May 2011 Staff Picks

You can certainly tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to. This month, the PG editors —along with Guest Picker Dweezil Zappa—gather their courage, switch their iPods to shuffle, and play a little musical roulette. If you feel up to the challenge, email your first three random tunes to info@premierguitar.com.

Joe Coffey — Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Hayes Carll’s KMAG YOYO (and Other American Stories). This is the soundtrack for a cross-country road trip to that perfect bar you just know is out there.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Wham” from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s The Sky is Crying, “A Man Alone” from Frank Sinatra’s Reprise Collection (Disc 3), and “Ogunde” by John Coltrane from Carlos Santana’s compilation album Sacred Sources Volume 1: Live Forever.

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Andy Ellis — Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Easy Star All-Stars, First Light. This reggae collective from NYC manages to add a sweet soul touch to their dubwise grooves and skanking beats without diluting the vibe that clearly inspires them. Irie!
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Five String Serenade” from Mazzy Star’s So Tonight that I Might See, “Love Hurts” from Gram Parsons’ Grievous Angel, and “Dear Mr. Fantasy” from Feelin’ Alright: The Very Best of Traffic.

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Shawn Hammond — Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Del McCoury Band, American Legacies. Old-school booty-shakin’ music from the bluegrass guitar legend (McCoury played in Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in ’63) and the New Orleans Dixieland masters.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Pure Love” from Bad Brains’ Build a Nation, “Ritual Dance” from The Best of Michael Hedges, and “Good Night” from the Beatles’ The White Album.

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Chris Kies — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Raphael Saadiq, Stone Rollin’. With R&B grooves and soul-driven guitars—think of a classic Stax vibe— Saadiq nods heavily towards his heroes like Berry, Wonder, and Sly Stone, but gives the music his own futuristic twist.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Three Cigarettes (in an Ashtray)” from Patsy Cline’s self-titled debut, “Walk” from Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power, and “Only for the Night” from the Rx Bandits’ ...And the Battle Has Begun.

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Meghan Molumby — Senior Art Editor
What am I listening to?
Wanda Jackson’s The Party Ain’t Over. Collaborating with Jack White, the 73-year-old Queen of Rockabilly growls her way through campy covers ranging from Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” to Johnny Kidd and the Pirates’ “Shakin’ All Over.” I can’t not listen.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“E.T.” from Outkast’s Aliens, “Shasta Beast” from Eagles of Death Metal’s Death by Sexy, and the title track from Gogol Bordello’s Trans-Continental Hustle.

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Rich Osweiler — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Robin Nolan, Tainted Love. Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” and Human League’s “ Don’t You Want Me” get the gypsy jazz treatment. Two songs from the ’80s that always had me looking for the off button or a speaker to kick in.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“The Boy with the Arab Strap,” the title track from Belle & Sebastian, “ I Just Wanna Get Along” from the Breeders’ Last Splash, and “ The Green Green Grass” from American Analog Set’s Set Free.

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Charlie Saufley — Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Psychic Paramount, Psychic Paramount II. A ruling amalgam of high-energy, kraut-prog sprawl and free-jazz howl that’s pretty sweet for driving through a deluge with broken windshield wipers. Yes, that really happened.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Casey’s Last Ride” from Kris Kristofferson’s Kristofferson, “Better Blood” from Nikki Sudden’s Kiss You Kidnapped Charbanc, and “Old Man Going” from the Pretty Things SF Sorrow.

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Jason Shadrick — Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Levon Helm, Ramble at the Ryman. Recorded at one of Nashville’s most hallowed venues, this album captures what a typical Ramble in Helm’s barn is like. The grooves are loose, the material timeless, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell is in full force. Great roots music by one of the founding fathers of laid-back country rock.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
“Fanfare” from Galactic’s From the Corner to the Block, “Cocoon” from Julian Lage’s Gladwell, and “Move” from Hank Garland’s The Guitar Artistry of Hank Garland.

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Dweezil Zappa — Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
One of my favorite instrumentals by my father called “Rollo.” I’m also on a Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys kick. Must be the fact that recently I’ve been playing/refurbishing the Hendrix/Zappa Strat.
Which three songs come up on my iPod in shuffle mode?
Believe it or not, my iPod only has Frank Zappa songs on it. I have every release including all of the official bootlegs. That’s over 85 albums! The first three that popped up were “Beat It with Your Fist,” “RDNZL,” and “Packard Goose.”