The Art of The Cover Song

As the final minutes tick down in 2009, chances are you will be standing in a bar with your friends. In said bar, you may find yourself being subjected to the third different version you've heard of The Commitments' "Mustang Sally" in one night. Sometimes, if you're drunk enough, cover songs can be fun. But most of the time, when the cover band plays "Runaround" by Blues Traveler, you want to dive over the bar and stab yourself in the eardrum with a corkscrew. Cover songs don't always sound great when performed by established artists, either. (Remember Madonna's version of Don McClean's "American Pie?) When done properly, a cover song can catapult a band to sudden one-hit-wonderdom, a la' Alien Ant Farm's cover of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. It can also increase your popularity among the already adoring masses, as it did for Jimi Hendrix when he covered Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower". I would venture a guess that if you polled 50 random people blindly on the street, at least half would think it was a Hendrix original. Speaking of Dylan, he is one of the most widely covered artists in rock music. Humourously, most critics can't even agree amongst themselves. Topping both "Best" and "Worst" Covers lists is Guns N' Roses version of Dylan's "Knocking On Heaven's Door".
My favorite cover is Foo Fighters' version of Prince's "Darling Nikki". Rock bands have a hard on for covering Prince songs. Incubus does an outstanding live version of "Let's Go Crazy".
So, love 'em or hate 'em, the cover song lives on.

What are some of your favorite covers? Is there a band you'd like to see perform a paticular cover?

What Makes a Band Your Favorite?

Nearly every music fan I know has a definitive answer when asked about their favorite bands.

But what makes a band stand out above all others to become a favorite?

What aspect of the band and its music reaches out and grabs you, claiming its place in your world as the top?

For me, it's a few things. My favorite bands have these qualities in common: Passionate performance, interesting vocals and thought provoking lyrics. A band that's not afraid to explore interesting time signatures and good driving riffs doesn't hurt, either.

My favorite bands are Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, and TOOL. For as different as they appear to be on the surface, they have a lot of things in common. All three bands have songs that thematically explore death and rebirth, question of faith and balance in the world, and the struggle to find a place as an individual in a sea of sameness.

All three bands have front men that are either multi-instrumentalists, or have explored other creative mediums outside of music.

Each band had captured my attention, and I remain a devoted fan to each.

What are some of your favorite bands, and why?

2009 Concerts: A Year in Review

I had the pleasure of attending many concerts in South Florida this year. Here are a few of my favorites:

Aaron Lewis, Hard Rock Live Hollywood. 2/17/09: Aaron Lewis's solo acoustic shows never disappoint, and this one was no different. Playing a variety of his own music and covers, the performance was intimate and he was engaging. Highlights include a cover of Alice in Chains' "Nutshell" and his own "Tangled Up in You". At the end of the set, Lewis unplugs everything, including the microphone. The audience remained completely silent as he sang "Intro" from 14 Shades of Grey.

Against Me & Flogging Molly, Pompano Beach Amphitheatre. 3/6/09: Against Me pumped fists in the air through songs off of each of their albums. The crowd rose to their feet for "Thrash Unreal". Flogging Molly lead singer Dave King turned in a rousing performance that had my friends and I Irish jigging all night. "If I Ever Leave This World Alive" became the sing along song of the show, with total strangers locking arms and waving their pints of Guiness.

Iron Maiden, Bank Atlantic Center. 4/2/09: Bruce Dickenson urged everyone to "Run to the Hills" with a voice as strong and clear as it has ever been. Multiple costume changes, set changes, explosions, and more metal than you have in your pinky finger. This show was meant to be seen from the floor, and I'm glad I was there.

Flight of the Conchords, Bank United Center. 4/7/09: The kiwi duo took Miami by storm with jokey songs about women, friendship, and robots. A good time to be had by all.

Green Day, American Airlines Arena. 8/4/09: The founders of pop-punk don't just put on a concert, they put on a stage spectacular. Billie Joe Armstrong knows how to please a crowd, and please he did with old favorites and new tracks from 21st Century Breakdown. He even invited audience members onstage to help the band play and sing songs.

Dethklok and Mastadon, Pompano Beach Amphitheatre. 11/8/09: Mastadon is, in a word, EPIC. Crack The Skye takes prog-metal to new heights with soaring melodies and gorgeous vocals.

Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small made sure fans got the full Dethklok experience live. Animated shorts played before the set, as well as between songs. It was almost easy to forget the skinny nerdy looking guy on vocals was Nathan Explosion. It was a metal show for the cartoon geek set.

Power Pop Playlist

Power Pop is easily one of my favorite music genres. Often, it's not given the credit it deserves. It's brushed aside as lacking substance, or just overlooked altogether.

Power Pop is danceable, hook-heavy, melodic sing-along music. It's catchy, infectious, and makes for a fantastic workout soundtrack. Bright and colorful, it's also great to throw on while getting ready to go out for a night of drinking and fun.

If my personality were a genre, it would probably be Power Pop.

Like the infamous little black dress we women are always referring to, Power Pop goes with everything.

Here is a playlist of some of my favorites:

Blur-"Girls and Boys"

Dandy Warhols-"We Used to Be Friends"

Jimmy Eat World-"Sweetness"

Cardigans-"Lovefool"

Matthew Sweet-"Girlfriend"

Elvis Costello and the Attractions-"No Action"

Head Automatica-"At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet"

Weezer-"Surf Wax America"

The Knack-"My Sharona"

O.K. Go-"Here it Goes Again"

The Wannadies-"You and Me Song"

Starsailor-"Silence is Easy"

What are your favorite powerpop bands and songs? If you had to characterize yourself as a musical genre, which would you be?

Karaoke

The very thought of jumping on stage to do karaoke, Captain and Coke in hand, puts a smile on my face. I like to sing. I like to perform. I am what is commonly referred to as a ham.

Karaoke is not for everyone. Unfortunately, some people don't know it's not for them, and want it to be anyway. These people are commonly referred to as "American Idol Audition Rejects".

In what other place is it perfectly acceptable to hear "I Will Survive" sung horrifically out of tune? It's Bad Breakup Girl's ANTHEM. If given the opportunity to do a second song, it's always Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know".

There's Drunk Guy singing Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places".

My personal favorite is Girl Who Takes Karaoke Seriously. She brings her own cd's because the ones the dj has aren't good enough. She has a decent voice, but it's hard to look past the overly showy hand gestures and delusions of grandeur.

When I go to a karaoke night, I have a rotation of a few go-to songs. I like to sing Blind Melon's "No Rain" because Shannon Hoon's tenor is easy on my voice.

I like The Cardigans' "Love Fool" because it's fun and flirty. Sometimes I change it up with No Doubt's "Just a Girl" for the same reason.

The mother of all karaoke songs, the epic grand finale to any karaoke night: "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.

I choose this song for the end of the night because everyone in the bar knows it and will be drunk enough to sing along. I also choose this song because Freddie Mercury was the man.

What are your karaoke favorites? Do you have any funny stories of downright painful karaoke performances?

John Frusciante Leaves Chili Peppers

John Frusciante is a talented guitar player. The Red Hot Chili Peppers liked him and his contributions to the band enough to hire him twice. Frusciante replaced original guitarist Hilel Slovak in 1988. He continued with the band until 1992, at which time he left battling a drug addiction. Ten years after he first joined the Chilis, Frusciante rejoined the band in time to make Californication, which produced three singles to reach the top ten of the Billboard 200, the fourth single reaching to number 69.

Frusciante is responsible for much of the direction the band has taken since then, for better and worse. By The Way, released in 2002, had a few notable tracks. Stadium Arcadium, released in 2005, was for the most part an exercise in excess, and like most double albums, would have been better condensed into one.

Like many fans of bands that have been around for twenty-plus years, I would like to see a return to old form. There is absolutely nothing wrong with growing and improving your style, sound, and technique as a band. But the Chilis have become so far removed from the band they began as so long ago, that it would be fantastic to hear something resembling their old sound resurface.

Is 2010 and a new Chilis record the start of something new as a return to something old?

What's your favorite Chilis record?

Christmas Day Tradition

Each family has a set of traditions or customs that they follow around the holidays. Some families open one present on Christmas Eve. Some families drive through the neighborhood looking at sparkling lights dancing across lawns and rooftops. For as long as I can remember, the tradition in my family is music-related, much like everything else in my life.

After surveying the shiny packages under the tree, and giving my nod of approval, the television was turned on and flipped to VH1 for Christmas music videos. Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing "The Little Drummer Boy". Run D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis". All of my favorite pop stars in one studio for Band Aid- "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

As an adult, my favorite Christmas music videos have been relegated to VH1 Classic. It's a good thing I've got the full cable package. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night :)

Christmas Compilation Albums

In the spirit of decking the halls and fa la la, every band seems to jump on the Christmas album bandwagon.

Everyone from Elvis Presley to Weird Al has one. Because many people around the world celebrate the holiday, there are also a lot of really bad ones, like Regis Philbin and Donny Osmond.

Here are a few of my favorites and recent discoveries:

1. A Very Special Christmas An 80s staple, with a few of the classics, such as Madonna's version of "Santa Baby" and some originals like Run D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis". Highlight: U2's "Chistmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

2.The Reverend Horton Heat, We Three Kings. These guys know how to have fun, and their Christmas record is no different. Some originals and some traditional carols.

3. We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year Badass Lemme Kilmeister sings "Run, Run Rudolph" with help from Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters.

4. Disney's Season of Song It's not your standard Mickey and Goofy-ness. Traditional carols done with a beautifully rounded out choir and orchestral accompaniment.

5. Christmas With Weezer Rivers and Co. play a handful of straightforward Christmas carols. Pretty true to the originals, with a Weezer twist.

The Death of Tangible Music

I recently read an L.A. Times article that noted this fact: For the first time last year, nearly half of all teenagers bought no compact discs. ZERO.

Growing up, every generation goes through the rite of passage of purchasing music with their own money for the first time. We all have a similar story. I combined a week's allowance with some cash from my visiting grandparents, and made my dad drive me to the now-defunct Phar-Mor to purchase my very first cassette tape: Pearl Jam's "Ten". Later that year, I joined Columbia's CD Club ("You can get how many cd's for a penny?") and purchased Boyz II Men's "Cooleyhighharmony". Don't judge me! I was 12!

So without vinyl records, 8 tracks, cassette tapes, cd's...what do future generations have that is special? Jump on the computer and look at some pictures, point and click? Call me a purist, but I like the idea of purchasing a physical item for my money. Sure, it may not be the most convenient way to obtain music. For me though, nothing beats cracking open a new disc and thumbing through the photos, liner notes, lyrics, and track listing.

My son is four months old. When he is old enough to purchase music for the first time, I hope he still has the option to discover it as a tangible medium.

What was the first album you bought with your own money?

MTV "News"

I was trolling the internet for an interesting topic for tonight's blog. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to look at MTV News, (Why not Blabbermouth, or at least something with a little substance?) but it did give me a topic, so here we are.

The top headlines are as follows:

Brittany Murphy's Death. Fair enough, she was a pop culture staple, but that's not music related.

Kevin Jonas Gets Married. I haven't been a teenager since 1999, so I don't care. I also didn't care about their equivalent from my generation: New Kids on the Block. Every girl in my elementary school rocked the t-shirt with their faces plastered across the front. I, on the other hand, rocked my dad's worn out Beatles t-shirt.

Lil Wayne Detained After Police Find Marijuana on Tour Bus. Really? This is information we should be shocked about?

I suppose it should come as no surprise to me that this is considered news in the land of MTV.

Scrolling nearly halfway down the page, I find ONE story that's actually about music: Rage Against the Machine's BBC performance of "Killing in the Name" is a top seller for a holiday singles contest.

The next headline containing actual music news? Miley Cyrus recorded a cover of Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" with Bret Michaels. Somewhere, children of the 80s are holding hands and shedding tears at the spectacle Bret Michaels has become. Err...I suppose he was always a spectacle. But this is just awful.

This, my friends, is enough "news" for one day. Sigh.

Ed. Note: I realize that bitching about MTV and its lack of music coverage is as cliche as it gets. Somehow, I still felt the need to address it.

This is the Song That Never Ends

"This is the song that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends..."

Getting a song stuck in your head is commonly referred to as an "earworm".

No matter how much you tilt your head to one side and shake to get it out, the effort is in vein.

For some, listening to the song helps. For others, the only cure is akin to sobering up: TIME.

For days on end, I'll have They Might Be Giants' "Birdhouse in Your Soul" stuck in my head. I won't hear it for weeks, months even, and there it will be. It got worse after I looked up the lyrics to fill in the blanks of what I didn't know. I've never been a particularly huge TMBG fan, but I'll be damned if I haven't heard that songs more times than I care to admit in an attempt to remove it from my brain.

My husband Kris finds himself with an REO Speedwagon earworm, in the form of "Take It On The Run". He absolutely can't stand Speedwagon, and yet I catch him bursting out "Heard it from a friend whoooooo...heard it from a fri-ennnd whooooo..."

Sometimes the earworm is warranted, due to it's inescapable over saturation in every aspect of our lives. I was able to avoid Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" for longer than all of my friends, knowing that once I heard it I would be doomed.

Why is it always the most annoying songs that get stuck in your head?

What are your earworms, and how do you cure them?

End of the Year Lists

As I search for current news and information on bands we play on 93 rock, I find myself coming across list after list for the end of the year. This being 2oo9, we are also subjected to end of the decade lists, as well. Which brings me to the question: Exactly what is the relevance of such a list?

Nickelback has been named "Band of the Decade" by Billboard magazine. Alice in Chains' "Black Gives Way to Blue" has been named Revolver magazine's "Album of the Year".

Green Day has the honor of not one, but TWO distinctions: MySpace's "Top 50 Albums of the Year" and Spin magazine's "Top 30 Live Shows of 2009"

Admittedly, Green Day puts on one of the most impressive shows of the last several year. It is a carnival of lights, confetti, and squirt guns. Sure, these titles make a great blurb for a press kit, but something tells me these guys don't need much by the way of promotion.

So the year end and decade end lists become little more than a lively debate among music enthusiasts.
Can you name five bands from memory that have garnered similar recognitions over the years?

The One No One Talks About

Recently, one of my fellow audiophiles asked what my favorite Green Day album was. I don't have a clear favorite, but when he reponded that his was "Warning", I had to look at my text message from him twice. Aside from the singles, I'd never even given it a listen. My friend was right. Warning is a gem, despite poor album sales and being widely known as the album that almost ended Green Day's career entirely.

Tracks like "Church On Sunday" are light and fun, but not in the juvenile fashion Green Day fans were accustomed to. Warning is Green Day growing up before their fans were ready to accept that.

Warning is one of those albums I'd like to call The One No One Talks About. When I say Pearl Jam, you think "Ten". When I say Weezer, you think "Blue Album". When I say Incubus, you think "Make Yourself". Radiohead? "O.K. Computer" But "vs.", "Pinkerton", "A Crow Left of the Murder..." and "Pablo Honey" are all solid and listenable albums by those same artists, and they often get overlooked.

What is it about our devotion to one or two albums in a band's catalogue that leads us to miss out on some exceptionally great stuff?

What is YOUR favorite underrated and overlooked album by an otherwise succesful band?

Nostalgically Speaking

When music is the common thread of all events in your life, you always have a soundtrack that reminds you of where you were and what you were doing at any given time.

As a child, you often listen to what your parents do. For me it was The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Yes, The Moody Blues, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, to name a few. Listening to the Lovin' Spoonful's Greatest Hits reminds me of summer roadtrips with my legs stretched across the back seat, doodling in a notepad and writing poetry.

As a teenager, you rebel against what your parents like and try to find your own way. This usually ends up as a mishmash of bands you'll continue to enjoy as an adult (In my case: Stone Temple Pilots, Dave Matthews Band, and Foo Fighters) and bands you'd barely admit to ever having liked. (Smashmouth, Boyz II Men).

As an adult, you pick and choose new music. You lament that "Nothing that comes out these days is as good as when we were kids". You flip through lists of songs and albums at the record store or on iTunes, searching for that rare find you can share with friends. (Have you heard Them Crooked Vultures? It's fantastic).

Then you realize the new band you find is a combination of your youth, your teenage years, and adulthood all rolled into a tidy new jewel case. You revisit the best and worst of records you haven't listened to since you were a kid, and rediscover the pure joy you felt slipping on oversized headphones and reading the liner notes cover to cover.

And so, you've come full circle...

Mood Lifters

There are certain bands and albums that you just can't help but feel good when you listen to.

Music has a very therapeutic quality that can instantaneously make you feel emotions deeply.

I find that when I listen to bands like They Might Be Giants or Dave Matthews Band, I am smiling or even laughing. In some cases, it's the positivity that can be found in the lyrical content.

Take, for example, Dave Matthews Band's "Pig":

Love love love what more is there

Cause' we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There are bad times
But that's ok
Just look for love in it

In other cases, it's the sheer silliness of songs like They Might Be Giants' "S-E-X-X-Y" that can turn your day around:

There she is

Standing on the bed
Cookie in one hand, wig on her head
S-E-X-X-Y

What songs or bands do you reach for to change your mood for the better?

Larger Than Life: Dave Matthews Band in 3D

Larger Than Life: Dave Matthews Band in 3D is a live concert experience that debuted in theatres this week.
Featuring performances from Gogol Bordello, Ben Harper and Relentless7, and Dave Matthews Band; the viewer gets to attend a festival show without all of the sweaty fans and smelly port-a-potties.

Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello acts as the ringleader of a colorful Ukranian music circus, dancing frantically around stage, twirling among bandmates and girls playing oversized percussion instruments.

Ben Harper turns in a laid-back performance, engaging the crowd with soulful tunes, and finishing his set playing a lap guitar.

The real stars of the show, however, are Dave Matthews Band. Highlights include "So Damn Lucky", from Dave Matthews' 2003 solo album Some Devil, and a cover of Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House".

Violinist Boyd Tinsley's muppet-quality looks are even more exaggerated on the big screen in 3D, and Dave Matthews' fancy two-steppin' footwork brings a smile to your face.

Larger Than Life runs through December 17th.

Of Nickelback and Creed

Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of either of these two bands. In fact, you can often hear me shouting my displeasure for Nickelback from the rooftops. I am, however, objective.

To be a fan of Nickelback or Creed is to receive a verbal assault about your poor musical taste. "Serious" music fans will lecture you about the watered down, generic tripe that is Nickelback. Yet somehow, this band has managed to sell Platinum with every major label record in their discography, up to six or eight times Platinum in some cases.

The key to their mega-sucess? Make relatable, catchy pop music. Who hasn't been young, had their heart broken, or had rockstar aspirations?

You've probably found yourself bashing your co-worker/next door neighbor/guy in traffic for blasting "With Arms Wide Open" or "Animals". Now you've got those songs stuck in your head. Now you're cursing me. They're catchy, they're infectious, and you can't help but learn every lyric, despite your best intentions.
You may not agree with Stapp's preening and posing. You may scoff at Kroeger's ridiculous bleach blonde hair. Regardless of this, the beat goes on.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Whether you truly believe in the magic of Christmas, or you just like colorful lights and explosions, there is something for everyone at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra performance. I arrived at my seat on the floor last Friday night at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, and took in the crowd as I waited for the show to begin. To my left, a gentleman and his wife, probably in their mid-60s. To my right, my parents, in their 50s. Behind me a couple in their late 30s with their son, probably eight or nine years old.
A little background: Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a hard rock band that plays Christmas music, formed from several members of the Florida-based prog-metal band Savatage.The first half of their performance is a Christmas story about humanity and family around the holidays. It aims to show how we are connected through commonalities and experiences, interwoven through the power of music.
The story is a pleasant one, especially for the season. Lights twinkle behind the band like an authentic night sky, and soap bubbles gently float down from the ceiling, giving the impression of snow.
TSO reaches out to touch your inner caveman with bright pyrotechnics and flame-orange explosions.
The second half of their performance is straight prog-metal, in all of its long hair and glorious excess. Wailing guitars, dramatic vocals, and gyrating women take the stage. Remember the older gentlemen I told you about earlier? As the second half of the show began, I heard him remark to his companion: "Well, this is a bit much, isn't it?" I couldn't help but reply: "This is rock n' roll, there is no such thing as too much".
Personally, I was quite happy with the Christmas portion, and would have enjoyed it as just the traditional music and story combination. The cheesy rock at the end was not a necessary addition. Overall, however, this performance was not just a concert; but an experience.
The concert ended, and I used my well-developed skill of weaving through the masses of people to find the front of the venue with little effort.
It was there that I joined our meet and greet winners and Denise from Live Nation, and escorted them deep into the bowels of the backstage area of the Bank Atlantic Center. The meet and greet took place in a room that is usually set up for post-Panther game press meetings. A podium equipped with a microphone sat atop a riser, with a large Florida Panthers banner draped behind it. There were several rows of chairs facing the podium, but the room is much smaller than you would expect after watching so many of these meetings on television.
Our excited winners shook hands and chatted with the members of TSO as they came in one or two at a time, a very laid back meet and greet. I stood to the side and snapped photos for our website, pausing to shake hands with band members and thank them for the show. After several minutes passed, everyone seemed satisfied with their experience, and we boarded the elevator back to the main lobby. It was a memorable experience for everyone.

311

I had the pleasure of seeing 311 perform at Bayfront Park Amphitheatre in Miami last Tuesday night. I strolled into the venue around 5:00p.m., and was pleasantly surprised to hear notes of "Beautiful Disaster" drifting through the air. I glanced at the stage to my right, quite excited that I had arrived early enough to watch sound check. Nick Hexum moved around the stage, letting the music take over his body in a slow groove. I continued up the stairs to a VIP pavillion our radio station was transforming into a backyard bbq meet and greet. Standing back to survey the area, I took in the sights of a picturesque Miami evening. There was a full moon over the side that faces the bay, with a perfectly placed palm tree. I turned around to face Miami skyline, its tall buildings dotted with lights. I helped the promotions team spread out a tablecloth and placed hotel pans of pulled pork, bbq chicken, and coleslaw on the table. Stand up banners were set at the entrance to welcome our listeners to the event. As people trickled in, I worked my way through the crowd, chatting with our winners about the band and what to expect. Some had seen the band in concert multiple times, others were seeing their first live 311 show. With ten minutes until the boys were expected to roll up in a golf cart, I took to the small makeshift stage and announced that the band would be coming shortly. I asked everyone to form a line, and have their poster ready to be autographed. At the end, we would all take a large group photo with the band. I walked to the back of the line to have a poster of my own autographed, as well as one that would be framed and hung at the office. I quickly found myself chatting with lead guitarist Tim Mahoney about his tattoos. Both arms are fully sleeved, and all of the work was done freehand by the same guy in L.A., where the band lives.

I made my way down the line, thanking each member for coming on behalf of the radio station. I told Nick that it was my first 311 show, despite having been a fan since I was a teenager.

We gathered everyone for the group photo, and once again I took to the microphone to thank the crowd for listening to the station before they wandered off to their seats for the show.

After a quick cleanup, I joined the rest of the staff to enjoy the show. The band played favorites like "All Mixed Up" and "Amber", as well as album tracks like "Jack O' Lantern's Weather".

Nick Hexum spun circles around the stage, bouncing wildly but never losing the breezy quality his vocals provide.

Between songs, drummer Chad Sexton plowed through a drum solo that drove the crowd into a pumped up frenzy.

The only disappointment of the evening was the absence of 311's cover of The Cure's "Love Song." I was sincerely hoping for it to make an appearance during the encore.

Overall, a great night that left me nostalgic.