Do you remember your first record? Your first concert? Your favorite artist from when you were that pizza face in sixth grade? Well this isn’t about that. This is about three artists/records that impacted/influenced you over the years –- you as a musician, Dameon Merkl, frontman for the Denver-based Gothic Americana act , which headlines on Friday. So letap talk about your road.
12 years old: “Dr. Demento”
My biggest musical influence at that young age was the Dr. Demento show. I’d listen to it, and have my tape recorder ready, and I’d record the whole show. I’d listen to it the rest of that week –- listening to it over and over again. When I was kid, it was when the Pointer Sisters and Van Halen each had their hits, “Jump,” and I couldn’t relate to that music. But he helped me realize that I didn’t need to relate to them.
14 years old: “Never Mind the Bollocks”
The first album I bought was “Never Mind the Bollocks.” I was so into the Sex Pistols in high school that if people asked, “What kind of music are you into?” I would have said, “the Sex Pistols.” I was aware of the Clash and the Ramones, but I didn’t listen to them much at the time. Later I evolved and grew and started listening to Public Image Ltd, hah!
18 years old: Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash — I was aware of him, but the first time I really got into him was when I heard the song, “Delia’s Gone.” For the first time, it kind of occurred to me that music could be badass and not have distorted guitars and screaming and a fast tempo and all the other attributes I’d normally equate to badass music. I’ve been in bands since I was 15, and they’ve run the gamut of styles. But Johnny Cash changed it all for me.
Bad Luck City headlines the Walnut Room on Friday night — and will open the show with . More information .
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post.
