some random covers. they're always fun. i saw some clips on youtube this week of built to spill doing a couple of camper van beethoven songs ("good guys bad guys" and "take the skinheads bowling"). doug needs to put a covers album out. a friend who'd know was telling me that they have somewhere around 65 cover songs in their repertoire. rather than throw more built to spill at you so soon, here's some pre-bts doug doing the smiths' "big mouth strikes again" with treepeople.doug did another smiths cover with the halo benders that i'll probably put up at some point as well.
treepeople "big mouth strikes again" (from the album "something vicious for tomorrow")
one of my favorite covers is susanna hoffs' version of dylan's "i'll keep it with mine". don't know the original dylan song, aside from the 30sec clip i just listened to on allmusic, but i do love nico's version on "chelsea girl". i'm guessing that's who hoffs is paying tribute to here as well. she does a the velvet's "i'll be your mirror", which nico fronted, on the same album so...oh yeah, this isn't a bangles recording. it's from an assembled group of LA musicians from other bands called "rainy day" that put out an album of the same name in '84. they were all part of the 60's revival scene referred to as the paisley underground. don't know anything about it, but someday i'll have to get around to exploring it's bands.
susanna hoffs "i'll keep it with mine" (from the album "rainy day")
another great one i like to share with people is tim ferguson's cover of blondie's "heart of glass". tim's the main man in the local band the cousin lovers, who i heard were playing out live again. i think this recording comes from some recordings tim did with his music publsher to help sell him to labels. as far as i know this was never released. too bad.
tim ferguson "heart of glass" (unreleased)
i got this next one from a collection of grateful dead live recordings a friend put together to sell people on the dead. you know, cause we all hate the grateful dead. i think "american beauty" makes a better pitch for me, cause no matter how many times i hear how it's all about the live recordings, i prefer their studio work. still, this cover is bizarre enough that i have to include it. mostly cause the dead are joined by the beach boys on this one, but also cause it's a merle haggard song, so it's a pretty special moment.
the grateful dead w/ the beach boys "okie from muskogee" (live)
here's the article he wrote for arthur magazine that the collection was meant to accompany
(click me)and last we got sixteen deluxe's cover of bigstar's "kangaroo". sixteen deluxe is sill one of the best bands i ever saw live. i saw them open for, and desroy luna, spiritualized, and medicine, all bands who put on great shows. their version of "kangaroo" (called "roo") was always one of the highlights. not quite as powerful on album, but still worth the listen if you've got the time. it starts out pretty quiet so hang in there if you don't hear anything at first.
sixteen deluxe "roo" (from the album "backfeedmageticbabe"
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