Mike T
Category #1
1. Blood, Sweat and Tears (with, god forbid, David Clayon Thomas). I loved Bs&T (Spinnin' Wheel, etc.) and BS&T3 and even 4. I am so ashamed.
2. Whitesnake "Is This Love?" Not only was a writhing Tawny Kitaen in the video remarkable, but I actually dug the song's chord changes and hook. Boy! was I wrong.
3. Steely Dan. Even though everyone loves to hate them, it's still a guilty pleasure for me. "Reelin' in the Years" doesn't hold up, I'll admit, but listen to the solos on "Rikki, Don't Lose that Number" and Larry Carlton's solo on "Third World Man," and you might just understand.

Category #2
1. Nick Drake. When the guy across the hall in college showed me his Nick Drake and Gram Parsons lp's I though they were both fags. I listened to Neil Young, Tom Rush, Gordon Lightfoot, Steve Goodman and John Prine and thought I was the balls. Needelss to say, he scored all the beautiful arty chicks, and I practiced my guitar alone. A lot.
2. Rush. I would take three busses and walk twenty blocks in the rain to make fun of a Rush fan back in the day. Pompous, overblown shit. Then I heard a recent live concert, and while I still don't care for Geddy's voice (or lyrics), I have to admire the technical mastery and overall musicianship of Geddy, Neal (or is it Neil) and Alex.
3. The Dead. I saw the Dead a few times in college and always wondered what all the fuss was about. And for years I told the joke... "What does a deadhead say when he runs out of pot? Jeez, this music sucks!" But the other day, I heard "Tennessee Jed" on the radio, and have to admit that "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty" are pretty damn good. Fuck the rest of their shit, however. (I feel the same way about "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Madman Across the Water." The rest of the catalog can take a hike.