Road trips and music are made for each other.

Like Lindsay Lohan and DUIs, they’ve settled into a long, comfortable relationship.

While any and all tunes help fight sleep deprivation and glazed-over boredom, some artists and groups do it better.

Sure Celine Dion may at least keep me awake (not to mention make me rip my hair out and go cross-eyed) but Guns N’ Roses circa 1987 helps me log highway miles with more gusto.

Which got me thinking. Who would make the top-ten list of Greatest Road Trip Bands/Artists of All Time?

I know, I know. You’re as anxious about this list as Cleveland is over LeBron’s one-hour special announcement show tonight on ESPN. But unlike Bron Bron, I deliver without all the hype and circumstance.

10. Jay-Z. Few rappers have the expansive catalogue of Shawn Carter, and from “Money Ain’t A Thang” to “Young Forever” his hits are an entry to the rap in your collection.

9. Eagles. Must be on the list when lines from “Take It Easy” are “Well, I’m running down the road trying to loosen my load I’ve got seven women on my mind” and “Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.”

8. Guns N’ Roses. It’s impossible to not sing along when in “Welcome To The Jungle,” Axl Rose belts out “Watch it bring you to your shun n, n, n, n, n, n, n, n, n, n, knees, knees.” It’s also an ominous song to play heading into a new town.

7. Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Yes, for only one song — “Come On Eileen.” It can also start a conversation about the thoroughly 1980s music video.

6. Garth Brooks. Tough call between Brooks and George Strait at this spot since both can fill a couple double CD sets with hits. Brooks gets the nod for more non-country fan appeal but both serve country well.

5. The most current pop song. No road trip is complete without getting a new catchy ditty stuck in your noggin for 100 miles or so. This also leads to you hating the song forever. Example: “Airplanes” by B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem.

4. The unknown. Stuck behind the wheel is an ideal place to delve into an album you haven’t heard yet. This also reminds us how seldom it is that we take time to listen to a new one all the way through.

3. Sublime (Bradley Nowell days). It’s not just that the California trio changed speeds quicker than John Wall. Or that it perfected the art of the catchy punk-pop chorus. It did both while telling good stories.

2. Tom Petty. The greatest hits album with The Heartbreakers should come with a road map in every CD sleeve.

1. Creedence Clearwater Revival. I don’t care if Eastern European polka is your favorite genre, John Fogerty’s sinewy voice will speak to you when the rubber hits the road.

Adam Shull is the Sun’s entertainment writer. Contact him at 270-575-8653 or
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To celebrate Triple Ms 30th birthday, the radio station is bringing Dr Dan back to life.

Dr Dan is the guitar wielding rock-god known to be associated with the network throughout the 80s and 90s.

Slash recorded the new Dr Dan theme song in LA before Mr Cuttunar collected the track from him and brought it back to Australia for the launch.

The track was played on air to listeners for the first time on Tuesday 29 June.

Upon first hearing the track, Slash said he could imagine a way it would sound really cool.

It would actually be fun to go in and have a stab at that and see if we could make it more, I hate to use this word, but its the only word I can think of, a little bit more contemporary, in a rock way, Slash said.

Mr Cuttunar said he had a gut feeling he could win the competition when he made the first phone call to the station.

I called up to enter it and found out I had been short-listed, he said.

I had this feeling I could win it, and I did.

Mr Cuttunar received the phone call to say he had won while on his way to work.

It felt awesome to win. I was speechless. It was a cool surprise, he said.

Mr Cuttunar travelled to Paris with his partner Cathie and met Slash before seeing him perform at a concert in front of 5000 fans.

We got autographs. Im a real Guns N Roses fan, he said.

Slash is certainly one of the best guitarists. His music is awesome.

Mr Cuttunar said he got a real buzz when he got to stand on stage with Slash during the gig.

Mr Cuttunar, who has lived in Narre Warren South for 25 years, seems to have luck when it comes to winning radio competitions.

I won the Battle of the Backyard Ashes competition about 15 years ago, and the Victorian cricket team came to play in my garden, he said.

Ive also scored many concert passes over the years, he said.

Duff McKagan’s Loaded will begin recording their next album in August, says frontman Duff McKagan. In a statement, the former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver member said, “We have been writing for the last few months and next week we start pre-production on the new Loaded record! We couldn’t be happier and we think [fans] will be, too! As it is looking, we will be recording it in August and thus begins Loaded Mach III!”

The group recently parted ways with their record company, Century Media Records, after releasing one EP (2008’s Wasted Heart) and one full-length album (2009’s Sick) through that label. Last year, drummer Geoff Reading left the band and was replaced by Isaac Carpenter, whose previous work included stints with Loudermilk and The Exies. The current Loaded lineup also includes bassist Jeff Rouse and guitarist Mike Squires.