I gave my son a copy of London Calling since I was getting tired of him playing the Ramones all the time, and my wife had begun to worry that the song Beat on the Brat might do harm to his nine-year-old psyche if he heard it many times more. Repetition being the devil's osmosis, and all.

So he's been playing the Clash every night, and, while I'm glad he enjoys it so much, it, too, is beginning to wear on my nerves.

So what great album should I pass to him next? He's never expressed much interest in music (unlike my daughter) so I'm trying to take it slow and cultivate his musical tastes one great album at a time. If I threw a huge stack of CDs at him, I think he'd become overwhelmed and just go back to music he is comfortable with.

So give me some suggestions!

Since he seems to like punk...
Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady

(As long as you have no problem with him listening to "Orgasm Addict" or "Oh Shit!") It's right up the Ramones/Clash alley and just classic.

Other things that my kids like that yours might:
Roky Erickson - The Evil One (The kids love "Two-Headed Dog" and "I Think of Demons")
The Kinks - You Really Got Me (or any early Kinks stuff)
The Who - Sing My Generation
The Creation - Our Music is Red With Purple Flashes
De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising (again, if the language on there isn't an issue. I myself only play selected songs for my guys)
Jimi Hendix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool/Pure Pop for Now People

Led Zepplin- III (whichever one has Over the Hills and Far Away)

It has to have something with hooks.

When he turns 12:

Guns and Roses- Appetite for Destruction

On first thought, I wanted to suggest broadening the spectrum a bit with sounds that punk wrought... like the Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club, but he might not want to leave the punk mileu. I thought about second wave California punk and it is too scary, too inappropriaye for a nine year old. Then it hit me... Later day Social Distortion would be good. But not as good as some Rancid/Op Ivy, and that might lead to some pretty good exploration of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd wave Ska - already introduced by listening to London Calling. The Specials, Selecter, Hepcat, The Slackers, the Dropkick Murphys, the English Beat, King Tubby, etc... Try him on Ska!

Similarly, you probably could do no harm with Bad Religion or the Decendents. You're kid might actually learn something from listening to their records.

listening to one album over and over is what kids are supposed to do. glad they still do.

i did this with led zeppelin IV, beatles "help" and the best of the police
and lots of others i can't think of right now.

That's Houses Of the Holy.

Either on of those are ace. Besides, every kid who wishes to worship at the altar of rawk must at some point immerse themselves in the Zeppelin.

Let me know when he translates what the hell Joe is saying in the intro to Clampdown.

Steve

This Years Model

or how about The Jam - In The City?

It might be a little early for Wire's Pink Flag.

and if he likes the reggae side of The Clash, what about The English Beat's I Just Can't Stop It.

I gave my 8-year-old daughter a Beach Boys Greatest Hits album that she likes a lot.

I also think My Generation was a good suggestion.

The Saints - I'm Stranded or Eternally Yours
The Undertones - S/T

I soo did that over and over and over with Rick Astley's debut.

Um... Don't give him that.

so, the first (and only) album my parents bought for me was some steppenwolf hits cassette for xmas. i taped over that thing within a couple months.

The two Rhino box sets:

No Thanks (the punk one)
Left of the Dial (the '80's one)

That's eight or so discs of a wide spectrum.

Or....

hit some of us up for mixed cd's. PM me if interested.

Edit: Oh yeah, aces on The Creation recommendation. Aces further for Television Personalities' killer cover of "Making Time"

Modern Lovers maybe? (but there is the prominent use of the word "asshole" in "Pablo Picasso")

Or how about stepping out of the punk arena and trying Rubber Soul or Revolver.

May I Suggest:

999 - The Biggest Prize In Sport?

Why don't you involve your son in making a mix for himself?

And then encourage him to make mixes for people, with your guidance at first, but later on his own.

Kids like the Pogues, IME.

There's a whole thread of punk that won't scare mom over at cmj, from when I made a mix for a friend's 11 (13?) year old pal.

[quote="Billzebub"]The two Rhino box sets:

No Thanks (the punk one)
Left of the Dial (the '80's one)quote]

Nuggets II: Orig. Artyfacts from Brit. Empire, Disc 1

i have younger siblings and these are what they usually borrow off me

Weezer - Blue Album
Ash - Singles Going Steady
Misfits
Buzzcocks/Undertones
Best Of Tom Petty

Thanks for all the advice... You guys rock.