Introduction- The Musical Quest

October 2011, I happened across a Rolling Stone Magazine publication from 2010 that rated the top 500 albums in rock and roll music. As a musician, I was simply looking to verify what I thought was my broad knowledge of rock; so I read through the list. I didn't make it out of the first 100 and I already felt like a failure.

I didn't beat myself up for not having an intimate relationship with each of the Roxy Music albums, or for not having gone deeper than Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes; I forgave myself that. The slap in the face was just how many bands/artists I'd never even heard of, that I wouldn't be able to place as 60's folk, 80's hair metal, or recent hip-hop. Hell, I couldn't even make it out of the first 50 without stumbling on #40... a band called Love. Love?

I just couldn't continue this charade of being "a well-rounded rock musician" while losing count of how many of the 500 I blanked on.

So my first thought was to fill in the gaps; start with some of the albums in Bob Dylan's catalog that I didn't own outright, but knew the hits off of. Better yet, maybe I should start by getting acquainted with the artists I'd never heard of like Wire, Big Star, Moby Grape, The Meters.

My epiphany (not to be confused with John Lennon's Epiphone), was to start at #500 and count my way down, not just filling the gaps, but listening to each album in order. I'd listen to every Beatles & Elvis Costello album to which I could name the songs in order, the keys they are in, and religiously whistle each solo. I'd listen to every metal, country, hip hop, folk album who's deeper cuts I might be hearing for the first time.

After a small amount of internet familiarity, and a large amount of persistence, I had come into possession of all 500 albums in digital format by beginning of December. Taking inspiration from Julie Powell who blogged about preparing each of Julia Child's 524 cookbook recipes in one year, I made it my musical quest to countdown from #500 (Eurythmics-Touch) to #1 (Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's) and listen to each of the R.S.'s best albums, and then write about it.

I invite you to join me on this quest, to give me your thoughts, opinions and insights to each album along the way. I don't expect to have a movie made about me like Julie Powell did (Julie & Julia), but you gotta admit, the soundtrack would be fookin brilliant!!!

-CTK