Ah, the first album I ever bought with my own money. To be completely honest, I haven't a clue.
You see, I had an older brother who was well into bands like Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and a whole harem of Metal Bands. He always seemed to have a new cassette of some new rock band, which I later learned was always supplied by his knack for getting "Five Fingered Discounts." But this was my introduction into Metal, and I was influenced good and proper by my older brother.
Although, I had free access to everything that rocked under the sun and can't remember the first album I ever bought with my own dough, I remember the first album that changed me forever from a rebellious kid with a knack for getting into trouble into a monstrous rebellious kid always getting into trouble.
That album was Motley Crue's Shout At the Devil. I remember seeing the cassette cover on my brother's night stand and was like, "Whoa! What the hell are these guys about?" To be honest, I couldn't tell if they were really ugly chicks or some crazed, psycho's.
The title of the album alone was too intriguing to pass up. I had to hear what these guys were about, so I lifted the cassette off my brother's night stand, popped it into my shitty tape recorder and played the sucker.
What came out was heavy, snarling, and quite delicious to my ears. I fucking loved it. Back then, Motley's sound was considered "Heavy Metal" and they were heavy. Now, they're considered "Hard Rock." Whatever.
It didn't matter. Motley was the band that converted me full on to the sounds of Hard Rock and Metal.
Now, I do remember the first album I owned. I'm not sure if I bought it or how I got it, but I do know it was the first album I considered my own. That album was unfortunately Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet.
What the fuck? Yes, I still slap my forehead on that one, but I didn't have that cassette for too long. I remember some chick in 5th grade talking about wanting Bon Jovi's album, and I told her I had it. She said she would trade it for Beastie Boy's Licensed to Ill, and you bet your ass it was the best trade I ever made in 5th grade.
--Boogs