I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, and here I am at home again today. I can�t face people today. I need some time away from people for a couple days. I certainly wasn�t ready to face people at work today. I am going to have a shit load of work to do when I return tomorrow. Plus it is snowing like a son of a bitch here, and I don�t feel like dealing with the driving.

So I have been on this strange mood thing for the past couple of days. Yesterday, I needed a little bit of negativity in my life, so I came on here and talked a little shit about drinking. Please, I�m not as bad as that. I don�t really think of people as weaklings or anything like that. I do however always seem to be one extreme or the other. If I hated people that drank, I wouldn�t have any friends. So, just an FYI I guess�

I�ve decided to weed out some of my music. Last night I had another revelation about �guitar-based music� Most of it doesn�t do it for me anymore. I enjoy playing it, but I just can�t really listen to it anymore. It holds my interest for a very brief period. Whereas, I can listen to Coleman Hawkins going off on the saxophone any day of the week. Some of it is 60 years old, and can still hit you like a ton of bricks. I�ve taken the liberty of making a list of records that I think hold some sort of longevity in my opinion anyway. Here they are:

1) Rolling Stones � The Rolling Stones through Tattoo You

I�d have to say the Stones output from their beginnings up until then was some of the best Rock and Roll to come out of England. Or The Best rather. They were definitely tuned into something more than the Beatles were. Covering some of the better artists in the American Blues scene, and writing some of the best riffs in the world. Keith Richards took the open G tuning and made some of the greatest songs rock has ever heard. Tattoo You was the last good record they recorded in my opinion. In between these two records you had classics like 12 x 5, Exile On Main Street, Flowers, It�s Only Rock and Roll, Sticky Fingers, Let It Bleed, Beggars Banquet and many more. Not much filler.

2) Bob Dylan � Bob Dylan through Desire, Time Out of Mind

What else can be said about the Dylan Catalog but, there is some of the best song writing ever, and some of the bravest moves by any performer in the history of music. There are some good songs here and there in the eighties, but for the most part, there was a large amount of schwag. With the help of Daniel Lanois again, he hit us fans with Time Out of Mind, a perfect record for a guy like me, who feels he�s getting �old�. Also perfectly in time with my last big breakup, so I�ll always remember that record.

3) Tom Waits � Closing Time through Mule Variations

Tom doesn�t have a bad record in his catalog.

4) Radiohead � OK Computer, and Kid A

I would have put The Bends on here, but I don�t really like the whole record, so�These two records though define something, I don�t know what. Anyone who has ever spent a good night alone with either of these two records knows the emotions and feelings that are conveyed. I�m close to saying Kid A is better, as Radiohead seems to be one of the few bands who get better with age.

5) The Band � Music From the Big Pink

Defining Americana years before it was cool, The Band put in some time as Dylan�s backing band (and a pretty damn good one at that). This is one of the most soulful records to come out of white America.

6) The Clash � The Clash through London Calling

More important music coming out of England. I remember hearing London Calling when it came out. I was a young kid, didn�t really know what they were singing about, but I loved the melody and songs. My dad gave this to my brother and I and I didn�t take it off the stereo for months. Eventually I discovered the older ones when I was older, and to this day they are one of my favorites of all time.

7) Grateful Dead � American Beauty and Workingman�s Dead

When most people think of the Dead, they are most likely thinking of songs from these two records: Truckin�, Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones, Ripple, Uncle John�s Band, etc. Arguably the last batch of great, classic songs they ever wrote. They were at their peak with these two records, coming close to CSN&Y with the vocal harmonies, and writing songs that would span years, and define the band more or less.

8) Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band� Trout Mask Replica

Not the easiest listen if you don�t know what you�re in for. The story behind this record is just as intriguing as the record itself. Track it down, and then track down the story behind the making if you can. Nothing can really be said about this record other than you need to hear it to understand.

I will add more to this list later on. I need breakfast��

before & after