In my world, life is a strange ebb and flow between ease and noise. What happens when a band attempts to take on that see-saw of emotions and mold it into a song? … Well, that song pretty much sums up my life. Lots of easy highs, lots of rough lows and lots and lots of complicated noise in between. Somehow, when you take a step back from life though, don’t you find that life is pretty darn beautiful, no matter what card you were handed, right? Life’s an amazing journey. Being a fan of Wilco since — well, since way before they “jumped the shark” and sold out larger venues — I feel like Wilco exemplifies this ebb and flow better than any band out there today. After all these trying years, Jeff Tweedy and gang know the masses are now finally following their rock & roll life catalogue, yet they seemingly dismiss the rock & roll life that we would come to expect from a band of Wilco’s stature. Wilco is comprised of musicians, making music — the music and noise of life. “I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL … FOR NOTHING … I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR NOTHING AT ALL.” Well, probably not my blog-followers. Haha. This track/performance exemplifies that ebb and flow. I guess we’re all just “misunderstood,” right? … Goosebumps. Pure, Goosebumps.

We’ve got to put The Beatles up here somewhere, right? My mom pretty much raised me with all their albums, on vinyl, of course (which I still have). I could post a bunch of my favorite Beatles “goosebump” tunes: “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Oh Darling,” “I Am The Walrus,” “Helter Skelter,” “She Said, She Said,” and all the greatest hits that everyone sings along to, of course. Near the top of my list is “I’ve Got A Feeling” because it’s so raw and Paul and John go back and forth, with such juxtaposition, so well. I adore their infamous rooftop concert (atop Apple Studios on famous Seville Row in London in 1969). [UPDATE: The rooftop concert clips have been pulled from YouTube. If you find a link online, please send it my way.] So, if you want some goosebumps (especially when Paul belts out “Yeah! YEAH!!! I’ve got a feeling!!!” followed by John nonchalantly singing, “Everyone had a hard year. Everyone had a good time.”), give this a rooftop whirl …

“The Ghost of Tom Joad” is one of my favorite songs of all time. (Tom Joad is the protagonist in Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath.) While cover songs often bother me, RAGE perfectly amplify the raw emotion of Springsteen’s poetry/lyrics, particularly in this live version from Irvine, CA in 1997, which I used to watch over and over again on VHS. Tom Morello, chopping political heads, on his double axe. Drummer Brad Wilk replicating macine guns pulsating on the drums. And Mr. Zach de la Rocha … “YOU’LL SEE ME!!!” I get GOOSEBUMPS (practically tears) when I hear both versions, especially back-to-back …

On August 27, 1990, I balled my eyes out, like a little child, when WMMR’s Pierre Robert announced on the radio that Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash, after a performance. (Then again, I was a little child, come to think of it.) I remember going to my bedroom, closing my door and playing SRV’s albums all night long. I drew “SRV” on my denim trapper keeper that school year, and I still have the cover of the Rolling Stone which included his tribute, hanging framed in my bedroom to this day (it doesn’t hurt that the girls from “Twin Peaks” are on it either). Everything Stevie played melted your face and brought goosebumps to your skin. I mean, even David Bowie hired him to do the infamous “Fame” guitar lick before Stevie Ray Vaughan was a big name. This MTV Unplugged performance of “Pride & Joy” is one of my absolute favorites. It’s one thing for a guitarist to wow you when he’s plugged in with all the pedals and feedback and so forth; it’s even more amazing when your jaw drops from the sounds made on an acoustic guitar — let alone a 12-string acoustic at that. Still missing ya, Stevie. Thank you for all, good sir. You made me cry, and you continue to bring tears to my face. Pure GOOSEBUMPS …

http://youtu.be/vxVS1jE8VAQ

Whenever I’m feeling down, this version of “Sunny Side of the Street” instantly puts things in perspective for me and lifts my spirits. Dizzy, Sonny & Sonny, recorded in NYC in 1957. Pure Sunny/Sonny GOOSEBUMPS …

There isn’t much preface necessary here. When I first saw this video and heard this song, it was by far one of my most jaw-dropping musical experiences ever. From the message to the music itself, it’s straight up GOOSEBUMPS whenever I hear/watch Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip’s “Thou Shalt Always Kill” …

It’s December 19, 1989. You’re at the Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Rolling Stones are in the midst of their Steel Wheels tour. Legendary blues guitarist Eric Clapton steps out to join them for the blues classic “Little Red Rooster” (often credited to Howlin’ Wolf), and Clapton proceeds to drop, without a doubt, one of his greatest live solos of all time. The subtle look that Mick Jagger gives Clapton as they pass each other in the middle of the song, as Clapton wraps up his solo, is priceless [UPDATE: They have removed the official video with this priceless interaction, but there are still some videos of this performance — sans Mick/Eric interaction — online, like this one]. Goosebumps …

http://youtu.be/e6raNj9ArT8

When I was in 6th grade, British guitar maestro Eric Johnson released 1990’s “Ah Via Musicom.” There’s a track on that album, “Cliffs of Dover,” which is like listening to a classical orchestra. It literally gives me goosebumps. It’s absolute guitar mastery. While there are a few live versions on the Interwebs, nothing beats this studio version. Unfortunately, there’s no music video for this song. So this slow, still montage will have to do. Feel free to search around Youtube for live versions if you don’t believe that one man alone can play this miraculous song …