5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: Tony Scalzo of Fastball
Name Tony Scalzo
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Best known for I sing and play in Fastball. More people know our music than know our faces. Our songs from the 1990s “The Way,” “Fire Escape,” and “Out of My Head,” still get played on radio, TV, and movies. I look forward to sharing these albums with you but I hate to leave out the other 4995!
Current city Austin, TX
Really want to be in I’d love to be in Honolulu, Oahu or Kihei, Maui because it’s too hot here in central Texas. I would go fishing and surfing every day.
Excited about Our new album, Sonic Ranch, is out now on Sunset Blvd Records. Touring all through 2025, we are excited to join The 90s Cruise in January with Lit, Gin Blossoms, Everclear, and a ton of other ‘90s bands.
My current music collection has a lot of Progressive rock from the ‘70s!
And a little bit of Punk, new wave, heavy metal, jazz, country, blues, and classical.
Preferred format I stream music all day long on Spotify. When I want to really enjoy music, I sit back with headphones on and spin vinyl albums. Nothing beats the sound quality of quality vinyl.
5 Albums I Can’t Live Without:
1
New York, Lou Reed
I first heard New York while working in a record store in the late 1980s. I didn’t understand all of what he was saying at the time—he was singing about a city I’d never been too. It’s almost 40 years later and I’ve been there many times. This record has held up so well and has only grown in importance for me.
2
The Yes Album, Yes
The first time I heard this record I was in fifth grade. I was already into the Beatles, who’d been broken up for less than five years! Yes filled that void very easily for me. I believe the Beatles would have become a prog band (maybe that’s why they broke up!). It’s the album of theirs that sounds the most raw and organic to me. Their next album was Fragile, and by then Yes had become much more sophisticated musically. I love most of their music, but this album is essential for me. I’ve grown up with it.
3
More Songs About Buildings and Food, Talking Heads
Not to be confused with, More Songs About Chocolate and Girls, by The Undertones, which I love, I’ve had a copy of this since 1978! Produced by Brian Eno, this record never gets old for me. Simple and hypnotic, with interesting lyrics about work and art.
4
Time Out of Mind, Bob Dylan
I listened to this CD every single day of 1998 – 1999, on the bus in America and Europe. I now own the deluxe vinyl edition which is awesome. Produced by Daniel Lanois, this album has everything I desire from a work by Dylan. The last song, “Highlands,”is one of my favorites. It may not rate as his best work, but it’s my No. 1 Dylan record.
5
Get Happy, Elvis Costello and The Attractions
I bought the first album by Elvis Costello when it was released. I then bought each one as they came out up until about 1994. This came out in 1980, the year he released three albums in the US. Produced by Nick Lowe and featuring over 20 tracks, all killer—no filler! Short, energetic songs that span and transcend the genres of power-pop, soul music, and ‘60s R&B. This album rocks.
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