Thanks

This post is dedicated to Justin T Griggs who inspired me to make this list after a conversation I had with him.  



Thanks to my Mother for turning me on to The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Bob Wills, Ella Fitzgerald, The Rolling Stones, Edith Piaf, Todd Rundgren, the Hair Broadway Soundtrack, Joni Mitchell, The Grateful Dead, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan (and many others.)

Thanks to my Father for turning me on to The Beach Boys, The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Dave Brubeck, Charlie Parker, Freddie King, Steely Dan, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Booker T and the MGs (and many many others.)

Thanks to Gramps for turning me on to Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.

Thanks to Renee for turning me on to Beulah, Quasi, Blur, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Amy Winehouse (and many others.)

Thanks to Paul H at the Brodie Oaks store who turned me on to Wire, Swell Maps, Psychic TV, Daniel Johnston (and many others.)

Thanks to Goat Roper at Spence Jr High who turned me on to King Crimson and Yes

Thanks to Octavia at Martin Bros who turned me on to Au Pairs, Television Personalities, Dog-faced Hermans (and many many others with her fabulous Birthday mixtapes.)

Thanks to Wade at Brodie Oaks who turned me on to Skinny Puppy, Severed Heads (and many others.)

Thanks to Will at Brodie Oaks who turned me on to Elvis Costello.

Thanks to Ted at Martin Bros. who turned me on to The Geto Boys, NWA,  The Jesus Lizard, and Ice Cube.

Thanks to Mark Willard who turned me on to Ministry, The Sex Pistols, The Pogues, and The Clash.

Thanks to Kenny who turned me on to The Velvet Underground, Public Enemy, and Television.

Thanks to Dave at Brodie Oaks who turned me on to The Butthole Surfers and Crust.

Thanks to Kim K who turned me on to Billy Bragg, Michelle Shocked, Shoulders, Trio, and Sinead O'Connor.

Thanks to Kate who turned me on to Throbbing Gristle, Joy Division, The Cure, and the Sweet Charity Broadway Soundtrack.

Thanks to Annie S at the Walnut Creek store, who taught me it was okay to love Heart.  They are really good.

Thanks to the front-end kid at the Berkeley store who turned me on to Belle and Sebastian.

Thanks to Michael K for turning me on to Mogwai and Sportsguitar.

Thanks to Dawn P for turning me on to The Sea and Cake and other Thrill Jockey groups.

Thanks to Tim R for turning me on to The Jazz Butcher, the first Lenny Kravitz record, and The Replacements.

Thanks to Maureen for turning me on to Nina Simone.

Thanks to Per at Brodie Oaks who turned me on Captain Beefheart.

Thanks to Edie Brickell who turned me on to XTC, David Bowie, and The Psychedelic Furs.

Thanks to Bonnie who turned me on to Harry Nilsson.

Thanks to Rick M for pushing The Police on me.  You were right.  They are great.

Thanks to Allison W for turning me on to The Waitresses, Patsy Cline, The Mamas and the Papas, The Monkees, and enduring all those fights about Madonna.  You were right.  She is great.

Thanks to Marcus McClung for turning me on to AC/DC, Van Halen (and many many others.)

Thanks to Chris McClung for turning me on to The Lee Harvey Oswald Band, The Gaza Strippers, The Stooges, T Rex,The Michelle Gun Elephant,  The White Stripes, The Oblivians, Chrome Cranks, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Lord High Fixers, Cheater Slicks (and countless others.)

Thanks to Dave Barber for turning me on to Depeche Mode, New Order, and Bauhaus.

Thanks to Alex K for turning me on to The dBs, Texas Instruments (who kindly shared the gate with us when my group, The Winona Ryders, opened for them in Austim, TX.), Thin White Rope, Big Dipper, Young Fresh Fellows, Translator, Giant Sand, Big Star, The Reivers, Glass Eye (and many others.)

Thanks to Tom S for turning me on to The Feelies.

Thanks to Dawn W for turning me on to Liz Phair.

Thanks to the fabulous dykes from the Berkeley store who turned me on to PJ Harvey.

Thanks to Jenny H for turning me on to The English Beat, Steel Pulse, and the first Red Hots record.

Thanks to the kids at the 1984 Drama Summer Camp who turned me on to Prince.

Thanks to Craig Diskowski who turned me on to Madeleine Peyroux.

Thanks to Three Years Down for turning me on to Turbonegro.

Thanks to Dave R for turning me on to Talking Heads.

Thanks to Lisa R at Martin Bros. for turning me on to Pavement.

Thanks to Andrew from my college days for turning me on to Roy Orbison (I was monumentally hungover, had fallen asleep on the front room floor of his apartment and said something when the Orbison record skipped.  Andrew said, "Cut the record a break.  It's older than you."), The Ramones, and The Minutemen.



And thanks too to any one I have forgotten here.




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You do know, there is a price that we pay for the astonishing convenience of the internet? Is conversation really dead? Keep the dialogue going.  Keep sharing.

All my love,







Michael David Spitler