Quite a number of years back, the TVD First Date feature was inaugurated to introduce new talent to the site and to follow an artist’s development while getting to know their own music via their record collections. ’twas a nifty idea earlier on, however over the course of a decade some more than well-established artists have lent their time to the feature to shed a light on what brought them to their first stages and into our own consciousness—and we’re resharing a number of our favorites this week. —Ed.
“The first vinyl I ever bought with my own hard-earned babysitting money was The Go Go’s Beauty and the Beat.”
“I know the phrase ‘it changed my life’ is thrown around pretty freely, but I sat in my basement bedroom listening to this album for hours and hours that day, alternately cross-legged on the floor studying the cover and then dancing like crazy. It changed my life.”
—Tanya Donnelly, 2018
“The first record I bought with my own money was the debut album by Boston. At that age it was probably birthday money.”
“I chose it over Kiss Destroyer. I’m not sure if it was the art that tipped the scales or because I already loved the track “More than a Feeling.” I can remember playing it over and over at my friend Nick’s house (his family had a serious stereo) and we beat the stuffing out of his couch with his brothers marching-band drum sticks.”
—Chris Gorman, 2018
“I think the first LP I bought with Christmas or birthday money was a Jim Croce record—but I’m not really sure which one.”
“I had a teacher in 3rd or 4th grade who would pull out a guitar and lead a class sing-along sometimes, and among the songs she would play was “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (along with the usual Peter, Paul & Mary, John Denver, and Simon & Garfunkel tunes) so it was a record that had either one or the other of those songs on it. I can’t really say it had a direct ‘influence’ on me, but at 8 or 9 I liked those songs for some reason. I suspect my parents may have steered me toward a Croce record because they wanted it!”
—Tom Gorman, 2018
“I love flight, birds, and especially seagulls (and pigeons) so when the movie Jonathan Livingston Seagull came out my mom took Paula Dennis and me to see it.”
“I fell in love with the soundtrack by Neil Diamond, so my mom gave me money so I could buy it. It was my first record. Like my band mates, I wore the record out with repeated plays. I imagined myself as Jonathan. I was obsessed with the full orchestration (and believe that is why I am so drawn to Tom’s lush orchestral arrangements). This was my first introduction to Neil Diamond and was amazed to discover he was a Hot August Night type. And was thrilled with that sound too. He is a wunderkind. As the world knows.”
—Gail Greenwood, 2018
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PHOTO: GORMAN STUDIOS
