In grabbing all this music for the trip, I realized that I have been listening to the same 20 or 30 records for a really long time now. It's kind of like eating out. They say that if you had each meal of the day in different restaurants in New York City, it would take you 19.8 years to get through all of them. Wow. That's shelf life of a Twinkie. I'd love to experiment when it's time to eat, but I want to know what I'm getting. That's why I always go to the same restaurants and order the same things. Soft Catfish Tacos with guacamole at San Loco. Grits and eggs at M&G's. The Kitchen Sink Salad at Chat & Chew. Black Bean vegetarian chili at Karen's on Astor Place--so good, you'd swear it had meat in it. Maybe if I could sample some tasty things from other restaurants I'd try them. That's what the radio is supposed to be--a sonic sample of what's out there. Unfortunately, unless its public radio or a college radio station, it's a sample of what record labels want me to buy. So I end up eating in a lot. This trip was no exception.

We had to choose music we both liked and sounds that weren't too mellow so he wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel. Needless to say, this meant no jazz. No problem with all the 70's stuff. The punk stuff went over surprisingly well. (I can't leave home without The Cramps. I just can't.) Hank III's cover of Snoop Dog's Gin 'n Juice is quite genius. Damon was into Muddy Waters (who isn't?) but unfortunately, he can't stand Elvis. Here then, is the list of what I consider to be road trip essentials. As Bugs Bunny would say: Bon boy-yah-gee!

Greatest Hits compilations by the following artists: