The five albums that I am presenting here are the ones that have always been close to me. I literally grew upon these albums.None of the them are superior than the other and all of them are great on their own respects.So am not going to number them:

Led Zeppelin IV (aka Zoso)-Led Zeppelin
Actually I heard this album only after I had initially tried out the "best of" collection of Led Zeppelin. An awesome album and probably one of the hard rock history's greatest achievements. Jimi Page's unparallel frenetic guitar playing and Robert Plant's flawless vocals matching note by note to the perfectly interwined shades of music through out this album makes it probably one of the greatest albums of all the time. The Bone crushing riffings of "black dog" and the anthem "rock and roll" ; the greatest rock song and ultimately the band's signature song "stairways to Heaven", makes this much more than just an average album."Going to California" and the epic "battle of evermore" are interesting listen.

Are you Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The finest Hendrix album which was able to charge me up to pick up a guitar and bend a few notes slide 'em up and most importantly create an uncanny interest in the world of distrotions and modifications.This album was single-handedly able to create one of the greatest "singles" of that time."Purple Haze","Foxey Lady","Hey Joe","manic depression","The wind cries mary" all in the same album with the divine guitar riffs of Hendrix...and the ultimate experience.Need I say more?

Back in Black - AC/DC
Though it was much earlier than the time since I took my first breath on earth.But what a helluva album!And what's even more its like a comeback; after the death of Bon scott(the original singer) Brian Johnson took charge and the Young brothers created some of the greatest hard rock riffs in this album.Aptly coloured black and with a powerpack of songs ranging from the energetic "Back in Black", "hells bells" and some interesting lyrics in "you shook me all night long".This song aptly tells what all of us rockers want the stiff,"mannered" world to know "ROCK AND ROLL AIN'T NOISE POLLUTION".

Dusk and her Embrace - Cradle Of Filth
Arguably the best COF album.Technically much better than their past album and a musical master piece.This pre- "commercialised-Cradle-of-filth" album is what Cradle of Filth can be best defined by.Haunting, dark and symphonical.Dusk and her Embrace was such an experience that after listening to the whole album, I was shivering a bit by the deepest,darkest and scariest place this album takes you to and at the same time the flawless skill of the band & black metal genre that it represents.Dany's vocals have been much improved and the keyboards and guitars never sounded so mean.Double bass drums are the ones that seperate metal from most other genres and the drumming in this album can create moments of spine chills.Right from the start it blares out like a dark force reaches into the darkest imagined place and puts you there.
NOT FOR EVERYONE.But for those who have a strong taste for this genre and who understands metal as a form of music and not the violent, dark and satanistic thing people mis-interpret it for.A DEFINITE LISTEN!

The Wall - Pink Flyod
Mammoth of an album. Two CDs and a one-of-a-kind experience.The Overtly popular "Another Brick in the wall-II" is what makes this album much familiar to everyone.But its not just that single but the whole album that really stands out.Moving at a very comfortable pace, this album shows us all shades of thier moody soothing and sometimes punchy songs.The album really allows us to absorb the music presented on a comfortable way and what shines more are the occassional masterpieces that show up within the album. Weird lyrics but a great song "hey you"; one of my favorites "comfortably numb" and the ever-popular "Another brick in the wall/the happiest days of our lives" medley. "Mother" and "Run like Hell" are interesting in their own ways.
The Movie of the same title constituting some of the orignal songs and some of the re-composed ones was just the catalyst needed to spark the imaginativeness of this ambitious and one of a kind album.
Both the movie and album are a must-buy!

Well..that completed the 10 album list.But I know so many things have been left out. I didn't even mention Deep Purple,The Rolling Stones,Bob Dylan and the Doors for starters. But anyhow.. what I wrote about were just the "inspirational" ones. MANY MANY great ALBUMS followed after those inpirational albums.And the list went on and on and on.....

Anyhow thats it..that ends my "10 random songs" and "10 inspirational albums" list. A sense of relief after all those ponderings over all the great albums I had.Anyways...hope to see all of your lists too.

Until then all of you "foxy ladies" and "shoot to thrill" guys..ROCK on \m/

Putting out this second list required some thinking.But am quiet satisfied with the result.Now...what I need to mention here is that this is NOT THE LIST OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS.Heck I have like millions of favorite ablbums.What I've put out here are the albums that have influenced me.Some of my Favorite albums isn't even present on this list...but what I have here are the albums that inspired me to look further into the respective genres.These are the albums that actually made me look at music in a completely new way....so heres it..

FIVE ALBUMS THAT INSPIRED ME

1.Nevermind - Nirvana
Oh...what more can I say.It's mind blowing.It impeccable.Its flawless.It's a masterpiece.This album made me explore Nirvana in a way I have not done for any other band.Every song in this album tops some of the other well-known band's "best of list".Kurt's divine vocals and heart-wrenching riffs, Dave's powerpack of drums and Krist's solid bass lines, Nevermind is what no other album can be.It was from this album that I got a taste of grunge and went on to discover others but never got fully satisfied unlike this album.In Utero following this album was another master piece.If you haven't listened to this album...dammit what the heck have you been doing??

2.1984 - Van Halen
What an album..what an album.I was left awestruck as I finished listening to this album.Eddie's guitar oh..that explains it all.Even though I started disliking Van Halen once David Lee Roth left the band.But still this album with the original lineup is so skillfully done that I claim it one of the '80s greatest albums.
This album made me explore 80s rock.It even influenced me to pick up my electric guitar and try to imitate Eddie...well with not exactly the same result.But still...a very good album.

3.Enema of the state - Blink 182
For starters..who can forget the cover.Tom,Mark and Travis with a quiet stimulating Jenine (oops..might have spelled it wrong) but still the cover...damn it made me buy the CD.An excellent album by all standards.The recording was great as compared to their previous albums and the songs all punchy,in-you-face-attitude-ed and some very catchy tunes.
This album made me a huge fan of punk/alternative rock for a brief period."All the small things"..."What's my age again".. and all the songs in this album completely changed my thinking of punk rock.I became a huge fan.The following album "take off your pants and jacket" was also a great album.But it was this album that started it all.A MUST LISTEN!

4.Come away with me - Norah Jones
Okay..okay..I listen to all types of songs.And I'd actually bought this album out of curiosity.I'd heard a lot about Jones but hadn't listened to any of her songs.So, I thought I'd give it a try.And how rewarding try it was.
With its soothing jazzy numbers and the delicate voice of Norah.The album was sensational.It actually the first ever JAZZ album that I bought."Come away with me","cold cold heart","nightingale" and all others are equally good.No bad songs in this album.This album got me interested in soft music and I actually discovered the softer side of mine.

5.Korn-Korn
Well..am a Metalhead too. And why am I naming Korn here is that, it was the first metal album that I'd bought.Well...not exactly bought, a friend gave it to me to try out a new genre:METAL.
And my o my I was blown away by the rage-filled explosiveness of it. The "slap-bass" used in this album actually made my heart beat faster everytime around.An explosive album.Jonathan Davis's vocals at the beginning sounded to me as if he were saying some incantations, it was hypnotic.
This album got me to a kickstart in the whole metal thing.Though later I found much better bands and even greater albums.And though Korn today isnot one of my favorite bands but still it was this album that started it all.Power metal,death metal,black metal and all others it all got started from this album.Particularly the songs "blind" and "shoots and ladders".For those who have no idea."Shoots and Ladders" is a song with NURSERY RHYMES done EXCELLENTLY in METAL-style..yea..even "london bridge is falling down...".Mind me it really is GOOD.WORTH a listen!

Now I KNOW..these aren't all.I am doing the remaning 5 on the next BLOG post.
Come up with your own "inspirational albums" and lemme know about 'em.
till then...