Cover Charge #11 - Depeche Mode to David Bowie

Cover Charge is simple: A covers B, B covers C, C covers D and so on, until I loop round, Ouroboros-style, back to where I started.

Last time: The Cure to Depeche Mode

You've got to have big balls, I think, to cover David Bowie. Luckily for us all, Depeche Mode are fully equipped in the trouser department, if this take on Heroes is anything to go by. The Highline Sessions, from whence this comes, were recorded live in August 2016, just a few short months after Bowie died, adding an extra resonance for all concerned. This could have gone very wrong, but turned out rather well.

And because you can't hear it, or him, too often, here's Bowie's original.

Next time: David leads the Cover Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Charge into some quiet/loud/quiet.

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #10 - The Cure to Depeche Mode

Cover Charge is simple: A covers B, B covers C, C covers D and so on, until I loop round, Ouroboros-style, back to where I started.

Last time: Editors to The Cure

Maybe there is a third kind of cover after all, some hybrid of the Straight Bat and Own Stamp. For when The Cure covered World In My Eyes, it was at once both faithful to the source and yet recognisably, unmistakably Robert et al.

Here's the Depeche Mode original, the opening track from 1990's Violator (an album so good it's on the Every Home Should Have One masterlist).

Next time: the Basildon boys take us ... to someone born in Brixton. That's an actual clue, right there. Runaround... now!

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #9 - Editors to The Cure

Cover Charge is simple: A covers B, B covers C, C covers D and so on, until I loop round, Ouroboros-style, back to where I started.

Last time: REM to Editors

Editors are a perfect band for covering The Cure, I think. They manage to put enough of their Own Stamp on Lullaby while maintaining, perhaps even adding to, the tension and disquiet that runs through the original. The spiderman is always hungry, indeed...

Here's the original, from Sir Robert of Cure-shire - surely a national treasure by now - and his merry band.

Next time: Crawley's finest cover a contemporary act ... but they've been around forever, so that could be anyone, right?

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #8 - REM to Editors

The premise of Cover Charge is simple. A covers B, B covers C, C covers D and so on, until I loop round and eat my own tail, Ouroboros-style, by getting back to where I started with The Specials.

Last time: The Replacements to REM

Today, the fruit of a mutual covering love-in. Editors had covered Orange Crush, so in 2008 REM returned the compliment by covering Munich for Radio 1's Live Lounge. There's grainy video of this online, but I've gone for the best quality sound recording I could find on YouTube.

And here's the original, from Editors' 2005 debut album The Back Room which, for my money, still sounds rather good.

Next time: spoiler alert, I'm not going to feature Editors covering Orange Crush as that would cause a feedback loop in the chain and bring an end to the spacetime continuum...

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Sunday shorts: Isla de Encanta

Sunday is a day of rest, right, so let's take a break from Cover Charge with another classic slice of early Pixies that comes in comfortably under the two-minute threshold required for Sunday shorts.

Isla de Encanta is also meat and drink for the Duolingo-bothering learner of Spanish (me, currently), with enough words for me to pick out to get the gist.

Anyway, all the way back from when I was 17 (though I didn't hear it until I was 19, but that's another story), here's the track.

I think we can all agree that's marvellous, right? And the only "love island" worth the time of day.

As for those lyrics? With apologies to any actual Spanish speakers...

Hermanita ven conmigo Hermanita ven conmigo Hay aviones cada hora Isla de encanta Me voy, me voy, me voy Donde no hay sufrimiento Donde no hay sufrimiento Me vieron pasar por la calle Isla de encanta Me voy, me voy, me voy Nuestro propio animal Canta a la gente pa'gratis Hey babe, what are we doing here? Laaaa, laaaa, patria Isla de encanta Me voy, me voy, me voy

Little sister, come with me Little sister, come with me There are planes every hour Island of love I'm going, I'm going, I'm going Where there is no suffering Where there is no suffering They saw me passing by on the street Island of love I'm going, I'm going, I'm going Our own animal sings To the people for free Hey babe, what are we doing here? Laaaa, laaaa, homeland Island of love I'm going, I'm going, I'm going

The Cover Charge resumes next time.

Cover Charge #7: The Replacements to REM

The premise of Cover Charge is simple. A covers B, B covers C, C covers D and so on, until I loop round and eat my own tail, Ouroboros-style, by getting back to where I started with The Specials.

Last time: Jesse Malin to The Replacements

A wonderfully scuzzy, ramshackle recording today as The Replacements just about rattle through half a rough and ready take on the debut single from their early-80s contemporaries, REM.

And here's the original single release of Radio Free Europe, a record that surely needs no further introduction (though you should read Swiss Adam's excellent recent post at Bagging Area if you want to hear some other versions of the song):

Next time: REM were fairly prolific covering other artists, so where will we charge next?

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #6: Jesse Malin to The Replacements

The premise of Cover Charge is simple. Artist A covers artist B, then B covers C and C covers D, and so on and so forth, until you, me or Google give up on blogs altogether.

Last time: Bruce Springsteen to Jesse Malin

Cover versions seem to fall into one of two categories, broadly speaking: the Straight Bat, in which the cover sounds very similar to the original, and the Own Stamp, in which the covering artist tries to do something a bit different. Today we have an Own Stamp from Jesse Malin, as he offers up a thoughtful reworking of The Replacements' Bastards of Young:

And here's the original from Paul Westerberg and chums, all the way back from 1985 and their fourth album Tim:

Next time: The Replacements replace someone else. Contain your excitement.

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #5: Bruce Springsteen to Jesse Malin

The premise of Cover Charge is simple. Artist A covers artist B, then B covers C and C covers D, and so on and so forth, until you, me or Google give up on blogs altogether.

Last time: Neil Young to Bruce Springsteen

Seems that towards the end of last year, The Boss recorded this straight-bat cover of Jesse Malin's She Don't Love Me Now for tribute compilation album Silver Patron Saints. I know next to nothing about Malin, but do know (thanks to John and Wikipedia) that he suffered a spinal stroke in 2023, leading to paralysis from the waist down. A fundraising/support tribute compilation followed, which included this offering from Bruce:

And here's Jesse's original, from his 2015 album New York Before the War. Spot the difference? No, me neither.

Next time: Jesse has a go at someone else, with a marginally less straight bat.

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #4: Neil Young to Bruce Springsteen

The premise of Cover Charge is simple. Artist A covers artist B, then B covers C and C covers D, and so on and so forth, until you, me or Google give up on blogs altogether.

Last time: Radiohead to Neil Young

An entry at the excellent Neil Young Archives tell us that he recorded his take on My Hometown on 16th September 2013. Here's the video proof:

And here's the original from Bruce, back in the day:

Next time: The Boss covers someone. But who?

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.

Cover Charge #3: Radiohead to Neil Young

Okay, I give in to the weight of public opinion (three blog comments). The premise of Cover Charge is simple. Artist A covers artist B, then B covers C and C covers D, and so on and so forth, until you, me or Google give up on blogs altogether.

Last time: Toots and the Maytals to Radiohead

Radiohead have, at various times, covered a number of Neil Young songs but for my money one of their better attempts is this, Cinnamon Girl:

And here's the original from Neil and Crazy Horse:

Next time, some time: Mr Young covers someone. But who?

The Cover Charge "chain" to date.