Gifts for Music Lovers and Musicians (GALLERY)

If you’ve got a teenaged daughter or a music geek boyfriend on your Christmas list, you may find buying music-themed pressies a bit daunting. After all, what you give will say loads about you, and who wouldn’t want to score cool points with the music lover in your life? To cut down on the guess work, here are a few of my favorites, culled from the College Music Journal Gift Guide.

If you’ve ever hung around a band, you’ll know that the amps suffer the most at the hands of angsty musicians (with guitars a close second). Amps serve double-duty as ashtrays, bottle holders, stools, stepladders. Amp Gremlin have devised a way to protect a struggling musician’s investment from further kicks, cigarette burns, and water damage.

Their covers are designed to fit nice and snug over an amp and can be personalized with a band name, logo or advertisement. Crafted with stretch mesh fabric, none of the sound is compromised and the slips are available in hundreds of colors and patterns. Prices run $130 for a standard size Marshall 4-12 cabinet.

One of my favorites on the list are the candy-colored headphones manufactured by Skull Candy
. Unless you want to look like you’re perpetually stuck in an iPod commercial, you do have a choice to express your individuality with these truly awesome little accessories. The Skull Candy Full Metal Jacket earphones retain the in-ear buds style without losing sound quality. They come with a carrying case and different bud sizes. I personally love the ones called Smokin’ Buds, and the luscious Hesh, with its yummy pink-and-white graffiti-style markings.

Punks don’t die, they just grow contemplative while secretly nurturing their inner rebel. Daniel Sinker, founder of Punk Planet, has compiled stellar writings from Punk Planet Magazine’s 13-year run in We Owe You Nothing, a collection of interviews. It covers career highlights from some of the best DIY musicians and defiant thinkers, from Bob Mould to Black Flag. This is the kind of stuff that will stick with you for days and days afterward. Happy shopping!