- E - Eddie and the Hot Rods - Edguy

More pub rockers and probably wrongly slotted into the Punk/New Wave category when really they are a rockers.
Kicking off with 1976's Teenage Depression featuring a cover of the Who's The kids are all right and title track Teenage Depression. Follow up Life on the Line includes their classic Do anything you wanna do.

For a (mostly live) best of compilation then The Best of Eddie & the Hot Rods The End Of The Beginning is a good start.

In contrast to the pub band rockers come the stadium rockers from Germany Edguy. Formed in 1992 Edguy is led by Tobias Sammet when he's not recording with his side project Avantasia.

My first introduction to Edguy was Rocket Ride: Special Edition followed by the EP Superheroes which is also available with a DVD. The latest release Age of the Joker (2 CD, Digipack, Limited Edition) is also a recommended buy. The live releases include the high street friendly Fucking With Fxxx (2CD/DVD) that's also available as a double disc version and Burning Down The Opera: Live (2CD) .

- D - Ian Dury

Starting out with pub rockers Kilburn and the Highroads Ian Dury was at his best when teaming up with the Blockheads. Despite releasing the classic New Boots and Panties [2CD Deluxe Edition] on Stiff Records in 1977 and slotting into the Punk/New Wave genre, the band where always far removed from the raw punk sound. Ian's lyrics also placed the band into a different league.

New Boots is as strong today as when it was released and remains an essential disc. The original release didn't include the punk anthem Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll but later releases including the deluxe edition added it. There really isn't a weak track on the debut - Sweet Gene Vincent, Clever Trevor, Blockheads and Blackmail Man to name but a few.

Follow up Do It Yourself [2CD Deluxe Edition]from 1979 has also been released in the double  disc deluxe format, the extras include the non album track singles Hit me with your rhythm stick and Reasons to be cheerful  part 3 in addition to a set from the Stiff's live Stiffs tour.

Laughter [2CD Deluxe Edition] kicks off with the catchy Superman's Big Sister and Delusions of Grandeur whilst the bonus tracks include I Wanna be Straight and a collection of Blockheads instumental demos.

- D - Dropkick Murphys

Let's Go Murphys, America's answer to the Pogues come across as a ramble rousing explosion on stage, off stage, one of the friendliest group of guys you could meet.

If the Murphys are in town go and see them live. Debut album Do Or Die from 1998 includes Boys on the Docks and Skinhead on the MBTA. Stand out tracks on 2001's Sing Loud Sing Proud are the Irish classic The Wild Rover and The Spicy McHaggis Jig. There are two excellent Murphy's compilations that are a perfect introduction to the band Singles Collection and Singles Collection Vol.2: 1998-2004 - B-Sides Covers Comps and Other Crap .

The Murphy's have been captured well live and it's hard to beat their Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA and the 2010 St Patrick's Day gigs Live on Lansdowne: Boston, Ma 12-17 Mar 2009/+DVD  the bonus DVD shows all of the madness and an audience who know how to have a good time.

The Dropkick Murphys won't win any prizes for originality but for energy and enthusiasm they are hard to beat.

- D - Dream Theater

Prolific is probably the best description for Dream Theater whose debut When Dream and Day Unite was released in 1989. A total of twelve studio albums in some twenty years is probably not that impressive although none are weak and some positively epic including the latest A Dramatic Turn Of Events .

Supporting the studio albums are the live albums, studio demos and my own favourites the Bootleg Series covering full classic albums. MASTER OF PUPPETS covers the mighty Metallica, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast:... followed. If Deep Purple are your band then pick up the Dream Theater version of Made in Japan. Pink Floyd's classic Dark side of the Moon : Official Bootleg coninued the series of classic covers.

If that wasn't enough there are the side projects by Mike Portnoy Amazing Journey covering the Who's Tommy, Hammer of the Gods tribute to Led Zeppelin and Yellow Matter Custard - the Beatles tribute.

Dream Theater tend to be classified as Prog Rockers - I would label them traditional Rockers.

- D - Dread Zeppelin

If you thought Devo were eccentric, strange and odd (well you're right they are) then I give you Bob Marley and Elvis Presley mixed with Led Zeppelin aka Dread Zeppelin. Debut Un-Led-ed kicks off with the mashup Black Dog and Hound Dog followed by Heartbreaker and Heartbreak Hotel. It doesn't let up, this shouldn't work but it does and continues with Whole Lotta Love and Moby Dick. If that isn't enough the madness continues with Dejah Voodoo - the Best of Dread Zeppelin where you also get crazy versions of Kashmir and Stairway to Heaven.

- D - Devo

"Are we not men? We are Devo" The crazy world of the De-Evolution Band from Akron Ohio hit the UK in 1977 with the mightly strange Jocko Homo single. If the debut single wasn't odd enough then follow up Satisfaction still stands as one of the strangest Rolling Stones cover versions. Joining the Stiff records label Be Stiff was another signature tune for the band.

Appearing on stage in paper boiler suits ripped off to reveal knee protectors and the later flower pot hats Devo certainly made their mark. Debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo/Devo Live now including extra live tracks is the best place to start with Devo, or better still dive into the excellent compilation Pioneers Who Got Scalped there are too many highlights spread over these 50 tracks but classics include Whip it, Come back Jonee, Be Stiff, Freedom of Choice and Jocko Homo. Not content with their Stones cover, look out for the re-interpretation of Jimi Hendrix - Are you Experienced also included on the Pioneers disc.

Devo returned in 2010 with Something For Everybody you know you want to if you can't beat em join them "We're all Devo"