in my family, so my first records were Christmas and birthday gifts. The first one I bought with my own money happened because of an ad in the National Lampoon for a record that could be had for the low price of $1! It was Zapped, the sampler of artists on Frank Zappa's Bizarre/Straight labels. All the strange stuff (and some fairly normal) really turned my head around. I guess that record arrived in the mail around the end of the summer in 1970, and I loved it so much that I took it on a Thanksgiving road trip to play it for my cousin. Unfortunately, it rode next to the heater vent of the family Volkswagen so it was a warped mess by the time we arrived. The following summer I started tracking down used copies of other Zappa albums.
I was very fortunate to have an Aunt who worked for Columbia Records distribution centre in Pitman New Jersey. Aunt Elaine used to give me a stack of albums each Christmas of a variety of genres and artists, from Country to Hard Rock. She gave me albums by Johnny Winter-Ten Years After-Stevie Wonder-Aretha Franklin-Chicago-Blood Sweat & Tears-Jimi Hendrix Experience-The Mama's & Papa's-Conway Twitty-Johnny Cash-Tammy Wynette etc., so I had a great album collection given to me as gifts. When I was able to purchase my own albums at the local record store in my town (it was called The Disc Den), I bought Surrealistic Pillow and Takes Off by Jefferson Airplane, then I bought Meaty,Beaty, Big & Bouncy by The Who, James Gang Yer Album and Rides Again, Steve Miller Band 5, Days Of Future Past by The Moody Blues and Threshold Of A Dream, The Beatles (White Album) and Revolver.
You are lucky! That is awesome.
The Animals / The Best Of
Yardbirds / Having A Rave-Up
The Young Rascals / Collections
Sandy Nelson / "In" Beat
The Ventures / Walk Don't Run '64
Bob Dylan / Highway 61 Revisited
The Wild Ones / The Arthur Sound
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels / Take A Ride
The Kinks / Debut
Paul Revere & The Raiders/ Just Like Us
Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, best of the Animals, Monkees 1st, High Tide and Green Grass big hits Rolling Stones. 2 older brothers bought all Beatles early LPs
"Hums" is a great album.👍😃
I am old enough to have had a decent collection of 45's. I began collecting albums in college. There were few if any used record racks. The first ten were Shine on Brightly, Procol Harum. Beatles, White. Salisbury, Uriah Heep, Live at the Forum, Three Dog Night. Stand Up Jethro Tull. Benefit Jethro Tull(I was the first in my dorm to get Benefit). Grand Funk Railroad the red and white album. A Step Further, Savoy Brown. (Savoy Brown were a major act back then). Shhhh Ten Years After(I was a huge Alvin Lee Fan) John Mayal and The Blues breakers with Peter Green.
Chris Youlden's time with Savoy Brown was their best, imo. He was a terrific singer and songwriter, and SB were never as good after he left the band.
Mid 60’s my older sister and I joined a record club and I still have some of these:
High Tide and Green Grass Rolling Stones
Before and After by Chad & Jeremy
This Diamond Ring Gary Lewis & Playboys
Here They Come by Paul Revere & the Raiders
Beach Boys Today!
Glad All Over and American Tour by Dave Clark 5 loved that band
Roger Miller Golden Hits (got a replacement clean copy a few years ago)
Fun topic
Great stuff Tom. I didn't have a dime when I was a kid, so I couldn't purchase any music until I got my first job at McDonald's. I started off with 8 tracks first and distinctly remember among my first purchases were Styx The Grand Illusion, Queen Jazz, Steely Dan Aja, and Boston. These were more or less new releases at that time.
First vinyl purchase was Led Zeppelin IV.
By 1979, I discovered different kinds of music and picked up Drums and Wires by XTC, and Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division, to name a couple.
Cheers.
Very cool 😉
First album purchased -- Leonard Nimoy's "Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space." Bought from the local Gimbels department store record section. Give me a break. I was ten when Star Trek debuted on NBC. I also remember purchasing "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" when I was twelve (though the album had been available for 4 years by then). First albums purchased that drastically altered my musical perspective -- Nick Drake's "Bryter Layter," John Cale's "Paris 1919", Love's "Forever Changes,"and Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks."
If you're going to have your musical perspective changed, you can't ask for better than Nick Drake, John Cale, and "Forever Changes". 👍😃
My first few albums that I bought with my own money ( from my TV Guide route) were Jesus Christ Superstar, Neil Young Everybody Knows... and James Gang In Concert. Fond memories! Thanks
James Gang In Concert is one of the best live albums ever. I still listen to it all the time.
First albums that I bought at a very young age, ''Beatles 65'' ''Man From Uncle'' soundtrack,''Thunder Ball''soundtrack,Rubber Soul''.All sealed and brand new from ''Woolworths''.Guess I had a thing for''Beatles''and ''Spies''!
Moody Blues, Every Good Boy Deserbes Favour....... a good friend's first was ELP's first with Lucky Man.
Explosive Hits '71 (Australia) aged 10. Stones, T Rex, Deep Purple etc .Still got it.
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player by Elton John was my first album purchase. Cinematic music with a gatefold concept cover and booklet. Highly entertaining for a pre-teen and great value for money!
My first English-languaged album was "Bridges To Babylon" by the Rolling Stones in 1997 shortly after the release. I heard the single and "Always Suffering" on the radio before the album release. I played the album to death, collected all the other albums and saw them on the "Bridges To Babylon Tour" (my third rock concert). I don't listen to the Stones any more, but these are great memories. I still like the album title and most of the artwork (not the front cover and the band picture).
Bought my brother Rascals “Greatest Hits.” I remember the 45
“Get Back” with “Don’t Let Me Down.” Great cate”gory.” Loved the Folk show!
_The Beatles 1967 - 1970_ was the first album I bought when I was in college. I bought it at the Michigan Union in 1972 and played it a lot.
Back in high school, I was not into rock music yet, so I think the first album I bought was Lalo Schifrin’s _More Mission: Impossible._ I also bought plenty of Herb Alpert and Paul Mauriat and all sorts of instrumentals.
Well in 1966 when I was 7 first album Beatles oldies but goldies compilation paid for it with change I had saved up! Unfortunately the second album was a UK comedian Ken Dodd comedy album he did do straight musical albums! This wasn't one! 😆
The Monkees are cooooool !... Thanks for your honest acknowlegedement.
It was all radio until the summer of 1964, then: 'Beatles Second Album,' 'Hard Day's Night,' All Summer Long,' 'Something New.'
Nice memories. I would like you to do a feature on your favorite Unauthorized/Bootlegs LPs.
My first boots were two different Mahavishnu Orchestra live in 1973 that I found in a Berkeley record store on Telegraph Ave
That is a great idea. I will feature that in the near future. Thanks 😉
The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" LP is excellent! So is "Kink Kronikles", both of which I bought new. I've never been a big fan of The Monkees, but I liked "Headquarters".
I received The Animals' US debut LP for my 12th birthday, and then bought the debut LP from Herman's Hermits, immediately followed by The Stones' "12X5", which changed everything for me, in regards to my musical taste. "12X5" was, for me, like a college education and I must have played it a million times before I was 13.
Interesting vid, CF. We all have to start somewhere and, like you, my first LP acquisitions were hand-me-downs from older siblings. Among them were Bobby Vee's Greatest Hits (a good LP, if you like that sort of thing, and I do), Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits, The Brothers Four, Joan Baez debut, Peter, Paul and Mary In Concert, and The Ventures "Walk, Don't Run" LP.
By the way, both "Words" and "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" were recorded before The Monkees by The Leaves (debut LP) and The Astronauts (from Boulder, Colorado).
Some links:
"Words", The Leaves (debut LP, summer 1966) th-cam.com/video/azCSgy4Jn-Q/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IDaJJrsvkxwLbwPC
"Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day", The Astronauts (1965) th-cam.com/video/CrW30INwcaM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Sx5Q8Rd5He8iwook
👍😄
@@total.stranger Interesting, never knew that. I will check these out. 😉
Some great old classics!
I can clearly remember my first two album purchases-Cosmo’s Factory-CCR and Rod’s Every Picture. Still love them both.
I think my first couple of purchased albums were "Christmas 64" by Jimmy Smith and Lou Rawls' "Black and Blue".
Oops...I forgot about Ray Charles' "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"!
Pink Floyd's Ummagumma. It was a toss up between that and Alice Cooper's Killer.
My first album was the eponymous first Bob Dylan album. I read an article in Time magazine and went to the only record store in the little WY town I lived in and had to special order it. I could only play it in my parents big console when they weren’t home. I was 12.
@@BRLaue That’s awesome 😉
Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man; Herman's Hermits- Greatest hits; The Hollies- Here! Hear! and Here I Go Again; Yardbirds Rave Up; The Fortunes- 1st Lp on UK Decca (from Lew Lewins Record Paradise on Hollywood Blvd. 1966, also Live at the Cavern various artists UK Decca); Byrds Turn Turn Turn; Monkees 1st Lp, Monkees More of.
The first album I bought was Magical Mystery Tour, the second was the White Album, both in 1968. Among the other albums I bought in the following year (1969) were Tommy by the Who and Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
Oh Lord. Recall transistor radio?! Loved the Monkees on MTV reaired em @87; loads o fun. Wow your taste is Immaculate!🤸
A few of my first LPs were, Rubber Soul, Help, Beatles 65, Meet the Beatles, Beatles Second Album, Something New, The Early Beatles, Hard Days Night, then I started branching out with Gary Lewis & the Playboys Hits Again, Best of Tommy James & the Shondells,
Two of the first dozen or so albums I got early high school days were Bo Hansson's "Lord of the Rings" and "Zero Time" by Tonto's Expanding Head Band. I mention these because although I had by then Hendrix, Zappa, Beefheart, early Dead, Sabbath, Tull, the Velvet U, and similar others in my collection it was those two albums that freaked my parents out the most. "What is that weird music you listen to?" they'd say. Great fun. We were all acid heads in those days of course.
At 13 I bought "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" and "Ball" Iron Butterfly, "Madman Across the Water" Elton John, "Magical Mystery Tour" Beatles.
My memory is vague but the first I can remember buying is "A Collection of Beatles Oldies [but Goldies]" in 1966. When I seriously began collecting albums in the early 1970s I think the first LP I bought was "Paul Simon". I think the second was "Mocking Bird", a Barclay James Harvest "budget" compilation. I these days artists / bands brought out "budget" LPs. EG. "Genesis Live" and "Earthbound" by King Crimson.
"Absolutely Live", double LP by Rod Stewart! Got it for my bday but I low-key "ordered" it from my friend, he knew that I liked RS. It's still 🔥🔥🔥
Sgt. Pepper's white album, red and blue albums Zeppelin IV bat out of hell, who's next Tommy soundtrack, Damn the torpedo Cat Stevens Greatest hits.
Deja Vu by CSNY. Tom Rush purple cover and Wrong End of the Rainbow. Self Portrait by Bob Dylan. After the Gold Rush by Neil Young. Elton John with Your Song on it (later bought Madman for a girlfriend). Sniper by Harry Chapin. Woodstock. Help by the Beatles. Many were on 8 track.
For me it was 'David Live' from 1974. I still love it even though its not a hit with most critics. After that I bought other Bowie albums from the period but can't remember the sequence. Cheers.
That’s a fantastic album. Never understood why it was panned.
1. Dave Clark 5: American Tour
2. Otis Redding: Live In Europe. Great album. Blown away that these performances are now on TH-cam. What a band. I prefer STAX to Motown.
3. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Smash Hits. Amazingly good.
Beach boys- summer days &summer nights. Beatles-2nd album.
I don’t remember the albums I bought before college, but I remember buying Steely Dan Can’t Buy A Thrill and Genesis Duke. I bought them from a guy who would sells albums at Albany State campus.
My first ten, chrono order, purchased between Summer of 1975 and the end of 1976:
1. Elton John: Captain Fantastic
2. Elton John: Madman Across the Water
3. BTO: Not Fragile (dud!)
4. BTO: Four Wheel Drive (another dud!)
5. David Bowie: Young Americans
6. 10cc: 100cc
7. 10cc: The Original Soundtrack
8. 10cc: How Dare You
9. Ambrosia: s/t
10. ELO: A New World Record
The first rockNroll album I received was A Hard Days's Night, when it was new. I believe the first album I bought was Best of the Beach Boys, Vol II. I mostly wanted California Girls, Help Me Rhonda, and Surfin' Safari. I hadn't heard the songs on at least half of the album before I bought it. I remember bringing my $3 to the appliance store (in the 60s I don't recall any record stores near me, most records were bought at department stores and appliance stores). I didn't have enough money for the tax, but the young lady at the cash register felt sorry for me and paid the tax herself. A Licorice Pizza opened up near me on Victory Blvd in the early 70s, but they didn't have used records. Btw, Lou Reed's first music job was as a staff songwriter for Pickwick Records. I enjoyed your list.
Thanks, great stories on your end. 😉
Around 1969 I bought my first album ( i was 12 ) : Revolver , life was never the same...
I hear ya 😉
My fist 10 purchased albums (only in english) (in 1969) :
1) Beach Boys - Summer Days (at Sherman, $1,27)
2) Four Seasons - New Gold Hits
3) Lou Christie - (with Isley Brothers and Chiffons)
4) T-Bones - No Matter What Shape
1970:
5) Beach Boys - Wild Honey (regular price : $4,23)
6) Freddie & The Dreamers & friends - Seaside Swingers soundtrack
7) Cyrkle - Red Rubber Ball
8) Beach Boys - Biggest Beach Hits (RCA label)
9) Surfaris - Hit City '65
10) Association - And Then Along Comes
Paint Me A Picture (Gary Lewis) was 16) !
Great buys! That Beach Boys is cool. Cheers
@@7BobbyGaylor7 Cheers 😉
I found singles a better value. I could afford three of them every other week at 69 cents each (in the 1960's). First LP with my own money in 1969: The Best of Tommy James & The Shondells. Next up were Cellophane Symphony, Crimson & Clover, The Beatles Hey Jude, 3 Dog Night Suitable For Framing, Tommy James solo album, Rick Nelson In Concert, CCR's Willy & The Poor Boys and Cosmos Factory, Best of The Guess Who, & The 1969 Warner Reprise Songbook 'loss leader', which really opened the doors for me and caused a record collection to start. I almost bought a 99 cent cut out of Morning Dew on Roulette, however, the naked hippies on the cover would not make it past mom, so I put it back grudgingly.
I love those Warner Bros. Loss-Leader albums!
Those Warner Bros compilations from the late 60’s/early 70’s are fantastic. I have quite a few.
Uriah Heep - Return To Fantasy
Deep Purple - 24 Carat Purple
Status Que - on The Level
Genesis - Live
Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
Genesis - Wind And Wuthering
Santana - Inner Secrets
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Yes - The Yes Album
Jethro Tull - Living In The Past
Kansas - Leftoverture
Special Beat Service by English Beat and Power, Corruption & Lies from NO are the earliest I can remember with my own funds. An older kid on my street clued me in to several albums that I filed away to buy when I could and I remember them being priorities. The next eight are a blur for the most part.
@@robgasper8521 Love Special Beat Service. Great album.
I had quite a few 45's before having enough money to buy a full album. My sister had some albums that I listened to as well. Probably my first album was Kiss Alive. A couple of my early albums were Ted Nugent self entitled and Robin Trower Live. I remember an early high priced acquisition being "Runt The Ballad of Todd Rundgren" an original Bearsville copy. This was before the Rhino reissues and the internet. I paid I think $60 for it in the late 70's.
Wow, that was a ton of cash back in those days. 😉
Meet the Beatles!
Not quite sure but there was: Led Zeppelin II, Black Sabbath Paranoid, Deep Purple In Rock, then things like Ekseption (awful), Mungo Jerry (the one with In the Summertime), and later Humble Pie Rock on, Cactus One way or Another, Deep Purple Fireball (disappointing), Alice Cooper Killer and possibly the Rolling Stones get your Ya Ya's out. Cool times
First one I bought was inside information by foreigner on cd
My First Album was Bob Dylans Greatest Hits
I think my 2nd was Hot Rats ( I liked the cover )
That is a great cover. 😉
Queen - Greatest Hits
Rolling Stones - Rolled Gold
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Doors - Greatest Hits Vols. 1 + 2
Neil Young - Rust never sleeps
Bowie - Heroes
Bob Dylan - Highway 61
Iggy Pop - Lust for life
Lynerd Skynerd - Street Survivors
Aerosmith - Live Bootleg
@@SH-ud8wd Nice!
And Your Bird Can Sing! 😮😮😮😮😮😊😊😊😊😊
Of course! Total brain fart on my end. 😉
I feel bad. I'm only 5 years older than you and I can't remember. I want to say "The Early Beatles" That is my final answer. Hopefully I'll win the luggage from the Spiegel Catalog, Chicago 60609. I do remember buying 5 albums for a dollar from Columbia House. They sat the whole summer in between the storm door and the front door because we were not at home. When I got them, they looked like bowls. They played. It was fun watching the needle go up the hill. I know one was ELP - Pictures at an Exhibition, Bette Midler - Divine miss M. Can't remember the other 3.
I love this subject it’s funny to see how many people try to look cool and say there first album they bought is by some cool artist mine was a record who American listeners probably don’t know it’s I wish I could fly by Keith Harris and orvil lol I was 5 so give me a break 😂
You a little young for some of these records
If the late 50’s are a little young then I’m very pleased. 😉