SECRET SAUCES RADIO #011: COVERS

Here are some notes on the eleventh Secret Sauces Radio show, a special 'covers' edition, which can be listened to on Mixcloud here...

SECRET SAUCES RADIO INTRO IDENT

Dawn Of The Dead (2004) Sample

A sample from Zack Snyder & James Gunn's 'cover' of George A. Romero's 'Dawn of the Dead'. It's very different from the original, and nowhere near as good. Make your own mind up and watch it all on YouTube here.

1) THE BREEDERS - Shocker In Gloomtown

From The Breeders' 1994 EP 'Head To Toe', which was initially a vinyl-only release. This is a cover of fellow Daytonians Guided by Voices tune from the year prior, from their EP 'The Grand Hour'. The Breeders even made a video for it, and then another video for the 30th anniversary celebrations for 'Last Splash'. For the 20th anniversary of 'Last Splash', there was a 3CD reissue that includes this cover.

For more about the history between Kim Deal and GBV's Robert Pollard, see the show notes for Secret Sauces Radio 003 here.

2) X - Soul Kitchen

From X's 1980 debut album 'Los Angeles'. This is a cover of a song by The Doors which appears on their 1967 eponymous LP. This X album, along with the next three, were produced by The Doors' own Ray Manzarek, who was also known to hop on stage with X and sing along when they covered this song.

3) L7 - Hanging On The Telephone

This track initially appeared in the soundtrack to the Jerky Boys film (appropriate choice) in 1995 - shit film but a decent soundtrack that also includes Superchunk, Beastie Boys, Helmet and Wu-Tang Clan. L7 later released this cover (along with a Jerky Boys prank call still attached to the track from the soundtrack) on their 'Fast And Frightening' rarities compilation in 2016. This song is best known for being performed by Blondie, appearing as the opening track on their 'Parallel Lines' LP and being one of their best known singles, but it is not a Blondie song - they were covering The Nerves. This song was the opening track to The Nerves' eponymous EP in 1976, which was their only release for 10 years.

4) REDD KROSS - Deuce

The opening track from Redd Kross' 1984 covers mini-LP 'Teen Babes From Monsanto'. It was originally performed by KISS. I am no fan of KISS but I like a couple of covers of their songs, this being one. Merge released an expanded 'Versión Especial' of 'Teen Babes...' on CD & vinyl in 2018 with additional covers.

5) NEIL YOUNG & THE RESTLESS - On Broadway

Somewhat of a standard, this Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil/Lieber and Stoller tune was originally recorded by The Drifters has been covered by everyone from The Beach Boys to Gary Numan, but none match the intensity of Neil. Originally from the rare Eldorado EP in 1989 (it then appeared on the widely-available 'Freedom' album the same year) with other blistering cuts demonstrating a wonderfully fucked-up guitar sound, like 'Cocaine Eyes' and 'Heavy Love', the EP really demonstrates why Neil would soon be dubbed 'the godfather of grunge'. Aside from his crazed guitar playing, I love his contemporary reading of the lyrics, set in New York in the arse-end of the eighties at the height of the crack epidemic. 'Gimme that crack!'. Truly deranged sounding.

Psycho (1998) sample

From Gus Van Sant's 'cover' of Alfred Hitchcock's film from 1960. It is a shot-for-shot colour remake and it sucks shit. It's got Vince Vaughan in it, too. Vile. Watch the trailer here.

6) TROTSKY ICEPICK - Alphaville

This is a cover of The Monochrome Set's 1979 song, which was first released as the b-side to 'He's Frank' in 1979. 11 years later, Trotsky Icepick recorded a cover version of it for their album 'The Ultraviolet Catastrophe', which was recorded in Kjehl Johansen's apartment. Due to noise complaint worries, drummer Hunter Crowley used an electronic drum kit for the album sessions which actually sounds pretty good, considering. It clearly bugged the Trotsky guys, however: my understanding is that Hunter Crowley's real acoustic drumming was extensively sampled to re-create the drum tracks for a remix of 'The Ultraviolet Catastrophe', which was released on Bandcamp last year (get it here). This is that remixed version. Mightily impressive.

7) MERCURY REV - I Keep A Close Watch

A cover of John Cale's song, originally from his 1975 LP 'Helen of Troy'. Mercury Rev first released this cover as a b-side to their Little Rhymes single in 2001, and you can now find it on deluxe editions of Little Rhymes' parent album 'All Is Dream' on CD and vinyl from Cherry Red.

8) BULLY - Turn To Hate

Just before the third Bully LP 'Sugaregg' was released on Sub Pop in 2020, a 7" double a-side single was released, featuring two cover songs from Sub Pop artists. The A-side was 'About A Girl' by Nirvana, which is a brave choice pulled off excellently (still the only good Nirvana cover I have heard), and the AA-side was a cover of Orville Peck's song 'Turn To Hate'. No disrespect to Mr. Peck, but this absolutely clears the original in my opinion. Even better - I believe that this was played and recorded entirely by Alicia Bognanno at home during lockdown, what a legend. Bully have played a lot of covers, mainly for radio sessions and during live sets, and they are always great. It would be great if Bognanno put out a covers album, I am sure it would easily be one of the best covers albums there is... there's not much competition.

9) BELLY - Hot Burrito # 1

This is a cover of The Flying Burrito Bros, from their 1969 debut LP 'The Gilded Palace Of Sin. Originally released on the Gepetto EP in 1993, this cover has recently appeared on the 2021 b-sides compilation 'Bees', available on CD and vinyl.

10) THE FLAMING LIPS - Nobody Told Me

This is a cover of John Lennon's posthumously released tune, which first came out in 1984 on the 'Milk And Honey' LP. This Lips version (featuring the guitar work of the one and only Ronald Jones) first appeared on the 1995 Lennon tribute album 'Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon', and was subsequently re-released by the Flaming Lips on the compilation 'The King Bug Laughs' in 2017 which was available as part of a 'Clouds Taste Metallic' anniversary set on CD and vinyl.

The Amityville Horror (2005) Sample

From Andrew Douglas' 'cover' of Stuart Rosenberg's 1979 film. Unsurprisingly, not as good as the original, but find out for yourself by watching the whole film on YouTube here. (I don't know how these major studio films are up on YouTube for free but the links may be down shortly).

11) HOLE - Credit In The Straight World

This cover of the Young Marble Giants song (originally from their only LP, 1980's 'Colossal Youth) appears on Hole's second LP. 'Live Through This', a classic record that was not written by Kurt Cobain, for fuck's sake. Sick of that shit.

12) QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - Never Say Never

A cover of Romeo Void's classic tune from 1981. This Queens cover version was first released as the b-side to 'Feel Good Hit Of The Summer' in 2000 but has since appeared on the deluxe editions of Rated R on CD. QOTSA covers are always good fun.

13) THE REPLACEMENTS - Black Diamond

Another KISS cover! This is from The Replacement's fourth (yes I am counting 'Stink') LP, 'Let It Be' from 1984. Even the title of the album is a cover!

14) ZOOGZ RIFT - High Fidelity

Here's a low-fidelity cover of 'High Fidelity' by Elvis Costello and the Attractions (from his 1980 'Get Happy!!' album) by none other than Zoogz Rift. This track was only ever released on vinyl and cassette as part of the 'Looser Than Clams... A Historical Retrospective (Greatest Hits, Vol. 1) compilation in 1987. The other exclusive track, 'The Eiffel Tower' is great, too. I am not looser than clams.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) sample

A snippet from Marcus Nispel's 'cover' of Tobe Hooper's 1974 film. Not as good as the original, but not total shit either. Watch the trailer here.

15) HÜSKER DÜ - Eight Miles High

Recorded as a warm-up for the Zen Arcade sessions, this was released as a non-album single in 1984. It is a cover of The Byrds, and apparently David Crosby didn't like it. Oh well. It's a rager!

16) STETSASONIC - Strawberry Letter

Covers are rare in hip hop, and this is a bit of a loose definition of a cover. This is a track built around extensive sampling of 'Strawberry Letter 23' by The Brothers Johnson in 1977, with original Stet rhymes on top. It was recorded at some point between 1991 and 1994, and first released on the very limited Chopped Herring 12" 'People In The Neighbourhood 1991-1994' featuring lost Stet cuts from the post-'Blood, Sweat & No Tears' period, and before they properly reunited and recorded new material in 2020. The 12" label credits production to Prince Paul, Daddy-O and Bobby Simmons, and even credits The Brothers Johnson as a featured artist. I wonder if this was intended to be a co-credited single in the early 90s, and why that never happened. Daddy-O said in an interview that they had access to the original multi-tracks for The Brothers Johnson tune, which is how they were able to build the track. It sounds like a rough mix from a cassette but it's a nice track.

17) DESCENDENTS - Wendy

The second track from Descendents' scatalogically-themed third LP 'Enjoy!' - it is listed as 'Floater' on the sleeve. It is, of course, a cover of The Beach Boys track from their 1964 LP 'All Summer Long'.

18) THE BEACH BOYS - Just Once In My Life

The closing track from the Beach Boys patchy 1976 LP '15 Big Ones'. With the fat Moog sounds, it could sound right at home on their next LP, 1977's 'Love You'. I love this period of The Beach Boys where their angelic voices were ravaged by smoking and cocaine - listen to Brian on the chorus! This song was written by Goffin/King and producer Phil Spector, and first recorded by The Righteous Brothers.

SECRET SAUCES RADIO OUTRO IDENT

Thanks for listening and reading. New 60 minute music mixes are uploaded to Mixcloud every Tuesday and I will post accompanying notes, with pointless trivia and endless links for you to enjoy.

See you next Tuesday!