The Music That Defined Me

I moved from the category Music Listener to Music Maker 12 years ago when I got my first guitar. Since then things have changed. Music has become more than just something I did in between trips to Wal-Mart and the bank. It transcended something in me and has evolved into something of a driving force.

Now, I am not like some melodramatic teen exclaiming, “I couldn’t live without music”, hearing violins playing in my head, but things would be different without it. Apart from relationships, with both God and man, music (both the listening and creating) may be the single most prioritized and meaningful thing I know.

I tend to categorize my life by what bands or songwriters were composing the soundtrack to my life at any given time. Over the past 12 years (since Thanksgiving of my 14^th year when my great grandma bought me my crimson Aria Pro: Knight Warrior) there have been key bands that entered into my story at pivotal points.

I think about what I would call my Constants (Desmond is my Constant), like Andrew Peterson and Five Iron Frenzy, that I discovered early in my musical journey. These are the ones I listen to on a regular basis even today. There are others, like Iron and Wine and The Appleseed Cast that I might put on a top 10 list of who I enjoy listening to the most, yet still wouldn’t make it on the list of bands that defined me.

Which brings me to the reason I am typing now. Here is my list (with possible annotations) in chronological order of artists who defined a period of time for me. Now, please do not mistake this list for bands that I would still say are my favorite (though most would make that list) these are artists that, at the time, captured me and found there way to CD players or tape decks more often than the rest. Here it goes:

The Early Years (pre guitar)

Michael Jackson

The Beach Boys

I would, without reservation, still claim these two artists to be the most influential in my life as a whole. Whatever Jackson may or may not have done on his own time, he was an unbelievably gifted entertainer. I might say that Brian Wilson is the best song writer of all time, composing, without a doubt, the best song of all time: God Only Knows

Middle School (Learning the Guitar)

Caedmon’s Call

Andrew Peterson

If you have known me for any amount of time you would know that I have at times been slightly more than obsessive about Andrew Peterson. Honestly in recent years, his playing on my stereo has tapered off, though still he will hold a place in my heart that I am sure no artist ever will.

Late Middle School/Early High School

Five Iron Frenzy/The Supertones

MxPx

Obsession was in high gear when the Supertones and then MxPx entered my life. I have always loved Five Iron, even back then. As I look back now, the Supertones and MxPx, certainly the most visibly devoted-to bands of my life, seemed to fade away, but Five Iron has stuck it out for me. It was listening to them today that spawned this blog.

Late High School

Dave Matthews Band (it was a weird time in my life, I have no other words for that)

Coldplay

Late Junior year I discovered Coldplay, and it was all over from there. They defined me then, they define me now. It is strange, and I have never really thought about it this way until as I type right now. No other band has come in and grabbed ahold of me and shaped me since Coldplay came on the scene. Maybe it is due to the unbelievable accessibility to music as I am overwhelmed with new music constantly. Maybe they are my pinnacle. Either way, Chris Martin and the gang have elevated themselves to a near personal level to me.

There are certainly tons of others that I may have said at any given time that they were my “favorite band” but none of them spoke to me in a way that when I think of that year they are the soundtrack I hear.

Honorable Mention goes to (in no particular order):

Copeland

Sufjan Stevens (He is the closest to making it on the aforementioned list)

Iron and Wine

NoFX

John Mayer

Jimmy Eat World

Forever Changed

David Crowder Band

Anyway, this is my music life. Who else will be on this list?

-Adam