Chris & Cosey Pick

One of my favorite bands is Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey is perhaps my favorite part of that band. I got to meet the two of them in San Jose before one of their shows (at a place called the Oasis). Very nice. They even signed a bunch of my albums and  12 inch singles. I have one hanging up right next to me on the wall (Obsession with Cosey staring at me as I type this). Anyway they have several compilations, but none that included my favorite picks. So this one is the first of two volumes related to them. I have several of the 12" songs on this volume, including the one with the Eurythmics. Not everything on their greatest hits, but all my picks.

Chris & Cosey Pick

01 Chris and Cosey - In Ecstasy

02 Chris and Cosey - Sweet Surprise

03 Chris And Cosey - Obsession (Extended Mix)

04 Chris and Cosey - Driving Blind

05 Chris and Cosey - Dancing Ghosts

06 Chris and Cosey - Fantastique

07 Chris and Cosey - Synthaesthesia

08 Chris and Cosey - October (Love Song)

09 Chris and Cosey - Love Cuts

10 Chris and Cosey - Deep Velvet

11 Chris and Cosey - Stolen Kisses

12 Chris and Cosey - Exotika

13 Chris and Cosey - Intoxicating

The Cars Family Pick

I first made my favorite pick of the Cars compilation, Then realizing that I had several songs that I just couldn't fit on that compilation and that I hadn't used any tracks from the individual Cars members (other than Ric Ocasek) I decided to make this family pick. This time I put in tracks from each of the member. I tried not to repeat anything from my first comp. If you want me to post that one, I'd be happy to, just ask in the comments. The first time I heard the Cars, I was in my car, a Datsun B-210. Very used, but a pretty decent new stereo system and a local radio station had just gotten the first Cars album and were playing stuff off it. I immediately liked several of the tracks (none of which are on this pick) including Moving In Stereo which sounded great on my stereo. My car not so great, but the speakers, pretty great. Loved the band since that first time.

The Cars Family Pick

01 Cars - Drive

02 Elliot Easton - (Wearing Down) Like A Wheel

03 Ric Ocasek - Steal The Night

04 Ric Ocasek - Don't Lose Me

05 Greg Hawkes - Niagara Falls

06 The New Cars - Warm

07 Ric Ocasek - Crackpot

08 Benjamin Orr - Stay The Night

09 Elliot Easton - Shayla

10 Cars - Magic

11 Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods - Monte Carlo Nights

12 Cars - Candy-O

13 Cars - Sad Song

14 Ric Ocasek - The Next Right Moment

15 Cars - Blue Tip

16 Ric Ocasek - Don't Let Go

17 Ric Ocasek - True To You

18 Cars - You Are The Girl

19 Greg Hawkes - Ants In Your Pants

20 Greg Hawkes - Beep Beep

21 Cars - Got a Lot on My Head

22 Benjamin Orr - Too Hot To Stop

Jon Anderson Pick 2

Just when you thought it was over, more shows up. I couldn't just end Jon Anderson's pick with volume one. He had volume two and I just skipped right over it. Might have been worse if I skipped volume one and went straight to this one. So, here is more of Jon with a bunch of other people he guested with. One more with Vangelis. The King Crimson bit he was on. Plus Mike Oldfield, Kitaro, Toto and more. I mean I couldn't just end it without him and Wakeman on Wakeman's album, could I? And one of my favorites of him guesting: Johnny Harris which also features Alan White and Steve Howe. See, they really all do appear on each other's stuff.

Jon Anderson Pick 2

18 Rick Wakeman - The Hymn

19 King Crimson - Prince Rupert Awakes

20 Toto - Stop Loving You

21 Alan White - Spring - Song of Innocence

22 John Paul Jones - Silver Train

23 Jon And Vangelis - The Friends Of Mr. Cairo

24 Jon Anderson - Dance of Ranyart-Olias (To Build the Moorglade)

25 Glass Hammer - Life By Light

26 Charlie Bisharat - Along The Amazon

27 Mike Oldfield - Shine (Extended Version)

28 Johnny Harris - All To Bring You Morning

29 Kitaro - Lady Of Dreams

30 Mike Oldfield - In High Places

31 Colin Scot - Long Time Gone

Yes Family Pick

I posted previously all the individual Yes family picks Then I said for you to pick one from each member to make a shortened family Yes Family Pick. Well, I did my version of it here. One choice from all of the others. Kind of like the Ring to Rule all of the others. Very hard to do. Some were quite difficult for me to distill to just one track (which is why they had full picks for each and several had multiple volumes. If you didn't do it before, make sure you place your pick into the comments. I made the cover by taking some of the versions of the Yes logo and putting them on a Roger Dean background. If you don't remember which track goes with which musician, look in the comments of each mp3 tag. BTW, I know I skipped members that were guests and people like David Benoit. Sorry if you are a huge fan, but I do not have much from them solo. Never collected it, You get these and no more.

Yes Family Pick

01 Steve Howe - Pennants

02 Alan White - One Way Rag

03 Jon And Vangelis - I'll Find My Way Home

04 Bruford - Hell's Bells

05 Refugee - Papillion

06 Rick Wakeman - Catherine of Aragon

07 Badger - A Dream Of You

08 Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

09 Trevor Rabin - Getting To Know You Better

10 Icon - I Would Die for You

11 Flash - Small Beginnings

12 Billy Sherwood - Lesson To Be Learned

13 Chris Squire - Lucky Seven

14 Glass Hammer - If The Stars

Geoff Downes Pick

Geoff Downes has been not only part of Yes as a musician, a vocalist, a mixer, but pretty much almost every capacity. He reluctantly was the vocalist for one of my favorite albums by Yes (Drama). I know I didn't include any of those tracks on this pick, but I easily could have. Instead I put on Buggles I Am A Camera, which was rewritten a little and appeared on that album. I might have put on Tempus Fugit (one of my favorites), but instead I put on the full Fly From Here with the redone lyrics by Downes. A great track many have not fully listened to enough. Of course I added an Asia track, but the surprise for many is probably the Kate Bush track where he plays the "trumpets" (sort of.) Look it up. I didn't pick a Pink Floyd tribute track, but he's on Sherwood's tributes. I did put on an Icon track from the first Icon album, which is him and Wetton. You are welcome. And imagine if he had brought Symphonie Electronique to Yes. Wow! Add vocals and Steve Howe guitar to it and it's set. I always consider Downes to be the nice, shy, New Wave, Wakeman.

Geoff Downes Pick

01 Greg Lake & Geoff Downes - Love Under Fire

02 The Prog Collective featuring Geoff Downes, Richard Page - Over Again

03 John Wetton & Geoffrey Downes - Let Me Go

04 Yes - Fly From Here (Complete Return)

05 Geoffrey Downes With The New Dance Orchestra - Symphonie Electronique

06 Buggles - I Am A Camera

07 Geoffrey Downes - Tears

08 Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

09 Icon - I Would Die for You

10 Asia - Heat Of The Moment

11 Kate Bush - Sat In Your Lap

Billy Sherwood Pick 2

Continuing the Yes family pick series of Billy Sherwood. The man has like most of these guys that were in Yes, a bunch of solo work. I don't yet have it all, but I am working on getting more. And like I keep saying for all of these guys, once you play in Yes, you play with each other forever. Just check out who is in Arc Of Life, or Prog Collective, or Circa. Even Yoso has members of Yes and Toto. Asia has members of Yes and guests from Yes. I think it's a Conspiracy, oh no, that's Chris Squire and Billy Sherwood. Aargh! If you like the band, you'll probably like most of the offshoots, but if you don't, what are you doing reading this? Now, what if you could only choose one track from each of these guys to make a compilation. Let's say one track from any of the individual picks. For example, one from Billy Sherwood (pick one or two), one from Jon Anderson (pick one or two). Leave your picks in the comments.

Billy Sherwood Pick 2

13 John Wetton - Lost For Words

14 World Trade - The Moment Is Here

15 Mabel Greer's Toyshop - Electric Funeral

16 Yes - The Messenger

17 Lodgic - Lonely Man

18 The Prog Collective - Are We To Believe

19 Yoso - Yoso

20 Arc Of Life - You Make It Real

21 Yes - The Ice Bridge

22 Circa - Cut the Ties

23 Yes - Open Your Eyes

24 Conspiracy - The Unknown

25 Asia - What Above Love

Billy Sherwood Pick 1

Billy Sherwood came a little later in the Yes family, but he also was instrumental in the further development of Yes. He's on a dozen or so albums. Some as producer, mixer, engineer and also as a musician. Known for his bass playing, he got along really well with Chris Squire. In fact he played with Chris on multiple projects in and out of Yes. He was designated by Chris Squire to be his replacement in Yes so that the band could go on. In this part 1 of Billy's pick, I featured some of his solo album tracks, a track from his band World Trade and a couple of tracks with Chris Squire, including Circa and Conspiracy. What I did not mention before is how many tribute albums Billy Sherwood was involved in. You could probably do one whole volume of tracks just picking the best out of those, but instead there is one track on this volume from a Pink Floyd tribute. And it happens to be the one track that was not written by Pink Floyd, but rather a Sherwood (along with Tony Kaye and Robbie Krieger) original. It sounds kind of Floyd like, however.

Billy Sherwood Pick 1

01 Billy Sherwood - Living In The Now

02 Billy Sherwood - The Citizen

03 Chris Squire & Billy Sherwood - Days of Wonder

04 Billy Sherwood - The Partisan

05 Billy Sherwood - The Military Industrial Complex

06 Billy Sherwood - On Impact

07 Billy Sherwood - Where We Belong

08 Circa - Silent Resolve

09 Conspiracy - Conspiracy

10 World Trade - One World Going Round

11 Billy Sherwood - Lesson To Be Learned

12 Billy Sherwood - Metaphors

Bill Bruford Pick

There's way too much to single out any pick of Bill Bruford. You could pick from only his jazz moments, or only his King Crimson bests, or his fabulous works in Yes (or the fake Yes: Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe). He already has a six CD set of stuff like that, so go look for that if you want more. Instead I just picked my favorites and limited it to that, I also told myself I could not refer to the aforementioned set, I had to look at the original albums to make my own list. Bruford was a completely different kind of drummer than Alan White. In some senses, way more suited to progressive rock and yet they needed White's more straightforward rock base when he came along and they really used Bruford's time signatures to advantage when they had him. Both had their uses. Compare and contrast. Both so good and both so different.

Bill Bruford Pick

01 Earthworks - Thud

02 Bruford - Hell's Bells

03 Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe - Brother Of Mine

04 Bruford - Sample And Hold

05 King Crimson - Starless

06 Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Stromboli Kicks

07 Steve Howe - The Inner Battle

08 Moraz Bruford - Split Seconds

09 King Crimson - Indiscipline

10 U.K. - Mental Medication

11 Yes - Heart of the Sunrise

12 Bruford - Beelzebub

13 Bill Bruford & Tony Levin - Cracking the Midnight Glass

Tony Kaye Pick

Tony Kaye kinda gets shorted in Yes history, but he appears on one of my favorite Yes albums (ironically named The Yes Album). Also, he played on and co-wrote Yours Is No Disgrace (great Yes song). He later rejoins Yes, but not until after he gets a hit for Badfinger and makes a couple of amazing albums as Badger. Over his career, he's played with some cool dudes and always seems to play with ex-Yes guys. I think whenever anyone gets tired of Rick Wakeman's ego, they bring in Tony for a breath of fresh air and some great playing! These are my picks, but he has so much to choose from. Put your favorites I missed in the comments. You won't hurt my feelings.

Tony Kaye Pick

01 Prog Collective featuring John Wesley, Tony Kaye - Following the Signs

02 Eddie Harris - I Waited For You

03 Badger - White Lady

04 Dweezil Zappa & Tony Kaye - Run Like Hell

05 Winston's Fumbs - Real Crazy Apartment

06 Prog Collective featuring Tony Kaye - Just Another Day

07 Badfinger - Hold On

08 Badger - A Dream Of You

09 Circa - Cut the Ties

10 John Wetton, Peter Banks & Tony Kaye - Eclipse

11 Yoso - Return To Yesterday

12 Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace

13 Yes - Cinema

14 Detective - Recognition

15 John Wetton - The Human Condition

Trevor Rabin Pick

You will notice that I barely scratched the surface of Trevor Rabin's soundtrack songs. Just a couple to acknowledge that he is the soundtrack master. And I am not sure that those few touches even do him justice, but that's always the case when I do the picks. Rabin came over to Yes, when they needed a shot in the arm. As far as I am concerned he kind of saved the band at a critical time. I through in a song from his way earlier band Rabbitt, a side project with other Yes members, Cinema, some guest spots or collaborations as well as some stuff from his solo albums. And finally some of the Yes songs that show his influence on the band. I did not include anything from the Talk album although I think, listening to it again, that it got unfairly dismissed. It's actually a pretty decent album. I don't like that the logo was so radically changed, but if you are going to do that, please use Peter Max. Although that had nothing to do with Rabin. BTW, I do think that although it never happened, Roger Hodgson would have made a decent choice for a Jon Anderson replacement. Just my opinion.

Trevor Rabin Pick

01 Roger Hodgson - The More I Look

02 Yes - Lift Me Up

03 Trevor Rabin - Something To Hold On To

04 Yes - Leave It

05 Trevor Rabin - Where Will You Be

06 Trevor Rabin - Theme From Armageddon

07 Yes - Love Will Find A Way

08 Trevor Rabin - Heard You Cry Like A Wolf

09 Manfred Mann's Earth Band - The Runner

10 Trevor Rabin - Titans Spirit

11 Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart

12 Trevor Rabin - Now

13 Trevor Rabin - Getting To Know You Better

14 Trevor Rabin featuring Tal Wilkenfeld - Anerley Road

15 Rabbitt - Charlie

16 Trevor Rabin - NBA On TNT (Theme Song)

17 Cinema - Make It Easy

Steve Howe Pick 2

Continuing the Steve Howe pick was easy. Like I said before he has so much to choose from. As usual, these are my favorites of various aspects of Steve Howe. He has a distinctive sound, but also a varied sound. You can find him playing a variety of types of guitars, but the style is his. From the acoustic flavorings of The Clap to the power of Heat Of The Moment. From psychedelic to new wave, he just plays like the rock god he is. Leave your favorite moments in the comments, whether I picked them or not. I would love to know what you think.

Steve Howe Pick 2

16 Steve Howe - Nether Street

17 Steve Howe - The Headlands

18 Yes - The Clap

19 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Welcome To The Pleasure Dome

20 Yes - Starship Trooper

21 Tommy Shaw & Steve Howe - Vera

22 Steve Howe - Dream River

23 Tomorrow - Revolution

24 Keith West - Exerpt From A Teenage Opera

25 Asia - Heat Of The Moment

26 Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace

Steve Howe Pick 1

This guy is one of the least rock god looking guys ever, but he plays like a rock god. He acts like a rock god. I met him, he would not sign a guitar, but he would sign album covers, so that was cool. Not only in Yes, but was in my favorite three Yes albums (Yes Album, Relayer, Drama). He played in Asia and GTR and with Lou Reed and Queen and Frankie Goes To Hollywood and also has tons of solo albums, Yes, Steve Howe is a guitar rock god, but, no, he doesn't look like one. He looks like an old English dude who has been through the medical system in England. I used a picture of him when he was younger on the cover, before he went through all that. Here is my pick of some of my favorites from him over the years. 

Steve Howe Pick 1

01 Steve Howe - Doors Of Sleep

02 Steve Howe - Pennants

03 Yes - Going For The One

04 Lou Reed - Ride Into The Sun

05 Steve Howe - Maybellene

06 Steve Howe - Cactus Boogie

07 Steve Howe - Surface Tension

08 Asia - Time Again

09 Jon Anderson - Now And Again

10 Steve Howe - Break Away From It All

11 GTR - When The Heart Rules The Mind

12 Steve Howe - Sketches In The Sun

13 Queen - Innuendo

14 Tomorrow - My White Bicycle

15 Steve Howe - Walk Don't Run

Peter Banks Pick

As you can probably tell. I have been making picks of the Yes family. Old and new members of Yes and what they did in and out of Yes. Well this goes back to the first couple of albums of Yes. Peter Banks was not long in Yes, but he was part of the very beginnings. And he, like it seems all Yes members have done, has played on several projects with old members of Yes and guested on some cool projects. Right out of Yes in 1972 he started another band (Flash) that did some cool stuff, but he also played with Lionel Richie (uncredited) and Pete Townsend. Talk about diverse. Here's my pick of Peter. I had to leave some stuff out, sorry. 

Peter Banks Pick

01 Flash - Lifetime

02 Peter Banks - Knights (Reprise)

03 Yes - Survival

04 The Prog Collective featuring Annie Haslam, Peter Banks - Social Circles

05 Days Between Stations - Eggshell Man

06 Pete Townshend - All God's Mornings

07 Clive Nolan & Oliver Wakeman - Overture

08 Peter Banks - Astral Traveler

09 The Syn - 14 Hour Technicolor Dream

10 Lionel Richie - Hello

11 Peter Banks - Battles

12 Peter Banks with Tony Kaye, Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen - Knights (Revisited)

13 The Devil's Disciples - For Your Love

14 Flash - Small Beginnings

15 Neat Change - I Lied To Auntie May

Trevor Horn Pick

Trevor Horn is one of those producers that I often talk about as a guy who makes such a difference that you can love all of what he does. I had heard of "Buggles" and loved that. Then when I heard "Art Of Noise" and realized that Horn had worked on that, followed by my discovering "Frankie Goes To Hollywood" and "ABC" also had a Trevor Horn hand in those albums. Finding ZTT records and then wham, he was in "Yes"! OMG! Of course he had to have a family pick! Here it is, my pick of Trevor Horn music. Impossible to not leave something out, so of course I did. Sorry if your favorite was left out. Go ahead leave a comment about it.

Trevor Horn Pick

01 10cc - Cry

02 ABC - Poison Arrow

03 Bryan Ferry - Dance With Life (Brilliant Light)

04 Art of Noise - Close (To The Edit)

05 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes

06 Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm

07 Yes - Into The Lens

08 Geoffrey Downes & the New Dance Orchestra - You Can Fly From Here

09 Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

10 Propaganda - Dr. Mabuse

11 Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices

12 Seal - Killer (Single Version)

13 LeAnn Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight

14 Rod Stewart - Leave Virginia Alone

15 Paul McCartney - Figure Of Eight

16 Marc Almond - What Is Love

17 Tina Turner - Missing You

Valentines Day

I'm not going to say much. These are songs about Valentines. Take them as you wish. If you want songs about Kisses or my own Be Mine comps, click there. Otherwise, just enjoy the day. Don't feel pressured, just have fun.

Valentines Day

01 Zac Brown Band - Valentines

02 Bryan Ferry - Valentine

03 5 Seconds Of Summer - Valentine

04 David Bowie - Valentine's Day

05 The Killers - The Ballad Of Michael Valentine

06 OutKast - Happy Valentine's Day

07 Emerson Lake & Palmer - When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind, I'll be Your Valentine

08 Elvis Costello - My Funny Valentine

09 Jools Holland With Sam Brown - Valentine Moon

10 Betty Boo - Valentine's Day

11 Duran Duran - Valentine Stones

12 Yk Osiris - Valentine

13 Paul McCartney - Valentine Day

14 Paul McCartney - My Valentine

15 The Undertones - Valentine's Treatment

16 Blood, Sweat & Tears - Valentine's Day

17 America - Valentine

18 Marilyn Manson - Valentine's Day

19 Train - Valentine

20 Willie Nelson - Valentine

21 Sisters Of Mercy - Valentine

22 The Replacements - Valentine

Industrial Dance Pick 5

It's been awhile since I posted an Industrial Dance pick, but I have more. I do like this genre. Click on the previous ones to see where I was coming from. You will see some doubles in artists, but should be none in songs. I keep a couple of these picks in reserve, so when I get rushed, I have something good to post. Aha, the secret! One day I will post number six. So keep writing down your favorites in the comments and I will add them in. If I like them. Which I probably will. You guys have such great suggestions. Anyway, two covers and a remix in this volume.

Industrial Dance Pick 5

60 Tackhead - Tell Me the Hurt

61 Peace Love + Pitbulls - Be My TV

62 Pankow - Warm Leatherette

63 Haujobb - Sub Unit One

64 The Weathermen - Poison

65 Fad Gadget - Collapsing New People (Berlin Mix)

66 Die Warzau - I've Got To Make Sense

67 Cassandra Complex - One Millionth Happy Customer

68 X-Marks The Pedwalk - Abattoir

69 Laibach - Tanz Mit Laibach

70 Deitophobia - The Late Pastor Harry Dean

71 Orgy - Blue Monday

72 Moev - Yeah, Whatever (12'' Version)

73 The Neon Judgement - Fashion Party

74 Parade Ground - Strange World

75 Click Click - Sweet Stuff

Patrick Moraz Pick

I am one of those weird people who think that Relayer is probably the best Yes album of all time (along with the Yes Album, Drama, Tales From Topographic Oceans...). Does that have anything to do with Patrick Moraz? Probably. I also love his work with Bruford and the Moody Blues. But I also didn't want to leave him out after I did all that Rick Wakeman the last several days or so. Here's my pick of Patrick Moraz in Yes, the Moody Blues and some of his solo work, etc. his family pick.Tell me your favorites in the comments. But no arguing about Relayer being one of the best albums. I'm sorry, it just is. One word: Gates Of Delirium (okay that's three words.)

Patrick Moraz Pick

01 Moraz Alban Project - Jungle Aliens

02 Refugee - Papillion

03 Patrick Moraz - Out in the Sun

04 Patrick Moraz - Prelude in C#

05 Patrick Moraz - Impact

06 Yes - Soon (Single Edit)

07 Moraz Bruford - Split Seconds

08 Patrick Moraz - Peace In Africa

09 Moraz Bruford - Children's Concerto

10 Mainhorse - More Tea Vicar

11 Yes - Sound Chaser

12 Moody Blues - Gemini Dream

13 Patrick Moraz + Syrinx - Boonoonoonoos

14 Patrick Moraz - Heroic Fantasy

15 Moody Blues - The Spirit

16 Moody Blues - The Voice

Jon Davison Pick

There are going to be people that will ask how I could possibly include Jon Davison in this Yes series of family picks. I will give you at least thirteen reasons. But first of all, even though I love Jon Anderson as the lead singer of Yes, I have to say that after having seen Jon "Juano" Davison play and after having met him and after hanging out with him for hours. He is not only the nicest guy ever, he's a great singer, he's also a good songwriter. And I've never seen anyone so dedicated to trying his best. I wish I knew him better and could hang out more often. Just a good person. Anyway he has less Yes to choose from, but he does have quite a bit of family and guest spots and previous bands to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites to pick from.

Jon Davison Pick

01 The Samurai Of Prog - She (Who Must Be Obeyed)

02 Sky Cries Mary - Every Iceberg Is Afire

03 The Samurai Of Prog - Starship Trooper

04 Yes - Believe Again

05 Mogador - The Sick Rose

06 Steve Howe - The Headlands

07 Billy Sherwood - Written In The Centuries

08 Glass Hammer - Nothing Box

09 Arc Of Life - You Make It Real

10 In Continuum featuring Steve Hackett and Jon Davison - Crash Landing

11 Yes - The Ice Bridge

12 The Birds Of Satan - Raspberries

13 Glass Hammer - If The Stars

Wick Wakeman Wecording

Ok, I promised a reason for such much Rick Wakeman. I always liked Yes, once I discovered them on my own. But I had no real reason to like Rick Wakeman. I had none of his albums. Like many people, at the time I barely even knew he was in the band. Had no idea who anyone was in any band. But sometime in the 80's (1981 to be exact) I professed my love of the band Yes to a girlfriend. She was surprised that I did not know Wakeman's solo stuff. She was very into making mixtapes and so she picked this collection. I re compiled it from higher quality sources much much later. After I had started collecting Wakeman's solo stuff. So this is the PZA pick of Rick Wakeman made for me in 1981 and what got me started on liking Rick Wakeman. I redid the cover just today, but left the spelling. Notice that there is only one double with my pick. Not why we broke up (or that she left me heartlessly). I was an idiot and emotionally even more stupid. But I did learn eventually. In the meantime, I got into some great music because of her.

Wick Wakeman Wecording

01 Rick Wakeman - Searching for Gold

02 Rick Wakeman - Crime Of Passion

03 Rick Wakeman - Birdman Of Alcatraz

04 Rick Wakeman - After the Ball

05 Rick Wakeman - Catherine of Aragon

06 Rick Wakeman - Catherine Howard

07 Rick Wakeman - Anne Boleyn

08 Rick Wakeman - Catherine Parr

09 Rick Wakeman - Merlin the Magician

Rick Wakeman Yes

I'm still on Rick Wakeman. I know. The Wakeman Guest pick was yesterday. That's enough already, but I actually have one more after this. I hadn't included any Yes before this and now you will see why. Wakeman has such great songs with Yes that feature his virtuouso-ness (if that's even a word) that you have to include a few at least in a separate pick. Only problem is that they are all mostly really long. Here are a few (including one from "Anderson, Bruford,Wakeman, Howe" which you know I don't quite consider Yes). Tomorrow I will explain why he got so many comps from me. If you don't go with the how great he is story. Although he is great and has an even greater ego (deservedly so.)

Rick Wakeman Yes

01 Yes - Don't Kill The Whale

02 Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe - Brother Of Mine

03 Yes - Mind Drive

04 Yes - Awaken

05 Yes - Close To The Edge

06 Yes - Heart of the Sunrise

Rick Wakeman Guest

I promised something a little different, but still associated with Rick Wakeman. See, besides all of his huge amounts of solo albums (see Wakeman pick 2), Wakeman also guested on numerous other artist's projects. And remember I haven't included a single track he did with Yes. I normally would call this his family pick, but it really is only his guest spots. And not even all of them. He has guested for so many. And it is a wide variety. I really like how different they are in scope. Lou Reed? Black Sabbath? David Bowie? T. Rex? C'mon, who else has a pedigree like that. And I'm sure you know of more that I missed. But you know when you get to guest with Elton John the piano man, you are doing pretty good.

Rick Wakeman Guest

01 Ozzy Osbourne - I Just Want You

02 Lou Reed - Berlin

03 Black Sabbath - Sabbra Cadabra

04 The Strawbs - Temperament Of Mind

05 Vivian Stanshall - Smoke Signals At Night

06 Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman - Living Tree, Part 1

07 The Strawbs - A Glimpse Of Heaven

08 Billy Sherwood - Crime Of The Century

09 T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)

10 David Bowie - Life On Mars

11 Ian Gillan, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Ricky Joyce - Light My Fire

12 Al Stewart - Roads To Moscow

13 Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken

14 David Bowie - Space Oddity

15 Elton John - Razor Face

Rick Wakeman Pick 2

Continuing with Rick Wakeman's pick of mine (Wakeman pick one), this is the second hour and therefore volume two. Not much more to add, except that listening to it again, it almost isn't rock in one sense. Wakeman's flourishes defy category. They can be very melodic and beautiful and also as raucous as can be. He tends to be different than most other keyboardists. Tomorrow I will show more of his prolific output. And completely different than the last days. It is weird to have such short connections. But they are each a CD in length.

Rick Wakeman Pick 2

07 Rick Wakeman - Lure Of The Wild

08 Rick Wakeman - Judas Iscariot

09 Rick Wakeman - The Mission

10 Rick Wakeman - Music Reincarnate

11 Rick Wakeman - The Pulse

12 Rick Wakeman - White Rock

13 Rick Wakeman - The Pharos Of Alexandria

Rick Wakeman Pick 1

I'm continuing the Yes members output with my picks. Rick Wakeman is going to get a lot of coverage. Mostly because I was exposed to Wakeman for longer. I will start with my pick of his solo stuff. It's slightly different than his best of compilations, although any of those would be a good start to listen to his solo stuff. His pick is divided into two volumes, just over an hour long sets and they are each beat matched, for all the good it would do you.

Rick Wakeman Pick 1

01 Rick Wakeman - Battle-The Forest

02 Rick Wakeman - Statue Of Justice

03 Rick Wakeman - Journey-Recollection

04 Rick Wakeman - Catherine of Aragon

05 Rick Wakeman - Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight

06 Rick Wakeman - Merlin the Magician

Jon Anderson Pick

Continuing on the solo picks from some of the Yes members, it's Jon Anderson. I really like Jon Anderson in Yes. And when "Olias Of Sunhillow" came out, I knew I had to get it. The cover was great and the album did not disappoint. In fact I could probably pick most of that album in a pick of Anderson's. But I made to sure to pick favorites from his other solo work and other partnerships outside of Yes. He has so much solo work that I did not put one Yes song in. I don't consider "Anderson, Buford, Wakeman, Howe" as a Yes album even though it's close. But his amazing work with Jean-Luc Ponty, Vangelis, Stolt and Wakeman sure made it. With this much to choose from, I'm sure you will find I have missed something, So be encouraged to let me know in the comments. I know this last comment I will make is going to be controversial, but too bad. My favorite Yes albums are the "off ones." So, Drama, Relayer, The Yes Album

Jon Anderson Pick

01 Jon And Vangelis - State Of Independence

02 Anderson Ponty Band - New New World

03 Jon And Vangelis - I'll Find My Way Home

04 Anderson-Stolt - Invention

05 Jon Anderson - Amor Real

06 Jon Anderson - Hold On To Love

07 Jon Anderson - Some Are Born

08 Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe - Birthright

09 Jon Anderson - Cage Of Freedom

10 Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman - Living Tree, Part 1

11 Jon And Vangelis - I Hear You Now

12 Jon Anderson - This Time It Was Really Right

13 Jon Anderson - Now

14 Jon Anderson - Ocean Song

15 Tangerine Dream with Jon Anderson - Loved By The Sun

16 Jon Anderson - Youth

17 Jon Anderson - Surrender

Chris Squire Pick

I guess you knew this was coming. The Chris Squire pick. Just like the Alan White one from a few days ago. This is Chris playing with Yes and with Squackett and solo. He guested with Billy Sherwood and with Alan White. He played with Jimmy Page in XYZ and with the Prog Collective. These are my favorite picks from all that. Great bass player. The real backbone of Yes. You can hear his playing (and singing) miles away. Once he opened up, he was a really nice guy. I think I mentioned on this blog before that I got to meet him in a bar in Grand Cayman. Seen him play live multiple times and even though he's dead, he's on my list of the best bass players ever.

Chris Squire Pick

01 Chris Squire - Hold Out Your Hand

02 Yes - Can You Imagine

03 Chris Squire & Billy Sherwood - Days of Wonder

04 Chris Squire - Silently Falling

05 Chris Squire & Alan White - Comfortably Numb

06 Billy Sherwood - The Big Peace

07 The Prog Collective featuring Alan Parson, Chris Squire, Gary Green - The Technical Divide

08 Chris Squire with Alan White - Run With The Fox

09 Yes - The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus)

10 XYZ - Telephone Secrets

11 Squackett - A Life Within a Day

12 Chris Squire - Lucky Seven

Keith Emerson Pick

Here's the last pick of the individual players of ELP. All superstars in their own right. Emerson known for his virtuoso moves on the keyboards tends to dominate the sound in ELP and most people are aware that he did the same in The Nice before he started ELP. I used the tracks where I think he shined on the keyboard. I did not use any of his soundtrack moments and he did have some good ones and barely anything Barrelhouse because I already posted a compilation of that, but obviously I had to have a couple since that does represent him so well. The rest are ELP tracks with the "most" Emerson on it according to me. Again, leave comments on where I fell short.

Keith Emerson Pick

01 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Honky Tonk Train Blues

02 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Barrelhouse Shake-down

03 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Take A Pebble

04 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Piano Concerto No. 1 Third Movement

05 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Hammer It Out

06 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Maple Leaf Rag

07 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Karn Evil 9 2nd Impression

08 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Jerusalem

09 The Nice - America

10 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Fanfare For The Common Man

11 The Nice - Rondo

12 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Tarkus

Greg Lake Pick

Obviously I had to skip a day or so, but continuing the picks for the individual members of ELP is Greg Lake. He's got probably the biggest "hit" out of the three with his Christmas song, but all are virtuoso's in their own right. His voice is so distinctive, whether it's solo or in ELP or in King Crimson, you can recognize it immediately. Less people talk about his superlative bass playing, but he is a master. This is the one place where there is a double, btw, between Palmer and Lake I had to use Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, pt. 2 for both guys. As you listen, you will understand why it is a highlight for both artists. A different Impression is best for Emerson however. Anyway, make sure you leave a comment on the tracks you think best exemplify Lake, but enjoy my pick nonetheless.

Greg Lake Pick

01 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Affairs Of The Heart

02 Greg Lake & Geoff Downes - Love Under Fire

03 Greg Lake - Haunted

04 Emerson Lake & Palmer - The Only Way (Hymn)

05 Greg Lake - C'est La Vie

06 Emerson Lake & Palmer - The Endless Enigma, Pt. 1

07 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Pt. 2

08 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Watching Over You

09 King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man

10 Emerson Lake & Palmer - From the Beginning

11 Shy Limbs (with Greg Lake) - Love

12 King Crimson - The Court Of The Crimson King

13 Greg Lake - Love You Too Much

14 Emerson Lake & Powell - Touch And Go

15 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Still...You Turn Me On

16 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Lucky Man

17 Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas

Groundhog Day 2

I made this and the previous volume of Groundhog Day of a pick based loosely on the theme of the movie. Who really celebrated this as a holiday before the movie came out at least? And as I am posting this, I realize that I missed out on one crucial song by Sonny and Cher. Oh well, you'll have to just imagine it starting both of these compilations. It's going to be a cold one. I laugh every time. This one has more repeat songs and also the Do It Again songs. Enjoy! BTW, you may have noticed that it is the actual Punxatawney Phil on the cover. Straight from Gobblers Knob. And notice when I am posting it...C'mon, that's attention to detail!

Groundhog Day 2

22 George Benson - Let's Do It Again

23 Elevation Worship - Do It Again (Radio)

24 R5 - Repeating Days

25 Wall Of Voodoo - Do It Again

26 Nightlife Unlimited - Let's Do It Again

27 Beach Boys - Do It Again

28 Prince - History Repeats Itself

29 R5 - Do It Again

30 Steely Dan - Do It Again

31 Queens Of The Stone Age - Do It Again

32 Kinks - Do It Again

33 David Guetta - Repeat

34 Herbie Mann - Do It Again

35 Nada Surf - Do It Again

36 Budgie - On Repeat

37 Sweet - Do It All Over Again

38 Camera Obscura - Do It Again

39 Staple Singers - Let's Do It Again

40 Little Boots - Stuck On Repeat

Groundhog Day 1

Getting ready for Groundhog's day is this first of two volumes. All songs about Groundhogs and history repeating (based on the movie's premise). This was fun to put together, but you probably won't listen to this on repeat, except for maybe once a year. Not much else needs to be said.

Getting ready for Groundhog's day is this first of two volumes. All songs about Groundhogs and history repeating (based on the movie's premise). This was a fun pick to put together, but you probably won't listen to this on repeat, except for maybe once a year. Not much else needs to be said.

Getting ready for Groundhog's day is this first of two volumes. All songs about Groundhogs and history repeating (based on the movie's premise). This was fun to put together, but you probably won't listen to this on repeat, except for maybe once a year or so. Not much else needs to be said about it.

See the movie if you don't get the joke.

Groundhog Day 1

01 Eminem - Groundhog Day

02 Injury Reserve - Groundhog Day

03 Big Sugar - Groundhog Day

04 Double Trouble - Groundhog Day

05 Street Talk - Groundhog Day

06 1000Mods - Groundhog Day

07 Melanie - Groundhog Day

08 Bob Dylan - Groundhog Day

09 Simon Lynge - Groundhog Day

10 Tom T. Hall - Happy Groundhog Day

11 The Rifles - Groundhog Day

12 Lane 8 - Groundhog Day

13 D.O.A. - Groundhog Day

14 Primus - Groundhog's Day

15 Paul Hardcastle - History Keeps Repeating It's Self

16 John Mccutcheon - Groundhog Day

17 Shirley Bassey - History Repeating

18 Spirit - Groundhog

19 We Are Scientists - History Repeats

20 Corin Tucker Band - Groundhog Day

21 The Alarm - History Repeating