jungleland2

Can a “Cool” Cover Band Really Exist?

Jan 052010

An article in the New York Times got me thinking about cover bands and the love/hate relationship I have with them (as a music fan and as a musician who likes to play songs I have created). Check it out here.

My band, The Luxury Kings, are not getting gigs much anymore. Our fans are now 35-45 and have kids, live in the suburbs, and don’t go to see bands too often. The band members themselves are finding themeselves in the same situation (with kids or kids on the way, not getting out to see bands much…).

We are considering having an “alter-ego” band that plays all cover songs so we can gig out 1-2 times a month on a Friday or Saturday and not have to beg people we know to get a babysitter and drive 20 miles to see us. Playing blues used to be the way to do this here (Atlanta) but the blues scene has dried up with nearly all of the clubs closing in the last 2 years (and the same 20 bands looking for a gig at three places that are about to close as well). Sports bars are our only hope…

Here is my question: Is there a way to put together a “cool” cover band?

Where do “cool song,” “song I can stand to play,” “song that girls will dance to,” and “cover songs that will get you booked” intersect?

Some of it is me, If I was a big Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews, and Maroon 5 fan I could make this work. I’m not, and I will not play the “Margaritaville”/”Brown-Eyed Girl”/”Old Time Rock and Roll”/”Sweet Home Alabama” stuff…no way.

I came up with a few songs that fit my critera. I am open to suggestions and or advice. (I need 30 or so to make a set list.) Continue reading »

Best of the ’00s

Posted by jungleland2

Dec 302009

OK, what’ve you got, jungleland2?

I’ll admit it. I read Rolling Stone…often. Kinda like how I watch Saturday Night Live – in hopes that it will once again be what it was back in the day (or how it was in my mind at least).

I took a look at their Top 100 records of the decade (January 1, 2000-December 15, 2009) and I have to say, I had a very diferent decade musically. I’m sure we all have.

Following is my Top 30 for this decade. No Best of records, no live records, no box sets, no lost albums, no reissues.
Continue reading »

Words That Come Back to Haunt

Posted by jungleland2

Dec 242009

Rolling Stone online has a look back at Top 10 lists from the 2000s.

This one has to be the one that will haunt them:

Year 2001,
#3 Mick Jagger
GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY Virgin

“There’s not a weak track on Goddess in the Doorway…”

That beats my 1995 statement that Techno/Jungle will be the new direction for classic Rock ‘n Roll artists in the 1990s (only David Bowie took me up on this).

Anyone have any words that have come back to haunt them?

Is Your Favorite Relationship Song All “Junk Food?”

Posted by jungleland2

Dec 022009

Healthy Hannah!

BOSTON — An initiative to encourage healthy teen relationships says songs by Jamie Foxx and Lady Gaga are the musical equivalent of junk food.

A teen panel working with the Boston Public Health Commission has determined that their songs are among the top 10 with “unhealthy relationship ingredients.”

The commission on Tuesday released its list based on a “nutrition label” rating popular songs on healthy relationship themes.

To see the rest of this story, click here.

This study is pretty stupid, but I thought we could have fun with it by including songs hits and non-hits from all genres and all years.

My vote is for “The One I Love,” by REM, or “I Used To Love Her,” by Guns & Roses, as the Junkiest Musical Junk Food
Continue reading »

How Did This LP Get Away?

Posted by jungleland2

Nov 242009

I was looking through a boxes of burned CDs looking for something (can’t even remember WHAT I was looking for) and found the CD of Martin Newell‘s Greatest Living Englishman. It’s been easily 10+ years since I listened to this disc (maybe because it was in with my “junk” cds and not in it’s proper case…and also then did not make the great migration to the iPod in 2005).

I played it this moring and thought “How Did This LP Get Away?”

Do any Townspeople have a CD/LP/cassette that you totally forgot about, found, and wondered how you let it get away?

I Believe in…Last Man Standing

Posted by jungleland2

Nov 132009

After a marathon REM CD-A-Thon last weekend (aka many hours working in the garden w/my iPod boom box) The song “I Believe” from Lifes Rich Pageant jumped to the front of the pack. (I never considered this song one of their best or one of my favorites until now.)

I especially like the line “I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract”

and later … “I believe my throat hurts”

So my Last Man Standing Challenge is: Songs with “I Believe” in the title or a line in the song.

What if I told you I prefer this mash-up to either song on it’s own?

Posted by jungleland2

Aug 182009

I was recently accused of being the Townsperson with the worst taste in music by E. Pluribus (something that he even “respected” in some way)

This post will certainly condemn me to this “highest of honors” (and maybe a .38 Special Box Set?, some Billy Joel bootlegs? A picture disc of Mick Jagger’s She’s The Boss?)

Ok, here it goes…..

I PREFER this mash-up to either song on it’s own

Ignore the video after the 1st watch and then based on the MUSIC tell me why this sum is not greater than it’s parts.

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