1987 - I had married for the first time. Later that year, I think I heard in z-rock first. Z-rock was a nationally syndicated hard rock show on radio and the local Dallas station, KZEW (the Zoo) was a carrier for the show. So, I hear this garage band guitar kerchunking through a delay box, followed by a bass playing a descending melody, contrapuntal to the guitar riff. And then a scream that sounded like a cross between a wild animal and a howling wind. And this bluesy voice, liked a pissed off Janis Joplin with a penis. I thought, no one's ever done that before. But it didn't get played much and usually only on airings of Z-rock. The following year, SCOM came out. I heard it twice on the radio and picked out my guitar, from memory. However, I was one half step off. I picked it out in the key of C when it was actually Db. The song was perfection, as perfect as "Stairway to Heaven" was. That song inspired me to develop my voice. By 1988, I was seriously working on my voice and increasing my range. Any, I got AFD in 1986 and I played it until it was old and scratchy and I could sing every song on that album. I even tried auditioning for bands but Dallas is not really that kind of town. The few bands around want to sound like someone who is already famous and I didn't sound like Plant or Coverdale or even Axl Rose. I guess I just sound like Ron, good or bad.
Anyway, I still have AFD on vinyl. And I have been a fan ever since then.