Anything by these artists:
Apocalyptica
Blue Man Group
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Raymond Scott
and the Music for TV Dinners albums
My favorites…
everything they’ve recorded – Ventures
Stick Shift – The Duals
Trans Europe Express – Kraftwerk (mostly instrumental, a few words spoken)
Theme music from Pulp Fiction
everything he’s done – Henri Mancini
the theme song from Top Gun – Anthem I think it’s called
Zenster, great list. Sxyzzx, I’ve heard three out of those four and they’re brilliant, I may have to check out Apocalyptica.
Let me add:
Jonny Quest Theme as played by The Reverend Horton Heat on a colleciton of cartoon theme song covers. Unfortunately, it segues into Stop that Pigeon, but that first minute-and-a-half just screams.
Maple Leaf Rag and Solace by Scott Joplin.
So many of you have made comment upon my music list that I am obliged to say one thing…
Happy Birthday…
to all of you. As I mentioned, the pieces I listed are ones that changed my life. I am able to play more than a few of them on my own instruments. I hope that you would take the time to listen to them as well. None of them will disappoint you.
I have left out so many other artists, such as Andre Segovia, Django, Miles, Art Blakey, Dave Grisman, the list is endless. So sad to think that so many of the names are unknown.
To all of you I offer this; Email me and I will send you a file of any of the above songs. Your curiosity will be rewarded. I cannot stress the importance of pure music in my life and I hope it plays some part in yours.
The preceeding was my 2,600[sup]th[/sup] post and I am unable to think of a more suitable topic for such a replete number. All of you rock!
Tortoise!
I forgot Tortoise. Tortoise rock in all kinds of ways.
The Red Elvises ROCK!!!
Also try:
‘Leave that thing alone’ and ‘La Villa Strangiato’ by Rush
‘D is for Dangerous’ and ‘Psychobilly Freakout’ by The Reverend Horton Heat (they have at least one instrumental on each album)
And of course, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s version of ‘Little Wing’.
Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi.
Anything by Leo Kottke, especially Accordian Bells, Little Shoes, William Powell
Anything by Miles Davis. Anything.
“YYZ”, “La Villa Strangiato”, and a couple others from Rush.
“Slave to the Traffic Light”, “You Enjoy Myself” + almost anything live from Phish
“Los Endos”, “Duke’s Travels/Duke’s End” + more from Genesis
Just a few off the top of my head.
oh yeah…“Tiger Tiger” (I think - been a while) from Duran Duran (don’t laugh - it’s good)
Well, since Duran Duran got thrown in here, I feel safe in adding #34 by the Dave Matthews Band.
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral Arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded yellow sun.
British Band called Badly Drawn Boy has an album out called the Hour Of Bewilderbeast, which is nearly half instrumentals, randing from waltz balladly stuff to noisy electronic/sample based tracks. I’m very hight on them right now in general. Highly reccomended.
Testify, So Excited and Rude Mood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Walk Don’t Run - Ventures
Classical Gas - Mason Williams
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed - Allman Bros.
Europa and Samba Pa Ti - Santana
Moby Dick - Led Zeppelin
Trane and Kind of Bird - Gov’t Mule
Afro Blue - John Coltrane
Magnum Opus - Kansas
Hocus Pocus - Focus, also the cover by Gary Hoey
pretty much anything else by Gary Hoey
Communication Breakdown - cover of the Led Zepplin song by Jeff Healey
Rodeo and Common Man - Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (dunno what Aaron Copeland’s reaction would be to those particular adaptations, but I like them)
That Jethro Tull song with the flute solo (is that Bouree, Zenster?)
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group
What a list you people have compiled! I see I’ll be busy on Napster tonight 
Most of what I’d recommend has already been posted, but I’d also add:
Riviera Paradise and Little Wing
Stevie Ray Vaughn
1969
Jack Falk Project
Footprints
by anyone, but I like the version by String Cheese Incident
Manhattan and Trademark
Eric Johnson
Freeway Jam and The Pump
Jeff Beck
Flor D’Luna
Santana
Miles And Miles
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Being a primarily instrumental musician I can vouch for Zenster’s list ~ Great Stuff.
For instrumental guitar rock and rollish stuff try tunes from Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen–(awesome player, but I get tired of him after one song) Jeff Beck, Santana …
Kewl rockin’ g-tar stuff w/ lyrics: Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ozzy Osborne (specifically w/ Randy Rhoads), Jimi Hendrix …
[Shameless self-promo]
Here’s a short instrumental tune I wrote for our former reg: Wally, a few days after he passed - http://fathom.org/teemingmillions/AUDIOTRACK02.MP3
I guess I won’t get into the myriad of wonderful, voiceless techno songs out there…
I’ll second “Just Like You Imagined” by NIN.
And I defy all of you to listen to “Closing In” by the Living End and not pass out in ecstasy. One of the most talented groups in the world, with a supremely rockin guitar solo about 2 minutes into the song. Just thinking about it puts me in a good mood. I think it’d be perfect for your CD, USCDiver, considering the songs you mentioned.
And “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band is kinda cool too, but not as rock-y as “Closing In.”
The Victoria Police Pipe Band has an excellent disk called ‘Live in the Rockies’. Chiefly, I am most impressed by tune #11, entitled The Hellbound Train.
Can’t believe no one has mentioned “Telstar” by the Tornadoes; the first instrumental to go to No. 1.
Also, “Ghost Riders in the Sky” by the Ramrods and many others never fails to bring a smile.