Yes - I was personally offended by your slam at Zappa. Why? What has he done to hurt you like that? I'm sure he would think any slight you perceive as a misunderstanding. No harm intended. OK?

Other than that - glad to see we share common artists: Beefheart, Pixies, and the Clash. O yes - I love your inclusion (and story behind) Off the Wall. Great Choice! (even though you included that lame placeholder disclaimer...).

I loudly applaud your love for Don Glen Vliet aka Captain Beefheart, but I disagree his music is more approachable than Zappa or that Zappa is absent from these lists (he is on my list!). Zappa simply tried more styles, did not care if he bugged people (the point was to get you to think!) and aimed much higher thus what some may feel were his "failures" would never have even been conceived of much less attempted by 99% of artists. Plus, one has to remember Zappa produced Don's most famous and widely acclaimed album which you reference. My favorite is Safe as Milk too btw.

I really like Dinosaur Jr. (seven discs in my collection) and I think Where You Been is a fantastic album. The next DJ album released, Without a Sound, is more polished and really good too. But by far, my favorite is Green Mind. GM has one of the best album covers ever too. The albums prior to Green Mind are much more raw and punk-rock (that was when Lou Barlow was in the band). If you’re a guitarist, and you like those three DJ albums, then you’ll like my latest DJ purchase. It’s J Mascis playing his first ever live acoustic set. He starts off admitting being “a little freaked out” about being acoustic… plus it’s recorded at CBGB.

This is a very interesting list. MJ's Off the Wall is really a great album. I wish i had a smoke machine and some lasers so I could recreate Rock With You on a daily basis.

You're right about how a band who made Pablo Honey could make Kid A. The transition of Radiohead from PH and The Bends to OK Computer means that there's hope for a lot of bands with so so first efforts. I bought PH when it first came out and I thought, hmmm... one hit wonder. Funny thing is that Stop Whispering was the best track on that album and nobody knew it.

I was also just thinking today that Dinosaur Jr's Where You Been is one of my favorites of all time. I never really got into them except that album so I have no idea what any of the other albums sound like. Which is the one on deck for you?

Hell yes! Love this list. I literally felt guilty that I didn't fit Goo on my list. The show we went to at Center Stage where the Jesus Lizard opened blew my mind. One of the best shows ever. That period was a great time in music. Maybe the last great time. I may be old and nostalgic, but 86-92 was insane... Jane's, PE, BBoys, Pixies, Pavement, Sebadoh, Soundgarden, Love and Rockets, Cure, REM, The Cult, Digable Planets, U2, Fugazi, My Bloody Valentine, RHCP, JSBX, Dinosaur ...the list goes on. It just seems it was a very creative time for new music. Anyway, 10 albums is just not enough.

I like Dylan's taste in music. He hosts a great radio show on the BBC. And clearly I'm not going to get very far by diss'n Dylan... but for me, he was irrelevant during the 80's and 90's. So, I'll concede that he once made relevant music, and perhaps is again... but two decades is a long time to not be contributing.

I've actually seen him in concert and he was pretty horrible. I mentioned that opinion to my father (who was a Dylan fan) ... and he said Dylan was a poor performer when he saw him in the 60's/70's too.

I'm also more of a music/melody/beat/instrumentation person. I've never been one to focus on lyrics. That probably helps explain my lack of interest in Dylan... and also probably explains why I like The Fall. I'm not sure anybody can really understand what MES is saying most of the time.

Great list.

One comment though, in your rave of The Fall, you claim Mark E Smith is the only artist still making relevant music 30 years later. I would say Bob Dylan is doing the same.