The Top 100 Drags On...

I'm counting them back from ZZ Top forward as I bare my soul and give you my CDs that would be cool to have on a deserted island or anywhere really. The last artist on the list was Joe Walsh and we zoom past Jerry Jeff Walker, Rick Wakeman and even past Stevie Ray Vaughn...wha?

There is no mistaking Stevie; his body of work will stand against anyone's. I just didn't think he released that one powerful LP that formed my musical experiences. Great songs, great style. I think when I first heard Stevie (at 26) my musical alliances had already been formed. Hearing a piece of music at 21 (as inferior as it may be) may have been more influencial. That explanation leads to another in my top 100 of all time

Gino Vanelli's "Brother To Brother" This cat had it going on in the seventies. I first got introduced to Gino by a song I heard on the radio one day called "People Gotta Move" .

Working at an "underground" FM station, I discovered "Storm at Sun Up". This discovery was actually made by a suitor of mine who suggested it was "the greatest piece of music to make love to ever". Can't say she was wrong. That made him very cool in my book

As a matter of fact, I used that piece of music to my advantage many times, and being the careless, young and crazy guy I was, it worked frequently.
"A Pauper in Paradise" 1977 The first side of the album (cassette) was brilliant. The second side with an orchestra was shit.

Which leads us to his masterpiece (in my opinion) "Brother to Brother" which came out in 1978.

With the hit, "I Just Wanna Stop", this LP had everything. Well produced, crisp sounding songs that were played really well. "Appaloosa" kicks it off in high gear and "I Just Wanna Stop" has a smooth cool vibe. "Brother to Brother" is the workout masterpiece. The perfect soundtrack to 1978, right before I became someone. With this guy's hair and looks, anything I could do to have him rub off on me was worth it.

My top ten Gino songs:

10. "The River Must Flow" very funky number on "Brother to Brother"

09. "Mardi Gras" from A Pauper in Paradise

08. "A Song and Dance" from A Pauper in Paradise

07. "Mama Coco" from People Gotta Move

06. "I Just Wanna Stop" his big hit from "Brother to Brother"

05."People Gotta Move" from Powerful People


04. "Appaloosa" from "Brother to Brother"

damn, you have to admire him just for the hair

03. "Black Cars" his "comeback" from 1985. KSHE played this..believe or or don't


02. "Storm At Sunup" from "Storm At Sunup" She was so right, the best aphrodisiac ever.

01. "Brother To Brother" the musicianship is extraordinary in this video.


Quite the showman, probably got more in one week than most guys did in a month.
A true musical mulligan.