Elvis is the Alpha and the Omega of Rock & Roll, so what better place to start than this eponymously titled LP that says all that needs to be said. Too Much.

Though in 1972 the idea of a Rock Opera or concept album, with the songs telling a story, was not new, this was still quite an achievement. David Bowie created a character who was a Rock Star, and he became that character, and therefore became a Rock Star.

Released on November 28, 1969, this signaled the end of the Summer of Love. Gimmie Shelter, Live With Me, Midnight Rambler, but then the resignation and redemption of You Can't Always Get What You Want.

This is a great album by a great musician. Lively Up Yourself starts this great rave up off, and Rebel Music (Three O'Clock Road Block) is also a stand out cut. Natty Dread is Marley's anthem, actually the first of several anthems.

On December 14th, 1979, this album was realeased, and The Clash became, for a brief period, the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World. A double album, some of the songs were filler, but it begins with London Calling and ends with Train In Vain. Seeing them play live at The Warfield in San Francisco right around this time was a revelation.

In November of 1970 this album made a huge impact. Eric Clapton was never better, and besides having a fantastic band, there is also the addition of blues virtuoso Duane Alman.

January of 1971, Nixon was president, and we all needed something this dark to get us through.

November 3, 1978, and The Jam release their 3rd album. Paul Weller really emerges as a writer, here. All Mod Cons offers all of the modern conveniences.

1969 barely noticed this, the third album by The Velvet Underground. At first I had Velvet Underground & Nico on the list, with the Andy Warhol banana sticker, but it didn't have Pale Blue Eyes or What Goes On.

In 1968 Donovan recorded Hurdy Gurdy Man, and Jimmy Page and other members of what would become Led Zep backed him. Jennifer Juniper was written for Jenny Boyd, sister of Patty (Layla?). Included as one of 6 bonus tracks is the lovely Lalena.

Recorded Live At The Apollo in 1962, released in January, 1963, this is a great live show, from the opening announcements to the final encore. The audience fuels a furious performance of great soul by James Brown and the Famous Flames.

October 17, 1955 was a very good year. I was little more than half a year old, but Frank was already at the peak of his second career. Romantic disapointment from Ava Gardner had seasoned Frank, and here he is the master of the torch song. Arrangements by Nelson Riddle are superb, especially I've Got You Under My Skin.

March 2, 1959 was when this was cut. It has turned out to be one of the most popular Jazz albums. I think that Bill Evans should have gotten more credit for song writing, but Miles was never shy about blowing his own horn. Great horn blowing it is, too. Also Coltrane and Cannonball. Paul Chambers, bass, Jimmy Cobb, drums. Wynton Kelly plays piano on Freddie the Freeloader, Bill Evans on the rest.

September 24, 1991, is when this was released. I didn't immediately recognize how great a record this was. I was skeptical of it because of all the hoopla surrounding Kurt Cobain's suicide. But the music speaks for itself. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, Lithium. Great use of noise supporting well crafted songs. Lots of heartfelt emotion in Kurt's singing.

July of 1979 is when this came out in the States, but in the UK this was circa 1977. The Clash were one of the first punk rock bands I saw, because they played at The People's Temple, the church of Jim Jones. This was an unofficial gig for The Clash. The joint was packed merely from word of mouth and some flyers advertising "The Only Band That Matters."

1972 when this came out I was still in school. I had a crush on Sylvia Higashi, who was a Senior, but I was a Sophmore. She liked this band, and once I heard them, so did I. The cover with that carved up school desk was brilliant marketing. The music rocks very hard. It is what we used to call "Awesome" back in the old days.

January 1977 was when this collaboration with soundscape specialist Brian Eno was unleashed upon the world. Much of it is moody instrumentals, almost sounding like Gregorian chants. There are some post punk rockers, some synth pop oddities, and a few with vocals thrown into the blender.

November 22, 1968. I was in Junior High. I remember that a red haired girl with freckles played Blackbird on accoustic guitar, and did I envy her. This double album covered a lot of ground, many styles and even sound collage, musique concrete, it was all grist for their mill. Dear Prudence, can you come out to play?

May 12, 1972. I had this record when it came out, and I took it over to Otto Waldorf's house to play it. It got scratched right away on his old fashioned Victrola. He was a latchkey kid, which is why we hung out there--no parental supervision. We called it Wall's, it was a dump, but it was our paradise.

October 1977, Bowie, Eno, and Robert Fripp. Continue with the Low experiment, but here with even better results. Beauty and the Beast, Joe the Lion, the title track, Heroes, and The Secret Life of Arabia.