By Zach Galligan

Although I've been an actor most of my life, music has always been one of my greatest loves and, at times, a fevered obsession. I've gone through many phases - the Zeppelin phase, the Dylan phase, the Coltrane phase, the Manilow phase (ok, I made that last one up) - and tried to explore as many different genres as possible. I'm happy to report my fascination with music, both popular and obscure, continues unabated.

Speaking of obscure (or, at least, not very well known), here is a list of ten songs on my Ipod which continue to give me constant pleasure, but, in certain instances, may be slightly difficult to find.

1.Comin' To Get You - Beautiful People
Everyone knows Hendrix - the Mozart of the Stratocaster - but few people have heard of this group of DJs who, in the early 90's, were given access to Hendrix's entire catalog and constructed sonic collages using techno beats, background vocals and other forms of studio wizardry, resulting in thundering dance floor remixes. This track, which drastically reworks Foxy Lady and cross pollinates it with a blistering solo from (I believe) Hear My Train A' Coming is an absolute must hear for electronica aficionados and Jimi fans alike.

2.Sowing Season (Yeah) - Brand New
"Losin' all my friends" lead singer Jesse Lacey mumbles over a sparsely picked guitar, before adding,"but I got 'em back." So begins this brooding and intense track from the Merrick, Long Island based band, which builds slowly until it suddenly explodes at the 62 second mark into a paroxysm of loss and grief and, ultimately, sober reflection. A fine song from a promising young band.

3.Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Stewart's biggest pop hit, masterfully produced by Alan Parsons (who also contributed the sax solo), has it all - cryptic lyrics, stunning melodies and an acoustic guitar/electric guitar/saxophone middle section that demonstrates all too painfully how impoverished most pop music is today. I guess 1977 wasn't so bad after all.

4.Gimme That Nutt - Easy-E
Easy's most danceable single, this combo burrito of hilariously filthy lyrics and genius sample ("Ashley's Roachclip" by Soul Searchers,although it sounds suspiciously like M's 1979 smash hit Pop Muzik) must be eaten, um, heard to be believed. If you don't want to dance when you hear this tune, consult a doctor, dude, because you're dead.

5.Goldilox - King's X
Although critics practically oozed out of their seats to Gretchen Goes To Nebraska, this track from Out of the Silent Planet is far superior. Lush harmony vocals,crunchy guitar riffs, plaintive lyrics -if you can picture the Beatles and Metallica getting drunk on white Zinfandel and then having sex,then you pretty much get King's X.

6.Waiting For Paradise - Fury in the Slaughterhouse
This song has typically cheerful German lyrics ("Hey there, sister/this world is a whorehouse/buy every ass/pay every price"), a brilliant melody and perhaps the ugliest, most dissonant guitar solo ever recorded. And yet, impossibly, it contains moments of truth and legitimate beauty. Go figure.

7.To Live and Die in LA - Wang Chung
The title theme to William Friedkin's criminally underrated 1985 cop thriller, the Chung's chef d'oeuvre is an 80's computer drumbeat manifesto trapped inside a glorious, shimmering singalong. "I wonder why we live alone/ I wonder why we spend these nights together" croons lead Wang Jack Hues,echoing perfectly the emptiness of most LA relationships. I'll live and die in NYC, thank you very much.

8. Rockin' Stroll/Confetti - Lemonheads
Evan Dando will never be confused with Einstein, but to give the guy credit, he was rock's Marcus Schenkenberg in the spring of 1993, banging Courtney Love and taking no prisoners. These twin gems - the first two tracks off It's A Shame About Ray - exemplify the term exuberant. With his slightly slurred delivery, superb pop sensibility and terrific arrangement, Dando gives us first class power pop that is truly dangerous driving music.

9.Priestess - Run Home
Fuzzy, grating feedback. A back beat that would make Joey Kramer weak in the knees. A throbbing, sultry bass line that gives Geddy Lee pause. All this action before Montreal native Mikey Heppner starts bleating nonsense about the "company girl" and something about heartbeats. And what's that? There's actual cowbell? Christopher Walken aside, this could be the best 70's retro song EVER. God, Mark Farner, we miss you.

10. King for a Day - XTC
Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding are two of the more unappreciated British musicians in pop history, and this, XTC's shining moment from 1989's Oranges and Lemons, is one of the most upbeat, perfect pop songs of the last two decades. Combining bleak lyrics (The way that we're living/ there's all take/ and no giving/ there's not much to believe in") with an impossibly sunny hook makes this one of my personal favorites. This song, taken in the right dosage, will cure all but the most stubborn depression.

So there you have it - the merest tip of a dim, oddly hidden iceberg. I'm really excited to have several weeks to share with all of you my peculiar taste and slightly lopsided psyche. Hope you keep reading!

photos: Eazy-E (top), Wang Chung (middle) and Al Stewart (bottom)