Cover songs in metal-Observations
I have ranted on about cover songs before here. This time I just wanted to throw out a few observations about who to and not to cover.
The top three hard rock/metal acts to cover. Now this doesn't mean everyone can pull off covering these acts. However these are three of the most covered acts in metal and hard rock and with good reason.
1-AC/DC-So many bands cover AC/DC. Why? Because they are classic or because their music is easy to play? Some of both, but the second factor probably wins out. Not too difficult to cover.
2-KISS-Same reasons to cover as with AC/DC. Again many covers of their songs turn out well because they are very simple to play.
3-Black Sabbath-Certainly more difficult to cover than the above two, but another very popular act to cover. Many acts do target their more basic tracks to cover. Not a bad choice for a heavier act to tackle.
Top three hard rock/metal acts not to cover or you need to be pretty skilled to cover these guys
1-Iron Maiden-You have to have some guts and a whole lot of talent to take on covering a Maiden song. This isn't KISS, you can't fake or fill your way through a Maiden song. I do find it interesting that most bands that cover Maiden tend to cover Dianno era-Maiden. Is that because they love that period of that band so much or because their singer can handle Paul's vocals easier than they can Bruce's vocals? I would say it's the second one.
2-Led Zeppelin- Like with Maiden, you can't just wing covering Zeppelin. Fans know these songs by heart and you hit something weak in a cover it will be enough to make fans turn it off. As with Maiden I think bands frequently choose some of their more simple songs to take on.
3-Alice Cooper (anything they did between 1971 and 1974)-This one may sound like a strange choice because this band was not nearly as skilled of players as Maiden or Zeppelin. However they played offbeat quirky music that you can't just pick up and convey by merely reading the sheet music and hoping it works out. There was a certain feel to Alice's music during this time that's not easy to cover.
***Feel free to add your own thoughts about cover songs.
Labels: cover songs
posted by Metal Mark at
6:22 PM
5 Comments:
I thought Ministry's cover of AC/DC's Thunderstruck turned out pretty well. And their cover of Black Sabath's Supernaut is a classic. That said, I hope Uncle Al has the need to do covers worked out of his system by now...
I kinda dig how Children of Bodom cover Britney Spears and Eddie Murphy and stuff like that. Makes me laugh.
I'm probably the only person who likes Megadeth's messed up cover of "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and that is ok. I have yet to hear an Iron Maiden cover that was better than average. Certainly not a hard rock or metal group but the Ramones are a fun group to cover and I have heard some wicked versions. Oh, what did you think of Nuclear Assault's cover of "Godd Times Bad Times" then Mark? I always thought it was funny/goofy and yet I related better to their version than the original if only because N. Assault were never so full of themselves!
Andy-I was thinking of NA when I noted that bands pick simpler Zeppelin tracks to cover. Then again Dark Angel covered "Immigrant Song" and did a great job at it by putting their own sound on it.
I like a few covers here and there that are completely different to the originals, like Damone's cover of Iron Maiden's Wasted Years, and Anathema's cover of Bad Religion's Better Off Dead. And I also like Gamma Ray's version of the Pet Shop Boys' It's A Sin.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home