In The Trashcan
Records GEM038
"From Paint It Black to Surf City and Help: it
never sounds like the original...Not always a bad
sign..."
A female version of "Paint it black" is always welcome. This comes from their second single of five, all released between 1979 and 1981. For their first single, see the next volume.
A 1980 Beatles cover released on Stiff Records by a New Jersey guitar band that started in the heyday of punk. Hard to recognize the original and yet it's a terrific version.
This Beatles cover remained unreleased until 2003, when September Gurls put it out on a splitsingle with Surf Trio. Recorded in 1999.
Rikki Sylvan and four friends decided to kill a Stones song, but it's not a bad attempt after all. In 1978, when the first wave of punk had already died, their record label released three 45s and an album, but it didn't sell, so Rikki was disillusioned and the band broke up. Oh, they were also known as Rikki Sylvan and the Last Days.
Voodoo Rhythm Records is owned by The Monsters' frontman Beatman. They are the masters of the psychobilly, garage and trash rock cocktail. The first time I heard this 1995 Rolling Stones cover version, it blew me away. I never played with fire since.
A lot of UK punk bands played Beatles songs, but I can't recall any that's so bad as this one. And you know the rule: sometimes it's so bad it's oh so good. Think of it as a joke, as a statement. One year later John Lennon was killed. A 1979 Polydor release on the flipside of "Questions and answers".
"Drive my car" in French to kill each and every Beatles fan. Amazing transformation of a classic. The first five years Stereo Total managed to turn pop standards into their own crazy creations. This EP is the perfect proof. A Sheep release from 1998.
Recorded in 1992 by New York garage combo The Ultra 5, formed by Bob Urh in 1987; yet it remained unreleased until the 21st century, thanks to Tryptic Records. Drummer Ken Anderson came from The Optic Nerve. On vol 55 you'll find another song from this EP.
On vol 8 you'll find "Seen the light", one of the four tracks on this double-7" on the Arista label from 1984. It's an amazing goth version of The Rolling Stones' classic tune from 1967.
Oh, such irony to cover The Beatles' "Help" on the very first UK punk 45 in 1976. Stiff Records put this on the B-side of "New Rose". Great punk version.
New wave pop cover of a Beatles tune by these Belgian youngsters of Scooter in 1981. It's the flipside of their best known song, "You", although I assume nobody knows it outside of Belgium.
They've existed for about 8 years and reached the indie top in 1987. Then it faded away year after year. Still I like this peculiar Stones tribute from 1988, a B-side of "Fall down like the rain" on Blue Guitar Records.
Unbelievably strong punk version of The Beatles' classic tune, released in 1979 on the Paradox label. They hailed from New York City.
Recorded for the television programme "Play at home" for Channel Four in 1984. Ian McCullouch never denied being a Beatles fan.
The masters of the distortion wall of guitars really killed "Surf city" with this cover version of the Beach Boys classic, which was the 1992 B-side of their version of "Surfin' USA", another Beach Boys standard.
If you enjoyed what Stereo Total did to "Drive my car", you'll be amazed by this rendition of "California sun". Pure genius!
