Dru Blood's Music Meme

Zwichenzug has tagged me with a music meme, which is particularly exciting in that it's apparently new, and he's an original tagee. It's also particularly difficult. Here goes:

Number of records/tapes/cds I own: It's necessary to go with a wild back-of-the-envelope estimate because I exiled the majority of my jewel cases to a basement long ago. I'm guessing about 300. I buy almost all of the music I have, with the exception of some borrowing, so it's I both listen to less and own more than most people I know.

First record/tape/cd I bought: Oh yeesh. When I was six I agitated for the purchase of a toy bundle featuring Jem and The Holograms. I'm pretty sure that it was the non-casette part of the toy that I wanted; but I also have no memory what it is, and for the longest time that was the oldest tape in my possession that was both mine and not my parent's idea. With a music loving mother and older sister I subsisted happily enough on borrowing for a long time; I'm guessing the first tape I actually chose and bought was one of Beethoven's symphonies or piano concertos, most likely the 3rd or the 5th symphony. The first album I bought was U2's Achtung Baby. I actually had no idea how famous they were at the time; I had merely heard it playing at a friend's place and wanted to get myself a copy.

Last record/tape/cd I bought: Bah. Icelandic folk songs doesn't count. (Though I highly recommend them.) Not totally sure, but probably Afro Celt's Seed or The Killer's Hot Fuss. Maybe the soundtrack to House of Flying Daggers. I'm a sucker for soundtracks. . .

Recordings or songs that mean a lot to me (and/or changed my life): This is a really good question and therefore hard to answer. I'm leaving out religious music because at some level, it's not about the music; sort of unfair competition. In general I definitely have to think about it more. I know it's terribly cliched, but when you love something, you love something, and I love Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. It amazed me when I was a child, and it still amazes me. There are no other obvious standouts, though. I think trying to pick songs like that is almost like trying to pick people like that: it's painful to even try.

If I had to choose a soundtrack of my life, what 5-10 songs would be on it: I'm sticking to the original caveat--this is bound to change from day to day, perhaps even hour to hour. I'm definitely one of those people who hears most music as a soundtrack to a film going on somewhere in my head, usually deeply out of focus.

Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Festival Overture
Bishop Allen: Things Are What You Make Of Them
Susheela Raman: Song to the Siren
Afro Celt Sound System: Nort Part II
Venus Hum: Sonic Boom
Arcade Fire: Une Annee Sans Lumiere

Let's tag Reneebop and Robert Stribley.

Update: Reneebop and Robert both played, and Robert sucessfully passed it on to the fifth generation--Robert's brother Chris. I was counting on Renee for the Cake reference,but pleased to get some Susanne Vega in for free. As usual Robert opens up a whole new list for me to go exploring in (perhaps we should start with some Caving?) but U2 is a dependable common band. And I'm pleasantly surprised that Chris's list shares something with mine, of sorts: Song to the Siren, which I cited as Raman's cover, but which he knows in original from Mortal Coil. Huzzah for connections and overlap, expansions and exposures, and especially for music!