In our ongoing series on what we’re all doing while on Lockdown, we’ve asked our writer’s, musician friends, and others in the entertainment world what they’re doing to keep themselves busy. We asked if there are any movies, NetFlix series, Bands, albums they like to listen to that they could recommend
We posed this question to one of our writers, Martin Medina. Martin is a SoCal native and was all in on this assignment. His response was…
My Top 10 High School Songs
Having grown up behind the Orange Curtain, my musical tastes varied due to the influence of my family, my friends and of course the weather. From what I remember it was always sunny, there was always a cookout and it seemed that I was always at the beach. The constant was that there was always music playing.
My father, born and raised in Texas, introduced me to and nurtured my love for Honkey-Tonk / Country and Western music. Hank Williams, Bob Wills and later Willie and Waylon. My mom however, she was a Tony Bennet/Frank Sinatra/Robert Goulet kind of woman who most likely dreamt of romance and far away lands unlike my career Marine dad who wanted to have fun, drink beer and “raise hell” as he called it.
My sisters were born in the mid 50’s and were ushered into the 60’s with the Beach Boys, Beatles and the British Invasion and as they progressed later turned me onto to bands such as David Bowie, Elton John, Mott the Hoople as well as Chicago, Eagles and Steely Dan. The sounds of music playing in our home blended seamlessly within genres.
I grew up listening to radio stations such as KEZY, KLOS, KMET and KROQ and used my sister’s cassette player to record the early threads of my life and would call in to win tickets to shows I could not and would not attend. Bad Company, Peter Frampton at Anaheim Stadium, Pink Floyd, etc. If I were only a few years older…
By the time I got to high school (all guys parochial school that I shall keep nameless but rhymes with Per-vite…) I had a solid foundation to build from and would spend every last cent on albums from the local record store as well as trips with my sister to Licorice Pizza (they gave away licorice, what a deal!) Most all those records are gone, borrowed and never returned or left behind at parties but the memory lingers…
So with that, here is my Top 10 Songs from High School in no particular order!
Miss America by Styx | This was a Freshman year high school dance staple and the ONLY Styx song I’ve ever liked
Dod Eat Dog by Ted Nugent | Saw him at my 1st concert with KISS, Bob Seger and Montrose
Detroit Rock City by KISS | Grew up a fan as a result of my obsession with horror movies
Don’t Fear the reaper by Blue Oster Cult | An old school band with what else? COWBELL!
Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith | What can I say, chicks dug Aerosmith.
Slowride by Foghat | I’ve always loved Blues Rock and these guys were IMO the epitome of a good time.
Blitzkrieg Bop by Ramones | Things started taking a turn for me and punk rock was it. The energy, the sound, magic.
Deny Everything by Circle Jerks | Saw them at the Cuckoos Nest and was hooked.
Safe European Home by The Clash | Loved the 1st album and saw them at the Hollywood Palladium with Mike Ness (Social D) and my buddy John.
Highway To Hell by AC/DC | Catholic schoolboy gone bad…
