Quotes of the Month: May 2016

Quote of the Month: "You can't legislate against human stupidity."
-Australian MP Warren Entsch

Stupid Quote of the Month: "When you got to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line?”
-VA Secretary Robert McDonald

Ironic Quote of the Month:
"In politics and in life, ignorance is not a virtue. It's not cool to not know what you're talking about."
-Barack Obama


And the rest...
"When a populous Democratic candidate promises free college, free health care and a pony, or another candidate promises to make other countries pay for our needs, remember, those who promise you a free lunch will invariably eat you for breakfast."
-Michael Bloomberg

"Did you see her walk? Runway walk. My God is that good.”
-Chris Matthews on Melania Trump

"We're still about rocking... not rocking chairs."
-Roger Daltrey

“There ain’t much real about me but my heart.”
-Dolly Parton

"They were very rude to the ambassador."
-Queen Elizabeth about the Chinese

“Bowie was the most tragic of all because it was real sickness. All the other ones were a choice. His drugs killed him. What do you think, he died from a cold? But how pathetic that he killed himself.”
-Gene Simmons

“I don’t respect him. I think he’s a racist, I think he’s a bigot,”
-Curt Schilling on Stephen A. Smith

"I kinda might be saying goodbye."
-Eric Clapton

Top 200 Albums of All Time: The Rolling Stones

Aftermath: The Rolling Stones (1966)

The Rolling Stones’ sixth album represented a major breakthrough for the band. It marked the first time the Stones did not cover any songs. Every track was a Jagger/Richards composition. It is also notable for the inclusion of a variety of non-rock instruments such as the sitar, dulcimer, and xylophone.

Key Tracks:
Paint It Black
Under My Thumb
Lady Jane

Beggar’s Banquet: The Rolling Stones (1968)

The Stones abandoned the psychedelic and returned to their primal roots with Beggar’s Banquet. Fans and critics enjoyed the return to form for the band. In December, the Stones filmed The Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus to promote the album. The film included John Lennon, The Who, Jethro Tull, and Eric Clapton, but was not released until 1996.

Key Tracks:
Sympathy for the Devil
Street Fighting Man
Salt of the Earth

Let if Bleed: The Rolling Stones (1969)

Mick Jagger lists Let It Bleed as his favorite Stones album. The record is the last with Brian Jones and first with Mick Taylor. This album captured the period’s zeitgeist. It is infused with a feeling of impending doom. In fact, the day after it was released, the Stones held the Altamont Free Concert.

Key Tracks:
Gimme Shelter
Midnight Rambler
Monkey Man
You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Sticky Fingers: The Rolling Stones (1971)

The Stones eleventh album, Sticky Fingers, is a soundtrack to the early 1970s as well as many a gangster film. It is dark and autobiographical. Sticky Fingers marks Mick Taylor’s official full album debut after replacing the late Brian Jones. The album’s cover created some controversy as it featured a male crotch. Overall, Sticky Fingers represents what rock n roll.

Key Tracks:
Brown Sugar
Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
Bitch
Sister Morphine
Dead Flowers

Exile on Main St.: The Rolling Stones (1972)

There is a consensus that Exile is the Stones finest effort. Keith Richards claimed that the double album hit many different areas and the band felt like exiles at the time. It also marked the point at which the Stones decided they were big enough to do whatever they wanted. For his part, Jagger does not count Exile as one of his favorites. He believes its success lies in the whole, “I'm not too sure how great the songs are, but put together it's a nice piece.”

Key Tracks:
Tumbling Dice
Rip this Joint
Sweet Virginia
Happy
Ventilator Blues

Tattoo You: The Rolling Stones (1981)

Although they continued to produce hit records, Tattoo You remains the Rolling Stones last #1 studio album. Many of the songs were outtakes and leftovers from the previous decade. According to Richards, the Stones felt the urge to tour and did not have the time to write new material. The result was an extremely popular record among fans and critics alike.

Key Tracks:
Start Me Up
Hang Fire
Waiting on a Friend

Top 200 Albums of All Time: "J" Artists

Off the Wall: Michael Jackson (1979)


Off the Wall has become a trendy pick amongst critics for MJ’s greatest work. The album signaled Michael Jackson’s move away from Motown and included funk, disco, pop, soul, jazz, and soft rock influences. Off the Wall had been forgotten as music fans wanted to forget the seventies and in the wake of Thriller’s success.

Key Tracks:

Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough
Rock With You
She’s Out of My Life

Thriller: Michael Jackson (1982)

For a time, Thriller was omnipresent. Michael Jackson continued his exploration of the same musical influences present in Off the Wall. With Thriller, he really puts his stamp on pop culture and music. Additionally, Jackson broke down racial barriers through MTV with hit after hit. “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” still receive radio airplay nearly 30 years later and the title track has become a Halloween anthem.

Key Tracks:

Beat It
Billy Jean
Thriller
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

Billy Joel: The Stranger (1977)

Billy Joel broke through with The Stranger. His previous four albums achieved little-to-moderate success. The album is filled with classic tracks and four singles charted.

Key Tracks:

Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
The Stranger
Just the Way You Are
She’s Always a Woman
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: Elton John (1973)

Elton John did not plan to record a double album. However, he and Bernie Taupin wrote enough material for two albums. The record uses nostalgia for maximum effect. The most memorable works all harken back to simpler time whether its childhood or young adulthood.

Key Tracks:

Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleed
Candle in the Wind
Bennie and the Jets
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Robert Johnson: King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)

Robert Johnson died in 1938. In 1961, Columbia released sixteen tracks that had been on 78. Throughout the sixties, blues grew more popular particular with the British Invasion acts. As the decade progressed, his works were covered by the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin.

Key Tracks:

Cross Road Blues
Terraplane Blues
Traveling Riverside Blues
Hellhound on My Trail

British Steel: Judas Priest (1980)

1980 was a very good year for metal. Judas Priest was in the middle of the action with the release of British Steel. Scott Ian claimed the album defined heavy metal because it eliminated the blues influence that permeated and influenced the genre from the late sixties. On top of this, the album included the iconic and genre defining songs “Breaking the Law”, “Living After Midnight”, and “Metal Gods.”

Key Tracks:

Breaking the Law
Living After Midnight
United
Metal Gods

Top 200 Albums of All Time: Artists starting with "D"

Machine Head: Deep Purple (1972)

Machine Head heavily influenced metal. Although not a metal record, it is best defined as proto-metal. “Highway Star” is considered an early speed metal tune. “Smoke on the Water” contains one of the greatest riffs in music history and recounts a fire at a casino in which Frank Zappa was performing. Music fans that worship early Zeppelin and Sabbath should include Machine Head in their canon.

Key Tracks:

Smoke on the Water
Space Truckin’
Highway Star

Pyromania: Def Leppard (1983)

Def Leppard made the leap to the big leagues with Pyromania. The album successfully bridged the gap between popular music, metal, and rock. Def Leppard partially recorded the album with Pete Willis. The band fired the guitarist for overindulging in alcohol. His replacement, Phil Collen, fit perfectly with the band and passed his audition with a blazing solo on “Photograph.” After reaching the pinnacle, Def Leppard underwent a series of trials before returning to dominate the charts.

Key Tracks:

Photograph
Foolin’
Rock of Ages
Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
Die Hard the Hunter

Hysteria: Def Leppard (1987)

Pyromania transformed Def Leppard into superstars. On December 31, 1984, drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in an auto accident. He retrained himself on the drums and returned to the band. After production delays, bloated expenses, and a change in producers, the group finally released Hysteria. At the time, it was the longest rock album ever recorded. The work reached #1 everywhere and went diamond with over 12 million copies sold. The success did not occur until the band released “Pour Some Sugar On Me” as a single. Once that hit the street and appeared on radio, the album exploded.

Key Tracks:

Animal
Love Bites
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Armageddon It
Hysteria
Gods of War

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs: Derek and the Dominoes (1970)

Some consider Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs Eric Clapton’s greatest achievement. Clapton experienced the super group dynamic with Cream and Blind Faith and wanted out. In order to avoid hype, Clapton toured small clubs under an assumed name. After the tour, Derek and the Dominoes recorded the legendary album in a Miami studio. Derek and the Dominoes was an ensemble act consisting of Eric Clapton, keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, drummer Jim Gordon, bassist Carl Radle, and the great Duane Allman. The album’s best known work, “Layla” recounts Clapton’s anguish over George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. On a side note, Boyd also influenced The Beatles’ “Something” meaning she influenced two of rock’s greatest songs.

Key Tracks:

Bell Bottom Blues
Tell The Truth
Layla

Brothers in Arms: Dire Straits (1985)

Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums directed toward the CD market. Digitally recorded, the album became the first CD to outsell its LP format and to sell over a million copies. Dire Straits really created two albums. The first portion was classic Dire Straits arena based classic rock. The second half was subdued and folksy. The video for “Money For Nothing” is one of the most played in MTV history and aided in the albums success.

Key Tracks:

So Far Away
Money For Nothing
Walk of Life
Brothers in Arms

The Doors: The Doors (1967)

The Doors debut album not only introduced the band, but came to define it. “Break on Through” is the band’s call to expand the boundaries of existence. “Back Door Man” and “Alabama Song” are both covers, but seem to be biographical depictions of Jim Morrison. “The End” explores Morrison’s Oedipal complex. “Light My Fire” broke the band and became its signature song. With so much variety and vitality on the album, The Doors became a greatest hits album.

Key Tracks:

Break On Thru (To The Other Side)
Light My Fire
The End
Alabama Song

The Chronic: Dr. Dre (1992)

Dr. Dre broke away from NWA and went solo. His solo debut’s title references street slang for marijuana. The G-funk sound revolutionized gangsta rap for the next few years. He included Funkadelic beats, live instruments, and soul making slower, mellower music. Instead of calling for revolution or a party, Dre provided a middle ground.

Key Tracks:

Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang
Fuck wit Dre Day
Let Me Ride

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan (1963)

Bob Dylan’s first album only included two original songs. His second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, contained eleven. The album is catalogue of early sixties folk classics. The album is an account of the period with reports on civil rights, nuclear warfare, and modern anxiety. The album made Dylan “Spokesman of a Generation” which he resented.

Key Tracks:

Blowin’ In The Wind
Masters of War
A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Bringing It All Back Home: Bob Dylan (1965)

Dylan tired of being the pied piper and revolted. He expanded beyond folk music alienating fans. The album is split in two with electric and acoustic sides. The folk scene despised the electric. Dylan responded with “Maggie’s Farm” which basically told them where to go. He even avoided protest songs.

Key Tracks:

Subterranean Homesick Blues
Maggie’s Farm
Mr. Tambourine Man

Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan (1965)

Unlike Bringing It All Back Home which was half electric and half acoustic, Dylan stayed plugged in for Highway 61 Revisited. The one exception was “Desolation Row” which is about some carnies accused of rape. The album features many Dylan concert standards including his signature song “Like a Rolling Stone.” The album’s name derives from Highway 61 which tied Minnesota to America’s great music cities of St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans.

Key Tracks:

Like A Rolling Stone
Tombstone Blues
Desolation Row

Blonde on Blonde: Bob Dylan (1966)

Most double albums should not be double albums. Blonde on Blonde is an exception to the rule. Dylan expands his examination of rock and blues music. The album marked an end of an era. After its release, Dylan crashed his motorcycle and changed his musical approach.

Key Tracks:

Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Just Like A Woman
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Blood on the Tracks: Bob Dylan (1975)

Blood on the Tracks rejuvenated both fans and critics who questioned Dylan's recent work. Although he denies it, the album appears autobiographical. Dylan was going through a troubled period in his personal life. He claims that most of the songs were inspired by Anton Chekhov. On the other hand, Dylan admitted “Tangled Up In Blue” was based in part on his experiences. Either way, the artist has a hard time understanding why fans love an album so filled with someone’s pain.

Key Tracks:

Tangled Up In Blue
Shelter From The Storm
If You See Her, Say Hello

Top 200 Albums of All Time: Artists beginning with "C"

At Folsom Prison: Johnny Cash (1968)

Johnny Cash wanted to perform at a prison. Record company execs hated the idea, so it percolated until changes at Columbia opened the door. Cash, June Carter, Carl Perkins, and the Tennessee Three put on two shows in January, 1968. The resulting live album was a smash hit and spawned a second prison album, At San Quentin.

Key Tracks:

Folsom Prison Blues
Cocaine Blues
25 Minutes to Go
Jackson

American Recordings: Johnny Cash (1994)

In 1994, Johnny Cash returned to relevance after years in the wilderness. Metal and Rap producer Rick Rubin approached Cash hoping to produce the album. At first, Cash demurred, but eventually relented. It proved the perfect match. Rubin engineered Cash’s return to a stripped down, darker sound. The end result was the most unlikely and amazing musical comeback in history.

Key Tracks:

Delia’s Gone
The Beast in Me
Redemption

Cheap Trick: Cheap Trick at Budokan (1979)

Japan loved Cheap Trick before the states. The band decided to record a live album for their Japanese fans over two nights, but the songs made it onto American radio. Thousands of imported copies of the Budokan album sold in the United States before it was released domestically. The surprise hit broke Cheap Trick in the U.S. and led to a sequel album in 1993 which included the remaining songs from the shows.

Key Tracks:

I Want You To Want Me
Surrender
Ain’t That A Shame

The Clash: The Clash (1977)

While disco reigned and rock appeared dead,  The Clash released a high powered punk album that followed on the heals of The Ramones. The band followed the Ramones formula with short, fast songs. However, they added a political component raging against unemployment, capitalism, racism, and commercialization. The band later expanded their music to become “the only band that mattered.”

Key Tracks:

White Riot
Complete Control
Career Opportunities
London’s Burning

London Calling: The Clash (1979)

The Clash dramatically expanded their musical stylings with London Calling. They incorporated ska, pop, soul, jazz, reggae, and rockabilly into their vision of a post apocalyptic world. The album’s themes surrounded drug use, unemployment, racism, adulthood, and the pressures of modern life. It encapsulated late seventies London and the failure of socialism….although the band viewed it as the failure of capitalism.

Key Tracks:

London Calling
Brand New Cadillac
Clampdown
The Guns of Brixton
Train in Vain

No Jacket Required: Phil Collins (1985)

Ok, I know what you’re thinking…why is Phil Collins on this list? Answer is simple. No Jacket Required best represents the mid-80s pop scene. Phil Collins was omnipresent during this period. In fact, Collins joked that he was tiring of himself. The album’s title derives from an incident at Chicago’s Pump Room. Collins was denied entry because he lacked the proper attire. The album spawned four major hits and accompanying videos. Despite his reputation, not all the songs on the album were fluffy pop. For example, “Long Long Way To Go” is a politically charged work that was never released as a single and features Sting on backing vocals.

Key Tracks:

One More Night
Don’t Lose My Number
Take Me Home
Long Long Way To Go

Elvis Costello & The Attractions: This Year’s Model (1978)

Elvis Costello mixed pop sensibilities with youthful angst on his second album. Instead of begging in typical whiney pop fashion, Costello tortures himself and seems to enjoy it. The album incorporated punk with pop sensibilities to create something different.

Key Tracks:

Pump It Up
Radio Radio
Night Rally

Disraeli Gears: Cream (1967)

Cream was the first true “super group” with Ginger Baker on drums, Jack Bruce playing bass, and some guy named Clapton rounding out the trio with his guitar. The band’s second album, Disraeli Gears, fulfilled promise the original merger of the three presented fans a year earlier. The album found Cream discovering their own style deviating away from the blues which brought them together. They indulged and jammed creating a psychedelic time capsule. On a side note, the album’s name derived from a slip of Clapton’s tongue. The guitarist was discussing bicycles with Ginger Baker and mentioned Disraeli Gears as opposed to derailleur gears. The band thought the slip hilarious and used it as their album title.

Key Tracks:

Strange Brew
Sunshine of Your Love
Tales of Brave Ulysses
SWLABR

Wheels of Fire: Cream (1968)

Cream followed Disraeli Gears with the double album Wheels of Fire. The first album contained new studio material. The second contained four live performances from the Fillmore recorded over three March evenings in 1968. The albums capture the band and its complex musical tastes as it includes blues standards, cynical political rock, eccentric pop rock bordering on prog, and psychedelic. Turmoil plagued the band throughout its lifetime and it split after one final album. That turmoil led to the creative tensions that gave birth to Wheels of Fire.

Key Tracks:

White Room
Sitting on Top of the World
Born Under a Bad Sign
Politician

Green River: Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)

CCR may be the greatest American rock band of all time. They incorporated their influences and created a style unlike any other act. Green River demonstrates everything that made CCR great. The album included straight on rockers like “Commotion” and classics such as “Bad Moon Rising.” The most interesting tune, “Lodi”, is about a performer trapped in a small town and unable to raise enough money to escape.

Key Tracks:

Green River
Commotion
Bad Moon Rising
Lodi

Cosmo’s Factory: Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970)

Cosmo’s Factory both encapsulated 1970 and remains relevant in the 21st century. The album seems as if it were recorded in the jungles of Vietnam. Yet, it also seems fresh in the Age of Terror. It is dark and foreboding while at the same time hopeful.

Key Tracks:

Travelin’ Band
Lookin’ Out My Back Door
Who’ll Stop the Rain
I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Greatest Guitar Riffs of the 60s

I did not put these in any order. This period was the heyday for guitar rock. These are the best riffs in my opinion...

Whole Lotta Love- Led Zeppelin

Satisfaction- Rolling Stones

Purple Haze- Jimy Hendrix

Sunshine of Your Love- Cream

Day Tripper- The Beatles

Jumpin’ Jack Flash- Rolling Stones

You Really Got Me- The Kinks

Voodoo Child- Jimy Hendrix

Black Dog- Led Zeppelin

Roadhouse Blues- The Doors



Pinball Wizard- The Who

Wipe Out- The Sufaris

All Along the Watchtower- Jimy Hendrix

Revolution- The Beatles

Miserlou- Dick Dale

I Can’t Explain- The Who

Fortunate Son- CCR

My Generation- The Who

All Day and All of the Night- The Kinks

Paint it Black- The Rolling Stones

Best riffs of the 1970s

Smoke on the Water- Deep Purple

Layla- Derek and the Dominoes

Iron Man- Black Sabbath

Heartbreaker- Led Zeppelin

Walk This Way- Aerosmith

Paranoid- Black Sabbath

Aqualung- Jethro Tull

Brown Sugar- The Rolling Stones

Running with the Devil- Van Halen

La Grange- ZZ Top

Cat Scratch Fever- Ted Nugent

Hey Hey My My- Neil Young

Money- Pink Floyd

Cocaine- Eric Clapton

Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love- Van Halen

Frankenstein- Edgar Winter

Stranglehold- Ted Nugent

Sweet Home Alabama- LS

In the Evening- Led Zeppelin

Echoes- Pink Floyd

My Favorite Albums from the 1990s

Actung Baby- U2 (1991)

Ten- Pearl Jam (1991)

Vs.- Pearl Jam (1993)

Monster- REM (1994)

Automatic for the People- REM (1992)

New Adventures in Hi-Fi- REM (1996)

Metallica- Metallica (1991)

Use Your Illusion I and II- Guns n Roses (1991)

From the Cradle- Eric Clapton (1994)

For Unlawful Carnel Knowledge- Van Halen (1991)

Singles Soundtrack (1992)

The Greatest TV Episodes of All Time #81-90

81. Flintstones: The Masquerade Party (1965): Fred hooks up with a new rock band, the Wayouts, whose promotional campaign panics Bedrock. Their getup combined with Fred’s space costume get the group tossed out of the Water Buffalo Lodge's Halloween Party as Barney mistakes them for alien invaders.

82. Dallas: Who Shot JR? (1980): Dallas ended Season Two by shooting J.R. CBS launched a highly successful campaign building up to the season premier. Who Shot J.R.? became a catch phrase and cultural milestone. At the time, it was the highest rated show of all time. It is now #2 on the list behind the M*A*S*H finale. 83 million watched the episode.

83. WKRP: Turkey’s Away (1978): To celebrate Thanksgiving, WKRP decided to have throw a promotion. The station rented a helicopter and tossed turkeys out the window while in the air. Mr. Carlson did not realize turkeys could not fly. Happy Thanksgiving from WKRP!! Apparently this was based on a real incident.

84. The Night Stalker (1972): Before the X-Files, Kolchak investigated the paranormal. The investigative reporter found himself in Las Vegas hunting a serial killer. The killer turned out to be a vampire. Another TV movie and series followed.

85. Hawaii 5-0: V is for Vashon (1972): Steve McGarrett takes on an old crime family. He takes down the son, father, and patriarch. In the meantime, he has to avoid assassination attempts. The three part storyline centering around a crime family was unique for the time and a fave of 5-0 fans.

86. The Bernie Mac Show : Droobie or Not Droobie (2004): Bernie is the villain in a children’s movie. He battles Droobie (see Barney) in the film which freaks out young Bryana. To prove Bernie and Droobie are tight, the character visits Bryana at home. After the visit, she catches Bernie stuffing the Droobie costume in the car trunk and freaks.

87. The Doors on Ed Sullivan (1967): The show requested the band change the lyrics to “Light My Fire.” They did not like the line “girl we couldn’t get much higher” because of the alleged drug connotations. Jim Morrison sang the line anyway.

88. Unplugged- Clapton (1992): MTV launched the popular “Unplugged” series in the early 90s. Eric Clapton provided one of the series’ highlights. The performance included early versions of later songs as well as an extremely popular working of “Layla” and the song he wrote following the death of his son, “Tears in Heaven.”

89. The Bullwinkle Show (1961-64): Rather than picking one episode, why not a shout out to the entire series. The main show consisted of Rocky and Bullwinkle avoiding Boris and Natasha. However, it also included “Aesop and Son”, “Dudley Doright”, and “Peabody’s Improbable History.”

90. Bugs Bunny: “What’s Opera Doc?” (1957): KILL THE WABBIT!!

http://revver.com/video/109858/bugs-bunny-whats-opera-doc/

#22 Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton is the only person inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame three times. Before going solo, Clapton was a member of the blues based “Yardbirds.” He left the band when they went commercial. He then joined the super group “Cream” which broke apart as egos clashed. Clapton then went solo after a brief stint in Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominoes.

Clapton’s music has always been blues based. However, he was always willing to incorporate other styles including pop and reggae. Next to Hendrix, Clapton is rock's greatest guitarist. Fans compared him to god and some considered him god. Despite major substance abuse problems, Clapton’s career has been steadily successful from the 1970s through today. It’s his ability to both originate and incorporate while sticking to his blues roots that makes Clapton so successful.

Rock n Roll Moment: Clapton’s memory blanked while under the influence. He does not remember doing TV commercials as well as other events in his life. As a result, he opened a rehab clinic of his own.

Essential Clapton:

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)- w/Derek and the Dominoes
461 Ocean Blvd (1974)
Slowhand (1977)
Crossroads (1988)- Box Set
Journeyman (1989)
Unplugged (1992)
From the Cradle (1994)
Me and Mr. Johnson (2004)

Clapton’s Top 10:

Layla (With Derek and the Dominoes)
I Shot the Sheriff
After Midnight
Cocaine
Lay Down Sally
Wonderful Tonight
Promises
Pretending
Let it Rain
It’s in the Way that You Use It

#36 Cream

Cream was rock’s first super group. The trio consisted of Guitarist Eric Clapton, Bassist Jack Bruce, and Drummer Ginger Baker. The band combined Clapton’s blues roots guitar with Bruce’s intense vocals and brilliant bass, Baker’s Jazz influenced drums, and late 60s psychedelia. Their music, technical skills, and live shows inspired acts such as Rush, Black Sabbath, the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin and Phish. They were one of the first heavy groups that provided a link between blues-rock and metal.

Rock n Roll Moment: At one concert, the rivalry between Baker and Bruce was so intense, that Clapton stopped playing. Neither Baker nor Bruce noticed.

Essential Cream:

Fresh Cream (1966)
Disraeli Gears (1967)
Wheels of Fire (1968)

Cream’s Top 10:

I Feel Free
I’m So Glad
Strange Brew
Sunshine of Your Love
Tales of Brave Ulysses
SWLABR
White Room
Sitting on Top of the World
Badge
Anyone for Tennis

#51 The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds produced three of the top 15 guitarists in rock history. They were the link between British blues and the psychedelic movement. They began with the blues and covered Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, and others. Their biggest hit was their third single, “For Your Love.” This was not blues. The move to pop caused Clapton to leave the group in protest. They continued with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

A band with two guitar gods can not survive. Beck was fired. Page continued on and like Beck, continued experimenting with new sounds. Everything they did was new at the time. They pioneered distortion, feedback, and fuzz tone. The band laid the groundwork for Led Zeppelin.

Rock n Roll Moment: This band produced Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton.

Essential Yardbirds:

Having a Rave Up (1965)
Roger the Engineer (1966)

Yardbirds Top 10:

For Your Love
My Girl Sloopy
Train Kept A Rollin’
Ten Little Indians
Smokestack Lightning
I’m a Man
Over Under Sideways
Down
New York City Blues
Happenings
Ten Years Time Ago
Heart Full of Soul