There are plenty of bands that wear their influences on their sleeves, to the point where their material could be mistaken for those who influenced them. Sometimes its an intentional homage, other times its accidental

Recent discussions about the current Queensryche debacle have me thinking about what happens when bands implode, tempers flare and members are either fired or take their ball and go home.

It’s become fashionable to like Led Zeppelin again, after the release of their 2007 partial reunion concert. Luckily, Celebration Day, which debuted in the Billboard Top 10 last fall, doesn’t include any of these duds.

Bill Frisell’s appearance last Saturday with Marianne Faithfull at Paris’ New Morning club was another reminder of the jazz guitarist’s often underrated affinity for pop and rock music.

Sunday gives us another chance to remember Levon Helm, as Elton John, Mavis Staples and others pay tribute to the rail-jumping, loamy voiced, rhythmic heart of the Band during the annual Grammy awards.

We called “All You Need Is Love” a pasted-together goof, “The Long and Winding Road” a devastatingly maudlin bore. And you ripped us to shreds. Now, we’re back for more.

There are as many Christmas music traditions as there are stockings hung with with care. For some, the process of awaiting ole St. Nick requires a classic soundtrack, filled with old favorites. For others, something newer makes sense.

Criticizing Van Halen for the times it were too corny or over-the-top almost feels disingenuous. After all, the band’s legend was founded on their blend of dizzying virtuosity with pervy jokester asides.

Strictly speaking, the Mayan calendar doesn’t end at all — not on Friday, not ever. December 21, 2012 is simply the end of a 5125-year cycle. Now that we’ve got that cleared up, we can address the real problem: WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE ANYWAY.

Eric Clapton has certainly done a lot to make us forget his roots in the blues tradition, starting with his turn toward psychedelia in Cream — just a couple of years after a celebrated stint with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers