Let's say I was an industry magnate, a titan of the music biz. And let's say I could pretty much get any superstar act out there to kow tow to whatever whim I wished to dish out upon them, via a combination of my own indomitable force of irresistible will and/or the appealingly ebullient wheedling appeals of my top-flight underlings. Here's what I'd do: I'd come up with some trumped-up noble benefit cause, and I'd use that as the excuse to strongarm a hand-picked exquisite contingent of whoever I wanted to cover the songs that I want them to cover whether they want to or not.
And it'd go a little something like thiiiiiiis:
1. Biz Markie - "I Want Your Sex" (George Michael)
2. The Cure - "Touched By The Hand Of God" (New Order)
3. New Order - "Brass In Pocket" (Pretenders)
4. Pretenders - "Gone Shootin'" (AC/DC)
5. AC/DC - "This Corrosion" (Sisters of Mercy)
6. Sisters of Mercy - "Pretty In Pink" (Psychedelic Furs)
7. Psychedelic Furs - "Please Please Please Let Me Let Me Let Me Get What I Want (This Time)" (The Smiths) - MANDATORY UPTEMPO VERSION
8. R.E.M. - "I Touch Myself" (Divinyls)
9. Morrissey - "We Are The World" (U.S.A. For Africa)
10. Jenny Lewis - "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" (Pet Shop Boys)
11. Pet Shop Boys - "Throw Your Arms Around Me" (Hunters & Collectors)
12. Jarvis Cocker - "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (the theme from "Cheers")
Some of these seem like a natural match, some REALLY DON'T. But I needn't even mention that there is a certain artistic integrity there, to be expected. Each of these acts is pretty much top-notch chock with professionalism. With the exception of the Psychedelic Furs, they'd each have free creative latitude as far as strip down / gussy up, rock it out or ballad it back in, and basically tweak the bits that need tweaking to best convey their take on the essence of the song - all while doing it in way that's also true to the sound and nature of the band or artist. The point is: they're all professionals. If they're going to do something, they're going to do it UP. No jokey half-assed half-step efforts.
Because, given the right amount of all-out effort, some of these could conceivably be mind-blowers.
4 comments:
I wouldn't be surprised if REM hasn't already done that I touch Myself cover. It appears there is no song they will not cover. I even have a recording of an obviously heavily intoxicated Michael Stipe doing an impressionistic version of Tom's Diner before a live audience somewhere. And it works.
Yeah, they do seem game for covers, but there's a different level to it when you really break it down to brass tacks for a full-on posterity-ready studio-version cover take. Some of their live takes do seem a wee tad less then whole-assed. Which is fine! Live, hey, live in the moment.
A band never need feel they have to put a thought into live, like they would for a full studio redo.
I was torn between having REM do "I Touch Myself," or "Mamma Said Knock You Out."
Damn, I'd pay for Mama Said Knock You Out
So would I!
I'd pay for an REM covers album - them doing covers - as long as it was fully-realized studio takes, them taking their best crack at a definitive "our own version" of the songs. You know, like Thank You from Duran Duran.
Possibly not the best example.
Yeah. "Mama Said Knock You Out" would have to be on there.
I bet they could do a version of "You Shook Me All Night Long" that would be worthwhile and actually contribute something to my understanding of the song. A rock version, definitely - albeit with a totally reimagined guitar style. Stipe could make that refrain plaintive.
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