Fri Playlist: The Rock Life (Pt. 2)

CIRCUS LIFE UNDER THE BIG TOP WORLD

We continue our January showcase of songs about road life, the music biz, and the experience of being on stages. It’s a rich rock tradition – i.e. self-referential, vaguely jaded, semi-autobiographical tunes – we’re happy to explore with you.

This week finds touring ennui from Jimmy Buffett, Rick Nelson and Bob Weir, alongside more modern discontent from the stage delivered by the Arctic Monkeys and Splitsville. There’s also a couple bonafide classics in this rock subset from Steely Dan and Stealers Wheel (yes, kids, they did more songs than “Stuck In The Middle With You”). We wrap up with the Patti Smith Group‘s wonderful reworking of The Byrds’ staple, which declares, “This is the era where everybody creates!” and we begin with the too-short-lived Imperial Drag, one of the best post-Jellyfish outfits Roger Joseph Manning Jr. has been involved in.

Once again, we encourage you to raise your beer mugs and disposable lighters to the heavens for the hard working musicians that do that voodoo that they do so well.

And check out our The Rock Life (Pt. 1) Playlist, with touring world insights from Thin Lizzy, Elton John, Backyard Tire Fire and more! Playlist assembled by JamBase Associate Editor Dennis Cook, whose pretty much favorite people in the whole wide world are working musicians and their allies…