Cover Songs

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coolhandgopher said:
Richard Thompson is towards the top of my list of artists that I need to listen to more of their catalog. Thanks to Stereogum's "Number Ones", I came across his cover of Prince's Kiss which I think's pretty damn great:
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I was completely unfamiliar with Richard Thompson, but back when Bob Mould was touring for Workbook in 1989, he included Richard & Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights (title track) in his live set. The song floored me, and I did not know it was a cover until reading the review the next day. I bought the that album shortly thereafter, which is amazing. Over the next couple of years I bought a few more albums, plus the 3 disc box set, Watching the Dark. Also I got to see him live in 1993 at 1st Ave where he played a well over 2 hour show with acoustic and full band sets.

The influence on Mould's guitar playing is obvious, both acoustic and electric. Flash forward to 1994 and I got to go to a Sugar Release Listening Party for File Under Easy Listening. There was an assembly line meet and great where we got to chat with Mould for a few minutes and I could see that he was not enjoying the fan adulation, though he was very polite with everyone.

It got to my turn and instead of telling Mould how much I enjoyed his work all the way back to the Husker Du day, I just said "Thank you so much for introducing me to the music of Richard Thompson". All of a sudden his face lit up like a Christmas tree, asking about the details from the 1 Ave show, and listing off 3 or 4 must haves from the Richard Thompson/Fairport Convention discography that I had to pick up (which I did in short order).

Here's the cover.

 

I’ve expressed my love for Los Lobos on here often and one of their most interesting albums is where they team up with various artists who serve as vocalists (Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Ruben Blades for instance). But the song that knocked me out and continues to be my favorite from the album is when they teamed with Thompson, which was when I first became aware of him:
 

coolhandgopher said:
I’ve expressed my love for Los Lobos on here often and one of their most interesting albums is where they team up with various artists who serve as vocalists (Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Ruben Blades for instance). But the song that knocked me out and continues to be my favorite from the album is when they teamed with Thompson, which was when I first became aware of him:
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I have been fortunate enough to see both Los Lobos & RT (not together) at the AV Zoo. I can't wait for those shows to resume.

This is always a genuine crowd pleaser at an RT show. He came up with it as part of the "1000 Years of Pop Music Project". Covering Britney Spears, Oops I Did it Again:

 

I'm the guy that stays through the end credits at movies. Family tradition. If you left The Big Lebowski early, you would miss Shawn Colvin covering Elvis. Here's Viva Las Vegas

 

Sorry to be a downer, but The Current just played this cover of Strangers by The Kinks. I HATE it. Totally butchers one of my alltime favorite songs. The out-of-tune singing, over dubbing backing vocals, arrhythmic drumming. Nothing fits together; you can tell they recorded in separate studios and just mashed it together. Barf...

 



Nokomis said:
Sorry to be a downer, but The Current just played this cover of Strangers by The Kinks. I HATE it. Totally butchers one of my alltime favorite songs. The out-of-tune singing, over dubbing backing vocals, arrhythmic drumming. Nothing fits together; you can tell they recorded in separate studios and just mashed it together. Barf...

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Lucius is everywhere. They are the hired guns for so many bands/artist. If you switch to Radio K, you won't have this problem.
 

Mark Ronson/Raissa with musically a great take on Richard & Linda Thompson. Really cool video to boot. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

 

I’ve been reading Ronald Brownstein’s “Rock Me On the Water (The year Los Angeles transformed Movies, Music, Television and Politics)”.

On the music side, two of the major personalities are Jackson Brown (who’s song provides the book’s title) and Linda Ronstadt (who also covered “Rock Me On the Water”). Brownstein discusses Ronstadt’s mid-sixties move from Tucson to LA-which was why I was looking up some video on Ronstadt and the Stone Poney’s cover of Mike Nesmith’s (pre-Monkees) “Different Drum”. Ronstadt’s version hit the charts sometime in 1967-68. I have no idea when this performance was filmed.

“We’ll both live a lot longer if you live without me”:

 



I like the Pixies cover version better than the original by the The Jesus and Chain, which I think is also great on it's own.

Head On

 
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Ignatius L Hoops said:
I’ve been reading Ronald Brownstein’s “Rock Me On the Water (The year Los Angeles transformed Movies, Music, Television and Politics)”.

On the music side, two of the major personalities are Jackson Brown (who’s song provides the book’s title) and Linda Ronstadt (who also covered “Rock Me On the Water”). Brownstein discusses Ronstadt’s mid-sixties move from Tucson to LA-which was why I was looking up some video on Ronstadt and the Stone Poney’s cover of Mike Nesmith’s (pre-Monkees) “Different Drum”. Ronstadt’s version hit the charts sometime in 1967-68. I have no idea when this performance was filmed.

“We’ll both live a lot longer if you live without me”:

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Pretty sure this was 1967 or 68 at the Bitter End in NYC. That show has been written about here and there. Her band could be awful and she still would be great.
 

I
tikited said:
Pretty sure this was 1967 or 68 at the Bitter End in NYC. That show has been written about here and there. Her band could be awful and she still would be great.
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Thanks. It was 1968. I'm wondering if the Peter Yarrow looking dude sitting at the mic at the end of the video is actually future presidential pardon recipient Peter Yarrow. Anyway, the Stone Poney's could've used a pardon themselves.
 

My favorite tribute album is probably the one for Vic Williams, Sweet Relief.

One of the best tracks is Evan Dando covering Frying Pan which I am always glad to see performed at live shows. Hopefully I will get to see it sometime, somewhere again soon.

 



My favorite tribute album is probably the one for Vic Williams, Sweet Relief.

One of the best tracks is Soul Asylum covering Summer of Drugs which I am always glad to see performed at live shows. Hopefully I will get to see it sometime, somewhere again soon.

 
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Metallica famously covered this Bob Seger classic, but here is a solo James Hetfield version of Turn the Page

 

My favorite tribute album is probably the one for Vic Williams, Sweet Relief.

One of the best tracks is Pearl Jam covering Crazy Mary which I am always glad to see performed at live shows. Hopefully I will get to see it sometime, somewhere again soon.

 


Soul Asylum covering the Beatles, Good Morning Good Morning

 


One guitar god covering another, the Richard Thompson Trio version of Cream's classic White Room

 

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Movie cover of Cat Steven's "Peace Train". The movie is "Rock the Kasbah" starring Bill Murray. It takes place in Afgahnistan. To play the song click on the "Watch on YouTube" link below. The song performance is very poignant given the current events in Afgahnistan.



 
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Ope3 said:
My favorite tribute album is probably the one for Vic Williams, Sweet Relief.

One of the best tracks is Pearl Jam covering Crazy Mary which I am always glad to see performed at live shows. Hopefully I will get to see it sometime, somewhere again soon.

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I did get to see Pearl Jam play this on Sunday at Ohana Festival, Dana Point, CA. Cool.
 

Eddie Vedder covered the REM song Drive for Sean Penn's Flag Day soundtrack. Here he is with his new side project The Earthlings playing it last weekend.


The yappers eventually shut up less than a minute in. They are pointing out Josh Klinghoffer (formerly) and Chad Smith (currently) of the Red Hot Chili Peppers are in the band.
 
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Today I bumped into Kurt Vile's version of the Velvet Underground's Run Run Run off the I'll Be Your Mirror tribute album.

 

I always enjoy when Tim O'Reagan gets a vocal turn during a Jayhawks show. Odds are pretty good I was at this show when they performed Charlie Rich's Life's Little Ups and Downs

 

Ope3 said:
The influence on Mould's guitar playing is obvious, both acoustic and electric. Flash forward to 1994 and I got to go to a Sugar Release Listening Party for File Under Easy Listening. There was an assembly line meet and great where we got to chat with Mould for a few minutes and I could see that he was not enjoying the fan adulation, though he was very polite with everyone.
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Was the listening party at Sawatdee in the warehouse district by chance?
 

tikited said:
Was the listening party at Sawatdee in the warehouse district by chance?
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Yes, across the street from Pizza Luce. I think it's the same building that Dulono's Pizza is in now.
 

Ope3 said:
Yes, across the street from Pizza Luce. I think it's the same building that Dulono's Pizza is in now.
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My wife was working that event. She bartended there. She said Bob demanded to eat in private. The only place was by the cooler way in back.
 

tikited said:
My wife was working that event. She bartended there. She said Bob demanded to eat in private. The only place was by the cooler way in back.
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That would align with how perceived Bob's mood to be that night, just awkward, until our discussion on RT.

I had never really experienced Thai food until that night. Turned out I really liked it, especially pad thai and spring rolls.

I know I went to the bar a few times, hopefully I tipped her well. Can't remember what was comped. Back in the day on a limited budget, sometimes I would go to those things just to get some free apps and drinks. Good times.
 

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