MusicRadar

Living Colour recently issued a most excellent album called The Chair In The Doorway. And in March, the group will take part in the all-star Experience Hendrix Tour in which they'll play with such notables as Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Ernie Isley, Jonny Lang, Brad Whitford and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, just to name a few.

Vernon Reid spins his iPod for MusicRadar. Image: © Gary Gershoff/Retna Ltd./Corbis

But when MusicRadar caught up with the band's maverick guitarist Vernon Reid, we asked him the burning question on everybody's mind: "What are you listening to on your iPod, Vernon?"

He was more than happy to dial the wheel and fill us in...

1. Explosions In The Sky

"A very cool instrumental guitar band from Texas. Their music is hard to describe, but it's what has been termed 'post rock.' It's grand, sweeping - it's not ambient but it has a physicality to it, almost like a movie soundtrack. They're kind of a cross between My Bloody Valentine and Sigur Ros, if that's even possible.

"They have two albums called All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone and The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place that knock me out. The guitar playing isn't shred; it's more moody than that. I just love what they do. They take me to a different place, which is what the best music often does."

2. Los Lobos

"David Hidalgo has been a hero of mine for a long time. Los Lobos have two albums called The Town In The City and Colossal Head that never fail to blow me away.

"What I dig about them is, on the one hand, they come from a Mexican-American place, but they also have a uniquely American perspective. The music is very funky and experimental, and it gets under your skin.

"People talk about roots rock, and a lot of it leaves me cold. Bottom line: much of it sounds fake. Los Lobos are the real deal, though. There's nothing about them that's contrived. Everything they do is genuine. They live what they play and vice-versa.

"They have a song on Colossal Head called Manny's Bones that's about this implacable, wild gambler character, a real roustabout. Everybody knows a guy like this, and Manny's Bones reminds me of several dudes I've met in my life that fit the bill. A great song by a great band."

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