&ot absonderpop

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Boss Week, Pt. 3: Maybe Everything That Dies Some Day Comes Back

[In absonderland a week can be a lot longer than just seven days...]



While Darkness On The Edge of Town sort of saved me during the worst year of my life, it was Springsteen's Nebraska that had put the Boss on my personal musical map.

I could connect much more to stripped down 4-track home-recordings that had been intended as demo versions for his follow up to The River than to all of his full band stuff I had known before discovering this album.

My personal stand-out track from Nebraska has always been Atlantic City – and not just because there are a lot of fine cover versions of that one around...

Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City
Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City (MTV Plugged 1992)
Bruce Springsteen And The Sessions Band: Atlantic City (live 2007)
The Band: Atlantic City
Kurt Neumann (BoDeans): Atlantic City
Hank Williams III: Atlantic City
Mike Rimbaud: Atlantic City
Pete Yorn: Atlantic City/Murray (live)
Doc Holiday: Atlantic City
Ed Harcourt: Atlantic City
Denis Fischer: Atlantic City
Tom Thumb And The Latter Day Saints: Atlantic City

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 3:14 PM 4 comments

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Boss Week, Pt. 2: Ain't Nobody Like To Be Alone



Originally, Springsteen had written Hungry Heart for The Ramones, after seeing them play in 1979. On advice of his manager, he kept the song for himself and it went on to become his first top ten single in the USA.

Now, don't we all wish Springsteen had done as he intended to? Although it would have been included on the Phil Spector-produced End of the Century (which marked the departure from the formulaic early punk rock records), I firmly believe that (imaginary) version had shitted all over every other recording of this song.

The version that was released on The River is sped up quite considerably. Listen to the alternate mix included here for comparison – same recording, different speed and pitch.

Bruce Springsteen: Hungry Heart
Bruce Springsteen: Hungry Heart (original speed)
Bruce Springsteen: Hungry Heart (live)
Jeanne Newhall: Hungry Heart
Jesse Malin: Hungry Heart
Mike Love: Hungry Heart
Minnie Driver: Hungry Heart
Paul Young: Hungry Heart
Smokie: Hungry Heart

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 10:30 AM 2 comments

Monday, June 25, 2007

Boss Week, Pt. 1: Maybe We Ain't That Young Anymore



Nick Hornby wrote in 31 Songs, "[...] this four and three quarter minutes provided Jim Steinman and Meatloaf with a whole career".
And yes, Thunder Road is bombastic and cliché-ridden, but it was Bruce Springsteen that sort of invented this kind of bombasticism and the notion of cars and girls and running away together.

Having grown up in a part of the world that is anything but like New Jersey, I had to reach my thirties to "get" Springsteen. Still, this songs stands the test of time and ranges up there in my all-time top ten.

Thunder Road takes it's title from a 1958 movie starring Robert Mitchum, though Springsteen claimes never to have seen the film before writing the song.

Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (acoustic demo)
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (alternate take 1)
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (alternate take 2)
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (live)
Bruce Springsteen: The Story of Thunder Road (VH1 Storytellers)
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (VH1 Storytellers)
Tori Amos: Thunder Road
Melissa Etheridge feat. Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road (live)
Kevin Rowland: Thunder Road
Barbara Fasano: Thunder Road
Greg Kihn: Thunder Road
Mary Lou Lord: Thunder Road (live)
Badly Drawn Boy: Thunder Road
Dan Bern: Thunder Road
Cowboy Junkies: Thunder Road
Ashton Jones: Thunder Road
Tortoise and Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Thunder Road
Paul Baribeau: Thunder Road (live)
Matt Tyler: Thunder Road
Milow: Thunder Road
Hayward Williams: Thunder Road

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 3:07 AM 8 comments

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

While The Sun Is Bright Or In The Darkest Night



I never cared much for the Rolling Stones, as I was raised on a steady diet of Beatles and German singer/songwriters before I came across AC/DC and The Clash.
Recently I re-discovered how fantastic Melanie's version of Ruby Tuesday is (the one from 1970, the '76 recording is lackluster shite…), so I started to go through my collection and assemble all versions I have (and then some).

Although credited to Jagger/Richards (as almost every other Rolling Stones song), Ruby Tuesday was written by Keith Richards and Brian Jones, with the latter contributing the recorder parts on the, erm, recording.

The Rolling Stones: Ruby Tuesday
The Rolling Stones: Ruby Tuesday (live)
¡Los Checkmates!: Ruby Tuesday
Rotary Connection: Ruby Tuesday
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (1970)
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (1976)
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (Pop Version)
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (Rock Version)
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (Country Version)
Melanie: Ruby Tuesday (Club Version)
Don Williams with Pozo Seco: Ruby Tuesday
Nazareth: Ruby Tuesday
Rod Stewart: Ruby Tuesday
Dick Gaughan: Ruby Tuesday
Deanna Carter: Ruby Tuesday
Franco Battiato: Ruby Tuesday
Julian Lennon: Ruby Tuesday
Over The Rhine: Ruby Tuesday
Sex Mob: Ruby Tuesday
Daniel Johnston & Jad Fair: Ruby Tuesday
Chris Thompson: Ruby Tuesday
Phe Cullen: Ruby Tuesday
Gotthard: Ruby Tuesday
Dual Sessions: Ruby Tuesday
Dawn Kenny: Ruby Tuesday
Thee S.T.P.: Ruby Tuesday
The Corrs feat. Ron Wood: Ruby Tuesday (live)
Bobby Goldsboro: Ruby Tuesday
James Lee Stanley: Ruby Tuesday
I Profeti: Rubacuori
Oliver: Ruby Tuesday
London Symphony Orchestra with Marianne Faithfull: Ruby Tuesday
Whatever: Ruby Tuesday

Bonus (listen, and you'll know…):
Carter U.S.M.: After The Watershed


If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 9:50 AM 6 comments

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

[Elsewhere]

If you like the stuff I'm posting here, you should check out Mainstream Isn't So Bad...Is It? for a number of versions of the classic "House Of The Rising Sun" (and make sure to look up the link posted in the comments there).

Fong Songs has a nice selection of versions of the Kenny Rogers hit "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)".

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posted by absonderpop at 10:32 AM 1 comments

They Stole Their Land And They Won't Give It Back



In a recent interview with German weekly Stern, producer/songwriter/musician Dieter Bohlen (infamous for 80s abomination Modern Talking) claimed that he stole most of his song titles except for Geronimo's Cadillac.

Just to prove him wrong, here's a couple of versions of the 1972 song of the same title written by "Cosmic Cowboy" Michael Martin Murphey and Charles Quattro.

Michael Martin Murphey: Geronimo's Cadillac
Hoyt Axton: Geronimo's Cadillac
Claire Hamill: Geronimo's Cadillac
Johnny Rivers: Geronimo's Cadillac
Manfred Mann's Earth Band: Geronimo's Cadillac
Dick Gaughan: Geronimo's Cadillac
John P. Strohm and The Hello Strangers: Geronimo's Cadillac
Mary McCaslin & Jim Ringer: Geronimo's Cadillac
Lennie Harvey: Geronimo's Cadillac
Joe Reilly: Geronimo's Cadillac

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 7:10 AM 2 comments

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

You Gotta Roll With The Punches



This song is the incarnation of everything that was wrong with rock music in the eighties. From the annoying synthesizer hook to the ridiculous show-offish guitar solo: Utterly disgusting and unlistenable crap.

So it's no wonder that every single cover version I found of this song strays in a completely different musical direction: There's the fantastic bluegrass version, sung by none other than Dave Lee Roth himselfs (where manages to make the lyrics sound as hilarious as they are, but which isn't a total piss-take), there's Big Daddy's mash-up with Eddie Cochrane's Summertime Blues, and there's Roddy Frame's version, that transforms the song into a sibling of Sweet Jane by The Velvet Underground with a Sister Ray-ish guitar solo tagged to the end.

Van Halen: Jump
John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band feat. Dave Lee Roth: Jump
Mary Lou Lord: Jump
Nick Barker: Jump
Paul Anka: Jump
The Indigo: Jump
Aztec Camera: Jump
Big Daddy: Jump
Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters: Jump
Eläkeläiset: Hump

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 12:33 AM 5 comments

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

[Elsewhere]

If you like the stuff I'm posting here, you should check out auralfitness.com for a shitload of covers of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins classic "I Put A Spell On You".

And you might be lucky to find some versions of "I Think We're Alone Now" at Retro Music Snob's Site, as he has a policy of removing the files after like a minute or so again.

I myself was quite busy for the last couple of weeks, but there's new postings coming up in the next days (or maybe hours).

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posted by absonderpop at 4:12 PM 1 comments

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Tom Petty Week, Pt. 2: There Ain't No Easy Way Out



Taken from Petty's first "solo" album, Full Moon Fever, I Won't Back Down was co-written by ELO's Jeff Lynne. Although the album is credited to Tom Petty (sans The Heartbreakers) all members of his band (and the complete Traveling Wilburys, except for Mr. Dylan) were involved in recording it. The video to this songs has Ringo Starr on drums, but he didn't play on the album.

Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and Benmont Trench would also back Johnny Cash on his version of the song on American III: Solitary Man.

Tom Petty: I Won't Back Down
Tom Petty: I Won't Back Down (live)
Johnny Cash: I Won't Back Down
Roy Tyler and New Directions: I Won't Back Down
Smokie: I Won't Back Down
Cujo: I Won't Back Down
Greg Walton: I Won't Back Down
Holly Nelson: I Won't Back Down
Yancy: I Won't Back Down
Wiglaf Droste und das Spardosenterzett: I Won't Back Down

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 8:14 PM 4 comments

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Tom Petty Week, Pt. 1: After All It Was A Great Big World



And another song that spurred an urban legend…

American Girl by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was seen as tribute to Roger McGuinn's trademark 12-string Rickenbacker-jangle sound when it was released in 1976, although Petty and Heartbreakers' guitarrist Mike Campbell achieved that effect with two 6-strings playing unisono.
McGuinn would fittingly be the first to cover this tune on his 1977 solo effort Thunderbyrd.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: American Girl
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: American Girl (live)
Roger McGuinn: American Girl
Roger McGuinn: American Girl (live)
Brassknuckle Boys: American Girl
Cindy Alexander: American Girl
Dance Hall Crashers: American Girl (live)
Def Leppard: American Girl
Everclear: American Girl (live)
Frances Kramer: American Girl
Goo Goo Dolls: American Girl (live)
Humble Gods: American Girl
Ill Repute: American Girl
Matthew Sweet: American Girl
Melora Creager: American Girl
The Popsters: American Girl
The Relatives: American Girl
Venerea: American Girl
Wendy Newcomer: American Girl
Sexy Sadie: American Girl

Bonus (listen, and you'll know…):
The Strokes: Last Nite
Detroit Cobras: Last Nite

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 5:29 PM 1 comments

Friday, May 04, 2007

Some Folks Are Born Silver Spoon In Hand



Written by John Fogerty in 1969, Fortunate Son was released as the b-side to Creedence Clearwater Revival's single Down On The Corner, with both sides of the single charting in the USA.

Since the Vietnam War little has changed about the social background of those who sent off to fight for their countries – be it because of economic reasons or because of conscription.

Contrary to an urban legend, the person referred to in the lyrics is not Al Gore Jr.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band: Fortunate Son (live)
Circle Jerks: Fortunate Son
Death Cab For Cutie with Sean Nelson: Fortunate Son
Decry: Fortunate Son
Dropkick Murphys: Fortunate Son
Uncle Tupelo: Fortunate Son (live)
U2: Fortunate Son
Wyclef Jean: Fortunate Son
Tony Furtado: Fortunate Son
Johnny Halliday: Fils de personne
Minutemen: Fortunate Son


If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 2:48 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

[Elsewhere]

If you like the stuff I'm posting here, you should check out I Am Fuel, You Are Friends for a shitload of versions of the Sam Cooke classic "Bring It On Home" and Pretending Life Is Like A Song for a nice collection of The Jam's "That's Entertainment".

(Of course, you all know the MOKB Cover Song Project.)

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posted by absonderpop at 8:31 PM 0 comments

Thursday, April 26, 2007

50,000 Watts Of Power



Now, this one's a bit complicated.
Well, the song as such is all but complicated. Two chords (ok, a third one right at the end) and a guy mostly talking.

Roadrunner can be found on The Modern Lovers' only (self-titled) album, which was released in 1976, when the band had long ceased to exist. Jonathan Richman would name his backing band The Modern Lovers for quite some time, but none of the original members were ever part of that. Jerry Harrison had joined Talking Heads and drummer David Robinson had already become a member of The Cars.

I took the effort to track down and (hopefully) correctly identify all versions of this song (with a lot of help from Simes' Jonathan Richman Pages and Daniel Howards Modern Lovers Discography).

All versions (unless otherwise noted)
Jonathan Richman (git/voc)
Jerry Harrison (kb/voc)
Ernie Brooks (bg/voc)
David Robinson (dr/voc)

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (LP Version)
March or April 1972, Elektra Studios, Los Angeles, produced by John Cale

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (Alternate Version)
March or April 1972, Elektra Studios, Los Angeles, produced by John Cale

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner #1
June 1972, Dinky Dawson's basement studio, produced by Kim Fowley

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner #2
Autumn 1973, Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, produced by Kim Fowley
additional musicians: Mars Bonfire (git)

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (live)
1971 or 1972, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, produced by Ernie Brooks
additional musicians: John Felice (git)

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (Demo)
Autumn 1971, Intermedia Sound, Boston

Jonathan Richman: Roadrunner (Once)
Spring/Summer 1974, CBS Studios, Fulson Street, San Fancisco, produced by Matthew King Kaufman and Glen Kolotin
Jonathan Richman & Earth Quake [Robbie Dunbar (git), Gary Philips (git/voc), Stan Miller (bg), Steve Nelson (dr), John Doukas (voc), Ron Rhoades (voc)]

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (Thrice)
1977, Live
Leroy Radcliffe (git), Asa Brebner (bg) D. Sharpe (dr)


A posting like this one couldn't be complete without a couple of cover versions:
Greg Kihn: Roadrunner
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: Roadrunner
Joan Jett: Roadrunner USA
The Jazz Butcher: Roadrunner
The Jazz Butcher: Roadrunner (live, 1985)
The Jazz Butcher: Roadrunner (live, 2000)
Ace Andres and the X-15's: Roadrunner
Yo La Tengo: Roadrunner
The Feelies: Roadrunner (live)
Sex Pistols: Johnny B. Goode/Roadrunner
R.E.M.: Eight Miles High/Roadrunner (live)
ADZ: Roadrunner

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 3:08 PM 5 comments

Monday, April 23, 2007

He's Already In Me



You don't always have to write lyrics of epic proportions if you can convey your message in just two lines.

The Stone Roses: I Wanna Be Adored (7" version)
The Stone Roses: I Wanna Be Adored (12" version)
The Stone Roses: I Wanna Be Adored (Bloody Valentine Edit)
Joshua English: I Wanna Be Adored
Tangerine: I Wanna Be Adored
Year Of The Rabbit: I Wanna Be Adored
Axton Kincaid: I Wanna Be Adored
Death Cab For Cutie: I Wanna Be Adored (live)

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 8:08 AM 1 comments

Thursday, April 19, 2007

I'm Not Going To Play Your Games Anymore



When listing the most influential bands of the sixties, most people tend to forget The Byrds. They were one of the first groups to combine traditional or contemporary folk songs with electric guitars and drums and later in their career introduced country to the world of rock music. They inspired bands like R.E.M., Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers or Teenage Fanclub and almost everyone (including me) ever to choose a Rickenbacker guitar over one made by Fender or Gibson…

Until he left the band in 1966 – for reasons of, amongst others, fear of flying (!) – Gene Clark was the main songwriter of The Byrds. Although he rejoined the band for one album in 1973, he never again gained much commercial success. He died of drug- and alcohol-related health issues in 1991.

And yes, that is Katey "Peggy Bundy/Leela" Sagal…

The Byrds: Feel A Whole Lot Better
The Byrds: Feel A Whole Lot Better (alternate take)
Gene Clark: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Gene Clark & Carla Olson: Feel A Whole Lot Better (live)
Dave & The Stone Hearts: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Marble Phrogg: Feel A Whole Lot Better
The Barracudas: Feel A Whole Lot Better
The Flamin' Groovies: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Dinosaur Jr: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Tom Petty: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Elf Power: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Teenage Fanclub: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Johnny Rivers: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Katey Sagal: Feel A Whole Lot Better
Charles Lyonheart: Feel A Whole Lot Better
George Elliott: Feel A Whole Lot Better

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 1:16 AM 3 comments

Monday, April 16, 2007

Clash Week, Pt. 4: Everybody They Wanna Go Home



To finish off Clash Week in this blog, here's one of the highlights from the last album they recorded in their original line-up, Combat Rock.
The Clash have always been politically outspoken, as is Straight To Hell – a song which tackles a number of social issues ranging from drug abuse to immigration.

The Clash: Straight To Hell (unedited version)
The Clash: Straight To Hell (live)
Amy Loftus and Will Kimbrough: Straight To Hell
Emm Gryner: Straight To Hell
Josh Rouse: Straight To Hell
Moby feat. Heather Nova: Straight To Hell
Phil Cody: Straight To Hell
Red Letter Day: Straight To Hell
Skinnerbox: Straight To Hell

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 4:44 PM 0 comments

Friday, April 13, 2007

Clash Week, Pt. 3: I Guess My Race Is Run



And another song, not written by any of the members of The Clash. This one could even have been considered a classic by the time The Clash recorded their own version, as it had been recorded by The Crickets in 1960 and been made popular by The Bobby Fuller Four in 1964.
Written by Sonny Curtis, the guitarrist of The Crickets, I Fought The Law was included on the first album the band released after the death of their former lead singer Buddy Holly.

The Crickets: I Fought The Law
Bobby Fuller Four: I Fought The Law
The Clash: I Fought The Law
The Clash: I Fought The Law (live)
The Pogues feat. Joe Strummer: I Fought The Law (live)
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: I Fought The Law (live
Dead Kennedys: I Fought The Law
Stray Cats: I Fought The Law
Nanci Griffith: I Fought The Law
Mike Ness (Social Distortion): I Fought The Law
Waco Brothers: I Fought The Law
The Oyster Band: I Fought The Law (live)
Mano Negra: I Fought The Law (live)
Gene October (Chelsea): I Fought The Law
Hank Williams Jr.: I Fought The Law
Green Day: I Fought The Law
Henry Kaiser and David Lindley: I Fought The Law
Yo La Tengo: I Fought The Law
Bryan Adams: I Fought The Law (live)
Status Quo: I Fought The Law (live)
Birdland with Lester Bangs: I Fought The Law (live)
Claude François: J'ai Joué et J'ai Perdu
Ace Andres and the X-15's: I Fought The Law
Left Alone: I Fought The Law
Roy Orbison: I Fought The Law
The Freddy Steady 5: I Fought The Law
Tom Bee: I Fought The Law
Voodoo DeVille: I Fought The Law

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 6:14 PM 5 comments

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Clash Week, Pt. 2: Won't You Help Me Find The Speed I Lack?



There are songs that you associate that much with one band, you are stunned to find out they haven't been written by this band.
Even so, if the original version of the song is by someone you only know from a couple of poppy reggae tunes from the 80s.
Eddy Grant, who was the main singer and songwriter for the British pop/reggae-group The Equals before he went solo, wrote "Police On My Back" and the band released the song as a single in 1968.

The Equals: Police On My Back
The Clash: Police On My Back
The Deadcats: Police On My Back
Asian Dub Foundation & Zebda: Police On My Back
Die Toten Hosen: Police On My Back
Levellers: Police On My Back
Micky Fitz: Police On My Back
Pressure Point: Police On My Back
The Hated: Police On My Back
The Rocketz: Police On My Back
Willie Nile: Police On My Back

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 4:45 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 09, 2007

Clash Week, Pt. 1: The Money Feels Good



The Guns Of Brixton was the only song written by Paul Simonon (who's now in The Good, The Bad And The Queen) ever to be released on an album of The Clash. There must be a gazillion cover versions of this one and the bassline has crossed over into mainstream pop via the sample used by Norman Cook's Beats International (before he became Fatboy Slim).

Interestingly enough, the song was released way before the Brixton Riot of 1981.

The Clash: The Guns Of Brixton
The Clash: The Guns Of Brixton (live)
Arcade Fire: The Guns Of Brixton
Calexico: The Guns Of Brixton
RTZ Global: The Guns Of Brixton
Nouvelle Vague: The Guns Of Brixton
Jeff Klein: The Guns Of Brixton
Rancho Deluxe: The Guns Of Brixton
The Bandits: The Guns Of Brixton
Blaggers ITA: The Guns Of Brixton
The Honeydippers: The Guns Of Brixton
Dropkick Murphys: The Guns Of Brixton
Die Toten Hosen: The Guns Of Brixton (live)
Die Toten Hosen feat. Gentleman: The Guns Of Brixton (live)
The Anacondas: The Guns Of Brixton
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs: The Guns Of Brixton
Enrico Ruggeri: The Guns Of Brixton
Bolchoi: The Guns Of Brixton
Inner Terrestrials: The Guns Of Brixton

Bonus (listen, and you'll know…):
Cypress Hill feat. Tim Armstrong: What's Your Number?
Soilent Grün: Spitz wie Lumpi
Beats International: Dub Be Good To Me

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 7:25 PM 2 comments

Thursday, April 05, 2007

It's Better To Burn Out…

There are those moments in everybody's lives that you won't forget, no matter how long in the past the may have occured.
Some of them are sad, some are filled with bliss.
Some are private, some are very, very public.
Some are quiet, some are very, very noisy.

The "Monsters of Spex"-festival at the Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, 8/24/1991, was one of those moments in my life.
Because there was this band that arrived too late for their allocated time-slot in the early afternoon and got squeezed in between Sonic Youth, Bob Mould (doing an acoustic set) and Dinosaur Jr.
Most of the folks at the festival (including me) had never heard of them before, but we all somehow knew, we were experiencing something very, very big.

Oh, name of the band? Nirvana.



13 years ago today, on April, 5th 1994 Kurt Cobain shot himself.
(Needless to say, I never returned my ticket for their show at the Sporthalle, Cologne on 4/14/1994…)

To commemorate one of the greatest musicians ever to walk this planet, here's a couple of cover versions of Nirvana's break-through song:

Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Patti Smith: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Tori Amos: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Paul Anka: Smells Like Teen Spirit
The Melvins & Leif Garrett: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Warp Brothers: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Scandal'us: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Scala: Smells Like Teen Spirit
The Bad Plus: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Willie Nelson: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Weird Al Yankovic: Smells Like Nirvana

If you happen to have another version of this song, feel free to send it in and I'll include it in this list.

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posted by absonderpop at 12:04 AM 0 comments