Charterhouse days re-revisited

Fans of ex-Genesis guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett will be aware that he’s been revisiting the back catalogue of that band to an ever increasing extent in the last few years at his live shows. Hackett finds himself in much the same position as his old bandmate Mr Collins, insofar as he has continually enjoyed much respect from his musical peers (notably Eddie Van Halen who credits him with pioneering the tapping technique utilised to much-admired effect on Eruption) whilst being virtually ignored by the mainstream press. Unlike his former colleague, he has managed to avoid the frankly hysterical levels of media hostility and also in contrast to Collins and fellow guitarist Mike Rutherford he has continued to plow a musical furrow that prioritizes exploration, challenge and technique over singer-songwriting convention or radio airplay. For all the critical vitriol spat upon Genesis and Collins in the last two decades, their megastar status during the ’80s remains undeniable: indeed, their refusal to be swept away by the New Wave and actually grow in popular stature is undoubtedly at the heart of much of their, frankly unjustifyable vilification.

Whilst much of ex-Genesis singer, Peter Gabriel‘s solo catalogue has been defiantly progressive in spirit, and the Collins-led trio continued to dabble with long-form, complex composition right up to the end, Hackett stands apart among that band’s former membership with respect to his flying the flag for prog rock per-se; and revisiting the early Gabriel-fronted albums in particular. In 1996 he released Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited which featured new studio arrangements of material from the first seven albums, plus two previously unheard recordings, to mixed but generally positive acclaim from critics and fans.

18 years later he’s doing it again, teaming up with a newer generation of musicians, along with some scene veterans. This second chapter of covers – imaginitively-titled Genesis Revisited II – features a dazzling array of contemporary prog talent, including Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath), Conrad Keeley (…Trail Of Dead) and Simon Collins (son of Phil); as well as long term studio and live collaborators including Amanda Lehmann, Nick Beggs and Hackett‘s flautist brother John; and prog-loving pop veteran Nik Kershaw (further boosting his prog credentials following last year’s guest spot on DeeExpus‘s King of Number 33).

As was the case with volume one, the new arrangements are variously similar and significantly different to the original versions. In general the songs sparkle with new embellishments; Hackett‘s playing is tighter and cleaner than in days of yore and, of course, the recording, production and mix are up to a contemporary standard in contrast to the sometimes woolly  sound of the ’70s. What really impresses, though, are the songs themselves: as much as Genesis was a leading exponent of the art/prog rock movement and as such, aspired to high standards of musicianship, they were always songwriters first and foremost. Consequently, whilst some of the more outre experimentations from the ’60s and ’70s has come to sound clunky and willfully obscure, Genesis‘ output for the most part stands up really well: even signature, symphonic extravaganza Supper’s Ready still boasts enough by way of melodic hooks and hummable tunes amongst the widdly-diddly to ensure that its 23-minute duration feels much shorter.

Genesis fans will undoubtedly love this; but even if you’re not a fan this is an excellent opportunity to dip your toe into the dark and mysterious currents of an exceptionally-creative and much-maligned chapter in British rock music.

And you can try before you buy: Prog magazine are streaming the album from their site here

Got that covered (2)

Following on from ‘Got That Covered’ today’s post explores a different angle – hard rock/metal/grunge style interpretations of pop songs. This approach has produced some mixed results: Marilyn Manson scored hits reinterpreting The Eurythmics (‘Sweet Dreams’), Soft Cell (‘Tainted Love’) and Depeche Mode (‘Personal Jesus’) and Alien Ant Farm were similarly successful with Michael Jackson (‘Smooth Criminal’) but I felt Machine Head fell flat taking on the musical brilliance of The Police (‘Message in a Bottle’). Robbie Williams was obviously playing it for laughs when he performed a punk-style ‘Back For Good’ (by his former band, Take That) at gigs, and that’s ok too if it’s done right, though I wonder what was going through Andrew Eldritch (The Sisters of Mercy‘s) mind when he convinced his band to perform Hot Chocolate (‘Emma’) and Dolly Parton (‘Jolene’). Funny, but peculier rather than ha, ha!

So here’s a few interpretations that press my ‘like’ button, as it were; starting with a classic from Genesis‘ stadium rock phase back in the ’80s…

Disturbed – Land of Confusion (Genesis). I’m a big fan of Genesis – their 1992 show at Knebworth was one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen, and the set opened with this song. I’m not 100% convinced by the vocals on this track but the combination of the music and the animation really works. I’ve always thought that the ’80s production on the ‘Invisible Touch’ record was kinda lightweight and that these tracks could benefit from a more hard rock approach. Disturbed prove me right, and in fact Phil Collins referenced this cover during band rehearsals for the ’07 reunion tour

Deftones – To Have and To Hold (Depeche Mode). What’s brilliant about this cover is the way Deftones‘ stoned alt-metal really nails the gothic, introspective tone of Martin Gore’s original whilst taking the song in a totally different sonic direction. This was taken from a 1998 DM tribute album ‘For The Masses’ also featuring versions by Rammstein, The Smashing Pumpkins, Apollo 440, The Cure and Failure amongst others.

Mike Shinoda – Enjoy The Silence [Re-interpreted](Depeche Mode). More of a remix than a cover this one, but a worthy version that casts David Gahan in the role of the hard rock star he wanted to be back in DM’s ‘Songs of Faith & Devotion’ days. The more muscular approach actually suits Gahan’s vocal well and the (official) video clip is just brilliant

Tricky – Black Steel (Public Enemy). Since parting ways with Massive Attack the aptly-named Bristolian has proved to be one of his generation’s most ideosyncratic musical voices, to the point of wilful obscurity. His 1995 debut ‘Maxinquaye’  on which this track appears remains one of his best, most accessible works. Putting the words of Afrocentrist political commentator Chuck D into the mouth of a British woman (his then-girlfriend Martina Topley-Bird) and setting it over Grunge-y guitars demonstrates his skill in thinking outside the musical box. Contrasting greatly with the ‘Trip-Hop’ style with which he first rose to prominence, it still possesses somewhat of a hypnotic, druggy quality.

Empty Spaces – Mushroomhead (Pink Floyd). Not a massive departure from the original ‘Wall’ version, just a little heavier and darker. Mushroomhead got stick for happening to be share some image similarities with the more commercially successful Slipknot – even though neither band was aware of the other until several years into their respective careers – but although they’re both metal bands their sounds are quite distinct and MH are well worth checking out. Like SK, however, they’re Floyd fans, and  I like that this YouTube poster has synched it up with the original Gerald Scarfe animation.

Got The Time – Anthrax (Joe Jackson). Thrash Metal is a prime example of how the wider listening tastes of musicians drive songwriting in new directions. Metal and Punk/New Wave were mutually exclusive if you believed some of the pundits, but Anthrax, like contemporaries Metallica loved both. That’s why we have cool reinterpretations like Metallica doing ‘The Wait’ and ‘So What?’,  and Anthrax‘s ‘Protest and Survive’ and ‘London’ covers amongst others. This take on JJ doesn’t differ much from the original, save for Joe Belladonna’s trademark overwrought vocal (I’m a Bush man, myself) but it’s a testament (no pun intended) to the importance of the Brirish New Wave to the fledgling Thrash scene back in the late ’80s/early ’90s. The sound quality on this clip isn’t great – it’s a live recording and not the best – but I just loved the cute Lego animation, even if a shortage of figures results in an absence of Dan Spitz…

Toxic – Marillion (Britney Spears). What strikes me about this version – and I had the pleasure of being in the audience for this one-off performance at their fan convention in the Netherlands – is that they don’t appear to be taking the piss.

Lay Lady Lay – Ministry (Bob Dylan). Ministry have turned in a plethora of wacked-out and occasionally dubious musical homages over the years, including the kind of stuff you might expect like Sabbath, ZZ Top and The Stones through to left-field yet indubitably appropriate choices like Amy Winehouse (‘Rehab’, natch). This is perhaps my favourite, from the somewhat underrated ‘Filth Pig’ album:

Sticking with Al and co. albeit in a different, tongue firmly in cheek guise:

Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? – Revolting Cocks (Rod Stewart). They’ve messed around with the lyrics a bit on this version, and I like the little snigger on ‘KY Jelly’…

These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – Megadeth (Nancy Sinatra). Another comedy take on a well known song, also with a few lyrical liberties taken. Apparently, writer Lee ‘The Moustache’ Hazlewood was a little upset about this, deeming it “vile and offensive” and demanding that the naughty song be excised after 10 years of much-appeciated royalty payments. Count-ry singer…

Enjoy, and fell free to comment and/or suggest your own off-the-wall rock interpretations…

Got that covered

One of the records that converted me to the cause of rock’n’roll back in ’87 was Metallica’s ‘The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited’. My sister had bought it and proceeded to play it so loudly and so often that after a while it became impossible not to like, battering my initially Thrash-sceptical eardrums into submission. Not being previously familiar with Metallica I wasn’t initially aware of the backstory of bassist Cliff Burton’s death and that the EP was his successor Jason ‘Newkid’ Newstead’s ‘trial by fire’ introduction into the Metalliverse. It was a time of reinvention and in this spirit, the band returned ‘to the garage’ to pay homage to a few of the songs that had made them rock fans in the first place.  Three parts NWOBHM – Diamond Head, Holocaust and Budgie – one measure of dark, trippy Brit New Wave – Killing Joke – finished off with a generous dash of NJ Hardcore Punk – Misfits – this is a very different Metallica to the one who would break into the mainstream four years later with Metallica, let alone the one which baffled fans and critics alike with last year’s Lou Reed ‘Art Rock’ indulgence, Lulu. It’s probably my favourite Metallica recording, and certainly one of my favourite cover albums and there are two reasons I think it works really well: a) it gives you and I, the listeners a crafty little peek ‘Through the Keyhole’ into the band’s record collections (and what died-in-the-wool music fan can resist that?) and b) it sounds like Metallica, whilst retaining something of the spirit of the original music. Save note-perfect renditions for the tribute bands – and who’d ever heard of those back then? – the best way to show respect for your musical ancestry is to claim it for your own, or die trying. Paul Young may have quite spectacularly failed to own ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ but does anybody seriously dispute ‘Proud Mary’ as a Tina Turner song? Not John Fogerty. Likewise, Dylan was gracious enough to admit Hendrix had his All Along the Watchtower beat. Either option, however is surely more noble than X-Factor insipidity?

So here’s a small selection of the cover versions that do it for me: rock songs (mostly) taken in unexpected directions that stay true to the style of the covering artist whilst displaying their affection for their formative influences; mixed in some cases with a healthy dose of irreverence.

Primal Scream – Motorhead: this groovy rendition closer in spirit to the original Hawkwind than the better-known Motorhead recording – must be the drugs they were taking. PS bass player Mani presented their gold disc for it’s parent album Vanishing Point to Lemmy live on TV, which was cool. Perfect vid, too.

Tatu – How Soon Is Now?: like Comfortably Numb (below) this is clearly such an untouchable rock anthem that anything you do with it is liable to piss off the hardcore fans. Squeaky-voiced bubblegum pop! How very dare you?! Had real trouble finding either a watchable video or a correctly-translated lyric clip for this so settled for this Charmed montage (the song featured as the title music, apparently).

Dar Williams & Ani DiFranco – Comfortably Numb: you can’t top Dave Gilmour’s iconic solo so quite wisely you don’t bother trying. Absolutely love the vocals on this (though they need to work on the ‘aaaarrrh!’) and they really nail the mood. For an altogether contrasting take on the mighty Floyd, see below…

Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb: everybody knows this one, don’t they. It’s Marmite, but I love Marmite. I also kinda like the idea of po-faced PF fans screaming sacrelige (see also How Soon Is Now?) but Dave Gilmour liked this enough to invite Scissor Sister Jake Shears to sing it with him live in 2006 (although the collaboration never came to fruition in the end).

Tori Amos – Raining Blood: sorry about the belch. But of all the versions on YouTube this had the best video togo with the song. Thrash it ain’t, but it has a haunting darkness all its own. Amos was a bit of a rocker in her yoof, denouncing it after gaining mainstream popularity, so this cover is a bit of a surprise – apparently her then drummer Matt Chamberlain suggested it.

Apollo 440 – Don’t Fear The Reaper: It’s Blue Oyster Cult, and you can dance to it if you like. @440 tout themselves as a rock band in interviews, and they can certainly rock out on occasion, not averse to the odd bout of guitar hero posturing either (having crossed over into mainstream awareness with their Eddie Van Halen inspired 1997 single Ain’t Takin’ About Dub). To me they’re just a great pop band, whether they’re doing pumping House, Drum’n’Bass, cod Reggae, Glam Ballads, Space Rock or anywhere else their musical muse leads them. This for me accentuates what an oddly catchy pop number …Reaper is.

Ryan Adams – Wasted Years: if you arrived here via A Metal State of Mind you might want to skip past this; or you might not. It’s just a great song. Too many people hear heavy rock and can’t seem to get past the brashness and sheer volume to the music beneath. They say metal guys can’t write good songs. Well here’s the proof: catchy, melodic, witful pop with intelligent lyrics, written by Iron Maiden.

Mary Fahl – Time: The Dark Side of the Moon continues to resonate with listeners more than three decades after it’s release, performed in its entirety by artists as diverse as The Flaming Lips (with Henry Rollins and Peaches), Dream Theater and ex-October Project singer, Fahl, showcased here. Like William’s version (above) the dark, introspective mood is retained, but the voice, not the guitar provides the star turn.

Doves – M62 Song: This ‘adaptation’ of King Crimson‘s Moonchild by Salford’s arty indie rockers dispenses with the extended noodling of the original to focus on the gorgeous, haunting melody. It was recorded under a flyover bridge of the motorway of the title, and you can hear the traffic in the background. I don’t knowif Bob Fripp has heard this but as one of his generation’s true progressives I’d wager he’d approve of the liberty taken with the source material.

Locust – Master & Servant: When Depeche Mode named their 6th album Music For The Masses they intended irony, yet this was one of the pivotal records that made tinkly ’80s synth pop into the new stadium rock. Here, Locust (aka English electronic musician Mark Van Hoen) takes their quirky S&M dance hit back to the lounge. This song was released on the 1998 DM tribute album For The Masses, featuring artists as diverse as The Smashing Pumpkins, Rammstein, The Cure, Monster Magnet and Deftones paying homage to their influence.

Susanna and the Magical Orchestra – Subdivisions: probably the biggest ‘cult’ act in the world, Rush are known for their uncompromising songwriting, top drawer musical chops and hardcore fan following. The core line-up of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart has remained stable since 1974, during which time they’ve weathered personal tragedy and changing musical climes to sell 40 million albums and gain plaudits from – generally better known – fellow musicians as diverse as Metallica, The Smashing Pumpkins, Manic Street Preachers and Foo Fighters. But if you’re not a fan you probably only know The Spirit Of Radio, at a pinch. They’ve long since abandoned their ‘prog’ roots and Dungeons & Dragons approach to lyrics, but have always remained ‘progressive’ in the best way, taking note of developments in pop music and assimilating them without adhering to any particulat trend. Subdivisions comes from their ’80s period – my favourite – where their sound was synth-heavy and cribbed licks and accents from New Wave, Funk and Reggae. Bear that in mind when you hear this low-key, ethereal, lo-fi Scandi pop interpretation from Susanna Karolina Wallumrød and Morten Qvenild.

 

Thanks to Matt and the Metal State crew for inspiring this post. T.B.C.