My first CD was a terribly important landmark in my life as a music listener, here's why...
I was a smart kid, but definitely a bit introspective, and as a result, a bit of an outsider. While being part of the herd wasn't my top priority, I did feel some gravity towards the idea of sharing common interest with my fellow students and the few close friends I had.
That is why, when I was given that gift certificate for Christmas that year, things couldn't have been more perilous. You see, New Kids on the Block had just exploded onto the scene as the hip and cool thing of then. All the kids my age were listening to it.
I recall being in HMV, finding the New Kids disc immediately as it was displayed prominently in the store, and wandering around with it in my clutches while perusing other discs.
I stopped.
Here was this section of music, tucked into the back, that one of my friend's older brothers couldn't shut up about; metal. I perused through the discs on display, instantly forming a stronger connection with the beautifully disturbed cover artwork until I found it; Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
I stood there with either disc in hand, weighing the merits of one versus the other - after all, I hadn't even heard this Sepultura business before.
The boy band never made it out of the store, and that disc marked the stepping stone for my journey into the world of metal, rock, electronic, jazz, electronic, classical and what I've come to believe is damn good music.