Spotify

Youtube Music

Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock

It all starts with the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. I can easily attribute my love of music to my father. Growing up he always had something playing. It also helps that he worked on jukeboxes as a side gig and early on we had one in our house. He had them loaded up with Elvis and whenever Jailhouse Rock came on I felt that my body had to move to it or it'd explode. This song takes me back to the "jukebox room" in my childhood house.

Frank Sinatra - Love And Marriage

This is the theme song for the show Married with Children. I had a TV in my room when I was 11 (1989) and I'd stay up and watch this show every Sunday, it came on after the Simpsons. Hearing this song, I can't help but see that fountain in Chicago shooting the water up, which is the opening shot to the Married with Children opener.

"Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to Be Stupid

This song makes me think about how in 3rd grade I'd pretend to be sick for the sole purpose of listening to this album with the song Dare to be Stupid being the highlight. It's Weird Al so the mix of parody and comedy is something I really latched on to. Is this why I also love comedy from a young age? Could be.

Ratt - Way Cool Jr.

The era of hair metal, can it get any better? My older sister once dated a guy who did a lot of BMX bike riding. Hearing this song always brings me back to the dirt track near his house where we'd hang out a lot with a pretty big crew of dudes riding bikes, trying to do sweet jumps and tricks.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Parents Just Don't Understand

I didn't have cable growing up so it was always a treat going to a friend's house that did have it. I think I saw this video at a friend's and again, the combo of music and comedy had me hooked. He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper was the first cassette tape I purchased. (At least one of the first)

Faith No More - Epic

We visited my grandmother in NC around the time this song came out, so 1989. We drove down as a family in an RV and I think my sister's friend was with us too. I remember one of the neighborhood kids played this on the radio so it must have made an impression since whenever I hear this song I think of that trip to NC.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood

My first (and only) guitar teacher talked SRV up and down, left and right, just all the time. His mantra was "be SRV and you'll be all set". Hearing anything by SRV makes me think about Mr. Maher.

Korn - Blind

This song always reminds me of how I upgraded the stereo in my Biohazard car and would try to sound like I had big booming system. The opening bass line to Blind had some big bass going on and I'd try to sound like I was cool. Breaking news: I did not sound cool.

King Diamond - Welcome Home

In high school I worked after school as a janitor at elementary school next door. One of the other guys that worked there was about 10 years older than me and introduced me to King Diamond. The guy's voice was so hilarious at first but then I realized how iconic it is for metal at that time. The guitar playing on it was just incredible as well. Anything King Diamond makes me think of Bob and all his great jokes and music recommendations.

Cave In - Moral Eclipse

In college I had a roommate who wrote a zine and would get free cds. He threw this one at me and oh boy, that opening riff hooked me immediately. I can picture my dorm room when I hear this song, around 1998.

Biohazard - Wrong Side of the Tracks

The drumming on this song is great. I'm brought back to a time in my 2nd band where we'd practice in my basement and constantly try to recreate the drum fills in this one. I also liked the band so much that I painted my car orange and put a Biohazard symbol on it. My Dad, at least once a week, would say "Oh yeah Bill saw you in Hartford yesterday, what were you doing there?". A terrible car to have for a teenage metal head looking for trouble, way to think it through.

Sway & King Tech - The Anthem

I met one of my best friends in college, 1999. This song will always make me think of him and how we both have the same level of 100% appreciation for every second of this song.

Bane - Can We Start Again

I feel like anyone who has seen Bane would have this song on their list. A live Bane show is total chaos but when they play this song it's taken even further to full blow mayhem. The way Bane fans come together to act as a community and watch out for each other during these crazy pits is not something you forget. I of course can't remember where I saw them for the first time but I know it was around 2000.

The Red Chord - Hospice Residence

There was a period of time when I was an actor in Boston. I was in a comedy group and I did a couple of plays and sketch shows. This is maybe one of my favorite songs of all time for the sheer brutality and energy in it. I would listen to this before every performance of every show as a sort of ritual to pump me up and calm my nerves before going on. To this day all the plays and shows rush over me at once when I hear this.

The Dillinger Escape Plan w/ Mike Patton - When Good Dogs Do Bad Things

Irving Plaza, August 13th, 2002. I was with my 3rd band's members in NYC and we got to see this once in a lifetime show. Listening to any song off this album makes me think about being on that balcony, watching intently.

Mutemath - You Are Mine

The song I danced to with my wife at our wedding. It is hard not to be transported back to my wedding day when I hear this song. Also, the band Mutemath may be the only band I’ve introduced my wife to that she actually liked.

Coheed and Cambria - The Camper Velourium II: Backend of Forever

In 2003 I finally left CT for MA after breaking up with my girlfriend of 7 years. We were high school sweet hearts, moved in together after I graduated college and then one day it was over. It was a very confusing time for me so I decided to get out of CT and start fresh. The song is about things ending and even has the words "Over and out Connecticut" in it which made it my anthem of 2003.

The Black Dahlia Murder - Kings of the Nightworld

The Black Dahlia Murder has always been on heavy rotation in my day to day playlist. For 2017's album Nightbringers they added new guitarist Brandon Ellis. The first time I heard the opening riff on this I was commuting to NYC for work and it was like the world stopped and said "You need to pick your guitar back up".