Albums That Changed My Life: William Beckett
This week's "Albums That Changed My Life" contributor is William Beckett!Beckett will be heading out on his first ever solo tour next month, in support of his debut solo EP "Walk The Talk", which is out now. Tour dates and ticket information can be found here.
Muse - AbsolutionI was living with my three best friends in an apartment in the Chicago suburbs writing for my old band's first full-length record the first time I heard Absolution.
I remember hearing about the release and originally being really pissed off because my band released an EP at the same and was going to call it Absolution, but Muse beat us to the punch. Upon hearing it for the first time, my jaw hit the floor. I'd never heard anything on recording with so much power and dramatic tension. From that point on I've been influenced by the sonic elements and emotive dynamics that Muse has become so beloved for.
Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come To Fear The MostThe first time I heard this I was playing drums in a little garage band my friends and I started called Aisle12 (yes... a number band name). I was completely mesmerized by the rawness and bravery that I heard in Chris Carrabba's voice, not to mentioned his eloquent, heartbreaking lyrical approach. After hearing this record once through, I quit playing drums in that band, bought an acoustic and immediately started writing my own songs in open tunings which, at age 17, led to my first solo endeavor, Remember Maine.
Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs From the Vatican Gift ShopI grew up in the 90's. My dad was a HUGE fan of everything grunge (except Nirvana, if you can believe it), and would listen to STP in the car all the time. Bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden provided the soundtrack to my adolescence, but I was 11 years old when Tiny Music... came out and I was obsessed. This record planted the seed that would later blossom into my own passion for music and songwriting, embracing individuality and creative evolution.
The Cure - DisintegrationLong story short, I lost my virginity to this record. From that point on, I played The Cure, and this record particularly for every girl I was smitten with. It was the ultimate deal breaker. If she didn't like it or "get" it, I knew she wasn't the one for me.
