The Motley Crue song I never need to hear again is "Kickstart My Heart." Unfortunately, the song is popular and is used in advertisements and at sporting events. The band sometimes opens their shows with the track so I will not be able to completely avoid it. Now the band has a lyric video for "Kickstart My Heart." I do not need to watch or listen but I will share with all of you. Enjoy (I guess).
It sorta’ writes itself, doesn’t it? And I am recycling a bit here (then again, being a good steward of the Earth is not a bad thing). But there are some covers that are . . . just . . . plain . . . odious. They stink up the sonic landscape. They make you question life. They almost make you like "Cookie Monster" vocals.
I will provide only two. You do the rest.
Winger, “Purple Haze,” Winger (1988).
With apologies to Allyson all the way back in 2011 (and a nod to all those former posters who, sadly, no longer populate this wonderful site). But no. Gosh no. It sounds like Mr. Chest Hair is having phone sex with himself. Dweezil is on it! Oh, well, that changes nothing. I can only imagine Hendrix hoping that this crap-tastic castle made of sand fell into the sea of obscurity, eventually. Thing is, Kip (I can call you Kip, right?) has made so many other, good, choices over the years. Heck, he won me over with “Down Incognito.”
Bon Jovi, “The Boys are Back in Town,” New Jersey (1988).
What the hell is wrong with 1988?!?! I am on the record about not loving Jon or the Jovis, save for “In and Out of Love.” Simply put, there is no whiskey in this jar of middling cringe-music. In fact, I wish poor Phil was alive so that he could challenge Jon to a duel (musical, of course). And before you get too excited, I know that even Phil’s version is a cover of a cover of a cover of a cover of a traditional Irish folk song. So let me add this for context: given that Phil is not with us, it would be great if Shane “Did You See My One Good Tooth?” MacGowan decided to challenge Jon to a duel (again, musically) while The Dubliners stood by, clapping, or doing a jig, or protecting their Lucky Charms.
Let loose, great BBG! posters. Bring forth the fury. Add to the fun. Life is too short to listen to bad music, let alone bad covers.
Sirius XM host Eddie Trunk dropped a vague tweet yesterday, promising another Glam package tour this summer. So who could be on the bill? L.A. Guns, Bulletboys, RATT, Skid Row? We already know the Bulletboys are reuniting and have announced dates. Perhaps this tour would work right into that. Who would you like to see on a four band bill to play amphitheaters? Remember, Poison is out because they are part of The Stadium Tour.
Soon another 80’s rock themed US tour will be announced. 4 band bill. Will be kind of a smaller version of Stadium Tour for amphitheater’s touring around the same time... more details when I can share. Will be interesting to see how this does when announced..
It is amazing to me how much Def Leppard tours America. You would think they would have saturated the market right now, but I guess not. Now the mighty Leps will head out in the fall with ZZ Top. The run is called the "20/20 Vision" tour. The dates are below.
September 21 - Albany, NY @ Times Union Center September 23 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Veteran United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach September 25 - Knoxville, TN @ Thompson Boling Arena September 26 - Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater September 28 - Orange Beach, AL @ The Wharf Amphitheater September 30 - Bossier City, LA @ CenturyLink Center October 02 - North Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena October 03 - Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center October 05 - Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena October 07 - Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha October 09 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena October 10 - Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena October 12 - Grand Forks, ND @ Alerus Center October 15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena October 17 - Portland, OR @ Moda Center October 18 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
Most of us were not surprised when the news hit that Ozzy Osbourne was battling Parkinson's. We could see it with our own eyes. Now Ozzy admits he was originally diagnosed back in 2003. Fans are not owed this personal information so it is interesting to me that Ozzy is admitting it now. Perhaps he wants to reassure us that he can keep going because he is used to living with this disease. Or maybe he is preparing us for his eventual retirement. All of us deserve a rest at some point.
Lawsuits and fights be damned, drummer Joey Kramer is now back in Aerosmith. He's been playing shows with the band during their Las Vegas residency. Hopefully whatever happened is now in the past and the original five can push forward together. My hard tickets for Aerosmith at Fenway Park (Boston) arrived yesterday, so that was fun mail.
We all love music. We also enjoy covers. What happens when a cover surpasses an original?
I’ve always thought that Bauhaus’s cover of “Ziggy Stardust” bested the original. Much more raw. Just better. Murphy and Co. tapped into something that Bowie hinted at in the original version. And that is saying something.
Then again, metal is metal. So you gotta’ prove yourself if you are going to top the classics. And imagine topping the original metal band (to my mind), Black Sabbath. Well, Charles Bradley (rest in peace, you sweaty soul God) did. He turned Bill Ward’s lament of a relationship dying into a painful wallop of emotion:
Charles Bradley performs soulful cover of Black Sabbath's 'Changes'
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That kills on multiple levels. Full stop.
And I am sure some of you heard this before (you, the educated BBG! masses). But I had not. And when I did hear it, I fell back in my chair.
Good songs can suffer a bad remake and still retain their luster. But a great song made greater by a great artist is another thing. Bradley didn’t just do the song justice. He did what Sabbath hinted at, and then went beyond them.
Music is amazing. We are lucky to live in a world where Iommi and Co. collided with Bradley.
Monday, February 17, 2020 at 07:13AM