Feb 26

Cover versions… and some do it really wrong!

By bruce talking about bands, talking about music No Comments »

So, after my last post Cover Versions… some do it right!, obviously I had to post the worst cover versions I’ve ever heard of. I’ve also received a number of emails from people giving me ideas, and I appreciate that. Thank you very much. Well, after studying a long long list, I managed to shorten it down to four songs, I couldn’t make it to three songs, sorry.  And here they are;

4th Place: Limp Bizkit – Behind Blue Eyes

Behind Blue Eyes was released by The Who, in their 1971 album ‘Who’s Next’. First of all, Fred Durst’s voice in this song is really out of place and blowed up. Secondly, Limp Bizkit removed the best part from the original song and replaced it with a stupid robotic sound and voice. Come on guys, screwing a 70’s song is already bad enough, removing the best parts from it is totally unacceptable!

3rd Place: Eminem – Sing for the Moment

Sing for the moment is a cover version of the song Dream On, which Aerosmith released in 1973, as a single and as a track in their first album ‘Aerosmith’. Apart from changing the musical style (a drastic switch to rap) and feel of this song, Eminem even changed the lyrics and used only the chorus. With all the respect towards rap and its followers, we’re fed up of listening to anger and society problems which gangs bring around. Please move on and grow up!

And the top 2…

I was very confused which should be the first placed song, i.e. worse cover version ever. I am sure there are many other out there, but these particular two, deserve both 1st place, therefore there is no second place!

1st Place: The Braids – Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody was released by Queen, in their 1975 album A Night at the Opera. It is considered to be one of the greatest songs ever, because of its unique and diverse style. I don’t want to comment much about the cover version, since there isn’t much to say. But how can you change a rock anthem, one of the greatest songs of the last decade into a hip-hop song? It’s unbelievable how the copyright owners even gave the go ahead for this massacre!

1st Place: Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb was released by Pink Floyd, in their 1979 album The Wall. Like Bohemian Rhapsody, Comfortably Numb and the whole The Wall album, are considered master pieces, rock anthems and greatest songs of all times! One can never dream, or even try to imagine how such a song could have been better, since there is no place for improvement. But thanks to the Scissor Sisters, it seems that the world was longing for a electronic Bee Gees version of this song. What a shame!!!

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Aug 31

Brian May’s Red Special guitar details video

By bruce talking about musicians No Comments »

You knew that one of the world’s best, unique and custom made guitar was the cheapest one ever built?  It was made out of scrap; parts from a motorbike, piece of oak from a table, some wood from a 100 year old fireplace etc.

It’s Brian May’s Red Special guitar, which he built with his father when he was still a teenager.  In the below interesting video, Queen’s guitarist Brian May states that he is not sure whether they were clever or lucky, but it worked out for them.  The Red Special is still used till this day from Brian May himself.

Well, as Brian May said in the previous video, he is still a kid when it’s about playing the guitar and he can never stop doing it.  Therefore I am also posting this funny video, from a British telecom, about Brian and his wife having an argument.

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Jul 31

Queen; the debut

By bruce album review, talking about bands, talking about music No Comments »

Queen was a British rock band that gave us hits like Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, I want to Break Free, Show must go on, the two stadium anthems, We Will Rock You and We are the Champions and much more.

But what about their debut self titled Studio album back in 1973?  Was it an instant hit?  Unfortunately success is only measured by number of album copies sold, or by air time on radio stations. Therefore, technically speaking this album surely was not a commercial success. Though as many say today, this album was and is still underrated. Gordon Fletches of Rolling Stons said “their debut album is superb”, and Chicago’s Daily Herald called it “above average debut”. Allmusic’s Greg Prato, later said “one of the most underrated hard rock debuts of all time.”

Unfortunately, the generic public is not into good music. People like commercial music because radio stations and clubs play. If the DJ plays a track a 100 times, over and over again, then that is classified as a good song / album. Though from the non commercial point view, a good album is when it sounds original and different from the expected, and when it still sounds good after 10, 20 or more years. Technique and lyrics also play a vital role in good music.

Queens first album can almost be classified as hard rock, heavy metal of the day with lyrics about folklore and religion.

The first track, ‘Keep yourself alive’, is a positive song, with good rhytm and excellent bass riffs. Surely, the guitar solos can never be left out.

Another favourite is ‘Doing All Right’. This song changes many times, from light pop music to acoustic guitars, with some parts which can be classified as heavy metal.

There is also a lengthy heavy song, ‘Great King Rat’. It includes long guitar solos and sudden tempo changes.

Seven Seas of Rhye; a short song with catchy piano loop, is a half-written song. When the first album was recorded, this song was born but not completed, therefore Queen optet to add this part of the song to the first album, while the completed track was released in their second album.

Queen_Queen

Trivia: The band included a comment ‘No synthesizers’ on the album sleeve, as some listeners had mistaken their multi-tracking and effects processed by guitar and vocal sounds as synthesizers.

As a conclusion, although this album was not a commercial success, with its release Queen showed that they will be a band who will lead the pack. A must listen to!

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