110 artist(e)s that helped shape my musical taste

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12.
Beatles, The - For No One


Probably the hardest artist from which to pull just the one track - especially when you love virtually all their entire output as a collective. This just happens to be Paul - absolutely no reflection on the others intended.



13.
Bee Gees - Elisa


This was one of my very earliest introductions to the Bee Gees and it's one I've held in high regard ever since. Again harmonies are the key and I like that vocal duties were shared here as it gives proceedings that little bit extra imo.



14.
Billie Holiday - Lady Sings The Blues


She had a vocal style that simply crackled with emotion and a smoky timbre that was perfectly suited to jazz and blues - what's not to like.



15.
Billy Bragg - Love Gets Dangerous


Politics aside I've a lot of respect for Mr. Bragg after having seen him live in Germany during the early-mid eighties with nothing more than his guitar, a microphone and one heck of a lot of passion.



16.
Billy Fury - Maybe Tomorrow


When I was young I was obsessed with music of the fifties and early sixties and could pretty much recite info on most hits from those days, sadly I struggle to even remember why I went upstairs these days so have no chance of doing that now but music never gets forgotten and for me Billy Fury is one of a few that just exemplifies that period for me.



17.
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath


Love early Sabs and love Ozzy's vocals no matter how much critics at the time and others these days might criticise them. This track is very much a favourite of mine as I just love the way it builds.



18.
Blind Boy Fuller - Untrue Blues


Blues doesn't always have to be downbeat and nobody showed that more than BBF imo.



19.
Blondie - Heart Of Glass


Deborah Harry, the woman that superceded Agnetha in my affections. The groups output was a little hit and miss for me but I always loved the laconic almost can't-be-arsed vocal delivery and when they nailed it it was close to perfection imo.



20.
Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall


It took me a while to get into Dylan to be honest but sharing a house in my late teens with my record-shop running friend who was obsessed with him eventually caused me to appreciate him and explore folk music in general more.



21.
Brenda Lee - Fool No. 1


I guess I inherited my bias toward female vocals from my father as singers such as Little Miss Dynamite, Connie Francis, Pet Clarke and Cilla were pretty much staples in our house when I was young. Of those it was the pint sized crossover star that became the biggest fave of mine - never flash but always effective.



I would've been disappointed if you hadn't had Dylan in there

I love it when people mention Billy Fury, he had such a great voice. He lived about six streets away from my mum's family in The Dingle in Liverpool. He used to hang around with my aunt and her mates. Shame he died so young.



22.
Bruce Springsteen - Tenth Avenue Freeze Out


The Boss is one of those artists that I skipped over originally. Sure, Born To Run was iconic and an instant like but I never really explored further until The River and then Born In The U.S.A. came out. His earlier stuff may still be a little hit or miss with me but I can always admire good songwriters and personally I like both his enthusiasm and unpolished vocals.



I would've been disappointed if you hadn't had Dylan in there

I love it when people mention Billy Fury, he had such a great voice. He lived about six streets away from my mum's family in The Dingle in Liverpool. He used to hang around with my aunt and her mates. Shame he died so young.
Phew, at least I've not disappointed one person on these boards then

Billy Fury was much loved and had a fantastic voice and yeah, like many, died way too early - it saddens me that he and others like him seem to be mainly forgotten these days. Are there any artists from the Pool you don't have some sort of familial connection with?



23.
Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?


One of my favourite bands of the punk era, all the intensity and dynamism but with a little more intelligence than most behind it (that's not a slight on other punk bands btw).



24.
Carpenters, The - We've Only Just Begun


Again nice harmonies, this time topped off with one of the most pure female voices ever imo - such a shame her head wouldn't let her appreciate what a wonder she was



25.
Charlie Parker - All The Things You Are


Jazz is a genre I struggled with for a long time, and still do in some respects, despite it often being played in the house of my childhood. I do have a soft spot for the sax as an instrument though and It's not that I can't enjoy good jazz - more that I generally need at least some sort of syncopation in order to be able to do so.



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Love to see, some from the oldies group, Eric Clapton that one song touch my heart - 'Tears in Heaven'.



26.
Clash, The - White Riot


A band I kind of 'grew up' with so naturally they are close to my heart even if we did part ways later in their career. Loved the way their music evolved into a fusion of sorts and lyrically they were bang on the pulse to a teen full of angst.



27.
Cleo Laine - Woman Talk


Technically probably the most accomplished female singer I've ever heard and am ever likely to hear.



28.
Cocteau Twins -Sugar Hiccup


Another fantastically versatile female voice and a group that perhaps surprisingly took me along on the transition from the wonderful post-punk debut to the ethereal wall of sound they were to become. Never before, outside of scat, did nonsense lyrics (primarily because Fraser was so embarrassed by her songwriting ability) sound so appealing to me.