The Record That Started it All

What was your first album?

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Way before my career in digital marketing, and before the thousands of CDs and LPs that now line my walls... there was a local mall, and a record store inside called The Musicsmith, where a nine-year-old version of me bought his first album.

It was the spring of 1982. My dad took me to the mall and told me I could pick one record after a haircut. I can still see the store's layout, the rows and rows of records, and the wall of cassette tapes. Once I felt the weight of that record in my hands as I pulled it from the bin, I had to have it. It was Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.’

I picked this album because of the title track. I’d heard it over and over on the radio, and it felt like a bolt of lightning. Great energy, easy to sing the chorus, and she looked like a badass. I just needed to own that sound.

But a funny thing happens when you buy your first record: you realize there’s a world beyond the hit single. While the world was obsessed with the “put another dime in the jukebox” hook, I was falling in love with another song, the last song on side A.

Most people know the Tommy James original, but Joan Jett’s version is a masterclass in tension. To this day, when that powerful guitar kicks in, and her voice drops into that low, grainy “over and over,” I still get chills. Later, when the solo occurs, and the drums take off, and the band chimes in with “Ba da da da da da,” I never miss a chance to play the air drums. It taught me, at age nine, that a great cover isn’t just a copy; it’s a reclamation. But yes, I did think it was her song back in 1982…

Why it still matters.

In a world full of digital algorithms, there is something sacred about the first record you ever chose for yourself. It’s the DNA of your taste. The beginning of the evolution of why you like this music and why that particular genre or artist is right for you.

What was the first record that you ever picked out for yourself? Do you still listen to it? Let’s talk about where it all started for you!

…and yes, I still have the orignal album.

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Lately, I’ve been thinking about how to take this community to the next level. I’m a lifelong learner, and as many of you know, someone who loves nothing more than sharing a lost or rare record. I’m exploring some new ideas, and I’d love your honest take…

Could you share your thoughts on the following possible new segments?

• The Crate Digger’s Digest - Focusing on rare finds, the history of physical media, and/or the stories behind the vinyl.

• The Human Algorithm - The antidote to AI-generated playlists. I’ll continue to create playlists, keeping them available on Mixcloud, Apple Music, and QoBuz, and also offering exclusive playlists available only on Substack.

What’s the one thing you wish you had more of in your music life right now? Help finding specific albums or just better “human” recommendations to escape algorithms?

Thanks as always for reading.

JB