Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Brian Eno Edition

Today is the birthday of Brian Eno, one of the most prolific and influential musicians of this or any era in music. His talent for production is not just displayed on his own albums (of which he has over 40) but his numerous collaborations with a who's-who of Pop and Rock icons, from John Cale to The Talking Heads to David Bowie to U2.

Eno also helped create the music genre called Ambient. At a time when Punks dug in with noisy simplicity and Progressives were getting grandiose and complicated, Eno and a few others went in a different direction, fashioning gentle, atmospheric music that blends into surroundings as much as it commands attention. His album Ambient 1: Music for Airports floats by at a glacial pace, but if you listen to it a few times it might permanently change your perception of music. Over the decades, Eno's innovations and curiosity have paved the way for musicians of the acoustic, electric, and electronic variety to express themselves in new ways. To celebrate the occasion of the godd Mr. Eno's birth, take your MP3 player, press the "shuffle" button, and share the first 10 songs that you hear:

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Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Alex Van Halen Edition

Today we wish a very Happy Birthday to Alex Van Halen, drummer of the band that bears his name. Alex doesn't get mentioned in musical anecdotes nearly as much as his band mates, which is understandable considering he shared a stage with David Lee Roth, the textbook obnoxious/mesmerizing front man, brother Eddie, the electric guitar innovator, and Michael Anthony, the charasmatic bass player whose backing vocals were in retrospect quite critical in getting Roth's lead vocals across. Alex’s distinctive drum kit sound powered the band to the pinnacle of the Rock world between 1978 and 1984 with albums that included Van Halen, Van Halen II, Diver Down, and, natch, 1984. The band’s longevity and high-profile lineup changes may have worked against their legacy as one of the groups that showed just how big (and sucessful) Hard Rock music could get. They’re still together, though, with Roth returning to the fold after a long absence, Eddie’s son Wolfgang handling bass duties, and Alex still laying down the beat. So give the drummer some and say Happy Birthday by pressing the “shuffle” button on your MP3 player and sharing the first 10 songs you hear:

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