first CDs ever

About a month ago I posted about the thirtieth birthday of the CD (if you missed it you can check it out here) It was more of a look back on its history, the first CD ever released and all that kind of stuff. But instead of focusing on the slow demise of Gen X's music format of choice, I decided to ask some people what their first CD ever was and to remember how stoked they were to get it. Some of the albums are hilarious, some are terrible and some are killer. 

Since I'm much too old and bitter to think that the younger generation could listen to anything but garbage I though for a laugh I would ask a couple of the younger servers at work what their first CD was. Bob Marley "Legend" was the first girls' reply. Crap.. that's pretty solid. I was semi-shocked, expecting to get a response along the lines of Spice Girls.  The next kid, a nightclub employee named Cody admitted that he put money in Fred Drust's pocket and purchased Limp Bizkit's "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavoured Water." Now we're back in business, that is absolute garbage. My faith in my lack of faith in the young kids' music has been restored. 

Matt Spencer of Lost Mile Productions rocked out to Stone Temple Pilots "Purple" early one, which may have been their last killer record. Hybrid Fighting Method founder T.J. Kennedy also rocked out to some 90's grunge, purchasing Soundgarden's breakthrough record "Superunknown, as was Devin, a Toronto bartender who cranked out the record that started it all, Nirvana's "Nevermind" after his official first CD, Poison's "Flesh & Blood" proved to be unsatisfactory. Jessica Cameron (follow here here @JessicaCameron_) who has appeared in every indie horror film in the last few years it seems danced to Madonna's "True Blue" after playing the cassette version to death. Toronto based personal trainer Cassandra Hope also went with Madge early on going with the Material Girls greatest hits compilation "The Immaculate Collection."

Not too many hip hop albums on here, and these shouldn't even qualify.. but it's the closest we got. "Space Jam" the soundtrack (didn't Michael Jackson's video from the film have Kriss Kross and Macauley Culkin in it?) was purchased by Toronto actor/writer Gerry. I'm pretty sure I saw the video, presented by Master T on XTendamix. Remember that show? It was like "Rap City" only much smoother. Less confrontational. Anyways, the World's Sexiest Comedian Nicole Arbour was bumping the aforementioned XTendamix's Much Dance Mix 1992 on her boom box (Sorry, is that terminology terribly outdated?). Remember when they used to have music videos on that Much channel? Toronto bartender Charlie got jiggy with it to Will Smith's "Big Willie Style," while actor Josh hung tough and was willing to admit his first disc was New Kids On the Block. Muskoka funnyman Tyler Morrison's father certainly wasn't joking around when he bought Tyler copies of ACDC "Who Made Who" and "Dirty Deeds Done Dirty Cheap" which we all know are pretty bad ass records. 

North Toronto restauranteur and long time rocker Dan (Drums & Flats) got into CDs early on, mid 80s, and among his first purchases were U2's "Rattle & Hum" and Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms." The Dire Straits album was also the first choice of retired musical suit Scott, who also remembers buying a Sting album, the current one at the time with his first CD player. Christina, a graphic designer was loving the hair/glam rock, turning up Def Leppard "Retroactive" (a compilation of bsides and outtakes spanning the bands entire history.. ya) to an 11 of a possible 10. Karen, a bar manager, spun Guns & Roses' "Appetite For Destruction" in the late 80s, as was most of the country, whereas Toronto trainer Karen listened to the "Romeo & Juliet" soundtrack during her teenage years in the mid 1990s.

Jason Loewenstein, of Sebadoh and Circle Of Buzzards' first CD was Slint's last. "Spiderland" was released on Touch & Go in 1991. He also remembers a very early purchase of Mission Of Burma's "Rykodisc Collection" which had the longest running time of any album at the time of its release (nice little factoid Jay!). Crimes In Paris vocalist Rayce Veitch got his punk rock on with the simultaneous purchase of the Offspring's "Americana" and NOFX's "Punk In Drublic", while Crimes guitarist Stu Miller chose the classic rock stylings of the Forrest Gump soundtrack (a double album of great classic rock tracks). Gizz Lazlo, member/former member of US Bombs, Kill Detail, Dead Lazlo's Place and The Freeze, has what may be the best first album, Montreal rockers' Doughboys third album "Happy Accidents." He said when he first saw the oddly shaped case he scooped it up immediately and called it a good day. Ottawa based punkers Off By An Inch's singer Chris' got Down By Law's "punkrockacademyfightsong" after years of collecting cassette and records. The Clearing's vocalist Stephan got a copy of Duran Duran's "Decade" as a gift along with his first CD player from his uncle. The first album he actually went out and purchased was Megadeth's "Countdown To Extinction."

Anyways, that's about all. The actual release date of the first CD player/CD was the first of October 1982 when the number one song was John Cougar Mellancamp's "Jack & Diane," the number one film was E.T. and people couldn't get enough of Dallas and the Ewing family on the tele. Not sure if the CD will hit 40 or even 35 years, but it is nice to reminisce, so thanks for those who read this, who contributed and people who just love music. Cheers!