Great Covers Volume 1

Cover versions of songs can be simply wonderful or horrible for many reasons. And then there are the ones that are just cool that they happened. Like this one.....

When the revamped Smashing Pumpkins played a show in Melbourne Australia in 2008, they busted out a killer cover of unsung hometown heroes The Church's "Reptile". I love this not just because The Church are one of my all time favorite bands, but with as much great original material Billy Corgan can play, he choose to honor a band that really deserves it.

Give this a listen below:

The Smashing Pumpkins-Reptile (The Church)

You Say You Want a Revolution.....

So I'm back to reality after a week at Disney World. What a trip that place is! If I didn't get such joy out of seeing my kids look so happy, I would have gone postal by the second day.....

So what did I miss in the world of pop-culture while I was gone?

1. Joaquin Phoenix was uber-weird on the David Letterman show
2. Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performed two amazing benefit shows in Chicago
3. All four original Jane's Addiction member's played together in LA
4. U2 and Neko Case's new albums leaked (both excellent)

But the absolute highlight has to be the leak of an unreleased 11 minute version of The Beatles' "Revolution". No one knows where this came from yet, but this was apparently recorded during sessions from May 30, 31 and June 4. It basically sounds like a mash-up of the released tracks "Revolution #1" and "Revolution #9", but it's undeniably more interesting then either of them.

Hear it for yourself below:

I'm Going to Disney World!

No, really...I'm going to Disney World tomorrow for a week. Family trip. And while I'm feeling the guilt and self-loathing of vacationing while millions have lost their jobs; you can enjoy these great musical clips.....

Hang in there everyone.

Radiohead Stun the Grammy's

I'm not sure if it was the fact that the 2009 Grammy awards were so freaking horrible, or the fact that Radiohead are so freaking great, but Radiohead left me sitting there with my mouth open last night.

Playing the track "15 Steps" with the USC marching band was nothing short of pure genius. Take that Coldplay!

Click here to check it out:

Neil Young and Devo?!

So in 1982, Neil Young co-directed and stared in a movie called "Human Highway". It also featured Dennis Hopper, future "Twin Peaks" Doctor-Russ Tamblyn, and Devo. Yes.....Devo.

The whole film is a complete mess but worth the viewing just to see that they actually made the thing. And this clip of Neil and Devo rocking "My My, Hey Hey" may be the strangest 9 minutes in rock and roll history. I know I couldn't turn it off....


Neil Young & Devo

Entire Film-"Human Highway"

Loudon Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'

Economy getting you down? Well, the amazing songwriter Loudon Wainwright III feels your pain. And in classic folk style, he's written a new song about it which he played for NPR. It sure brightened my day a bit.

Listen here.

Solo Tweedy

So Wilco frontman extraordinaire Jeff Tweedy is out in the cold midwest playing some solo shows. Besides playing the killer Wilco songbook and some inspired covers, Jeff also broke out a couple of great new tunes. We can only assume the new tracks will be on the forthcoming 2009 Wilco release. Once again, we can enjoy them thanks to the magic of You Tube.

Solitaire


Everlasting Everything


Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead)


Wilco:The Song

Thundercrack!

In honer of Bruce Springsteen being my only reason to watch the Super Bowl, here is one to remind you how far he's come. This is amazing....