The holidays are upon us and our available time becomes precious. Soon it will be Christmas Day and you’ll likely find some down time between gifts, gab and grub. Likely, you’ll day dream on your favorite couch or chair. Well, as you prepare to have another cocktail, vino or craft brew, give this some thought:

What ten albums would you take away with you to paradise or just to pass the time after the Holidays peak? What parts of your life are so defined by an album or artist that you couldn’t imagine not having it to play? No need to rank them. Mine will be in alphabetical order. One rule-only one album per artist or band affiliation. Everyone’s list will be different and their reasons unique. I look forward to learning about artists and albums from all genres and scenes that I need to give a listen to.

Here’s my picks of Rock and Roll paradise background music:

*Allman Brothers band- Live at the Fillmore East- THE definitive live album, a double album in fact

*Beach Boys– Pet Sounds- California surfer music at its peak

*Beatles– The White Album-This album changed the direction of rock music. Great experimentation of sounds, done well. Sgt. Pepper’s and Revolver get honorable mention

*Bob Dylan– Highway 61 Revisited. His lyrics and his sound were influencing a new generation of musicians and writers. Great albums like Blond on Blond and Blood on the Tracks ensued

*Bruce Springsteen– Born to Run, the defining record in Bruce’s career. Only better live

*Grateful Dead- American Beauty. This album marked a shift from a blues influence to an Acoustic, Country style. Every song a gem. The Dead are best live but not without this album’s contributions.

*Jimi Hendrix– Are you Experienced or Axis: Bold as Love- Jimi’s influence on Rock and Roll cannot be underestimated. This was a tough choice but I selected Are You Experienced since it came first.

*Led Zepplin– the Song remains the same. This live double album gives you a new perspective on all of the studio albums. Cherry picked the best songs from their catalog and rocked out

*Rolling Stones– Some Girls. There are so many great Stones albums but this one had Miss you, When the Whip comes down, just my imagination, Some Girls, Far Away Eyes, Beast of Burden and Shattered, for start.

*The Who–Quadrophenia- The Who learned from making Tommy what was missing and delivered it with this double album Rock Opera

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