In lieu of my usual essay, I’m breaking tradition here to post links to some music that may be of interest, as found on YouTube.  Apologies in advance for the digital distractions – enjoy, I hope.

The Flamin’ Groovies were a 1970s San Franciscan band that were prematurely into the pre-psychedelic power pop sound:  in a parallel universe, they were the 1964 Beatles.

The late songstress Eva Cassidy doing an old standard.  Beautiful, tragic, and haunting.

In the unfortunate event that a young male headbanger dies prematurely, I hope this is what awaits him on the other side:

Apologies to Messrs. Rhoads, Malmsteen, and Blackmore, but this is how to play J.S. Bach on guitar.  A longish performance best savored with a nice cup of tea:

You know how they say Bach is the sound of God whistling while he works?  This is the sound of God hanging out with his friend Buddha for a heavy rap.

As a listener, this cover of the Wizard of Oz classic makes my heart leap for joy.  As an amateur guitarist, this makes me want to jump off a cliff.  Tommy Emmanuel slays this one.

I’ve yet to decide whether mashups are a legitimate art form or just a clever use of editing software, but in this case, who cares?  The Godfather of Soul and the Mighty Zep as you’ve never heard either:

Caution:  Persons recently experiencing emotional distress due to the end of a relationship may find this song hazardous to their health.   The underrated songwriter and guitarist Chris Rea at his best:

Lastly, here’s one of those British Invasion boy bands that were so popular in the mid-1960s.  The singer looks like he just escaped from reform school.  Wonder what ever happened to these guys?