Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I don't usually put a lot of stock into music but there is one album that I fell in love with.  Not because of the songs on it, or the musician, or how popular it was or wasn't, but because of the imagery.


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It was this album of Marilyn Manson's.  Do note that I'm not crazy about a lot of what he does but this album in particular helped me a lot.  The imagery of the album: the glam, the androgynous alien, and the beauty of the concept really helped me a lot in 1998.  At that time I was deep in my pool of self-loathing and was headed into a dark place of alcoholism.  I can remember clearly, as clear as an azure summer sky, that this album calmed me down.  It, in some twisted way, brought transsexualism mainstream.


What albums are important to you?

-AM

The White album

I will just throw out a list:

Anthrax "State Of Euphoria"
Helloween "Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Part Two"
Napalm Death "Harmony Corruption" "From Enslavement To Obliteration" (this one's a tie)
Carcass "Peel Sessions"
Painkiller "Buried Secrets"
V/A: "Noise War" double cassette compilation
V/A: "Journey Into Pain" quadruple cassette compilation
Mr Bungle "everything...it's just too great to pick only one"
Faith No More "All from the Mike Patton era"

Aqualung

all of Joni Mitchell

Tea for the Tillerman

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It introduced me to rock music and I've been in love ever since!

OK, I'll bite... umm, "short list" here that I whittled down to 20.  I'm a lot more eclectic these days, but during my formative years these were what helped me get through my misspent youth or inspired me to play the guitar.

Pink Floyd- The Wall (First album I ever bought, in early 1980)
Led Zeppelin- (Wow, how do you pick just one?  Second album I ever bought was In Throught the Out Door, 1980)
Deep Purple- Machine Head
Hendrix- Electric Ladyland (OK, all of them...)
David Bowie- Ziggy
Judas Priest- Sad Wings of Destiny
Rainbow- Rising
Rush- 2112
Ozzy- Blizzard of Ozz
Iron Maiden- Number of the Beat
Elton John- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Metallica- Master of Puppets
Marty Friedman- Dragon's Kiss
Jeff Beck- Truth/Beck-ola
Queen- A Night at the Opera
The Who- Tommy/Who's Next
Slayer- Reign in Blood
UFO- Strangers in the Night
Masters of Reality- Masters of Reality
The Clash- London Calling

hmm, albums that changed my life, well there are a few:

Fleetwood Mac- Rumors (1977)     
Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)
Pink Floyd - The Final Cut (1983)
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994)
In Flames - Colony (1999)
VNV Nation - Futureperfect (2002)
Lacrimosa - Elodia (1999)
Sisters of Mercy - Vision Thing (1990)
Within Temptation - The Silent Force (2004)
Shahidah Omar - Freedom (2010)
Plumb - Chaotic Resolve (2006)

That represents a great variety of genres but each of these albums spoke to me in one way or another, with many different songs. I find it interesting that the only solidly metal album on there is Colony, I used to love metal but, it tended to be individual songs more than albums. Though some would call Lacrimosa symphonic metal and some call Within Temptation metal, those descriptions don't feel right.

The Roger Waters era of Pink Floyd really made me rethink how I viewed the world and my place in it. From the Wall's discourse on betrayal and breakdown communication, to the Final Cuts' decidedly more political messages; I have spent a great deal of time going over the lyrics.

The Downward Spiral by the Nine Inch Nails, really worked for me as a Teenager, the angst, the rage against the hypocrisy of life. I still love to listen to songs like "Heresy" to this day, even if the album isn't as applicable as it once was.

VNV Nation is one of my favorite bands (if you consider two guys a band). While Empires is my favorite album, Futureperfect really spoke to me in a way that is hard to explain. In a way it represented possibility for me, and I can't quite explain why that is, but to this day when I hear "Electronaut" I want to go dance in the club, it might not have my favorite songs like "Standing", "Legion" or "Rubicon" but as an album it is special to me.

Some say First Last and Always was the best Sisters of Mercy Album, but something about Vision Thing just got me. "More" is something of a personal anthem of mine, and "Ribbons" as well as "Something Fast" were really the songs I needed back when I was listening to this album heavily.

Shahidah Omar is not the sort of artist that is really like anyone else. From the soft plea of "Stop the War" to the funky beats of "Freedom" and "Live My Dream" This album inspired me to be myself beyond anything else and embrace being weird. It is hard for me to say enough positive about this album but sadly no one knows who she is, and I get the feeling when I listen to those funky beats I am listening alone.

Plumb is interesting to make it on here as a Christan artist. Most Christan bands seem to put god before making good music, but for me Chaotic Resolve represents such deep personal pain that I relate too, I would be a fool to dismiss it because I differ religiously from the singer. "Cut" is a song about self harm, and it might require a bit of a trigger warning, but this was a song I relate to far more than I ever want to admit. The album after Chaotic Resolve, Blink has lots more sunny spots and really showcases her love of her children and her desire to protect them, so it isn't all darkness and sadness, but Chaotic Resolve spoke to me.

Last but not least if you don't have a 33RPM vinyl of "Rumors" by Fleetwood Mac, go buy it. Put that needle to the record, and just listen. You won't be disappointed. I never even picked up the CD version, it's that good.

Alice's Restaurant

all of Jimmy Hendrix ,Janis Joplin and Billy Holliday and Richi Havens

There are a lot of albums that I like that were/are important to me. Even ones that introduced me to a particular artist. Or albums that I studied like crazy. But there are only 2 that I view as life altering.

The first is Dark Side of the Moon. Even though it had been around forever before I heard it. I bought it on word of mouth alone. Everybody in the world knew this album except me. I don't remember what my life was before I brought it home and listened, but I certainly had no idea what music was or how it could be. Mind blown forever and of all the classic rock genre, Pink Floyd remain the only one I can still listen to with a sense of wonder or hear something new for the first time.

The second was Black Parade. I forget now how long ago that album was, but I was so disenchanted with the music scene and all the popular music and had been for a long time. I didn't even like MCR to begin with. I just remember hearing that song for the first time and thinking somebody has done something new and different but familiar. I went and bought it immediately, then the next day I went to their site and found out they were playing in town 2 days later and bought tix. I didn't know a freaking word off the record but it was amazing. I'm not into all that emo stuff, but the people there were so passionate and the band played their asses off and I've loved that album ever since. It was the album that reminded me why music was cool.

"Joe's Garage (Acts I, II and II)" Frank Zappa
"Absolutely Free" Frank Zappa
"We're Only In It For The Money" Frank Zappa (his overall message is great, no matter if i don't agree with him on many things, he told many people to think for themselves and not to be ashamed to be different, about the stupidity of blindly following orders and that's something i appreciate, even if he could be a dick at times)
"Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar" (3CD set) Frank Zappa
"Made In Japan" Deep Purple
"Live in Munich 1977" Rainbow
"Rainbow Rising" Rainbow

Wow... How to narrow this down into a manageable list... Let's make it 10...

Faith No More - Angel Dust
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Sonic Youth - A Thousand Leaves
Fear Factory - Obsolete
Cradle of Filth - Dusk and Her Embrace
Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse
The Cure - Disintegration
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Depeche Mode - Violator
Against Me! - White Crosses

EDIT - Make it unlucky 13, can't in all good conscience leave out Pink Floyd's The Wall, Bjork's Homogenic and the Manic Street Preachers' The Holy Bible.

The three that really stick with me are:

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I guess if i had to pick one it would be Daft Punks newest album Random Access Memories.
Bringing back old school 70's/80's funky music was amazing. The hype that lead up to the album and the album itself changed my outlook on life in so many ways.
Guy and Thomas from Daft Punk worked so damn hard on that album investing so many years, and invested millions of dollars just to make it happen.

Much respect to Guy-man and Thomas, been in the game for over 20 years now.

In no order hears just a few. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti,I heard them before but this was the one that turned me on to Led Zeppelin
Sticky Fingers the Rolling Stones,once again I'd heard their older stuff and this made me want to listen to their other songs
Motorhead by Motorhead,it was the loudest fastest music I'd ever heard I loved it and wanted more
Saigon Shakes,Bangkok Shocks Hanoi Rocks by Hanoi Rocks I loved the mix of punk and glam rock and when I saw Mike Monroe I knew it was possible to look like a beautiful woman.
Once,Angels fall First and Oceanborn by Nightwish it introduced me to symphonic metal and The Carpenter,Gethsemane and Higher than Hope got me interested in Christianity again and I went back to Church
The Way of The Fist by Five Finger Death Punch, loud,fast but melodic.I was a fan from the moment I first heard them.

Quote from: Ally_B on March 10, 2014, 07:58:41 AM
Faith No More - Angel Dust

WOO HOO!!

Quote from: Laura Squirrel on March 11, 2014, 11:01:03 PM
WOO HOO!!

YEAH!!!

;D

My second ever album (the first was The Real Thing!), and the very thing that got me addicted to music for life. Yep, you read right... I got hooked on Angel Dust.  :laugh:

1. The 1st Boston album.
2. The 2nd Boston album.
3. Pink Floyds dark side of the moon.
4. Rush moving pictures.
5. Rush 2112.
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd Gold & Platinum double set.
7. Doobie Brothers - Best of the Doobies.

Quote from: Ally_B on March 12, 2014, 08:22:28 AM
YEAH!!!

;D

My second ever album (the first was The Real Thing!), and the very thing that got me addicted to music for life. Yep, you read right... I got hooked on Angel Dust.  :laugh:

I also got The Real Thing before that. BUT, I didn't get Angel Dust (or King For a Day, Fool For a Lifetime & Album Of The Year) until a year or so ago. Once Angel Dust came out, I was in the middle of my "if it isn't Death Metal or Grindcore then it sucks" phase. So my tape collection suddenly became much smaller and more specific. That phase lasted until January of 1993 when I bought Painkiller's "Buried Secrets". That changed things quite a bit for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g32hCDVloL8

For the longest time, Painkiller held the distinction of "The most insane band ever". That changed once I heard Mr Bungle. The ironic thing is that John Zorn played on and produced the first Mr Bungle album.

Quote from: Laura Squirrel on March 12, 2014, 10:54:14 AM
I also got The Real Thing before that. BUT, I didn't get Angel Dust (or King For a Day, Fool For a Lifetime & Album Of The Year) until a year or so ago. Once Angel Dust came out, I was in the middle of my "if it isn't Death Metal or Grindcore then it sucks" phase. So my tape collection suddenly became much smaller and more specific. That phase lasted until January of 1993 when I bought Painkiller's "Buried Secrets". That changed things quite a bit for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g32hCDVloL8

For the longest time, Painkiller held the distinction of "The most insane band ever". That changed once I heard Mr Bungle. The ironic thing is that John Zorn played on and produced the first Mr Bungle album.

Will definitely have to listen to that when I get home tonight. Knew of Zorn due to his association w/ Bungle, et al, but never got around to checking out his stuff... You know how it is, the list of music to check out gets longer at a way faster rate than you can possibly listen to it all!

Heh, I had one of those phases when I first got into black metal... For about 18 months (around the milennial turn) if I wasn't BM it sucked! I like DM + grind too, bit never got into that to quite the same extent.

Of all things, I think it was Stabbing Westward's ultra poppy final album that brought me back into the wider world of music... Not that it was a great album, 'twas decent enough, but I guess it possessed a certain flavour I needed to taste at that stage...

Probably Gorillaz's self titled album. Mostly because it introduced me to indie-ish rock music when I was young.

Quote from: Calder Smith on March 14, 2014, 10:42:30 PM
Probably Gorillaz's self titled album. Mostly because it introduced me to indie-ish rock music when I was young.

THIS!
Sooo much this.
Gorillaz are fantastic. love all their stuff.

Quote from: TotallyAwks on March 14, 2014, 10:43:43 PM
THIS!
Sooo much this.
Gorillaz are fantastic. love all their stuff.

YES!

Finally found another Gorillaz fan. I'm still waiting for that new album but Damon is coming out with a solo album in April which should keep me entertained until then. :P

I listened to a lot of Reel Big Fish in high school that kept me on a happier path because I thought they were hilarious. But the album that has really stuck with me over the years and still listen to religiously is Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins (if I have to pick only one of their albums haha).

More than any other... Yeah, probably Mechanical Animals by Marilyn Manson for me, too.

Quote from: Laura Squirrel on February 11, 2014, 04:13:54 PMMr Bungle "everything...it's just too great to pick only one"

I love you!

Quote from: Ally_B on March 10, 2014, 07:58:41 AMFaith No More - Angel Dust

And I love you too!

Hard to pick which band I like best, but God sings in both of them, so there's no wrong picks =P

 :D That's awesome.

(Faith No More & Mr Bungle are 2 of my top 5 favorite bands.)

U2-Joshua Tree. :)

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere--- N. Y. and Crazy Horse

I dont think that album left my CD player for months... Still takes me back to that space and time...

Love the tone of the instruments, the syncopation of the all the various rhythms of the instruments, the raw recording, and most of all, the feeling in the music. magical album.

1. Kiss- Destroyer,  My first album which has their biggest hit is where I got my name from. I was 10 when it came out.
2. Jethro Tull - Aqalung, Love every song on the album.
3. Jimmy Buffett - One Particular Harbour, The title track takes me away to paradise, at least in my mind.

I really don't know about albums but the one song that changed my life was Hells Bells. It really didn't change my life but reinforced my destiny. >:-)

In addition to my earlier post, I would say that Bad Religion's "Stranger than fiction" and "Process of belief" also had a huge impact on me.  I remember my sister and her boyfriend got me these albums when I was much younger.  The band pretty much changed my life and helped shape my social views when I was an impressionable kid.  They are easily one of my favorite bands. 

I wonder if there are any more punk fans here 

Punk fan here,will be going to the Rebellion festival in August.Wish I could still wear drainpipes!

Quote from: learningtolive on April 23, 2014, 04:48:34 PM
I wonder if there are any more punk fans here

I love a lot of classic punk rock.  I love The Clash, Misfits, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Sex Pistols and Social D to name a few.

Oh, and Johnny Cash.  You can't outpunk Johnny.

I have to add Against Me!'s - Gender Dysphoria Blues. This didn't change my life but it has reinforced my conviction towards my transition. Also Laura Jane Grace's coming out story in Rolling Stone Magazine came out at the same time I was deciding if to transition or not. So in many ways she has helped me along in my journey.

Quote from: learningtolive on April 23, 2014, 04:48:34 PM
I wonder if there are any more punk fans here

I like lots of Punk/Hardcore bands.

Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Negative FX, Septic Death, DRI, Adrenalin OD, S.O.B., Outo, Gauze, Execute, etc, etc, etc.

Another punk listener here. Enjoy many of its different forms; a few examples off the top of my head...

Blondie, Ramones, The Clash, Black Flag, GBH, Discharge, The Damned, Dead Kennedys, Amebix, Rancid, Against Me!, Green Day...

Quote from: Bethany_Dawn on April 23, 2014, 09:51:33 PM
I have to add Against Me!'s - Gender Dysphoria Blues. This didn't change my life but it has reinforced my conviction towards my transition. Also Laura Jane Grace's coming out story in Rolling Stone Magazine came out at the same time I was deciding if to transition or not. So in many ways she has helped me along in my journey.

Me too. Reading about Laura's transition has really helped inspire me to take ownership of my desire to transition and start living my life the way that I want to. It also ended up turning me into quite a big Against Me! fan! lol

I checked out Against Me and I just couldn't get into them. When I think of a cool transchick in heavy music, I think of Marissa Martinez of the Grindcore band, Cretin.

Quote from: Laura Squirrel on April 25, 2014, 02:08:42 PM
I checked out Against Me and I just couldn't get into them. When I think of a cool transchick in heavy music, I think of Marissa Martinez of the Grindcore band, Cretin.

Yeah, I saw them in a guitar magazine and thought, "What the heck, let me check 'em out." I just couldn't get into them either. I do like a little heavier, darker and just more, screw this crap, I am who I am and and if you don't like "F" off. Or "Oh god why did you screw me with this life!" Anything, just a little darker, and more mean and P***ed off.

Burnt Weeny Sandwich - Frank Zappa

Just listen to the two Holiday In Berlin versions on here and the "Little House" medley on what was Side 2 of the original LP and you might see why.

YCDTOSA Vol.2 - Frank Zappa

listen to track 3 "Inca Roads". Eye-opening.

Quote from: Jess42 on April 28, 2014, 04:08:09 PM
Yeah, I saw them in a guitar magazine and thought, "What the heck, let me check 'em out." I just couldn't get into them either. I do like a little heavier, darker and just more, screw this crap, I am who I am and and if you don't like "F" off. Or "Oh god why did you screw me with this life!" Anything, just a little darker, and more mean and P***ed off.

Actually, I like mellow stuff too. Anything from this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrg1m-B6iXk

To this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBpPwgKN84k

And anything in between.

not that it changed my life

but I started coming out when I listened to Bedtime Story album (Madonna)

"Secret" was my favarite (and still is ... till today)  ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPHUZenprKc

Nirvana's Nevermind album for sure!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPHUZenprKc

Kiss' album Destroyer was my very first album, and it has the song which I chose my name after.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHkojuUSDO8

Ah, that would be Comatose by Skillet, Slipknot  by Slipknot, Sehnsucht by Rammstein, and Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP by Skrillex.

Each introduced me to a new kind of music, and/or furthered my taste in music.

Comatose was the one that started me on music in general. I heard one of its songs, "Whispers in the Dark," in a fan video telling the love story of male Revan and Bastila from Star Wars KotOR, and borrowed the album from a friend. That's what started it all for me.

Quote from: ReubenIsTheName on May 07, 2014, 12:58:33 PM
Ah, that would be Comatose by Skillet, Slipknot  by Slipknot, Sehnsucht by Rammstein, and Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP by Skrillex.

Each introduced me to a new kind of music, and/or furthered my taste in music.

Comatose was the one that started me on music in general. I heard one of its songs, "Whispers in the Dark," in a fan video telling the love story of male Revan and Bastila from Star Wars KotOR, and borrowed the album from a friend. That's what started it all for me.

i loved KOTOR and Bastila is one of my favorite female characters, most likely because Jennifer Hale gave her a certain realness. I also remember one part that cracked me up. I had Mission and Bastila in my party (i thought Carth was an idiot and besides, a twi-lek teen kicking ass, kind of funny) and there was this funny cutscene that went like this:

Mission:

So, you ever do some cool stuff with your powers?

Bastila:

a jedi has to have discipline.

Mission:

Getting you out of there wasn't easy

(argument ensues)

Mission:

You're just a prissy little jedi princess.

(Bastila makes her trip)

I remember i always wanted to kill that xenophobic preacher on the upper deck of Taris, but no option was ever given.

anyway, back on topic, here's the album that made me a Led Zeppelin fan:

How The West Was Won