I know, I know, "Stop rushing the season!" right? Calm down! I traditionally think of the day after Thanksgiving as the day to bring out the Christmas music. Never mind all this Black Friday shopping jazz, I'll sit here at home and relax...and maybe crank up the tunes. In my mind it's NOT too early to think about tuneage, and I thought I would suggest a couple of my favorite disks that most of you probably haven't even heard of much less thought about adding to your collections...and maybe you'll do the same for me. Truth be told, I don't imagine this will go far, but ya never know... I've grown tired of the traditional stuff -- or at least the traditional treatment of the moldy oldies -- for a lot of reasons, thus the following suggestions. Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas (the whole album is there, though you might need to click through to YT to get more than just the first track) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NarGvutAKAI&list=PLtDQLBMOFsZo7197dOsRq-o4RtRSj3_1W&index=1"]Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd - YouTube[/ame] A lot of popular groups and musicians have tried their hands at this game but this disk, released in '97 (I think), is decidedly different, and my favorite. Includes the only version of Rudolph I can stand to listen to and I LOVE this version! You can sample the tracks here (if the link works). The liner notes are important because they both explain why you might want it and are a great explanatory read while listening, so here are large chunks of the notes (cut/pasted from elsewhere...credit to Epic, Steve Vai, etc). Gary Hoey: The Best of Ho! Ho! Hoey Let's call this one UPtempo! Want to change the mood at your office Christmas party? You can sample the tracks here. ...and re his annual radio show tour:
XMAS AT KMART by Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band with The Rootettes. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X96Un6POoo8[/ame]
Don't know why but this one of my favorites. Think it's cause it reminds me of that hipster chick I dated when this song came out. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyEztz6nY9Q[/ame]
Took your advise and downloaded, awesome! Saw the Jeff Beck version of 'Amazing Grace' and anything Jeff Beck pulls me in light moths to flame. Joe Perry's version of Blue Christmas is excellent as well Liked it so much I downloaded Merry Axemas 2 with includes a soulful rendition of 'Deck the Halls' by Ted Nugent Side note/observatiom-too bad Ted went 'Cat Scratch Fever'...He is/was actually quite a gifted guitarist. Power chorded his way out of music..............
Outstanding! Another convert, welcome to the club. Yeah, poor Ted, one of the original guitar wild men. Here's one of my all time favorite Ted tracks...not a holiday song but it's my thread and I don't care. Besides, this one fits in well with the guitar-centric start of the thread... Gotta love that bassline. Ted Nugent - Stranglehold (original 1977 studio version) [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c3d7QgZr7g[/ame]
'Tis the season, eh? This one is a bit on the heavy side, but I like my holiday music done in non-traditional ways. :cornut: Besides, it's the Grinch.....seems appropriate to me! Gotta love Gary Hoey's stuff. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2-LYd4cb7Q]YouTube - Your A Mean One Mr.Grinch - Gary Hoey[/ame]
Sex Pistols - Jingle Bells [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJNjcjYbNk]YouTube - Jingle Bells Punk Cover[/ame]
The story of my Christmas [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dukfZs3RGhw]YouTube - Chinese Food On Christmas (HD)[/ame]
That's definitely NON-traditional..... Here's one that's a bit tamer. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDmw1CCia6A]YouTube - Joy To The World - Steve Morse[/ame]
For me..........anything by "Straight No Chaser" Like [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E-47VmFopE&feature=related"]this[/ame] one for example. ....Les
A little Channukkahh in in the mix.... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYSQ6eavfak]YouTube - LeeVees - Goyim Friends[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q270dviQbQM]YouTube - How Do You Spell Channukkahh?[/ame]
TSO... Great live show! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vHRwmFc-1o]YouTube - Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo Live[/ame] Also was turned onto the MerryAxemas last year and the waitress' Christmas wrapping has always been a favorite.