I'm driving down to North Carolina after work today with an old bandmate for the Smashing Pumpkins shows at the Orange Peel in Asheville. 12 hours, and all we're bringing (as is the typical for these long, ill-conceived road trips) is Tom Waits' early stuff, Amon Tobin, and the Allman Brothers.

The greatest summertime road trip song of all time is Tom Waits' "Ol' 55"--with the windows down, the A/C off, and all the freeways, cars, and trucks.