This edition in the Covered With Soul series might be one of the best so far. Here we have covers of songs better known by Free, The Rolling Stones, The Young Rascals, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Stephen Stills, Bobby Hebb, The Carpenters, Matt Monro, James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Blood Sweat & Tears, The Bee Gees, The Box Tops, Joe Cocker (covering The Beatles), Gil Scott-Heron, Judy Garland, Frankie Valli, and Nat 'King' Cole. Some of these versions rework the songs so thoroughly, one might imagine they have always been soul songs. Just check out what [...]
Banging edit of this Neil Young cover by the man Scrimshire . His band plays a live show at The Garage in Islington on May 25th supporting United Vibrations and the Hackney Colliery Band. DJing are Jazzanova alongside Part-Time Heroes and Dom Servini and the newest Wah Wah family member DJ Konvex.
Where do broken hearts go? And rising stars? Where do they land after they flame out and plummet, well before entering supernova stage? I ask myself this question whenever I catch old movies or TV shows from my childhood starring attractive people I never saw again. Or each time my iPod lands on a song by an artist who never got around to producing much more. Years ago in New York City (1996, to be exact), I went on a double date to a cabaret show called "20th Century Pop" that featured [...]
As I conduct interviews with artists and producers who were affiliated with or influenced by Organized Noize as part of the promo campaign for my "Best of" mixtape, one song [...]
We reach a decade of Covered With Soul mixes with interpretations of songs better known in versions by the Mamas and the Papas, Rolling Stones, Randy Newman, The Righteous Brothers, Brook Benton, Ben E King (or Shirley Bassey), Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, The Shirelles, Frankie Laine, Frankie Valli, Jimmy Cliff, Blood Sweat & Tears, Bob Dylan, Chicken Shack (or the late Etta James), Kris Kristofferson, Gil Scott-Heron, Carpenters, Doobie Brothers, Bread and Abba. Even if you are a casual observer of soul music, you will know at least one voice here among the lesser known singers: Dorothy [...]
Merry Clayton: Bridge Over Troubled Water [purchase] Despite recording six studio albums of her own (the first four of which are very much worth owning), and working with both Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd (which I find amusing considering their Southern Man / Sweet Home Alabama rivalry), Merry Clayton is still best known for providing the soaring vocals on The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter . Perhaps less known is that in 1970 she released her very own version on her debut [...]
23 March, 2011 Having only previously witnessed Ray playing solo, I enter the venue with expectations firmly rooted in my mind as to what the show would contain, a one man circus of rock and roll swagger mixed with a '20s vaudeville style theatricality, kind of like a cross between Mick Jagger and Eddie Cantor . Tonight however, Ray is accompanied by brother Eric on guitar, making up The Ray Edwards Group , and playing to a capacity crowd; expectations are obviously high for this (as of now) unsigned act and they pull it [...]
Heard Merry Clayton's blistering version of 'Gimme Shelter' on the wireless over the weekend. Thought I'd alert your ears to it if you are not already familiar. From the LP of the same name . C'est magnifique. Merry Clayton- Gimme Shelter
Did you hear that? That was the sound of Martin Scorcese losing his collective consciousness. Dangerous Minds has posted the component tracks of one of their key songs, " Gimme Shelter ," from 1969's Let it Bleed album. It is of course, the song Scorcese uses in just about every single movie he's ever made (no? It just feels that way? Oh sorry Marty.). Anyways, head over there to hear all the isolated tracks. Above you can listen to the vocal harmonies between Mick Jagger and Merry Clayton, which [...]
Reposting from last week: Merry Clayton (backing vox on Gimme Shelter) releases her own version in 1970.
I'm re-posting Merry Clayton's version of the Stones "Gimme Shelter" for a couple of reasons. Primarily because I've been completely mesmerized by this recent post, over at Dangerous Minds, going over the various isolated tracks used in the studio while cutting "Gimme Shelter" for Let It Bleed. As if the song weren't haunting enough as [...]
Finally we have all the details (artwork, tracklisting, collaborations, preview) for Aeroplane's long-awaited debut album and so...we can fly. Au Revoir Simone, Merry Clayton, Sky Ferreira, Nicolas Kerr (Poni Hoax) and Jonathan Jeremiah are among the guest artists contributing to the forthcoming LP, out on September 6th via Wall Of Sound. Tracklist: 01. Mountains of Moscow 02. We Can`t Fly 03. Superstar 04. London Bridge 05. I Don't Feel 06. Without Lies 07. The Point Of No Return [...]
FROM THE ARCHIVES Merry Clayton - Tell All The People Original air-date: 1/30/2007. Words & music by Robbie Krieger. Paul Humphrey on drums.
Generally I'm wary of cover versions, especially if the song being covered is already well known in its original form or is otherwise identified with a particular artist. There is not much you can do to improve on, say, Bridge Over Troubled Water other than to strip the song down and rework it completely. Not many artists have succeeded in doing so. But for an example of how a well-known song can be totally reworked, one might look to Otis Redding's version of Try A Little Tenderness ( originally recorded by Bing Crosby ). Or listen to what Donny Hathaway [...]
We tore off the wood paneling with the claw end of our hammers, revealing glue and caulking and old clean wood underneath. We're gonna have to repaint all of this or put up wallpaper. The realtor advised us to repaint, claiming that it would be more profitable. "Wallpaper's the 90's answer to wood paneling - as ugly and annoying, but less durable and harder to get rid of." Merry Clayton: Southern Man Neil Young smothered.
We've all heard those amazing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones' song "Gimme Shelter." Those backing vocals were from the great Merry Clayton. Merry has a long and storied career in pop music though. In the early 60's, she was one of Ray Charles' Raelettes. She recorded tracks with Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, and the Superemes, among many others. She has made a handful of her own albums and appeared on many soundtracks, but her best work was from her own records in the early 70's. Mary's best moment of her career would come a year after she [...]
The deaf, dumb and blind boy is 40 years old this summer! And to commemorate this unforgettable event, Ode Records presents the London Symphony Orchestra joined by The Who and other distinguished guests performing this classic album. Considered the first album to be recognized as a "Rock opera," Tommy is celebrating its 40th with [...]
REMEMBER! MP3s ARE FOR SAMPLING ONLY! IF YOU LIKE THE MUSIK THEN BUY IT! OH yeah, it's 4/20. Weed? Not for me but some people like it so here is the best marijuana song: Burn One Down - Ben Harper So, you guys need, need, NEED to see this video now. It's amazing. It's so amazing that I will watch again just because I told you guys to. ::watches video. dies laughing:: Hilarious. I must warn you. Not for the faint of [...]
Before the end of the year is upon us, there's time for one more installment on a New Orleans female R&B artist. One of my favorite New Orleans vocalists, Merry Clayton ( whose birthday will be here soon), is a special case for several reasons. While she has roots in the city, she has remained an outsider during the course of her career, never recording there. The only work she has done with a New Orleans producer that I know of was when she sang back-up on Allen Toussaint's first solo album, which [...]
Any Major Dude With Half A Heart
Proper Songs
THEME FOR GREAT CITIES
The Smoking Section
Cover Me
Star Maker Machine
Muso's Guide
Just Press Play
The Sly Oyster
Glorious Noise
An Aquarium Drunkard
Last Gas Station
Art Decade
I Want That Purple Stuff
Salty Salutes
The Daily Rind
breakfast, lunch -n- dinner
Home of the Groove
Music Singles Chart #109
Family of the Year - "Diversity"
I’ll Just Leave This Here #161
Young Jeezy – Go (Ft. YG & E-40)
