Daily Jam - Layla

Eric Clapton is a putz.  He's technically a great guitarist, but i feel like there's no soul in anything he does...except "Layla."  Goddamn, "Layla" is good.  The Derek & The Dominos track is an all-timer, especially that last instrumental half.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Effigy

It's my little brother's birthday today.  He's in a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band here in Austin called The Proud Marys.  If you've ever wondered what CCR sounds like played in the style of The Ramones, it's pretty much that.  Anyway, here's Creedence with a favorite of mine, "Effigy," our Daily Jam.  Happy Birthday Drew!

Daily Jam - I've Been Waiting for You

Good afternoon everyone.  Here's some Neil Young.  Listen to "I've Been Waiting for You," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - The Rain Song

Ladies and gentlemen...Led Zeppelin.  Listen to "The Rain Song" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Welcome to the Machine

Like a lot of dudes before me, i went through a pretty heavy Pink Floyd phase when i was in college.  My enthusiasm for the band has waned over the years, but every now and then i go back and listen and remember why i got so wrapped up in them in the first place.  Here's a track from "Wish You Were Here," maybe the strongest and most consistent release from the band.  Listen to "Welcome to the Machine" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Strange Days

These days, i am well into my reevaluation of The Doors.  As a teen, i was, like a lot of other people, way way too reverential of the '60s LA band.  And then later, to counter that, i probably was too fast to completely write them off.  Hence the reevaluation.  Here's the title track from the group's sophomore album, a song i almost swapped with alternative metal band Prong's mid-'90s cover instead.  Listen to "Strange Days" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - War Pigs

I am so very tired.  Here's a classic as well as an absolute banger from Black Sabbath to wind down this long day to.  Listen to "War Pigs" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Astronomy Domine

It's Thursday.  Here's an old Pink Floyd song.  Listen to "Astronomy Domine" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - God

"God" is probably my favorite John Lennon song.  The lyric, "The dream is over," just sticks with me.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Love Is Strong

One of the first concerts i ever went to was to see The Rolling Stones at Wembley Stadium in London for the "Voodoo Lounge" tour.  It was kind of wild, as there were more people in attendance than the entire population of the city in west Texas i lived in at the time.  Still pretty cool though.  Here's a track from the album.  Listen to "Love Is Strong" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Peace and Love

Probably one of the musical pairings that made the most sense ever was Neil Young utilizing Pearl Jam as his backing band for the 1995 album "Mirror Ball."  It was just a bunch of pieces that seemed to naturally fit together.  Here's a track from said album for your Saturday.  Listen to "Peace and Love" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - (Don't Fear) The Reaper

While certainly funny, in a lot of ways the SNL "Cowbell Sketch" kind of ruined Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."  And that's really a shame, but it's an all-timer of a track.  So we're taking it back.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Love Street

Like a whole lot of people before me, i went through a pretty big Doors phase when i was in high school and college before turning and finding them insufferable.  I think i'm back to appreciating them again.  Here's a favorite that got a lot of play in my dorm room freshman year.  Listen to "Love Street" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Shine a Light

It's gonna be hot today...and tomorrow...and the day after that.  On the bright side, maybe that will make our out-of-town visitors this week think twice before moving here in the future.  Anyway, here's The Rolling Stones with "Shine a Light," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Mother

I'm about to be out of pocket for the next couple of days working a convention.  I've said my goodbyes to the boys, and i'll get some pets in for the dog before i walk out the door.  But before i start the next few 13-15 hour work days, here's some Pink Floyd.  Listen to "Mother" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Dancing Days

And now for a cut from my favorite Led Zeppelin album "Houses of the Holy."  Dig on "Dancing Days" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Simply Shady

Here's a little George Harrison on a Wednesday morning.  Listen to "Simply Shady" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Sympathy for the Devil

When i was in 10th grade, a senior at my high school tried to tell me that "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones was written by Charlie Manson.  I think he just had some wires crossed as Guns 'n' Roses had recently covered both "Look at Your Game, Girl" by Manson and the Stones classic.  Maybe i might have corrected him, but i probably just let it go.  I don't really remember anymore.  Anyway, here's "Sympathy for the Devil," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Someone to Love

Before she was in Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick was the lead singer of short-lived San Francisco psych rock band The Great Society.  And that band recorded the original version of "Somebody to Love," originally titled "Someone to Love."  It's a cool little sonic artifact.  Check it out below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding

I remember reading long ago that a lot of the friction between Axl Rose and Slash that would eventually lead to the break up of Guns N’ Roses in the early 90’s began with the artistic differences between the two while writing and recording the Use Your Illusion albums. Slash purportedly wanted to keep going with the sound created on Appetite for Destruction, while Axl seemed to be channeling Elton John to craft these epic, piano-driven rock songs. Also, they were both assholes. Creative differences aside, I think I’ve gotta go with Axl on this one. As much as I love Appetite, the sheer scope and ambition of both the Use Your Illusion records pushed the band well beyond their Sunset Strip origins, and so much of that comes from Axl’s Elton John-inspired magnum opuses.

And why the hell wouldn’t you draw inspiration from Elton John? You can say what you will about any of his lackluster material from the last 30-plus years, but the man made utter magic during the 70’s. He put out album after album of brilliant material, the combination of his amazing songwriting and Bernie Taupin’s lyrics. In 1973, John put out his seventh album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a double LP of nostalgia-fueled odes to American culture and childhood. The album opens with “Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding),” an 11-minute song that begins as an instrumental dirge full of analog synthesizers, piano balladry, and electric guitar solos before bridging into its second half of straight rock n’ roll. It is the very definition of the epic and grandiose rock song. And it’s ultimately responsible for turning me on to the music of Elton John.

Like so many of the classic artists I enjoy, I didn’t really begin to seek them out until I was in college. After a high school education that started with grunge and then worked through industrial, electronica, and Britpop, college finally saw me investigating everything that had come before. It’s when I got into David Bowie, The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin, and so on. It’s only natural that I was going to discover how cool Elton John used to be.

I think the thing that really does it for me on “Funeral for a Friend” is the use of the synthesizers and arpeggiators during the opening. It’s a sound I just adore, being a sucker for all of those old school analog synth tones, the sound of the past future. And that opening is going to grab me every single time.

So, just remember…Axl Rose was right.

Check the track out below, our Daily Jam.