About the time I was a sophomore in high school (living in a small town in Minnesota), my appreciation for popular music was expanded by a subscription to Stereo Review, by the recommendations of a friend who worked at Wings of Music (the local record store), and by listening to the Winona State College FM radio station (KQAL.) Up until that time, I was hooked on what I thought was the best music from top-40 radio.

I had a love-hate relationship with the recommendations of SR critic Steve Simels, but it was he, if I remember correctly, who pointed me in the direction of Tonio K, Tom Verlaine, and NRBQ. (Why is there almost nothing by Tonio K from the 70s available on iTunes, huh?) My friend at the record store recommended that I purchase Terje Rypdal's Waves, Mahavishnu Orchestra's Between Nothingness and Eternity, and Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior.