Megadeth - Trust

This is a live performance by the American heavy metal band Megadeth playing the song “Trust” live. The performance is from the band’s 2005 concert in Argentina which is one of their best concerts ever. It’s available on DVD and I highly recommend picking it up, because it’s just an awesome performance.
The song was originally released on the band’s 1997 album “Cryptic Writings”. It was released in both a Spanish language and English language versions. In this live performance Dave Mustaine sings a bit of both versions. It was hugely successful, got a lot of airplay on MTV, and to this date it is the band’s most successful single. The song was also nominated for a Grammy award.
It’s a great song and a great performance. The Argentinean crowd is just amazing, one of the best crowds ever. This really makes this an amazing performance.

Enjoy ; )

Eric Clapton - Layla

This is a live performance by Eric Clapton playing the song "Layla" live. The song was originally done by Derek and the Dominos which Clapton was a part of. It has since become a staple in his live set as a solo artist.
The song was originally released by Derek and the Dominos in 1970 on the album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs". The song is known for its unique guitar figure played by Eric, and the piano instrumental part of the piece composed by Jim Gordon.
The song was written for Pattie Boyd and about Clapton's unrequited love to her. At this point she was the wife of fellow musician George Harrison. It didn't gain success on it's first release, but over time it has become one of the most recognizable and important songs in rock.
As mentioned Clapton has played the song regularly as part of his live set as a solo artist. He has also done a version where he plays it with Dr. John. (Embeded below)

That performance is from a VH1 series called Duets. It mostly features Clapton, but John can be seen in the back playing away on that piano. This version is vastly different from the first version. The opening chord progression is played more like a walking chord progression, it's played faster, it's funkier, and it doesn't feature the instrumental end of the song.
Clapton also had chart success with this song through his acoustic version of the song released in 1992 for the MTV Unplugged he played. (Embeded below)

This version also disposes the instrumental end of the song. It's played slower though, with the chord progression re-touched to fit the acoustic setting. This version reached #12 on the US pop charts and won the Grammy for Best Rock Song in 1992.
"Layla" is one of those shape defining songs of its genre, it's recognizable and truly one of the best rock songs ever written and composed. A great song in all it's versions!

Enjoy ; )

Eric Johnson - Zap

This is a live performance by guitarist Eric Johnson playing one of his instrumental songs. It's titled "Zap" and it was first released on Johnson's "Tones" album and it was this track from the record was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1987.
This concert footage is from a concert in Austin Texas. It's a great rocking instrumental song performed to excellence by Johnson.

Enjoy ; )

Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover

This is a live performance by instrumental rock guitarist Eric Johnson playing his probably most well known instrumental composition "Cliffs of Dover" live in 1990 from New York.
The song is from the album "Ah Via Musicom" released in 1990. It is composed in the key of G major and in the studio it was recorded with a Gibson ES-355 and a Fender Stratocaster, the Strat being the one he also chooses to use on this live version.
The song won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. And it was also featured in the video game Guitar Hero III.
Johnson does a really long intro on this which is just amazing and really show just how good a guitarist he is. The main recognizable melody of the song played by Johnson doesn't kick in until about the 6:20 time signature, now that's a long intro.
It's a great instrumental performance of a really good composition. Really enjoyable and smooth.

Enjoy ; )

The Beach Boys - Kokomo

Beach Boys - Kokomo by jpdc11
This is the music video to the song "Kokomo" by rock, pop, and surf band The Beach Boys.
The song was released with and for the motion picture soundtrack to the film "Cocktail" starring Tom Cruise. The song did very well in both the American, Japanese, and Australian charts. It was also nominated for a Grammy, but didn't win. The song was written by: Mike Love, Scott McKenzie, Terry Melcher, and John Phillips. Mike Love of course the only member of the group who recorded the track. Though the steel drums were played by Terry Melcher. Plus a lot of other additional studio musicians.
It's a good descent pop song.

Enjoy ; )

Eric Clapton - Old Love

This is a live performance by British blues and rock guitarist Eric Clapton playing the song "Old Love" live at Hyde Park in 1997.
The song is originally off Clapton's 1989 album "Journeyman". The writing credit on the song is attributed to Clapton and fellow blues musician Robert Cray. The most successful song on the album however was "Bad Love", it did well in the charts and won Clapton a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1990. Clapton has also stated that this is one of his favourite albums from his career. (Cover art in picture below).

It's a really good performance of this magnificent song.

Enjoy ; )

Aretha Franklin - Respect

This is a live performance by soul queen Aretha Franklin playing her classic song “Respect”. The performance is from 1990.
The song was originally recorded and released by Otis Redding in 1965. It was also written by Redding, but with a different perspective than Franklin would use later. Franklin switched the perspective so the song turned into a plea from a woman to a man demanding respect. This made the song popular in the feminist movement.
Franklin’s version was released in 1967 and it became her perhaps best known song. She won two Grammy Awards for the song in the R&B categories.
The song was a huge hit and it was later covered by a large number of artists such as: Ike & Tina Turner, Janis Joplin and Jennifer Hudson to name a few.
It’s a great song. I really love the true soul there is on this and the sound of the big orchestra with the horn section. A great song and a great performance.

Enjoy ;-)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away

This is the music video to the 1991 RHCP single "Give It Away" from their "Blood Suger Sex Magik" album. The music for the song is attributed to guitarist John Frusciante and bassist Flea. They came up with it during a jam session prior to the recording of the song. The lyrics were written by Anthony Kiedis. The single did very well on various charts and it also became the band's first UK no. 1 hit. The following single "Under the Bridge" became an even bigger success. The song also went on to win a Grammy in 1992 for Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocals.
The song is a 4/4 time composition and the sound of it is very distinctive. This has a lot to do with producer Rick Rubin who sought after a 60's vibe on the sound of the record. He didn't want a "big sound" and a wall of guitar. He just wanted a dry sound of three instruments with very little effects added. A what you hear is what you get sort of attitude. Flea's complex bass-line is also characteristic for the song and it really shows Flea's virtuosity on the fretboard.
It's a very good song and I really love the funky sound and the way Rubin produced it. A good song that just sounds amazing.

Enjoy ; )

Paul McCartney - Helter Skelter

This is a live performance by former Beatles member Paul McCartney playing the classic song "Helter Skelter". The song originally appeared on the band's self-titled 1968 album that has since been known as "The White Album".
The song is credited to Lennon/McCartney, though Lennon has said in interviews that he feels that the song is more McCartney's song. (Though his quote was a little unclear)

"That's Paul completely ... It has nothing to do with anything, and least of all to do with me."

John Lennon 1980
McCartney has said in interviews that he wrote the song with the intention of being very loud and having a lot of tape echo on it. He wanted it to be loud, gritty and raw. It has also, by many, been called one of the first metal songs ever. It has those power chords and that raw fast energy that would later evolve and turn into metal. McCartney has also used this song to showcase and point of that he does not only do ballads, but harder rock as well.
The song occasionally appears in McCartney's live set. A live version of the song from the "Good Evening New York City" was nominated for a Grammy in 2011 in the "Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance". McCartney won the Grammy.
The song has also been covered by a large number of artists, both live and in the studio, acts including: Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, U2, Oasis, White Zombie, Bon Jovi and Soundgarden.
So a very influential song for a lot of contemporary artists.

Enjoy ; )

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing

This is a live performance from Dire Straits performing their classic song "Money for Nothing". It is from the concert DVD "Live At Knebworth 1990 - Parts 1, 2 & 3" (click here for Amazon page).
The song was released as a single in 1985 and the song is from the "Brothers in Arms" album, also from 1985. It became a huge hit, due to many factors. First off, it's a really good song, Sting appeared on the intro singing in falsetto and it spawned a ground breaking music video. The video features very early computer-animation which today looks silly, but back then looked really good and new. (Music video embeded beneath).

In 1985 it won a Grammy for best Rock Performance at the 28th annual Grammy Awards. The lyrics are basically the new MTV generation through the eyes of a middle-aged working class man, shortly. The writing credit is shared between Sting and Mark Knopfler.
This performance is really good, and it also features Eric Clapton who stays in the background for the most part, but does a little solo in the song. It's a good steady performance.

Enjoy ; )

Jeff Beck - Hammerhead

This is a live performance by guitar legend Jeff Beck. It was released on the 2010 album "Emotion & Commotion". Since it's a pretty new song, there isn't any really good concert footage of Jeff performing this yet, so I've included the album version in a youtube video beneath. The song credits both Jeff Beck and his keyboardist Jason Rebello, and Jeff states that the song's inspiration comes from their love of keyboardist Jan Hammer. Jason came up with the riff on the keyboard, and Jeff picked up on it, Jeff calls it a young and Indian sounding riff, ans states that it kicks ass which I agree with him on 100 %.[1]
It's a rock instrumental, and Jeff plays the main riff of the song alongside a 40 piece symphony orchestra which makes it sound epic, grand and magnificent. It has also recently been nominated for a Grammy at the 53rd Grammy Awards show. It's nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental" and has a good chance of winning, and I'm rooting for it, it's a good song.
The live version and the album version sound a bit different, and Jeff improvises a bit more in the live version, plus it's not with a symphony orchestra when played live.
A great song, cross your fingers for it at The Grammys.


Enjoy ; )

The White Stripes - My Doorbell

This is the music video for the song "My Doorbell" by The White Stripes. A piano driven simple, well pop song, probably. White Stripes are always hard to place genre-wise, they draw a lot of contemporary influences while still going back to a lot of the old blues hounds as well. This makes for a unique sound that is simply The White Stripes, they can't be put into any specific category of music and that's what make them so good and unique.
The song was released in 2005 on the album "Get Behind Me Satan" and was the second single from the album.
The music video is shot in a vintage black and white style which really fits the song well. The song was also nominated for a Grammy for best pop performance. It's a good video for a song that'll surely bring you in a good mood.

Enjoy ; )

The Shadows - Sleepwalk

This is a live performance from the band "The Shadows". They play the classic song "Sleepwalk" which has become one of Hank Marvin's standard songs in his live sets.
The song was originally recorded and released by the brothers Santo & Johnny. It was originally a steel guitar based song, with the melody played on a steel guitar with a slide.
The song has been covered by numerous artists including; The Ventures, Chet Atkins, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and Brian Setzer who won a Grammy for his arrangement of the song in 1998.
Because of the songs mellow and unique melody it has been featured in several films and television shows such as; the films; La Bamba, Sleepwalkers, Twelve Monkeys and the television series Heroes.
It's a nice song with a good melody. And Hank plays it beautifully and uses the whammy bar with perfection. A great performance.

Enjoy ; )

(Below is a performance by the Ventures who come closest to how the original recording sounded)


Hope you enjoy that as well : D

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The House Is Rockin'

This is the music video for the song "The House Is Rockin'" by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It's a single of their "In Step" album from 1989. The album was a big success for the band and was made after Stevie sobered up after years of alcohol and drug abuse. This is also the theme of many of the songs, and there are many songs co-written and composed by Stevie himself. It's a personal album.
The album won a Grammy for best blues album and the album also had a no. 1 single on the North American Billboard Charts, very impressive.
It's a great up-tempo rock 'n' roll song with a classic rock solo. Clearly heavily inspired by Chuck Berry who basically invented that genre. It's a great song, and it really gets you going.

Enjoy ; )