The album that changed me the most is the US version of the Clash's debut. In terms of punk, most people are quick to talk about just how amazing the Sex Pistols were and how much Never Mind the Bollocks....is an important record. While I agree it is a significant album, to me the Sex Pistols were more about aesthetics while the Clash's career, which has many albums and not one, has more weight. The Clash encompass an experimentation in music. It was just punk, but it was ska, reggae and dub too. I think I am more content with the Clash because their is a whole lot more to their catalog. The Pistols had their moment. And in some ways, they were more of a cultural phenom then technical musicians. The Sex Pistols live in the myth of Sid and Nancy. And the Clash is a reflection of the times in England. The racism, the lack of jobs, the living in run down houses. The Clash will always be the most important band to me. I may love Depeche Mode more in different ways, but I never forget how the Clash altered my being.
You should watch the Clash documentary Westway to the World. I think you might like it.
White Riot by the ClashI'm So Bored With the USA by the ClashI Fought the Law by the Clash(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais by the ClashPolice and Thieves by the ClashLost in the Super Market by the ClashShould I Stay or Should I Go? by the ClashThe Guns of Brixton by the ClashLondon Calling by the ClashComplete Control by the Clash