Rocky Athas: 10 Albums That Changed My Life

Photo courtesy of Rocky Athas

Born in Texas in 1954, Rocky Athas is an underappreciated virtuoso who has not only played alongside Buddy Miles, Glenn Hughes, and John Mayall but also deeply influenced Brian May, who, in turn, influenced Eddie Van Halen.

Athas was also good friends with Stevie Ray Vaughan and, like Vaughan, was a key player on a red-hot Texas scene back in the ’70s and ’80s with his band Lightning, who Queen’s Brian May went to see one fateful evening, setting off a chain of influential events that have recently come to light.

Anyway, as the years have gone by, Athas has kept at it. He does his thing, usually including badass Les Paul-slinging and rocking records, such as his latest, the aptly titled Living’ My Best Life (2024). But when he’s not busy ruling the stage, Athas keeps it chill.

During one of his moments of downtime, he beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to share with us the ten albums that changed his life. Can you spot any of your favorites?

The Best of The Animals – The Animals (1966)

How fortunate and thankful I am for my older brother, Nick, who turned me on to music so young. He conducted a master class in classic rock (before the term was invented) in our bedroom. With songs like “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” and “It’s My Life,” my third-grade brain connected with The Animal’s message.

I experienced the power that music could have over a person’s feelings. Being introduced to the early beginnings of blues rock by sharing a room with my older brother, The Animals became the soundtrack of my youth.

Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, aka The Beano Album – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (1966)

Oh, Eric is God! Was Eric on fire on this album, or what? Coming off the Yardbirds, Eric was already on my radar (because of my brother’s Yardbirds introduction) when John Mayall picked him up and featured him and blew the world away! So, you can imagine how very cool it was to get a call out of the blue from John Mayall asking me to play guitar with him. It was as if life was coming full circle musically for me.

Wheels of Fire by Cream (1968)

After hearing “White Room” for the first time, something just clicked inside me. All my focus up to that point in my life was about being the best guitarist I could be. Suddenly, I knew there was so much more for me to conquer. I knew I needed to up my game and try to write my own songs of this caliber.

Also, Eric Clapton’s version of “Crossroads” is the very finest example of impeccably executed lead work I had ever heard up until that date. His clean and fast but still extremely emotional playing impacted me like nothing else. Clapton was a breakout blues star on The Beano album, and now he has presented an entirely new concept in guitar playing in the power trio format. Now, I was hooked on being a musician!

Texas Cannonball – Freddie King (1972)

I am proud to give credit to another native Texan, Mr. Freddie King, for forming my idea of what blues/rock should be. Listen to “Big Legged Woman” and “Me and My Guitar.” Freddie played guitar like no one else. He played with fire, and his songs were very well-written and filled with great melodies.

His strong stage presence and authentic love for what he did were obvious and infectious. Freddie showed me that you should play blues within a great song structure instead of just jamming three chords all night. Great songwriting was essential. He influenced me so much that I wrote a tribute to him with Buddy Miles called “Texas Cannonball.”

Then Play On – Fleetwood Mac (1969)

Let’s talk about the first time we heard Peter Green play “Oh Well.” Oh, my God! I still get chills when I hear that song. The acoustic opening riff followed with the Strat or Tele on the back pickup together is just the perfect marriage of tones. Sonic perfection! I stop in my steps if that song comes on to give it the respect it deserves—absolute perfection in songwriting and guitar execution and blended guitar tones.

Rubber Soul (US version) – The Beatles (1965)

The Beatles were the pivotal band in my development as a musician. It’s almost impossible to pick just one Beatle album that influenced me, but if I have to, then Rubber Soul is it. Every song on that album is just as good as the next, “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Norwegian Wood,” and “In My Life.” The art of brilliant songwriting is on complete display and obviously the best in the world.  I knew then that writing good songs was key to my future. Plus, could they look any cooler than they did on that album cover?

Climbing! by Mountain (1970)

Seriously, this has got to be the most torqued-out band I ever heard. First, let’s talk about power! “Mississippi Queen’s” brilliant opening riff still pins me to the wall. Second, Leslie West had the best guitar tone and vibrato of them all. His lead solos would sing like a great vocalist full of melody.

You Are the Music… We’re Just the Band – Trapeze (1972)

Glenn Hughes is called “The Voice of Rock” for a reason! He has the best rock voice I have ever heard, and his bass playing is brilliant as well. Who didn’t play “You Are the Music… We’re Just the Band” in their first band? Just listen to “Coast to Coast” and be mesmerized by him. This power trio defined great musicianship. In another six degrees of separation, I collaborated with Glenn Hughes for the Tommy Bolin tribute and became fast friends.

Nazz – Nazz (1968)

Growing up in Oak Cliff, I was good friends with Stevie Ray Vaughan from grade school to high school. Of course, back then, we just called him Steve. We compared notes about new guitar players on the phone at night, and at lunch, music was the only subject we cared about.

Steve told me to check out Nazz’s first album, Nazz, because of Todd Rundgren. It wasn’t the band so much as Todd’s playing, especially on “Kiddie Boy,” which was a very influential lead solo. Plus, do you remember the really cool red vinyl? Just awesome.

Band of Gypsys – Jimi Hendrix (1970)

We have to remember that this is a live album with only three people making these amazing sounds. I love Jimi’s guitar playing to the max on this album. Hendrix set the bar so high for guitar players everywhere to aspire to. He was doing groundbreaking stuff on guitar that no one had even conceived or seen before.

Also, Buddy Miles’s drumming is so solid that a trio can sound so full and complete. In the spirit of six degrees of separation, I collaborated with Buddy Miles on our album Buddy Miles Bluesberries featuring Rocky Athas with Double Trouble from Stevie Ray’s band and then recorded a Hendrix tribute album. Playing a Hendrix tune with a drummer that actually played with Hendrix…it was a surreal experience, man.

Rocky Athas: 10 Albums That Changed My Life article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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