80s
RobotSound Covers The Originals
Submitted by dr™ on February 18, 2010 - 7:46pm.Continuing with the current theme of Cover Tunes (though I promise not to subject you to 50 this time), today I present a twist on the subject; Instead of going yet again with today's cover versions, I'm going to venture back a few decades to bring you the original source material. Just as today's artists are looking for their inspirations from songs of the 80s (and soon to be 90s), some of my adolescent and young adult favorites were inspired by songs of the 60s and 70s, drawing heavily from Glam and Northern Soul.
So without further ado, I give you RobotSound Presents the Originals, a playlist of the past. I encourage you to post your own forgotten originals in the comments (staying away from the obvious choices, of course).
Disclaimer: A few tracks are indeed covers themselves, but I felt they should still be included since they retained the feel of an original and could easily be mistaken for one.
RS™ Presents I <3 The 80s Vol. 4: The Unnecessary Covers Edition
Submitted by dr™ on August 23, 2009 - 10:37pm.It's time once again for RobotSound's next installment of I <3 The 80s, only this time...it's personal. No actually, I'm showcasing 80s covers that didn't really need to be made. So as not to make this a total downer of a post, I'm also including a few worthy versions that earn this robot's Seal of Approval.
[For those of you who may have missed our previous episodes: Part 1 > Part 2 > Part 3]
Even though we're 20 years out from the final year of the 80s, they're still very much with us as evidenced both by the milestone deaths of Michael Jackson and John Hughes and the continuing bad hipster fashion of the day. I keep rediscovering songs of the era that still hold up to this day, unlike much of today's "Flavor of the Week" garbage. The following tracks just go to show that you can try to emulate the greatness of yesteryear, but your best bet is often to simply leave well enough alone and let the originals speak for themselves.
Cazals - To Cut A Long Story Short
Faithful cover of the Spandau Ballet hit that doesn't bring much new to the game. If this were for a band karaoke contest, it would be good enough to propel the band to the next round, I suppose.
The Visitors - Our Lips Are Sealed
Saccharine Electro House version that will have you bored by the end of the track. Don't bother with Nouvelle Vague's recent take on it either (even if Terry Hall sings on it). Do yourself a favor and get the Fun Boy 3 12" and watch this great sounding live clip. The gothed-out cellist at 2:21 ftw!
Moby - New Dawn Fades
Sorry Moby, you're not at all right for a Joy Division song, no matter how big a fanboy of theirs you were. Boring Vegan Emo crap. Zzzzz....
Shiny Toy Guns - Major Tom (Coming Home)
Apparently, most people have heard this one in a Lincoln commercial. Maybe the advertisers figured that if they hired some hot young band to cover a classic 80s song, they'd win some street cred with Generation Hipster. Shiny Toy Guns also bear responsibility for their unnecessary cover of DM's Stripped. I think these guys are desperately trying not to be One-Hit Wonders.
Paris Hilton - Do You Think I'm Sexy
No, Paris, we don't think you're sexy. The correct term is skanky (though from a Marketing perspective, you're a fooking genius). Oddly enough, there's no corresponding video for this song. For a better, and far sleazier cover, enjoy this version from those Revolting Cocks. (Warning: Might be a tad awkward for work). Queen of Japan turn in a good rendition of it as well.
KMFDM - Being Boiled
NOOOOOOO!!!!!! Why?!?! There is NO need for this. You probably won't make it all the way through this one. Sadly, nothing in life is sacred any longer.
Nethescerial - The Robots
Black Metal jackassery of the highest order. You're douchebags, not robots! For the polar opposite of this offal, dig this modern classical take from Quintorigo that's reminiscent of the one by the Balanescu Quartet.
Kelly Osbourne - Two of Hearts
Don't f**k with Stacey, Jeezus! I mean, what's the point really?
/shakes head disapprovingly
For a more respectable remake, try Annie's, although it too is unnecessary.
Obama-nation
Submitted by zombiebot on January 19, 2009 - 11:11pm.For those karaoke-bots:
Hit the Pause button, then press Play at :32 into the video
Friday Night Videos
Submitted by dr™ on January 9, 2009 - 11:27am.Time once again for some visual accompaniment to recent posts. It would be a crime to let your eyes get bored while your ears get all the action.
Sparks - All You Ever Think About Is Sex
Adam Ant - Desperate Bot Not Serious
Billy Idol - Flesh For Fantasy
Dead Or Alive - That's The Way (I Like It)
Bow Wow Wow - Do You Wanna Hold Me?
Flashback Friday
Submitted by dr™ on October 24, 2008 - 4:43am.Scott Goddard - Cowpunk
Wide Boy Awake - Come Back Friday
Altered Images - Insects
Tim Scott - Swear
Kim Wilde - Cambodia
The Human League - Rock 'n' Roll
Ministry - Same Old Madness
Fad Gadget - Coitus Interruptus
Grauzone - Eisbaer
Psyche - Unveiling The Secret
Strawberry Switchblade - Jolene
Psychic TV - Godstar
RS™ presents I <3 The 80s Vol. 3
Submitted by dr™ on July 23, 2008 - 4:35pm.It's time once again to revisit that wonderful decade which, besides questionable fashion choices, gave us, in my opinion, some of the most innovative music of our lifetimes: The 80s. As you know from previous posts (Vol. 1, Vol. 2), this robot tends to enjoy cover songs from this particular time period. Not only do they make for nice trips down memory lane, but they intertwine your memories of the past with the modernized noises of the moment, while validating your particular musical tastes.
Our first selection is the lead-off track from the just-released Bowie tribute compilation, Life Beyond Mars. Performed by the lovely and talented girls of Au Revoir Simone, Oh! You Pretty Things originally appeared on Sir David's 1981 LP, ChangesTwoBowie. Other artists trying their hand at The Thin White Duke's catalog include Joakim, Matthew Dear, Susumu Yokota and The Emperor Machine.
Au Revoir Simone - Oh! You Pretty Things
Track two comes to us via the French "bodypop" trio known as Celluloide. Originally released by Sushi & her Banshees back in 1980 (!), this tune can be summed up thusly: Quirky, analogue bleeps and beats with goth-y undertones = Happy robots dancing in the shadows.
Celluloide - Happy House
Now is when we crank it up several notches (to 11) by going with Cursor Miner's version of Van Halen's Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love. Technically not an 80's cover (the original saw its debut on Van Halen's eponymous LP in 1978), it still retains that trashy, metal vibe of early 80s Sunset Strip.
Cursor Miner - Ain't Talkin About Love
Getting grungier still, we progress to a cover of a cover with Electronicat's interpretation of Soft Cell's Tainted Love. Fred Bigot (aka Electronicat) gets double bonus points for changing the vocals to French (the language of love) and fuzzing out to the max (tainting, if you will) the melody. Akin to watching Pier Pasolini's Salò.
Electronicat - Amour Salé
The first of two songs on this list penned by his Purple Highness, this one came out during the height of the Electrocla$h frenzy, on Larry Tee's Badd Inc.: Luxury, Excess, Extravagance comp. Featuring a gay, robotic Prince (judging from the name of this artist).
Prance - Controversy
More Siouxsie, more guitars/synths run through the fuzzbox, more detached android vocals, lyrics about chicken chow mein and chop suey...
HKC - Hong Kong Garden
Co-founder of XLOVER, Bryan Black (also of MOTOR) used to be Prince's keyboard tech back in Paisley Park's heyday. This one features a guest appearance from yet another sexy member of the royal family, Princess Superstar.
XLOVER - Darling Nikki
Living In The 80s
Submitted by dr™ on May 5, 2008 - 3:59pm.Since it's clear that I've been stuck in the 20th century for the last couple months, here's an A - Z of 80s videos so that maybe I can purge this inexplicable nostalgia and return to present-day existence. I tried to find live performances or "alternate" versions when available so that you're not stuck watching the same clips that have been in rotation on music video channels for the last 20-30 years.
ABC - Look of Love
Blancmange - Blind Vision
Captain Sensible - Wot
Devo - That's Good
Ēbn-Ōzn - AEIOU Sometimes Y
Falco - Der Kommissar
Go Gos - We Got The Beat
The Human League - Being Boiled
Irene Cara - What A Feeling
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey & Inside Me
Kraftwerk - Heimcomputer
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Head To Toe
Midnight Star - Operator
New Order - Love Vigilantes
OMD - Electricity
Pete Burns - You Spin Me Round
Stacey Q - Two Of Hearts
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
Sparks - Cool Places
Tones On Tail - Go!
Ultravox - Sleepwalk
Visage - The Anvil
Kim Wilde - Kids In America
Trans X - Living On Video
Yazoo - Don't Go
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'
