Yes. Roundabout. 1973.

I run the risk of being flogged as a "Prog Nerd" for posting this one.

When I was about 12 years old I signed up for one of those "10 CD's for a Penny!" deals from BMG. My first shipment included these gems:

1. Suicidal Tendencies - Join the Army.
2. Circle Jerks - Wonderful.
3. Bad Company - Greatest Hits.
4. Led Zeppelin - Coda.
5. Parliament - Greatest Hits.
6. Kiss - Destroyer.
7. Ice - T - Power.
8. Dead Milkmen - Beelzebubba.
9. Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason.
10. Yes - Claqssic Yes.

As you can see, this particular shipment was a perfect balance of skater rock and KQRS worship. I realized that I could rip BMG off by using a different name while ordering, so I continued doing this for about 8 years. I'm fairly certain that my premature criminal organization was a punishable offense along the lines of mail fraud, and very likely a felony. I was never busted. Suckers!

Luther Allison. Little Red Rooster. 1975.

A Chicago transplant by way of Arkansas, Luther Allison is one of those cold-hearted dudes that shreds ear holes for nothing more than a simple selfish pleasure. He learned his chops playing behind guys like Howlin' Wolf and James Cotton before Muddy Waters gave him his big break in 1957. That's some pretty heavy company, and Luther Allison is one heavy player. Buy Love Me Mama and Bad News Coming Down. Commence face melting.

*This video is a poor edited mash-up of Little Red Rooster and what I think is a track entitled I Need Your Love.

Acid Bean - Killing Floor, 1971

Oh, Shit. Enter my old pal Eric who turned me onto this. Invitation sent.

Live - Love, 1970

Buddy Guy. Hoochie Coochie Man. 1970.

There is nothing more satisfying than watching a blues guitar master in his prime freaking the shit out of a bunch of whitey hippies in Canada.

Buddy Guy was the blue collar Jimi Hendrix.

This footage is from the documentary film Festival Express, the 1970 train tour across Canada featuring The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and more. Check it out.

Mr. Crowley - Randy Rhoads, 1981

Yeah, I know it's an Ozzy track. Hail, Ozzy. I gotta toss the demon horns in the general direction of Mr. Roads on this one. I broke into hand to hoof conflict with a legion of insatiable succubi that appeared, blood-thirsty and cock-starved, in my cube after just 3 bars of his unholy fingerwork on this track.

Hawkwind. Silver Machine. 1972.

Ride this cosmic freight train straight into your ancient lover’s heart. Bring your electric flute—this is space, man.

Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love

For as well-known as this track is among frat-brothern, Clapton still lays it down.

ZoSo Evolution

Before:





After

High Rise. Wipe Out.

Some heavy garage-y psych from Japan. Next time I have to pluck a tooth out with a rusty church key, I'll be listening to this.

Blister on The Moon - Taste (Rory Gallagher), 1969

Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter 1969

The Scorpions. I'm Going Mad. 1972.

Who would have thunk it.

If you can ignore the obvious Spinal Tap "Stonehenge" jokes, this early Scorpions shit is pretty badass. The Schenker brothers come off like an extension of Tony Iommi's pickin' hand in this epic tale of neurosis and paranoia.

Most Germans are inherently weird, but this video makes these guys seem like regular dudes. Sorta.

I love the footage of the band frolicking through the wilderness. A staple of early 1970's music video. "Klaus, I vant you to leap and jump for joy in dis scene, you are going mad...you are going mad"

Human Being - Coloured Balls, 1973

Blue Cheer. Summertime Blues. 1968.

In the late 60's, Blue Cheer was dubbed the heaviest band stateside. You can certainly understand why.

Acid.

They were named after the stuff that chemist Owsley Stanley was brewing up.

Led Zeppelin. Communication Breakdown. 1969.

There's something about early Zeppelin that was so good, and yet so fleeting. Before Jimmy Page was diddling 14 year olds in LA's Riot House. Before Bob Plant started talking about hobbits. And way before John Paul Jones donned pink satin with dangly hearts on the sleeve. Yep, early Zep was the epitome of raw, unbridled garage rock. This shit was tough. Like driving an Oldsmobile Toronado through a brick wall, whacked on ludes. Or cold cocking a bar keep because you didn't like his pour, only to continue with your drink with glass stuck in your forehead. This shit is dangerous.

Al Di Meola. Egyptian Danza/Race with the Devil on a Spanish Highway.

There's a point where guitar wizardry evolves into sheer nerdly masturbation. Al Di Meola crosses those boundaries on the regular. I mean, for christ sake, the dude is wearing mom pants, and what looks like a fake clip-on pony tail. I think he might even have a some weird buddhist charm dangling from his neck on an ox-tail choker. Real fucking "mystical" Al. And let's not even get into the shop teacher glasses.

All that said, let's not get lost in the minutia. This dude melts faces for a living. That's all he does.

Hope For Happiness - Soft Machine, 1967

GOTO HELL