The Moments That Shaped My Music
Every musician has a few turning points — the songs, people, and experiences that change everything. Here are some of mine.
Part 1
My earliest musical influence - my Dad:
Some of my early musical memories come from tagging along to my dad’s band rehearsals. His group, Percy and the Teardrops, practiced in an old house at Lake Ontario Park, and I’d sit quietly while they laughed, joked, and worked through new arrangements. Their chemistry was undeniable — individually talented, but together something clicked.
I listened so closely that if my dad forgot a harmony or arrangement, he’d ask me, and more often than not I could tell him — I was six! That’s probably where my instinct for harmony began.
Seeing the Teardrops play live was electric: packed rooms, positive energy, and an audience fully swept up in the moment. Even as a kid, I recognized how music can light up a room.
Those early days introduced me to raunchy guitars and a wide range of popular music from the ’50s and ’60s, including The Beatles — who quickly became a favorite.
Part 2
AM Radio & the era of mixed tapes:
Throughout my elementary school years, 1380 CKLC was the soundtrack of my town. It played everywhere — in classrooms, corner stores, hockey arenas, even drifting over the fairgrounds in summer. Compared to my dad’s retro band music, CKLC felt futuristic to my young ears.
That station opened the door to everything new and exciting: The Police, Styx, Journey, Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson — and introduced to me those sequenced, otherworldly sounds from the likes of Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Human League, and countless one-hit wonders. It all felt like a transmission from the future.
So many of my early “firsts” happened with this music in the background: first sleepover, first school dance, first kiss. These were the moments that shaped me, and it’s no wonder that the music from that era still hits me with an instant, warm rush of nostalgia.
Part 3
The Breakdance Era
Music has always had a way of grabbing hold of me. I still remember hearing Herbie Hancock’s Rockit for the first time — it blew my mind wide open. Suddenly I’d discovered a world of beat-driven, futuristic sounds with something bold and rebellious on top: rap.
With rap came breakdancing, a movement that felt electric. I wasn’t chasing a trend; the music pulled me in completely. Breakin’ and Beat Street only fueled it further. Soon I was begging my grandma for a ghettoblaster, throwing on whatever “streetwear” I could find, and dragging cardboard to the park to practice “the wave.” My breakdance crew even performed at school — I got scolded for doing a headspin in front of the younger kids, but it was worth it.
That era introduced me to the early godfathers of rap — Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Whodini, Run-D.M.C. — along with electronic pioneers like Giorgio Moroder and Kraftwerk, and the R&B brilliance of artists like Chaka Khan. It was a universe of rhythm and possibility, and I dove in headfirst.
Part 4
Heavy Metal, ripped jeans and attitude
Rap felt genuine when it first emerged, but as it quickly became commercial, it lost some of its spark for me. Around that same time, a close friend played me a band that changed everything again — Metallica.
They were furious, real, talented, prolific, and absolute trailblazers. Albums like Ride the Lightning and Kill ’Em All matched my growing teenage angst perfectly.
I liked grunge too, but grunge felt like riding a moped while heavy metal was a full Harley — bigger, louder, faster. Metallica led me to Guns N’ Roses, then Pantera, and eventually back to the earlier giants like Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. That era cemented my love for soaring guitar.
Part 5
Prog, the Yacht, and everything else
By my late teens I realized I wasn’t built to stick to one genre. Good music is good music — I’ve even been moved by the occasional country tune — and anything that makes me want to pick up an instrument and sing along feels like home to me.
Along the way, certain artists left permanent marks. Jeff Buckley’s voice still feels like a beautiful soul speaking directly to mine. Radiohead can hypnotize me without warning. Much of Sting’s solo work feels enlightening in a way I can’t quite explain. Eminem single-handedly restored my appreciation for rap music. Guilty pleasures include the likes of Olivia Newton John, Jeff Lynne, Prince, and more.
And then there’s Yacht Rock — a term that makes me laugh, but some of its staples have been in my top 100 since childhood. Steely Dan was a household sound for me, the slickest music ever played 10 knots at dusk! The same goes for Toto, Kenny Loggins, and Michael McDonald… though I’m picky about what actually makes it onto my Yacht.
One of my most exciting discoveries, though, came completely by accident: putting on Foxtrot by early Genesis. To me, their catalogue is the pinnacle of progressive music — the perfect blend of uniqueness, creativity, and rule-breaking while still honouring what makes music universal. If I had to choose a favorite band, it would be them.
My second favorite would then be The Beatles. However cliché, few bands can make me want to laugh in one moment and sit in deep introspection the next. Their emotional range is still unmatched.
These chapters of my musical life are just pieces of the same thread — the one that runs from childhood wonder to every note I play today. Every song I play carries a little of where I’ve been, and a little of what I’m still discovering.
Perhaps we’ve wandered similar roads — and the music will meet us somewhere in the middle. If any part of my story echoes in yours, may the music that follows feel like a familiar light in a new place!
~ Brad Goldsmith ~
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