Anyway, for the second straight post I'm taking a page from CC's playbook. I only own one of those Uncut compilations that pop up so often at the always entertaining Charity Chic Music, and this is it: 'Starman: Rare and Exclusive Versions of 18 Classic David Bowie Songs' came out with issue #3 in 2003. Like all of these collections, there are plenty of standouts... and some misses as well. Songs 1, 4 and 6 were recorded exclusively for this disc, and you will be familiar with many of the others. Here is the tracklist:
1. Ian McCulloch - The Prettiest Star
2. Culture Club - Starman
3. Guy Chadwick - Fall In Love With Me
4. Edwyn Collins - The Gospel According To Tony Day
5. The Divine Comedy - Life On Mars
6. Alejandro Escovedo - All The Young Dudes (Live)
7. Midge Ure - The Man Who Sold The World
8. The Associates - Boys Keep Swinging
9. Big Country - Cracked Actor
10. Peter Murphy - Funtime
11. The Polecats - John, I'm Only Dancing
12. Blondie - Heroes
13. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Rebel Rebel
14. Duran Duran - Fame
15. The Gourds - Ziggy Stardust
16. The Langley Schools Music Project - Space Oddity
17. Christian Death - Panic In Detroit
18. Black Box Recorder - Rock'n'Roll Suicide
What would you like to hear? Let me know below. I'll post the top three vote-getters at the end of the week. This one isn't from the Uncut collection, but here is one of my favorite covers of this ilk. Listen to the always discernible voice of Nico while casting your vote (or votes). Happy Monday! Now stop hanging around below my balcony... all of you. Show's over.
"Heroes"
14 comments:
There's some good tracks on this, the Ian McCulloch song follows the original phrasing so closely it sounds like Mac is singing along in the shower. But the best track, the one you need to hear if you haven't already, is Rock n Roll Suicide by Black Box Recorder. Wonderful.
There's some good tracks on this, the Ian McCulloch song follows the original phrasing so closely it sounds like Mac is singing along in the shower. But the best track, the one you need to hear if you haven't already, is Rock n Roll Suicide by Black Box Recorder. Wonderful.
BBR worth it for the 'hidden track'! I also really like the Edwyn Collins and The Langley Schools Music Project.
If one scrolls down to December 2012 there are two really fun Bowie covers comps here:
http://rightsideofagoodthing.blogspot.com
Although I am more a Ziggy Bowie fan than any of his other personas I always rather enjoy a very dramatic upside down or reimagining of any classic song. Big Country doing "Cracked Actor" sounds like it might be. Ha! Or Alejandro Escovedo's "All The Young Dudes". Cool.
Somewhere in the stratosphere Robyn Hitchcock shows lots of Bowielove with live covers of "Life on Mars" and "Song for BobDylan". You don't even have to hear that to know it's already a good idea!
Wham bam! Thank you man!
Some I would love to hear, and some that on the surface of it sound like they could be truly dreadful (Culture Club, Christian Death, Midge Ure, Duran friggin Duran). Almost feel like they should be heard purely for that fact. Apart from the DD one, a band that should be banished to a labour camp, oh Great Leader.
Personally, I'd like to hear the Big Country one and the Guy Chadwick one. I promise to be your dutiful servant.
Brian,thanks for the kind words.
I'm going for All the Young Dudes by Alejandro Escovedo after witnessing him perform this live in the Continental Club in Austin with Chuck Prophet in tow.One of the musical high spots of my life.
I also have a bit of a soft spot for The Polecats.
I think I may have this and if so these two may well feature on my Saturday slot
I featured this very CD over at my place once upon a long ago. Back then I selected Edwyn's 'Gospel According To Tony Day', an interpretation that really opened my eyes to the song, so I'll stick with that as my choice.
My fave Bowie cover of recent years has to be Mozza's histrionic take on 'Drive-In Saturday'.
Hi Brian,
I would like to hear The Langley Schools Music Project - Space Oddity .
I get curious :-)
Duran Duran for me please!
No... I'm joking... although I don't *hate* them and I did once work with Simon LeBon's cousin who was a very nice chap and rather gorgeous too. But I'd like to hear the Polecats, because like CC I have a bit of a soft spot for them - and I have a particularly soft spot for that song.
Brian, please NOT The Associates, it's terrible. I'd like The Divine Comedy's cover of Life on Mars.
Edwyn Collins please...because I haven't heard it and it's Edwyn..
For me, the best 3 tracks on this compilation - and there are quite a few good ones - are, in this order:
3. Black Box Recorder - Rock 'N' Roll Suicide
2. Ian McCulloch - The Prettiest Star
1. The Divine Comedy - Life On Mars
Honorable Mention, and possibly tied for 3rd - Edwin Collins - The Gospel According To Tony Day.
Later Bowie covers of note - Marc Almond - The London Boys, After All - Billie Ray Martin, Charilift - Always Crashing The Same Car.
Thank you, everyone. I'll save my comments for the post later in the week. Some interesting suggestions here.
Would love to hear the Culture Club and Blondie tracks.
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