If you had to listen to 5 songs and 5 songs only (one version per song) the rest of your life, which songs would you pick?
Thankfully we don' t have to choose, but this was an interesting exercise!
1. Jimi Hendrix: "Woodstock Improvisation" Live at Woodstock
Although if I could have a medley, it would be Star Spangled Banner -> Purple Haze -> Woodstock Improvisation -> Villanova Junction live at Woodstock. In my mind this performance changed guitar, but people that were not there would need to wait for a long time for the music to be released.
2. Gong: Master Builder from You
This has it all from throat singing to space rock, searing guitars and powerful percussion.
3. Frank Zappa "Drowning Witch" from Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
This took a while to grow on me but it is a fantastic example of Scott Thunes on bass, Steve Vai on guitar and Ed Mann on mallet percussion.
4. Pat Travers: "Boom Boom out go the Lights" Live on "Go for What you Know"
The highest of high energy blues rock: the band was on fire for this track: Mars Cowling on bass, Pat Travers and Pat Thrall on guitar and Tommy Aldridge on drums.
5. Diamanda Galas - "Wild Women with Steak Knives"
I listen to a lot of strange music but this is in a category by itself: it is one of the strangest things that I have ever heard. This would not be a daily listen but whenever I want to reset my operating system I would listen to this.
