One of the new themes for my blog will be "Top 5," and naturally, I decided to start with music.

Music has always been a significant part of my life. As a child, I recall standing in our living room in front of a massive mid-century console with a turntable, singing my heart out to Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now."

As I entered my teen years, long after the console unit was gone, my dad would bring home the latest records for us to listen to on his state-of-the-art sound system in our family room.

My list of favorite bands has evolved over the years. I had my phases with Rick Springfield and Duran Duran (I still revisit them occasionally) and went through a hair band era, but a few specific artists remain a core constant in my life. This list may reveal my age, but they are who I am.

#5 - Asia

Let’s start with the rock supergroup that exploded onto the scene in 1982 with "Heat of the Moment." The band included John Wetton from King Crimson and Uriah Heep, Steve Howe from Yes (another great band), Geoff Downes from Yes and the Buggles (whose "Video Killed The Radio Star" inaugurated a new music channel in 1981 called MTV), and Carl Palmer from Emerson, Lake & Palmer. If music weren’t digital these days, I’d have worn out their first two albums ten times over by now. While their hit was legendary, I’m a bigger fan of “Here Comes the Feeling” and “Time Again,” where Palmer’s drums soar, and the synthesizer takes you on a journey. There’s not a bad song on either of those first two albums. Though they released several albums after "Asia" and "Alpha," those two remain my go-to choices.

I saw them in concert in 1982 and again in the 2010s when they came to the House of Blues.

#4 - Queen

Queen might seem like an obvious choice, but hear me out. There's a personal connection for me with Queen for several reasons. First, the lead singer’s name was Freddie, like my dad. Second, we had the classic "News of the World" album on 8-track (look it up if you’re curious), which ingrained "We Will Rock You" and "We are the Champions" into my young brain. Third, my childhood friend and I would rollerskate to the "Jazz" album, singing along to "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Race." And finally, their music was featured in one of my all-time favorite movies, "The Highlander." THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! To this day, "Who Wants to Live Forever" moves me. Indeed, Freddie Mercury being taken from us too soon.

My deepest regret is never having seen Queen in concert.

#3 - Supertramp

Here, again, is where my dad’s influence runs deep. There has never been an album like “Breakfast in America” where each song seems so different from the next while still staying true to its prog rock sound. While the hits are great, I gravitate more toward “Gone Hollywood” and “Child of Vision.” I enjoy the albums that came before and after, especially "Even in the Quietest Moments," which is my favorite of everything they released. The title track and “Fool’s Overture” are still my most played tracks.

I saw them in 1985 for “Brother Where You Bound.” If I had three wishes, one would be that they do a comeback tour.

#2 - Pink Floyd

I tell this story often. When I was around eight years old, my dad brought home “The Wall,” sat me down, and told me to listen to it, saying it would change my life. And it did. I attribute much of my love for music and my decision to get into radio in college, and later professionally, to that very album. Even the movie mesmerized me, sparking my love for musicals and the stories they tell. It wasn’t until later that I appreciated all of Pink Floyd’s other albums. “Dark Side of the Moon” eventually became my favorite. This memory best sums up my personal connection to it: when I worked in radio, our beloved rock station was changing format. During the last hour, as we all stood in the studio, the final song played was “Eclipse.” Tears were shed that day, and now, whenever I hear it, I crank the volume and am filled with immense emotion—both melancholy and profound happiness.

I saw Floyd in 1987 on the “Momentary Lapse of Reason” tour and have also seen Roger Waters perform “The Wall” (which was mind-blowing).

#1 - Genesis

So…I have to admit, I’m more of a post-Peter Gabriel fan. While I appreciate Peter Gabriel’s contributions (“Carpet Crawlers” was one of the first songs my dad explained to me; “I Know What I Like” is great too), I’m more of a Phil Collins fan. Early tracks like “Undertow” are superb, but “Duke” is my #1 favorite album. I’m talking top of the list. Nothing opens an album like “Behind the Lines,” especially when you're driving. I also love the “Abacab” and the self-titled Genesis album from 1983, but "Duke" beats everyone, everywhere, for all time.

My dad took me to my first concert in 1981 to see Genesis’s Abacab tour and again in 1986 for the Invisible Touch tour, when they played sold out six nights in Chicago. When they returned in the mid-2010s, I took my dad to their reunion show. In 2021, a week after my dad passed, my sis and I saw them from the 14th row, bawling like babies. “Follow You, Follow Me” was my dad’s ringtone on my cell.

There you have it! The first Top 5 blog on my site. I intend to post of these across different themes in the future. I hope you’ll check back and check them out.

To check out my favorite songs from all these bands, you can listen to my Top 5: Music Artists playlist on Spotify.