Happy Solstice!

Happy Solstice, and Third night of Hanukkah!

Man, have y'all been holding up OK under the holiday rush? Let me tell you, it's quite an interesting time to release an EP, what with holiday events, sowing anarchy at an elementary school sing-along, and getting some rad dog tags for my guitar army troops! BUT 'tis the season for high-string shopping and driving and running around like a madman. Come to think of it, I guess it really IS Christmas all year for me by that criteria!

Now, the important question for you, comrades, is...Are you ready to ROCK?

Tired of the songs at the mall? Try some of these on for size! It's time for my annual Merry AXEmas listening list!

For those of you who still don't have it, do yourselves a favor, and get Spotify. It's free, and you can listen to so many rockin' tracks, it's not even funny. It's like the ultimate iTunes!

Now, without further ado, here's some of my favorite holiday tracks!

From Merry Axemas - a Guitar Christmas

Steve Vai - Christmas time is here

Joe Satriani - Silent Night/Holy Night jam

Eric Johnson - The First Nowell

Steve Morse - Joy to the World

Jeff Beck - Amazing Grace

From Merry Axemas- More Guitars for Christmas

Neil Schon - O Come, O Come Emanuel

John Sykes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

From Gary Hoey's various Christmas CD's:

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Jingle Bell Rock

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

My Favorite Things

From the Trans-Siberian Orchestra:

Siberian Sleigh Ride

Christmas Eve/Sarajevo

Christmas nights in Blue

Boughs of Holly

The March of the Kings/Hark the Herald

Wizards in Winter

Queen of the Winter Night (AWESOME to see live!)

Other favorites:

JIMI HENDRIX playing "Little Drummer Boy/Silent Night/Auld Lang Syne"

Run DMC jammin' on "Christmas in Hollis"

Bob Rivers with his dead on "I am Santa Claus" jam!

There are so many more, too! Forget about decking the halls - rock 'em!

Best of luck with your last minute shopping and getting ready! These tunes will surely be a great soundtrack for your mind as you're racing through the store like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle all the Way. Huh, speaking of that, I need to watch that again...It's a yearly tradition!

Rock on!

- Josh