Rapid Fire: King Crimson, Rob Zombie, Horisont

I know I said I was gonna do Living The Dream - Uriah Heep in a Rapid Fire post but that can wait; we've got three albums with spooky looking album covers to discuss, starting with this Proggy waste of time!

1. In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson

I've always found this album cover to be kinda off-putting so it definitely belongs in this Rapid Fire post, especially if you imagine the contorted face of horror is reacting to a spooky ghost or something. I'll tell you something else as well; this album is NOT an easy find online. However, after searching for each song, I listened to the entire thing and can confirm that I absolutely wasted my time. This album is shit. It's worse than shit; it's long, drawn-out, pretentious, tedious, over-inflated, noisy shit. However, if there's one type of shit it isn't, it's pointless shit.
Whilst I despise every song on this godawful record, from wacky album opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" to horrific masturbation "The Court Of The Crimson King", it's a necessary evil in the world of music because this turd masquerading as "art" inspired a myriad of much greater albums and bands. Hell, it arguably created the Prog Rock genre; we have Yes, Genesis, The Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Dream Theater, Rush, all manner of great bands who had the sense to realise you could make something long-winded and grand without sounding like something made when university students program laptop AI to make a 50 minute album.
This isn't one of those albums that you must listen to before you die; you get nothing out of it, presumably the reason why so many critics who should know better claim it's such a great album. If you don't feel anything, you're probably not getting it which means you're a stoopidhead so you better praise it to give yourself credibility. I wouldn't recommend In The Court Of The Emperor's New Clothes to anyone as it's nothing more than a misfire that happened to give us a great musical genre. If you do like this album, good for you. I don't think worse of you for liking this but nobody should think better of you either.

1. 21st Century Schizoid Man

2. I Talk To The Wind

3. Epitaph

4. Moonchild

5. The Court Of The Crimson King

ALBUM RATING - 1/10

2. Hellbilly Deluxe - Rob Zombie

This is probably more appropriate for a Halloween themed blog post, due to the deliberately scary album cover and music based off classic Horror films. This was Rob Zombie's first solo album after White Zombie and whilst the music still contains his typical sound of growling vocals, heavy riffs and thunderous percussion, Hellbilly Deluxe is definitely more of an Industrial record than Astro-Creep: 2000 or La Sexorcisto with more emphasis on synth-effects and repetitive structures than guitar solos and other traditional Rock aspects.

The album starts off with its three singles: "Superbeast", "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl", immediately setting the tone and putting its best foot forwards with three completely different yet consistently heavy tracks. Once these have finished, the album continues to knock down doors with its fine-tuned, well-crafted Dance Metal but by the second half of the record, you'll notice some of the tracks start to drag a little (despite being under five minutes long). It's always the risk when writing an album containing variations on the same song over and over again but at least the song this album is based off is a good one.
Hellbilly Deluxe has some great songs all contained within the first half but the entire album is perfect for background noise, particularly at Halloween parties or similar environments. This is essentially Rob Zombie's shtick; heavy Industrial Metal without complexity featuring old Horror film audio snippets and growling vocals, each track carrying a name that sounds like a Goosebumps title or alcoholic beverage served exclusively at a bar where you have to cover your lid if you want to make it home that night. If you like that kind of music, you definitely won't hate this album although I think anyone would be hard-pressed to love it unless this music truly is their jam.

1. Call Of The Zombie

2. Superbeast

3. Dragula

4. Living Dead Girl

5. Perversion 99

6. Demonoid Phenomenon

7. Spookshow Baby

8. How To Make A Monster

9. Meet The Creeper

10. The Ballad Of Resurrection Joe And Rosa Whore

11. What Lurks On Channel X?

12. Return Of The Phantom Stranger

13. The Beginning Of The End

ALBUM RATING - 6/10

3. About Time - Horisont

You might see this album cover and think this is a NWOTHM album containing music similar to Iron Maiden and Anthrax but you'd be dead wrong! Despite having a somewhat creepy looking cover, it's actually a modern album by a Swedish group inspired by 70s bands such as Thin Lizzy, UFO, Rory Gallagher and Blue Oyster Cult. The album's relatively easy going despite containing such a striking cover but even though they arguably stumbled at the very first hurdle, the rest of the record is a fantastic listen.

Album opener "The Hive" starts off a bit slow and gentle for a Rock album but when it gets going, my God does it get going. Great riffs, awesome vocals and perfect use of electric piano accompaniment to give us a top quality tune (even if it does rip-off "MacArthur Park" at one point in the solo). From there, the album pumps out great music that resembles an army of Frankenstein's monsters from 70s Rock bands, ready to get your foot stomping and head nodding. We get softer songs with an acoustic flair that break into something faster paced ("Letare"), fun tracks that blend the grand riffing of Queen with the galloping rhythm of Eddie Money ("Boston Gold") and a longer, more progressive title track that brings the album to a quiet close.
Recently, I criticised the Greta Van Fleet debut for sounding like a poor attempt at copying the Led Zeppelin sound. The difference between an album like Anthem Of The Peaceful Army and About Time can be summarised by this quote from Wilson Mizner: "If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism. If you steal from many, it's research". Greta Van Fleet's music was entirely driven by skin-deep comparisons to one band whereas Horisont have taken the best aspects of a whole variety of artists to craft something that sounds distinctly theirs. I definitely recommend this album to fans of Classic Rock, although don't expect anything as heavy as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin or the like. It still rocks but not enough to bring the house down; just a couple of loose pictures here & there.

1. The Hive

2. Electrical

3. Without Warning

4. Letare

5. Night Line

6. Point Of Return

7. Boston Gold

8. Hungry Love

9. Dark Sides

10. About Time

ALBUM RATING - 8/10

COMING SOON: Posts about the music from Spyro The Dragon...and maybe The Police.

Showdown: Homages/Rip Offs 6 - Video Game edition Level 2

Is the title confusing enough for you?
Basically, two years ago I wrote a blog post looking at similarities between 10 Rock/Metal songs and 10 video game tunes whilst offering my opinion on whether the latter piece of music was a knowing wink to the original, a surreptitious copy of an existing track or a pure coincidence. Well, I'm doing another one! I'll also be giving my verdict on which song I believe is better based on personal taste, which came first and which tune sounds more appropriate for its medium.
Listed in each round will be the band and video game franchise, followed by the specific song and level or piece of music from aforementioned video game. I'll try to mention the game and (if I can find the information online) composer for said piece of music. There won't be a Spotify playlist for this as most of the video game tunes won't be available but I will include links to the video game music for you to listen to, if you want to compare as you read.
Time for another brawl!

ROUND ONE: Mega Man vs. Ghost
Dr. Wily's Castle - The theme from the final level of Mega Man 2 (released 1988) was composed by Takashi Tateishi and is considered one of gaming's most iconic themes. It's been remixed countless times by YouTubers and professional video game composers and is a pretty damn awesome piece of a music from a game full of great tunes. The galloping rhythm and melody played throughout is the focus here. Remember how it sounds, although anyone who's heard this tune probably doesn't need to try too hard to recall the melody.
Miasma - This is easily my favourite song off the most recent Ghost album, Prequelle. It's an instrumental featuring heavy riffs, synth melodies and a saxophone solo. However, after the percussion kicks in, we get treated to a guitar solo followed by the synth one. After the synth solo, we get a second guitar solo that contains a galloping riff incredibly similar to the main melody from Dr. Wily's Castle. There are subtle differences but the overwhelming similarities are undeniable. However, it's still an incredible song from what will almost certainly be the best album of the year.
VERDICT - Considering it's one small part of a great song and Ghost don't strike me as a band wanting to cater to old school gamers, I don't think they intentionally copied the theme from Mega Man 2 or intended it as a homage. It's almost certainly coincidence so the question now is which tune do I think is better? It's a hard choice but I'm gonna give the win to Ghost due to the quality of the instrumentation. Full band will always beat 8-bit and that's a fact.

ROUND TWO: Black Sabbath vs. Spider-Man
The Mob Rules - There were two Black Sabbath songs I could've chosen for this blog post but in the end, I went with this one. It's the title track off the band's second album with Ronnie James Dio as the vocalist, notable for its great guitar riff played throughout the song. However, unlike previous entries, we're not just focusing on specific part of the original track here. We're focusing on the riff, the percussion, the pre-chorus melody and the guitar solo.
Boss Theme 3 - This is the third Boss Theme from Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage for the SNES, released in 1994. Composers Chris Jojo and Tony Williams must've been big fans of 80s Heavy Metal as the comparisons to this tune and the Black Sabbath one stack up more than quite possibly any other example in these video game posts. Quite possibly most shocking of all is that the game doesn't even credit Black Sabbath for pinching their song, although I suppose it's a lot easier to deny plagiarism if you don't own up to it.
VERDICT - Absolutely a rip-off. Not just a rip-off but one done as a shitty MIDI file. The win goes to Black Sabbath for creating the song, making it sound awesome and for not getting due credit...although if it were a fist fight, Spider-Man would definitely win.

ROUND THREE: Surfaris vs. Spongebob Squarepants
Wipe Out - A classic Surf Rock tune with an iconic guitar riff and 12-bar Blues structure. It's also notable for the rolling drumbeat in between the riffs...and the vocal introduction of manic laughter followed by the words "wipe out", although we don't need to worry about that here. If the name of the song or band wasn't a dead giveaway, the sound should immediately make you think of surfing and having fun on the beach. It's a summer hit and the fact that it's mostly instrumental means it's easy to rework for video games.
Goo Lagoon - The beach level from Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom, a 3D platformer with music composed by Jimmy Levine. As I mentioned before, it's easy to be inspired by instrumental Surf Rock when writing video game music set on a beach where people surf (and presumably rock) so it's no real surprise that there are elements of "Wipe Out" here. Whilst it's not the most overt homage, the signs are definitely there.
VERDICT - I mean, I've already told you, haven't I? It's clearly a homage as none of the main riffs are directly lifted and the Blues chord progression is so damn common that it would be ridiculous to accuse Jimmy Levine of stealing the idea from "Wipe Out". That being said, I'm giving the win to Surfaris. I'd rather listen to "Wipe Out" than the Goo Lagoon level music, although I don't dislike it. The game actually has a colourful collection of fun tunes to listen to.

ROUND FOUR: Duran Duran vs. Double Dragon
Girls On Film - One of Duran Duran's biggest hits with a catchy chorus and, more importantly, intro riff. The guitar chords and their progression are key here, as that's what we'll be comparing. It's not a favourite of mine, even as far as 80s Pop Rock goes, but I don't hate the song. It's passable but it's no "Hungry Like The Wolf" or "Rio", that's for damn sure.
Intro Theme - The intro to Battletoads & Double Dragon for the SNES contains a similar sounding guitar riff despite being released in 1992, about 11 years after the Duran Duran single. Composer David Wise has acknowledged similarities to other 80s Pop Rock in his compositions (such as using the same equipment as "In The Air Tonight" - Phil Collins during a level from Donkey Kong Country 2, I believe) so this riff might be a little more than coincidence.
VERDICT - I think there may have been a cheeky bit of intentional or unintentional riff pinching going on, as this game seems to have very little to do with "Girls On Film" - Duran Duran so I can't see it being a homage or pure coincidence. Whilst the original song did come up with the riff over a decade before the game, I'm giving the win to Double Dragon as I prefer the heavier sound to it. If it was rerecorded with modern instruments, it'd definitely be the better tune.

ROUND FIVE: Alice In Chains vs. Doom
Them Bones - I've never been a big fan of Alice In Chains and the few songs of theirs that I generally enjoy listening to tend to need some form of modification (e.g. speeding up "Man In The Box" 25%) but I still know and admire aspects of this song. The guitar riff is heavy and evil, slowly ascending before plummeting back down again. It's the main riff and chorus that we're paying attention to for this comparison.
Bye Bye American Pie - Despite having spookier accompanying instruments and a less polished sound than the full band sound of Alice In Chains, the chords are seemingly identical in this piece of music from Doom 2 released just two years after "Them Bones". Composer Robert Prince didn't even credit Alice In Chains for this song either, another reason why I believe this is less of a homage and more of the other one.
VERDICT - This is another song that I reckon was a bit of a rip-off considering how similar it is without even crediting the original songwriters. However, if I had to choose which one I think fits its chosen medium better (90s Grunge vs. spooky song in FPS), I prefer the quality of the video game song. It sounds grittier and doesn't contain annoying vocals so the win goes to Doom.

ROUND SIX: Tina Turner vs. Super Smash Bros
Nutbush City Limits (The 90s Version) - Most people probably know the punchier version of this song from the 70s but in 1991, Tina Turner rerecorded this track with a slower tempo and a heavier emphasis on piano. The opening piano chords followed by the Dance Pop synthetic percussion and musical effects might sound familiar to Nintendo fans, as we'll discuss in a moment, but they also turn this song firmly into a Pop track. I debated including it here due to it not being a Rock song but hey, when you hear what I'm comparing it to, you'll understand why it needed talking about.
Targets! - Yep, the Target Smash song from Super Smash Bros. Melee sounds JUST like the 90s version of "Nutbush City Limits", what with the identical piano chords and synth accompaniments. Granted this tune is a little faster and has more guitar in it but it's pretty damn similar all the same. As the tracks progress, more differences emerge but the opening does all the damage necessary in my eyes.
VERDICT - I doubt composer Hirokazu Ando listened to Tina Turner before whacking out this tune so I'm chalking it up to coincidence rather than homage or rip-off. As for which song is better, I'm giving the win to Super Smash Bros simply because I have fond memories of Target Smash (and the Home Run Contest) thanks to this tune. Since it's a coincidence, I have no need to award Tina Turner the win for coming up with the song first and since it's a Dance Pop song instead of a Rock one, I'm not overly fond of the track itself. An easy decision.

ROUND SEVEN: Glenn Frey vs. P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War
The Heat Is On - The classic 80s Pop Rock tune with the saxophone riff and the awesome chorus, notable for its use in Beverly Hills Cop. However, since then it's earned the right to stand up on its own feet via radio play and use in other media. It might not be the most badass 80s Pop Rock song in existence but it doesn't need to be. It's fast, it's catchy and it's got a consistent rhythm that's perfect for car chases and whatever kind of antics you're bound to get into listening to this song.
Boss Battle 2 - Let's face it; not many readers here will know the game P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War on the NES from 1988 (a popular year in this blog post) but some gamers online have made the connection between the Glenn Frey single and a particular melody from the second boss battle theme in this game. It might not be the main focus of the tune but when it crops up, you know damn well that it was lifted from "The Heat Is On". I'm not sure which composer out of Kazuhiro Nishida, Toshikazu Tanaka and Yoko Osaka decided to borrow this melody but the deed has been done.
VERDICT - Definitely Glenn Frey. Whilst the tune in P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War is cute, it doesn't hold a candle to the 80s classic.

ROUND EIGHT: Pink Floyd vs. Rayman
Shine On You Crazy Diamond - This is a long-ass song that has multiple different musical sections but this Prog Rock epic by overrated Prog Rock outfit Pink Floyd contains a slow, four note guitar riff around the four minute mark. It also contains plenty of moody, atmospheric background noise that you usually hear during ambient sections in video games...but it's mostly the four guitar notes we're interested in.
The Bayou - Along with being one of the best 3D platformers in existence, Rayman 2: The Great Escape also contains a level with a long piece of music featuring moody, atmospheric background noise and four guitar notes played in a similar fashion. Composer Eric Chevalier has supposedly been inspired by other bands in his work before but I wouldn't be surprised if Pink Floyd was on that list too.
VERDICT - I don't think this was a rip-off or a homage, as the two pieces of music stand apart more than they stand together. However, I do think it's likely that Eric Chevalier was unintentionally inspired by Pink Floyd and composed a piece of music containing a similar riff. I'm giving the win to Rayman for creating a) the better assortment of creepy music and b) the shorter song.

ROUND NINE: Crash Bandicoot vs. Rob Zombie
The Eel Deal (Hidden) - In Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, there are hidden sections in the sewer levels (The Eel Deal, Sewer Or Later and Hangin' Out) that have a thick, heavy bass riffing and percussion effects that sound a little like a clanging piano, not to mention the Techno sound of musical accompaniments. The comparison I'm going to make with the Industrial sound of this tune composed by Mutato Muzika might be a little bit forced but try to stick with me.
Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy) - Rob Zombie is known for heavy Industrial music but the section that plays when Rob starts singing reminded me of the music from Crash Bandicoot, particularly the piano melody. As I said before, it's not quite as clear-cut as previous comparisons I've made and whilst there isn't a specific riff or melody that's been copied, it's more about the general sound of the song in comparison to the music from Crash Bandicoot.
VERDICT - Neither a homage or rip-off, absolutely a coincidence. Rob Zombie might be aware of Crash Bandicoot in some way or another but his song sounds closer to his own style of music than a hidden tune from a 90s video game. I'm gonna give the win to Rob Zombie for this one as I prefer his song to this specific tune from Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, although on the whole I definitely prefer the music in Crash to the music on a Rob Zombie album.

ROUND TEN: Friendship vs. Mario
Let's Not Talk About It - This little known track from 1979 contains a piano riff that fans of gaming (or just anyone who's been alive within the last 20 years) will almost certainly recognise straight away. There's nothing else you need to know, just that this contains a series of notes played in a curiously specific way that sounds exactly like...
Underground Theme - ...the Underground Theme from Super Mario Bros! Video game legend Koji Kondo composed the classic melody which has stuck with the Mario series ever since it was first released in 1985. However, even though it contains a different string of notes after the initial six, the tune is identical and it's enough for me to raise an eyebrow at the very least.
VERDICT - There's no way Nintendo intended the Underground Theme to be a homage to a 70s band nobody heard of and whilst most people would consider it a coincidence, I also think there's a small possibility that Koji could've heard "Let's Not Talk About It" in passing and figured it was the perfect match for the game he was working on. That being said, I'm awarding the win to Mario as the Underground Theme has become one of Nintendo's iconic tunes and even if it was pinched from a lesser known Rock song, Nintendo certainly used the track in the better way.


COMING SOON (as in, within a month or so): A series of posts about the music from Spyro The Dragon and the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, similar to ones I wrote about the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy last year.

Showdown: Cover Versions, part 5

Part 5? Yeah, it's part 5.
More cover versions! This time, unlike the last two posts, we're going back to Rock/Metal covers of Rock/Metal/Pop songs; no WaveGroup covers this time. As always, I'll be writing about the original, then writing about the cover version before offering my verdict on which version is best and why. There's no real theme to this post. I'll try to pick famous cover versions or covers of famous songs (as usual) but other than putting the more well known covers first, it's a basically a free-for-all!
Also, underneath this post is an embedded Spotify playlist containing originals and covers so you can listen along if you want.

ROUND ONE: Bad Company
Bad Company - I think I've said this is "arguably" the band's signature song in the past but when your band literally shares the name of a song from an album that ALSO shares its name with the song, there's not really any argument to be had. It's a decent track, a little plain in comparison to some of their other tracks but if you want a vocally driven song with a catchy chorus and some nice piano melodies, look no further. It's just a shame the guitar solo in the outro is weak but you can't have everything.
Five Finger Death Punch - I'll admit that this song transitions well into a Five Finger Death Punch track and the band do a good job of knowing where to be heavy. The solo isn't as excessive as other contemporary Hard Rock/Metal covers (Black Label Society and Guns N' Roses could learn a thing or two) and this song has an actual outro instead of fading out during a solo. It's a great cover alright, although I'm still not entirely sold on it. Maybe I just dislike the sound of Five Finger Death Punch but even though I can't find anything wrong with it, I still don't want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm really torn on this one because even though I'd rather listen to Bad Company's original, I feel like I have more positive things to say about Five Finger Death Punch's cover. I think I've got to go with my gut and say Bad Company take the win for having stronger (albeit fewer) positive aspects. Five Finger Death Punch still pulled out a great cover and it's not surprising that their version of this song is regarded to be one of their better tracks.

ROUND TWO: The Sound Of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel - As great as this song is, I feel like Arrested Development has kinda tainted it. I can't hear this song without thinking of "I've made a huge mistake" and Will Arnett but thankfully, those thoughts dissipate once the percussion comes in. Whilst this song might be overused in the media, it's still a brilliant vocally driven Classic Rock track. The lyrics were also referenced in "The Spirit Of Radio" - Rush ("and the words of the prophets were written on the studio walls, echoes with the sounds of salesmen") so it's got that going for it too.
Disturbed - Remember when the Internet went all fangirl over this cover as if it was the greatest fucking thing since that video of the cat saying "Oh long Johnson"? I'll admit, it starts off really well. The build up and use of piano to deliver the melody are fantastic, not to mention David Draiman's restrained vocals. However, there's something about this song that reminds me of those awful covers on The X Factor during "Rock week"; it just feels artificial, staged. Then it reaches the three minute mark and just becomes silly; Draiman starts growling and I completely lose interest. However, having listened to the whole song in one sitting after taking a break from the snippets I constantly used to hear over the radio, it's not bad.
VERDICT - Definitely Simon & Garfunkel. The introduction of percussion alone is better than any single part of the Disturbed cover and whilst Disturbed did try something interesting, I feel like they were just short of a perfect cover. But hey, at least I understand why people loved this cover so much now, even if I don't share the sentiment.

ROUND THREE: Am I Evil?
Diamond Head - There are many versions of this song but I think the one I prefer is the 1982 rerecording. You know, the one with the slightly slower intro (if it helps, I believe it was the one used in Guitar Hero: Metallica, NOT Brutal Legend). Anyway, the song is still awesome from start to finish. It's almost like an Ozzy-era Black Sabbath song but done properly, from the heavy "Evil" chords at the start to the chugging riff during the vocals. Easily the band's signature song and with songwriting talents like this, it's a shame we didn't get to see Diamond Head reach the heights of their contemporaries at the time.
Metallica - Metallica assembled and recorded many covers for Garage Inc. but arguably this is the most significant. They shot into the spotlight after playing a cover of "Am I Evil?" before they recorded Kill Em All and I've got to say, it's pretty damn good. They don't really change much about it yet successfully make the song sound like their own. It sounds like something they could have written themselves although if you heard the original first, you probably won't get much out of it.
VERDICT - Whilst it's not as night & day as the last round, the win goes to Diamond Head. Both versions are great and it probably depends on which one you heard first but in cases like this, I tend to favour the original. However, at least Metallica only have one official version of this track whereas Diamond Head have about three.

ROUND FOUR: Call Me The Breeze
J.J. Cale - This is a nice, easy going Blues Rock track by the guy Eric 'Boring' Clapton wishes he could've been. It's a fairly short little tune with a simple guitar solo and vocals throughout; nothing imposing and it fades out during the outro. Other than that, there's not really a lot to comment on. Moving on!
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I think a lot of people incorrectly assume this is a Skynyrd original in the same way people assume "Cocaine" is a Clapton original (it isn't and unsurprisingly, J.J. Cale's is much better). Lynyrd Skynyrd took the original and turned it ALL THE WAY up with a tasty guitar AND piano solo, not to mention brass accompaniment and an actual outro (which is pretty rare for Skynyrd's bigger songs). Every aspect of this song is better...so guess who's getting the win.
VERDICT - Lynyrd Skynyrd take a well deserved win right here. However, if we were comparing the J.J. Cale original with the Eric 'Boring' Clapton cover from a few years ago, J.J. would be taking home the win without a doubt.

ROUND FIVE: All Along The Watchtower
Bob Dylan - Did you know that this song was a Bob Dylan track before Hendrix covered it? I mean, you do if you played Guitar Hero 5 but yeah, here it is! Bob Dylan sounds like a comedian doing a Bob Dylan impression and the harmonica throughout gets annoying pretty fucking quickly. As for the acoustic guitar, it's basically an afterthought. In other words, this song is a little shitty although if you prefer Folk to Rock, you'll probably love it.
Jimi Hendrix - Arguably Hendrix's signature song and it isn't even his. However, the changes made to the overall structure and addition of all the guitar solos (not to mention Jimi's far superior vocal range) turn this into an iconic Rock song. Whilst I'm not hugely into the track in comparison to some of his other well known songs like "Castles Made Of Sand" and "Hey Joe", you can't deny that the opening chords that flow into the first guitar solo are just perfect.
VERDICT - Easily a win for Jimi Hendrix. Despite having a slower tempo and lasting a lot longer than the original, it's a straight up classic whilst the original deserves to fade into obscurity.

ROUND SIX: Back In Black
AC/DC - After Bon Scott died and the band found a replacement in the form of Brian Johnson, AC/DC wanted to come back with a powerful Rock anthem to show fans that they were still a pure Hard Rock machine. The band chose wisely with this song containing a wealth of epic riffs, sweet solos and raw vocals and whilst Bon Scott was truly the better vocalist, Brian's voice was at its finest at the start of his lengthy stretch with the band.
Living Colour - So you might be wondering why I chose this song/cover. To me, "Back In Black" is one of those iconic Rock songs that people will ALWAYS associate with AC/DC and to cover it is inviting disappointment...until I heard Living Colour try it. The guitar is spot on throughout and whilst the vocals get a little too screechy, I wanted to include this track in the list as a way of showing that good covers of this song can exist, not just tacky ones of AC/DC tracks that existed as alternatives to the original before the band became available on Spotify.
VERDICT - Even though I like the Living Colour version, I think we all agree that AC/DC knocked it out of the park with this track. If Living Colour's vocals weren't so abrasive, they may have taken home the win here but alas, it wasn't to be.

ROUND SEVEN: Helter Skelter
The Beatles - Music historians cite this song as one of the earliest influences for the Heavy Metal genre and whilst I can agree with that statement, anyone who calls this song Heavy Metal is a fucking idiot. At best, it's Hard Rock although even by Deep Purple standards, it's more like 60s Garage. Anyway, this song was about as heavy as The Beatles got with clashing symbols, screeching vocals and chugging guitar riffs. It's a decent track although not exactly in the band's wheelhouse. That being said, I'll take it over their trippy, psychedelic, circus nonsense.
Motley Crue - Fun fact: Motley Crue also toyed with the idea of recording a cover of "Paperback Writer", the far greater Beatles song, and did play that track live a few times. However, between the two songs, I'm glad "Helter Skelter" got the studio treatment. The Crue took the blueprints for a fine Hard Rock song and beefed it up a bit, transforming it into a decent Hair/Heavy Metal tune. It's just a shame that the lyrics about going down slides don't really make the same transition as the music.
VERDICT - Whilst I'd obviously pick The Beatles over Motley Crue for overall strength of music, I'm giving the win to Motley Crue here. Heavier song needs heavier music and The Beatles just fell a little short, although they came damn close to writing a full on Hard Rock song. Maybe in an alternate timeline where they kept going long after 1970, the band rerecorded it with the necessary power it deserves. However, until interdimensional travel exists, at least we've got Motley Crue's version.

ROUND EIGHT: Oops I Did It Again
Britney Spears - For years, I thought this and "...Baby One More Time" were the exact same song. Ya know, because they sound identical. Anyway, apparently this is a different song that uses other words? Either way, it's still a generic Pop song with piano chords, basic percussion, lyrics designed by a committee to make teenage girls want to be her and horny dads want to fuck her. Whilst I'm generally not a fan of Pop music (or Britney Spears), this song certainly isn't "Toxic".
Children Of Bodom - Children Of Bodom have done some great little covers over their years but I think this is the one that everyone knows.  A Melodic Death Metal cover of a Pop song. Vocally, this song is absolute shite outside of the chorus although I'm guessing that's kinda the point; it feels like it was performed sarcastically and you know what? I can dig that. Musically, it's one of the lesser Children Of Bodom tracks but they still managed to fit a solid guitar solo into it.
VERDICT - Children Of Bodom did something fun and unique with a bland song so they deserve a win. I also recommend their covers album Skeletons In The Closet if you want some other decent tunes of theirs, provided you like Melodic Death Metal.

ROUND NINE: Smoke On The Water
Deep Purple - One of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time and also one of the most basic Deep Purple/Richie Blackmore songs. Admittedly, it's a pretty great riff and there are some decent Ian Gillan vocals but other than that, it's an underperforming Hard Rock track. Weak guitar solo and goes on way too long but it's still an OK song if you haven't heard many other Deep Purple tunes. However, I bet there are bands who could do a fantastic cover of this song...
The Flaming Lips - ...just not these guys. If you haven't heard The Flaming Lips cover of "Smoke On The Water", part of me wants to recommend it just to hear how fucking terrible it is. It's the height of experimental hipster shit and once those vocals come in, you know you're in for something terrible. Similar to the Children Of Bodom song, this feels like a piss-take although unlike their Britney Spears cover, this just sounds awful.
VERDICT - I picked this song because I knew The Flaming Lips did a shite cover that you needed to know about. Obviously Deep Purple get the win and OK, maybe this entry is a little one sided so in the interest of balance, let's have a well known song with an amazing cover.

ROUND TEN: Cheap Sunglasses
ZZ Top - If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll probably know my opinion of "Cheap Sunglasses" and indeed, early ZZ Top. Great songs but absolutely terrible mixes; flatter than day old coke and in dire need of a remaster. However, ignoring technical flaws, the song's bloody good. Great riffs, fun lyrics and a decent solo; an awesome Blues Rock track. If the mix was better, this would be the perfect Rock song.
The Sword - Now THIS is what I'm talking about. Proper dynamics whilst still keeping the grit and Blues aspects. Granted it's more like Heavy Metal than Hard Rock now but The Sword have taken this song and ramped it up. Hopefully ZZ Top will hear this and be inspired to rerecord/remaster their back catalogue one day. The Sword have also done a smashing cover of "Cold Sweat" - Thin Lizzy although because that was a B-side to one of their singles, it's harder to find online.
VERDICT - Definitely The Sword although I still like ZZ Top's original a lot.


As stated above, here's a Spotify playlist of all the songs discussed in this post so you can listen along and decide whether I'm making some good points or are just completely full of shit...or ya know, somewhere in the middle.

Showdown: Homages/Rip Offs 6

We're back with another look at songs that may or may not have been a bit too heavily inspired by previously recorded music from a different band. The last time I did a post like this that didn't involve video games or two songs by the same band was in August last year and since then, I've found some interesting comparisons. I've also found a couple that are probably hugely coincidental but fuck it, I've got ten again!
Similar to previous posts of mine, I've included a Spotify playlist at the bottom so you can listen along and decide whether you agree with my opinions on these songs or not...because that's what this is, the work of opinion and not an accusation of plagiarism for all of these tracks.

ROUND ONE: Jane's Addiction vs. Tesla
Mountain Song - If I had to place myself on either side of the taste spectrum without wavering in the middle, I'd say I dislike Jane's Addiction. Whilst I can admire some of the guitar solos and technical work behind the majority of their tracks that I know, I just can't get into their music in a way that I can with...well, Tesla or other bands. The vocalist sounds whiny and annoying, the riffs are usually quite repetitive without sounding awesome enough to justify it and there's a sort of grimy, mucky feel to each track. That being said, this song does start off with a pretty sweet bass riff. Not just sweet but easily distinguishable.
Hang Tough - Oh look, a song released about one year later that ALSO starts off with a sweet and distinguishable bass riff. Granted this one has been ever so slightly tweaked and sped up a bit but you cannot deny that these riffs sound similar. Fortunately, the rest of the song is hugely different to the Jane's Addiction one. I can actually listen to this and enjoy it, unlike the appropriately named uphill battle that is "Mountain Song".
VERDICT - Whilst Jane's Addiction did release their song first, I have a feeling that any similarity between their song and Tesla's is coincidental. Jane's Addiction released their song/album in August 1988, Tesla in February 1989. Tesla recorded the album in 1988, although no specific month is given suggesting they wrote and recorded it throughout the year. Whilst it's POSSIBLE that Tesla heard "Mountain Song" and used their bass riff as the backbone for "Hang Tough", I'm sceptical about that. Therefore, the win goes to Tesla for recording the better song. If news comes to light that Tesla DID do a bit of cheeky riff pinching, it'll go to Jane's Addiction.

ROUND TWO: Joe Walsh vs. Gary Moore
Rivers (Of The Hidden Funk) - Not one of Joe's better known songs but it's a solid little Classic Rock number, once again built around some great bass. However, the part of this track that we're looking at is the guitar in the intro. Specifically, the first four notes. They play a melody that I'm sure I've heard in a couple of different songs, including the next track. As for the rest of the song, it's OK. Probably not my favourite by Joe Walsh but it's a good tune.
Empty Rooms - Maybe there are better examples of songs to write about for "that riff" but in this song, around about the 9 second mark, there's a keyboard melody that sounds similar to the "Rivers (Of The Hidden Funk)" guitar intro. The rest of the song is typical of your Gary Moore ballad; lame and a waste of time for someone who was as talented as Gary Moore to be bothering with. And don't even get me fucking started on "Parisienne Walkways" and his fuckawful cover of "Don't Believe A Word".
VERDICT - Oh, easily Joe Walsh. Came up with the riff first, played it in the better song, even gave it a more memorable name. Easy win, no doubt in my mind, but did Gary Moore steal the riff? Probably not, it's a fairly common little tune and it's not like the rest of the song has anything to do with the Joe Walsh one. It's just another uninspired, generic power ballad from Gary Moore.

ROUND THREE: Fleetwood Mac vs. AC/DC
Oh Well - This isn't the first time I've mentioned this song and it certainly won't be the last! However, the song is easily recognisable from the opening guitar riff, one that's great to listen to and probably great to play too. Once again, we're listening out for that intro melody that's played on acoustic guitar of "Oh Well (Part One)". NOTE: In the Spotify playlist, the intro riff is played on electric guitar as I could only find live versions on Spotify. However, it sort of works in my favourite as it makes the next song sound even closer to this one.
Beating Around The Bush - These songs have been compared to one another in the past due to the opening guitar riffs. Not just the sound of them but their placement in the songs too. Some see it as AC/DC's tribute to "Oh Well", which I can believe. It's a well known song and this deep cut off Highway To Hell probably wasn't meant to be enjoyed at the same capacity as the title track and other big hits by the band.
VERDICT - I like both songs but I'm giving the win to Fleetwood Mac. Their track came first and is far superior to the AC/DC one, even if that song doesn't sound exactly like 90% of their material. Plus, as I already mentioned, I see this as a pretty definite homage; I doubt the band were unaware of "Oh Well" at that point in their career and were likely inspired to write their version of the opening riff.

ROUND FOUR: Electric Light Orchestra vs. The Hives
Don't Bring Me Down - A classic song from the band, notable for the chorus of "Don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down" and the descending four note riff used throughout. As far as ELO songs go, it's a good track that sounds more like Jeff Lynne being Jeff Lynne than Jeff Lynne being the fifth Beatle. However, it's a little too white bread for me to enjoy as much as other songs of theirs like "Mr Blue Sky" and "Hold On Tight".
Go Right Ahead - The Hives are another band that have relied on writing the same song over and over again with slightly different riffs but this time, they chose to write someone else's instead. "Go Right Ahead" went right ahead with a riff that sounds identical to the ELO one although there is one slight difference between this and previous entries. The Hives have actually acknowledged that their riff sounds like "Don't Bring Me Down" and even though they didn't intend to steal it, they still contacted Jeff Lynne to ask for his permission to use the track. As a result, he has songwriting credit even though they supposedly came up with it without realising it already exists.
VERDICT - Whilst I commend The Hives for doing the right thing after realising their mistake, my win still goes to Electric Light Orchestra for coming up with the riff and writing a slightly better song that I'd rather listen to on an average day. However, if I wasn't such a fan of ELO (and if The Hives didn't sound so Poppy in this song), I probably would've given the win to The Hives.

ROUND FIVE: Dio vs. The Temperance Movement
The Last In Line - I've written about the similarities between these two songs in non-Showdown posts (and briefly mentioned it in one Showdown post) but hey, it's worth cataloguing here too. "The Last In Line" is the title track from Dio's second album and starts off with a slow, ascending guitar riff before some descending triplets. It's the weakest part of the song that, to me, only really gets good when the percussion comes in and it becomes a proper Heavy Metal track. However, the intro riff is arguably what makes the song stand out so I suppose it's not that bad.
Battle Lines - I seem to recall saying in my review of White Bear and other posts that I doubt The Temperance Movement consciously stole the intro to "The Last In Line" for the intro and structure for their song but it's still weird how they sound almost identical AND both songs contain a variant of the word "line" in the title. Anyway, this song's pretty good. If they used a different riff in the intro, I'd probably love it but sadly I can't unhear the Dio song when listening to this.
VERDICT - Both songs have the same positives and negatives so it's genuinely tricky to decide which I want to give the win to. As I said before, I don't believe they stole the Dio riff and any similarity is purely coincidental but if pushed for an answer, I also think Dio should get the win for writing this song decades before The Temperance Movement. Speaking of comparisons I've already made on the blog before...

ROUND SIX: Rage Against The Machine vs. Black Country Communion
Bulls On Parade - Of all the popular RATM songs, this is probably my least favourite. Dull guitar throughout (and Tom Morello is usually the only member of RATM worth listening to) in a vocally driven track with a forgettable bass solo. The riff might sound heavy but it's hardly imaginative compared to some of the band's previous songs from their debut album. Anyway, fans of the band will probably get joy out of it because it features Zack de la Rocha rapping away like the angry motherfucker that he is.
The Crow - I talked about a Black Country Communion song in my list of great songs from 2017 and compared this to "Bulls On Parade" there too. The intro bass riff sounds slightly similar but it's only when Joe Bonamassa's guitar comes in that the band flat out copy the RATM riff. However, unlike the majority of songs so far, I actually prefer the use of this riff and the rest of the song. It picks up the pace and grows some balls; heavier ones than the RATM song.
VERDICT - Isn't it obvious? Black Country Communion. "Bulls On Parade" sucks and "The Crow" is quite good. I don't mind that they intentionally or unintentionally borrowed the riff, they used it in the better way. Besides, I don't see anti-corporation, anti-establishment, anti-everything RATM filing a lawsuit against the theft of material, though I would like to see that happen just for shits and giggles.

ROUND SEVEN: Eddie Cochran vs. David Bowie
Three Steps To Heaven - Even though this song was released in 1960, this song pretty accurately captures a lot of what I hate about 50s Rock. The Spanish style guitar riff isn't that bad but I cannot stand the vocals. The way they sound, the style they're being sung in, the nature of the lyrics, it's like scraping nails on a chalkboard for me. Ignoring the horrific vocals, the guitar chords used in the intro and periodically throughout the track may remind you of a certain Glam Rock song by one of the most original, unique artists of a generation.
Queen Bitch - I like this song; it's got a good rhythm to it and even if it could've been improved with a guitar solo and a different chorus, I still like the use of the riff that Bowie has semi-admitted to re-purposing from the Eddie Cochran song (he went on to subtly refer to the song years later in "It's No Game"). Starts off acoustic, becomes electric and gets your head nodding along whether you want it to or not. It's a solid song from the 70s and probably one of Bowie's stronger Rock songs from the decade.
VERDICT - I think Bowie did borrow the riff from Eddie Cochran...BUT he improved it, with the help of Mick Ronson of course. So yeah, David Bowie gets the win for writing the better song with a slightly different and vastly superior riff.

ROUND EIGHT: The Jam vs. Weezer
Town Called Malice - I feel like this is a pretty well known song in England, at the very least. It starts off with a catchy little bass riff before breaking out the organ and percussion but, once again, it's the intro riff we're listening to. This riff isn't used in the verse and chorus but does crop up throughout the track and stick around during the fade-out in the outro. In other words, it's an iconic bass riff that isn't just casually used once; it's integral to the song and almost certainly single-handedly responsible for making The Jam relatively well known in this country...that and "Going Underground"...or "That's Entertainment"...recently "News Of The World" got some mileage as the Mock The Week theme...but I still think this is the song most people know The Jam for.
(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Wanky title aside, this song totally uses the "Town Called Malice" riff, only on guitar instead of bass. The rhythm of the melody might differ slightly but all the fucking notes are there. What's more, the riff is an even stronger component of the song than the riff in "Town Called Malice" so Weezer used someone else's material to enhance their track more than the original band themselves. The chorus might not use the riff but by that point, the damage has been done...or whatever the reverse of damage is in this case.
VERDICT - The Jam came up with the riff first and I generally prefer their song (although neither are absolute favourites of mine) so they get the win. However, as to whether Weezer intentionally stole this riff, I doubt it. I'm unsure as to whether they knew that song even existed...although the riffs are VERRRRY similar. Makes you wonder but I'm gonna assume/hope Weezer aren't assholes.

ROUND NINE: Jefferson Starship vs. Aldo Nova
Jane - OK, so Jefferson Starship might be a somewhat black sheep in the Rock community as a super corporate, lame evolution of Jefferson Airplane, but they had some good moments. Take this song, for example. It's got a great riff, some sweet solos and some great vocal melodies in the chorus. It's not a bad tune which probably explains why it's the band's biggest hit (ignoring "We Built This City" - Starship, a band that evolved from Jefferson Starship into one hit wonders). If you're listening to these songs as you're reading, pay close attention to the guitar riff and piano chords in the background.
Fantasy - Once the minute of synthy shit is over and the guitar chords roar in, this song goes from 0 to Fucking Awesome in less than a second. Unfortunately, it uses the chords and a similar sounding riff to the one from "Jane". The song is just different enough to avoid any legal disputes although it was released just three years after the Jefferson Starship track, prompting questions as to whether Aldo Nova maybe did a little bit of cheeky riff pinching.
VERDICT - Even though there's no proof that Aldo Nova consciously reworked the riff from "Jane" for "Fantasy", I think it's possible he may have heard the song on the radio and been unintentionally inspired. That being said, I'm giving the win to Aldo Nova based on the fact that I fucking love their song and think they've done enough with it to separate it from "Jane".

ROUND TEN: Tommy Bolin vs. Ed Sheeran
Wild Dogs - I'll admit right now that I may be stretching a little bit with this one but I can't hear the second song for this round without immediately thinking of this track so fuck it, I'm including it here. This song off Teaser starts off with soft guitar riffs and background synth before the vocals come in. Unlike previous entries that have been largely focused around copied riffs, the comparison here is between the vocal melody and delivery. Once again, I concede that this comparison isn't as strong as others but I can't be the only one to hear similarities.
Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran fucking sucks. He is a charisma vacuum guilty of writing bland, uninspired, trite love songs for idiots and teenage girls. He shouldn't even be in this blog post because nothing about him or his music "rocks" in any sense but the vocal melody introduced at the start of this song set off alarm bells in my head and reminded me of the Tommy Bolin track. I don't know if anything else in this song sounds like any other song in existence because I can't bring myself to listen to more than about 10 seconds of his shit.
VERDICT - Tommy Bolin will always win against Ed Sheeran, even if he did die of a drug overdose less than 24 hours after telling a friend "I'm going to be around for a long time". However, I doubt Ed stole the vocal delivery. Bolin's song isn't well known and Ed Sheeran looks like the kind of cunt who has no knowledge about Classic Rock in the slightest. This probably explains why some people think his song "Sing" shares similarities with "Long Train Runnin'" - The Doobie Brothers.


Here's the Spotify playlist of all the songs mentioned above you can listen as you read my ramblings:


COMING SOON: Another blog post to make up for one I missed last week. Not sure what it'll be about but probably not a music review, as all the albums I'm interested in at the moment are coming out in February and March.

Showdown: The Salentino Cuts - UFO

Yeah, I went with Showdown again.
Earlier this month, I wrote a post looking at a new Motorhead covers album, discussing the original songs and their covers before offering my verdict on which version I thought was superior for each track. I'm basically doing the exact same thing here, only this time looking at all the covers on the new UFO album.

I've also included a Spotify playlist of all the original songs and their covers at the bottom of this post, something I did once and then forgot to do for all subsequent Showdown posts. Maybe I'll go back and add them in at some point.
My verdicts are usually based on which song I enjoy listening to more but I can also factor in how creative the cover is or which track is better suited for the genre, e.g. an original Pop track covered by a Metal band might win if I feel like it's a better Pop song than a Metal one. With that in mind, let's get listening!

ROUND ONE: Heart Full Of Soul
The Yardbirds - Probably my second favourite song by this band with "Turn Into Earth" being number one, "Over Under Sideways Down" being number three. It's got some excellent vocals but is mostly built around a great guitar melody that only came about because Eric Boring Clapton wanted to focus more on Blues Rock than Pop Rock and his replacement, a little known guitarist called Jeff Beck, is a much better musician. Beck wanted to experiment with different sounds blended with 60s Rock so there's an Indian-twang to the riff. All in all, a top notch song from the 60s that isn't by The Beatles, The Who or The Rolling Stones.
UFO - Not entirely sure why the band spelled this wrong on their album but oh well, let's look past that and focus on this terrible cover. The guitar riff sounds stiff, the tempo is too slow and the vocals lack the mysticism required by the song, instead sounding tired and too Bluesy. At least the solo's been beefed up a bit, along with the guitar during the chorus, but overall this is a very poor cover to open your album with, even if the song you're covering is great.
VERDICT - Hands down The Yardbirds take this one. There's nothing redeemable enough about the UFO cover to even make me consider it winning. Great start!

ROUND TWO: Break On Through (To The Other Side)
The Doors - Another psychedelic hit, this song's best known for its vocals in the chorus and organ solo, although it's got some decent guitar riffs throughout too. It's a punchy tune that crams a lot into two and a half minutes and definitely stands out in the band's collection of iconic Psychedelic Rock as being one of their heavier tracks.
UFO - Straight away, I prefer the drum rhythm and sound of the organ and guitar together. Vocals are still poor (they would be compared to Jim Morrison's) but they don't suck as much as the last track. The guitar's a little dull in the chorus too but it's pretty sweet in the outro, giving it an extra kick. I just wish the band wasn't let down by Phil Mogg's godawful vocals.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their ups and downs but I'm going to give this one to UFO. It's never going to replace the original but it does "rock" a hell of a lot more than The Doors' version, even if the chorus is weaker. If you could combine Morrison's vocals with UFO's music, you'd probably have the perfect track.

ROUND THREE: River Of Deceit
Mad Season - I'd never heard of this song or band before this covers album but I thought it was alright. It could've been a bit shorter as I felt like the soft guitar melodies only carried the song so far and the track didn't need to build up to anything like typical 90s Alternative tracks do (think "Shine" - Collective Soul or "Closing Time" - Semisonic) so there wasn't really a reason for it to last over five minutes. Either that or make the outro a bit different to give listeners something new to enjoy.
UFO - Even though the guitar is similar to the original, I love the underlying synth and bass in this cover. It definitely stands out a bit more than the Mad Season track without drawing attention away from the other musicians. As for the vocals, I like them in this cover. They suit the tone of the song and their aged quality adds an extra layer to the lyrical nature of the song. It sounds like Mogg's pipes are best suited for the slower, more delicate Rock songs than heavy ones.
VERDICT - Despite a troublesome start, UFO are coming in with the wins here. As I said before, I enjoyed the original but if I had to listen to just one of these versions again, I think I'd pick the cover. I simply got more out of that version than the original.

ROUND FOUR: The Pusher
Steppenwolf - I usually stop paying attention to this song after the line "You know, I smoked a lot of grass". Not as an anti-drugs thing, I just find that the song becomes incredibly fucking dull after that great opening line. It follows a slight variation of the Blues Chord Progression but unlike other bands/artists that rely on Blues rhythms (e.g. Rory Gallagher), there isn't the talented soloing or interesting music in between the boring vocals to keep things fresh. Combine this with a length that's almost pushing six minutes and you've got yourself a bland ol' tune.
UFO - Well...it's a little bit faster than the original, so at least it's got that going for it? Seriously though, it's a pretty faithful cover so fans of the Steppenwolf version may get some joy out of this one. Also, there are some improvements to the guitar in between verses so people in a similar position to me who find the original lacking something might like this cover. For me though, it's still not enough to make me want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm giving this to UFO again but only by a little. They've taken a meh song and made it a little less meh, earning it a win in my books. However, I feel they also deserve some kudos for not going for the obvious cover of "Born To Be Wild", a track that has been cursed to always produce terrible covers ever since The Cult ruined it.

ROUND FIVE: Paper In Fire
John Mellencamp - Back to footstompers then! This track's a belter if you like Rock with a Southern touch without becoming full-on Southern Rock, although the accordion sounds a little silly if you pay too much attention to it. It's a pretty straightforward Rock song once you strip back all the instruments but it doesn't feel like it's missing additional sections or solos. It works and it rocks, making it a great track.
UFO - Fuck me, that intro is spot on! The band use the instruments they've got to replicate a near identical opening riff and it sounds brilliant! We even get a tidy little guitar solo that fits perfectly into the melody and makes me question whether or not I'll be able to hear with original without missing it. Sadly, it pains me to say that even with the band on top form, Phil Mogg takes a shit all over the mic once again. He can't sing quick enough to keep up with the band so we get certain lyrics sung long after the music has moved onto the next section, like a lagging Youtube video with desynced audio.
VERDICT - UFO could've won this one if Mogg wasn't past his prime but as both songs stand, John Mellencamp performed the superior track.

ROUND SIX: Rock Candy
Montrose - Montrose are probably better known for having a couple of their songs covered by Iron Maiden but they were a decent 70s Hard Rock band with a guitarist capable of rocking out awesome riffs and excellent solos; a guitarist so good they literally named the band after him. This track contains a perfect example of the former and a solid one of the latter but of all the Montrose tracks known in the Rock community, this is probably the most popular one. It's a little too slow and basic for my tastes but I can understand the appeal.
UFO - Once I reached the end of this track, I had that weird moment of realisation that I'd just listened to a song that I can't remember anything about, as if I'd been the victim of a Men In Black neuralizer. Whilst this isn't the first time this has happened (most songs off Rock Or Bust - AC/DC have that effect), it's a surefire indicator that you've wasted your time on a boring song. Even though UFO haven't done much with the source material, it just sounds mediocre compared to the crunching guitar and raw Hagar vocals in the original.
VERDICT - It's really tricky to decide on a winner when I don't particularly care for either track but I will say that the Montrose original kept me listening from start to finish, unlike the UFO cover. So I suppose Montrose deserve the win for that alone.

ROUND SEVEN: Mississippi Queen
Mountain - Another Blues-based Rock song with an iconic guitar riff/intro. However, unlike some of the previous entries, this song's probably a bit better known to your average music fan. It opens with cowbell and a guitar riff that may have unintentionally inspired one of many riffs for "Seek And Destroy" - Metallica. After that, there are a few tame solos, heavy chords and raw vocals, all following another variation of the Blues Chord Progression. It's a decent tune, definitely Mountain's most well known.
UFO - Once again, the tempo's been slowed down slightly (presumably to make things easier for Phil Mogg) and even though the weight of those guitar riffs is spot on, the small guitar fills throughout the verses sound distracting more than anything else. At least the vocals aren't awful, although as I said before, I get the feeling that the musicians had to compromise in order to accommodate Phil Mogg's lack of energy. I accept that there's not a lot you can do with this song to vastly improve it but UFO found a way of making it slightly worse.
VERDICT - I wouldn't willingly choose either song to listen to but at least the Mountain original has some balls, which are needed in a song like this. Mountain rules, UFO drools, let's keep trucking on.

ROUND EIGHT: Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers - An interesting choice for this album, seeing as how it's pretty far from any genre of Rock out there. Despite having a majestic string accompaniment and a great piano melody, the song's carried by Bill's soulful vocals and delivery of 26 I Knows in what sounds like a single breath. It's much shorter than I originally remembered but it's still a lovely if not slightly depressing song. Now let's listen to the UFO cover.
UFO - OK, admittedly, this isn't the utter trainwreck I thought it would be based on the previous songs. The music's handled well and it doesn't have an inappropriate solo crammed in but guess what all-important factor ruins things? Yup, it's Phil Mogg and his inability to sing songs the band (and presumably him) have agreed to cover! His voice works throughout most of the track but once it gets to the I Knows, he has to pause in between, ruining the flow and use of the I Knows in the first place. I genuinely don't know why they chose to cover a song they couldn't cohesively record but oh well, it is what it is.
VERDICT - Don't cover a song you can't fucking play/sing unless you're making it your own. Bill Withers takes the win.

ROUND NINE: Honey Bee
Tom Petty - I hadn't heard this song before writing this post either but I can see why UFO covered it. It's got a heavy riff (for Tom Petty) and a slow tempo. Musically, it sounds like a beefed up Rod Stewart song and desperately needed an extra section to prevent it from going stale about halfway through. Fortunately, it deviates from typical Tom Petty tracks by containing an actual outro instead of fading out during the guitar solo so I suppose it's at least got one thing going for it.
UFO - Yup, definitely a suitable choice for the band to cover. Vocally undemanding and perfect for synchronised guitar/bass riffing. Rather than end on a lengthy solo, UFO cut it out, resulting in a shorter track that doesn't really grate on you. It's a solid cover from the band that basically fucked up everything else although that's what happens when they cover a basic song.
VERDICT - A shorter length made this song at least partly tolerable so UFO get a long awaited win. They're gonna have to go some to win this overall but maybe they've saved the best until last...maybe.

ROUND TEN: Too Rolling Stoned
Robin Trower - I feel like I've heard a bunch of songs with "rolling stoned" in the title that are all different so I'm not sure if this is a new one for me. It's a passable but uninteresting Rock song until things slow down a bit and transition into full blown Blues territory; then it turns to shit. This seven and a half minute song is boring as shit unless you're into your Bluesy guitar soloing with some dull cheering in the background to give it the impression of being a live recording. I'm actually struggling to remember anything before the Blues section so fuck this song.
UFO - Thankfully, UFO didn't outright skip the Rock part of this song like I felt they might (although they still went Bluesy at the halfway point). It's got an air of Deep Purple and Whitesnake about it in the first half with some great soloing and suitably aged vocals. The second half passes a bit quicker than the original Blues breakdown (or at least feels like it does) so admirers of Blues soloing that can't be arsed to sit through Blues soloing are better off with this track.
VERDICT - Once again, UFO did a solid cover and removed the shitty elements. I'm not saying they made this song great but UFO get a win for not making a bad song worse. Oh, and they actually had an outro instead of fading out. Nice one, lads.

ROUND ELEVEN: Just Got Paid
ZZ Top - An early one from ZZ Top before they got synth involved. A Bluesy Southern track that probably would've been better without muting the riff. At least the mix isn't flat dogshit like most early ZZ Top tracks but it's still a very plain track. Once you've got past the riff, the rest of the song is pretty much just filler with a hollow solo and outro that would be copied and improved in "Hard To Handle" - The Black Crowes, an example of an awesome cover, something I've given up hope of finding on this album.
UFO - Damn, maybe I was right about saving the best tracks until the end. The guitar riff has been improved and those drums are just what the doctor fucking ordered. Phil Mogg still struggles to keep up with the rest of the band but his voice fits like a glove. Since it's a ZZ Top song, we don't get much in the way of vocals so the guitarist is free to play away. The band also went ahead and cut this song short too; I can't say this with certainty but I'm guessing it's because they only had short periods of time to record songs in between visiting Phil Mogg at the nursing home.
VERDICT - UFO have found their groove again! The song simply sounds more like a Rock song when they play it (although it's still average by conventional standards).

ROUND TWELVE: It's My Life
The Animals - Last song on the list, although not to be confused for the Bon Jovi track! Not the strongest song by The Animals but hey, it's got a lot of bass/guitar and the vocals are simple. There isn't much to say about it other than it feels a lot longer than 3:09 when you listen to it. I'm not saying a guitar or organ solo could've improved it but I understand why songs with guitar/organ solos by this band are better known.
UFO - Fucking hell, they had to slow this down for Phil and he still sounds like a lost old coffin dodger. The fact that a pensioner is singing "It's my life, I'll do what I want" is a little distracting and maybe this is just me but even the musicians sound bored at this point. It would've been good to hear at least one song that the band did something interesting with but nope, it's all just paint by numbers. This is Rock music for boring tossers (see Rip It Up - Thunder).
VERDICT - Tough call but I'm handing the last win to The Animals. Their song doesn't sound like a musical parody designed to show us that old people are still relevant and UFO have been given enough sympathy wins.

FINAL SCORES:
UFO - 6
Originals - 6

Wow. OK, I didn't expect that. I mean, I knew UFO wouldn't win but I'm actually surprised to see they tied with the originals after the shit they put onto that album, although maybe that's just because they picked a dull bunch of songs. To their credit, they did arrange them as best as they could on the tracklist but Mogg's limited vocals resulted in poor choices. I rate The Salentino Cuts 2/10 and wouldn't recommend it to anyone that still has a pulse.
As I said earlier, here's the Spotify playlist for you to listen to (I hesitate to say 'enjoy') as you read my verdicts.

Showdown: Under Cover - Motorhead

Despite Motorhead's frontman and eternal badass of Metal Lemmy being deceased, Motorhead are still releasing new studio material...well, half new anyway. Today's blog post is taking a look at the new Motorhead covers album entitled Under Cover (minus an umlaud over the o in typical Motorhead fashion) and whether or not Motorhead's heavier versions of iconic Rock tracks are as good if not better than the originals similar to previous Showdown posts with Whitesnake and Halestorm covers albums.

Since the covers on this album weren't deliberately recorded with the intention of making a covers album, I won't be giving individual verdicts influenced by whether these are the best songs by the respective bands Motorhead could've covered. They're covers that the band performed at some point in their career and each track has been assembled into a single compilation aside from one new track recorded before Lemmy's passing.
Right then, let's look at Motorhead's new album for what may be the last time, although I hope they release a compilation of their previously unreleased 2008 rerecordings at some point.

EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to them as you read my write-ups!



ROUND ONE: Breaking The Law
Judas Priest - Arguably the band's most famous song due partly to their music video, this song kicks things off with an instantly recognisable riff and a heavy driving bassline. It's a great little tune that's been improved over the years by speeding up the tempo and adding a sweet solo but as far as the original studio recording goes, this will always be one of Judas Priest's staples. It's just a shame Rob Halford always phones it in when playing it live by getting the audience to sing most, if not all, of it.
Motorhead - The tempo sounds a little bit faster and the guitar much heavier but goddamn, Lemmy's voice is fucking perfect for this track. Rob Halford may have the falsetto nailed down but the gravelly vocals this song requires is where Lemmy excels. It's a pretty faithful cover with no added frills until the little guitar melodies in the outro.
VERDICT - Definitely a strong track to open the covers album on and definitely a win for Motorhead. Whilst the Judas Priest original will always be THE version of this song, Motorhead did a damn fine job of recreating and (in my opinion) surpassing it.

ROUND TWO: God Save The Queen
Sex Pistols - I can't fucking stand these chancers. They slagged off bands like The Who and Queen and ended up releasing one album full of mediocre Punk anthems. However, of all the tracks I've heard of theirs, this is probably one of the better tracks. Solid guitar riffs and it even has a solo. It might be a dogshit solo but that's still impressive for Punk. The only thing that lets it down aside from the non-vocals is the "NOOOOO FU-TURE" section that sounds like a particularly uninspired football chant.
Motorhead - I'm not sure why Lemmy tried to do Punk vocals here as his deep guttural singing could've partially saved this track. Once again, it's a relatively faithful cover that sounds more like a tribute to this band than Motorhead's attempt to make the song their own, although I can fully understand why Lemmy gave up even pretending to sing with passion during the "NOOOO FU-TURE" part.
VERDICT - For all the shit I've said about this song and the Sex Pistols, I'm giving the win to the Sex Pistols because their original version sounds like a better Punk track than the Motorhead cover does a Punk or Metal one. Lemmy's voice didn't make the song enjoyable and the rest of the band sounded like they didn't really give much of a shit. It was too coordinated and paint-by-numbers to truly encapsulate the Punk spirit so I'm not sure why they even bothered.

ROUND THREE: Heroes
David Bowie - I love this song, it's easily my favourite Bowie track. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I love about it as everything just comes together into an immaculate single entity but if I had to analyse the track, I think the subdued guitar is one of the strongest aspects. It's still there playing great riffs and haunting melodies but it's quite far back in the mix compared to Bowie's vocals which take centre stage. The combination of his vocal-line and the guitar creates a multi-layered tune that I never get tired of hearing from start to finish.
Motorhead - Recorded in 2015 during the Bad Magic sessions, this is the only cover that hasn't been previously released...unless you count the band releasing it as a single to promote this album. I wish I could say that they did it justice but honestly, I think it's shit. The drums are a little too fast for me and Lemmy's vocals don't really get interesting until about halfway through when his backing vocals come in; however, both of these would be forgivable if not for the guitar. It sounds like a fucking air-raid siren and the solo sounds too active for a song like this. It should be soft and subdued instead of obvious, resulting in a bland piece of music overall.
VERDICT - David Bowie was probably always going to win this one but I'm disappointed in Motorhead's attempt at it. They proved they weren't just about being loud and heavy with "Whorehouse Blues" in 2004 (not to mention the Bluesy rerecording of "Ace Of Spades" in 2010) but it's a shame they couldn't turn the volume down from 11 here.

ROUND FOUR: Starstruck
Rainbow - Not one of Rainbow's best unless you're into your Blues Rock but it's a solid song. Dio's vocals are vintage Dio and Blackmore's guitar carries the entire track with catchy riffs throughout although the solo isn't particularly memorable for a song with him onboard. If I didn't know this was one of their big songs, I'd assume it was a filler track.
Motorhead - So technically, this isn't a true Motorhead cover. This is Motorhead playing the music whilst Biff Byford from Saxon sings the vocals (although Lemmy wails along in the chorus). It sounds more like a Saxon cover than Motorhead due to the cleaner guitar and more restrained bass but overall, I dig it. If anything, I kinda wish Lemmy had less involvement as the chorus is the weakest part.
VERDICT - Yeah, I'm giving this to Motorhead ft. Biff Byford. The Rainbow original sounds a bit flat compared to this cover, although I'm not really sure why this track made the cut. If cover songs with guest musicians were eligible, they should've included Lemmy's cover of "The Trooper". THAT's a fucking great cover.

ROUND FIVE: Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent - Uncle Ted might be a thundering bellend but when he was in the studio, he knew how to lay down a fucking sweet riff for a pure Rock song. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times and instead, we get this tired pile of shite. If music could sound bored, it would sound like the riff for "Cat Scratch Fever". Even the solo's generic, although Ted was never great at iconic solos. Just badass riffs...which this song doesn't have.
Motorhead - The riff's a bit better with more weight to it and Lemmy's growling vocals compliment the music much better than Ted's. The solo's also beefed up a bit too, making it more enjoyable to listen to as the minor bursts of shredding prevent you from falling asleep where you usually would in the original. I actually found myself nodding my head and tapping my foot towards the end, even though it's still the same song.
VERDICT - Motorhead got a little bit more creative with their recording of the song, even borrowing the outro from "Iron Fist" to make this cover sound more like one of their singles. Motorhead's cover is superior in every way so Motorhead get the win. It's a shame this is one of Ted Nugent's better known tracks although I can't say I'll lose much sleep over anything unfortunate happening to that tool.

ROUND SIX: Jumpin' Jack Flash
The Rolling Stones - Probably my favourite Rolling Stones song (Motorhead sure knew how to pick 'em, huh). I've always felt like post 1960s Rolling Stones are the ideal entry level Rock band for someone who has no idea what good Rock music sounds like but their 60s material can be pretty great, particularly if they've built the song around a great riff like this. Jagger's vocals are at their best and the song doesn't go on too long. In fact, to say it doesn't have a solo or anything fancy to pad it out, it's quite a tight package of Rock.
Motorhead - This sounds like a version of the song used in a film like Wayne's World when they wanted a more modern version of a famous track that wasn't expensive to license. Lemmy's vocals work pretty well and the heavier instruments make it sound a little rougher edged, a quality that The Rolling Stones should've kept throughout their career. However, the best part of this track is the actual outro rather than fading out. It would've been cool to hear the original with a proper ending.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their strengths but I'm giving the win to The Rolling Stones simply because I prefer the sound of their guitar tone to Motorhead's, although I do like their cover.

ROUND SEVEN: Sympathy For The Devil
The Rolling Stones - OK, I guess we've got another Stones track. It's not one I'm a huge fan of but there are several aspects I quite like. For starters, the bass is great and the lyrics stand out as some of the best by The Rolling Stones. I also like the progression of the track and how the mix changes with each verse, although part of me wonders what it'd be like if there was just a bit more guitar. It doesn't have to be an Earth-shattering riff but maybe some rhythm guitar after the second chorus could've made it that little bit better, especially since the guitar solos kind of suck.
Motorhead - Straight away, we've got the Cozy Powell "Dance With The Devil" drumbeat and once Lemmy starts singing (yes, he actually sings) the song becomes awesome. The bass sounds amazing and gives the song a whole new energy, the guitar solos aren't as sporadic and choppy, the enhanced percussion during the solos packs an excellent wallop and the genre of the song is definitively Rock. I fucking love this cover.
VERDICT - Similar to the last track, both songs are great in their own right but you all know I'm awarding it to Motorhead. I don't even know if I can listen to the original in the same way again now that I know this cover exists, that's how good it is.

ROUND EIGHT: Hellraiser
Ozzy Osbourne - Hats off to Ozzy for creating a badass Metal track without Randy or Jake E. Lee that isn't just a recreation of "Crazy Train". Ozzy's vocals don't sound as ridiculous as they usually do and the vocal effects make the song sound more epic, not to mention the great guitar riffs peppered throughout the track. I'm not entirely sure why they were going for a futuristic sound with all the synth and vocoder/guitar effects when the track's called "Hellraiser" but I can't say I dislike them.
Motorhead - This is the only track on the list where I heard the Motorhead version before the original. I'm aware that Ozzy and Lemmy wrote it together but since Ozzy released it first, I think it's fair to call this a cover (especially if Motorhead consider it one as well). It definitely sounds less polished than the Ozzy version although at least Lemmy's thick bass is awesome; plus, the stripped back sound makes it sound more like a proper Heavy Metal tune.
VERDICT - Tricky. Motorhead's version has a much better guitar solo but on a track where Ozzy really gave it his all in the vocal department, Lemmy's pipes just don't give me the same chills as the original. Ozzy Osbourne takes a well earned win.

ROUND NINE: Rockaway Beach
Ramones - Of all the Punk bands in existence, I probably have the most forgiveness for the Ramones due to them sounding like a Rock band with Punk edges rather than the other way round. I've talked about this song in a previous Showdown post so if you've read that, you'll know that I like the break between chorus and verse although wish the band were talented enough to have extended it with a solo. Still, it's a punchy little Pop-Punk tune.
Motorhead - It's no secret that Lemmy was a huge fan of the Ramones; he even recorded a track with Motorhead entitled "R.A.M.O.N.E.S" as a tribute. As far as this cover's concerned, Motorhead do a bang up job. Lemmy might sound a little bored but his vocal delivery actually works pretty damn well here. Other than that, it's a short song and Motorhead followed each note pretty faithfully.
VERDICT - To me, both songs are as good as each other, even for their genres. I'm giving the win to Ramones for being the ones to create the song and for inspiring Motorhead to write amazing tracks of their own.

ROUND TEN: Shoot 'Em Down
Twisted Sister - Not one of Twisted Sister's better known hits and, as far as 4/4/ Hard Rock tracks go, it's even more basic than your average AC/DC song. Fortunately, it has a fairly decent solo that sounds like fun to play although it's a shame the rest of the track is dull as dishwater. However, I imagine Motorhead took interest in it due to the Punk nature of it; simplistic guitar riff, obscenities in the lyrics, aggressive sound. Probably the best Twisted Sister track for Motorhead to cover.
Motorhead - Congrats Motorhead, you improved pretty much every aspect of this song. The solo might not sound quite as good (although it's still decent) but everything else has been tightened up to a suitable degree. Tempo's a bit quicker, drums are a bit louder, Lemmy's vocals are back to their usual gritty texture and even if it doesn't sound quite like a typical Motorhead song, the band took the source material and amplified it.
VERDICT - Motorhead deserve the win for obvious reasons. They've transformed a mediocre Hard Rock track into a decent Heavy Metal one without needing to completely rewrite.

ROUND ELEVEN: Whiplash
Metallica - A fan favourite from Metallica's debut, presumably thanks to a mix of rose-tinted glasses and comparing it with their more recent attempts at Metal. Sure, it has rapid guitar throughout and the drums maintain their fury from start to finish but other than that, it's a pretty bog standard affair. There are some decent riffs but overall it sounds like a much tamer version of "Hit The Lights", right down to the solo.
Motorhead - Metallica have covered a bunch of Motorhead tracks in their career so it's interesting to hear the tables turned, especially with Lemmy's thick bass taking centre stage. The bassline sounds more like a Motorhead track and even if Lemmy's vocals can't quite keep up with the track's speed, they still sound right for the song. Unfortunately, the guitar riff before the solo has been butchered but thankfully, the rest of the song is pure Metal. Also, I like how they changed the lyrics to reflect "we are Motorhead" instead of "we are Metallica"; definitely a great pick to end the album on.
VERDICT - If this was any other song off Kill 'Em All, Metallica almost certainly would've claimed the victory here. The original song's good but Motorhead took it and made it fucking great, earning them the final win.

FINAL SCORES:
Motorhead - 6
Originals - 5

A great collection of covers with a few duds but overall, it gets the thumbs up from me! I rate Under Cover a 6/10 for being a simple yet earnest collection of Motorhead material that casual listeners may not have heard, although I would've preferred a few different choices. Did you know Motorhead have covered "Tie Your Mother Down" - Queen? It's pretty fucking good. So's their cover of "Blue Suede Shoes" - Elvis Presley and "It's A Long Way To The Top" - AC/DC.
They should've been on the album instead of "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" but there's always the possibility that the band chose these covers because they knew they were Lemmy's favourites and they wanted this to be a collection he'd be proud of. If that is the case, I admire them for releasing this compilation out of love instead of a dwindling bank balance. Since Motorhead have a bunch of other decent covers, I wouldn't object to the band/record label releasing Under Cover 2 in the future even if it was their way of getting money for old rope.

Showdown: Shared Song Titles

Am I scraping the bottom of the barrel...or am I coming up with creative new posts as a way of introducing you to new music whilst discussing tracks we all know and love/hate/don't particularly care about?
Anyway, this blog post will be looking at two songs with exactly the same title by two completely different Rock/Metal bands. NOTE: these are NOT covers, these are two separate songs with identical titles. I'm not entirely sure why some of these artists choose to name their track after a much more famous song (especially if it's just a filler track on their album) but there are still bands out there with such limited creativity that they just happen to come up with the same combination of words.
Consequently, I won't just be looking at which track I think is superior; I'll also be weighing in on whether I think the copied song title was chosen because the latter band was trying to cash in on the name of a much more popular song or whether they simply picked the same title by accident. Right, let's get listening!

EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups!


ROUND ONE: Heartbreaker
Led Zeppelin - Released in 1969, this song off Led Zeppelin's second (and best) album is known for its epic guitar riff and funky rhythm, not to mention the literal guitar solo. It's not one of their better known tracks in comparison to songs such as "Stairway To Heaven", "Immigrant Song" and "Whole Lotta Love" but it's definitely one of the better tracks for fans of Riff Based Rock and early 70s Classic Rock. A top song to start with!
Pat Benatar - About 10 years later, Pat We-Don't-Need-No-Menatar released this punchy Hard Rock hit with next to no resemblance to Led Zepp's track despite containing the same title. The track's built more around Pat's vocals than the solid riff but don't assume this isn't a belter on guitar. The song ends on a great guitar solo and proper Rock outro, arguably more suitable for a track with a name as aggressive as "Heartbreaker".
VERDICT - Since the song's title is a single compound word that isn't exactly uncommon, there was clearly no copying going on here (don't worry, this is the only single word track on the list). However, as for which track is the better song in my personal opinion, I'm going with Led Zeppelin. I'll take a badass Classic Rock riff over a mediocre Hard Rock one any day.

ROUND TWO: Young Lust
Pink Floyd - From one Hard Rock track released in 1979 to another! I gave Pink Floyd a lot of shit in my last blog post but this song isn't that bad or, even worse, dull. It's got a good riff, a decent solo that stands out way more than "Comfortably Numb" and a catchy chorus, even if it does sound a little bit more like Pop or, dare I say, Disco than Rock. However, when's all said and done, this is a great track!
Aerosmith - ANOTHER 10 years later, we were given one of Aerosmith's better Hard Rock albums with album opener "Young Lust". Highlights include the footstomping rhythm and the twin guitar action of Perry and Whitford in full force. Tyler's vocals are pretty much peak Aerosmith too with his screams of "YOUNG LUST!" throughout. I'm still undecided as to whether I'm fully on board with it but they haven't got on my nerves yet (although they've come close).
VERDICT - Both songs are good for their own reasons but I'm giving the win to Aerosmith. As I've said countless times, I like my Rock to actually Rock and the latter song easily prevails in that department. As for whether Aerosmith got their name from the former song...I doubt it. Aerosmith's audience was significantly different to Pink Floyd's back then so there's no real reason they'd want to piggyback on the name of a lesser known Pink Floyd song.

ROUND THREE: Money For Nothing
Dire Straits - I love this song and fucking adore the build up at the start with the drum and synth cressendo. I just wish the drums maintained that power after Knopfler's cruising riff as they sound absolutely pissweak for the rest of the song. It goes from stadium to dive bar in a matter of seconds which I guess is appropriate considering the song's lyrics but annoying as a fan of both musical styles. Anyway, this is definitely one of Dire Straits' bigger songs so anyone who knows their Classic Rock should know this song.
Lapko - Uhhhh...fucken who? Lapko are an Alternative Rock band from Finland who clearly didn't get a copy of Brothers In Arms when they visited the record shop for inspiration in 2015. The song's hugely different to the Dire Straits track and sounds like whiny teen Rock. The guitar's OK, I guess. It's got a bit of a kick to it but those vocals sound as weak as the post-intro percussion in the Dire Straits song.
VERDICT - Obviously Dire Straits take the win here. I doubt Lapko took the song's name intentionally but I do think they were oblivious enough to not know about "Money For Nothing".

ROUND FOUR: Shout At The Devil
Motley Crue - One of their most famous songs boasting some heavy riffs, this song could easily be considered Heavy Metal if not for the poor guitar solo and fade-out in the outro. It's still a great song but it feels more chart friendly than some of Motley Crue's better songs. Even so, it's still a good tune to listen to now and then if you want something straightforward from your Hair Metal music.
Diamond Head - I reviewed the new Diamond Head album last October but didn't actually dwell on the fact that they named the second song on the record after one of the most famous Motley Crue songs. I'm not sure why as the song can definitely stand on its own feet. It's arguably not as heavy as the former song, despite belonging to Heavy Metal instead of Hair Metal and being released over 30 years after the Motley Crue single, but it's a decent filler track.
VERDICT - It's got to be Motley Crue again. It's heavier, got more distinct vocals and packs more into three minutes than the Diamond Head does into four. Granted the Diamond Head song has more going on in the guitar department but overall, the Motley Crue track does more to grab your attention. Personally, I think Diamond Head may have known what they were doing when they borrowed the song title. It's not one of their B-sides and it's not a common expression, although it is a film from the late 70s so it could've been inspired by that.

ROUND FIVE: Turn To Stone
Joe Walsh (and Barnstorm) - Joe Walsh has a lot of great material and has been credited with creating (or being largely responsible for) the sound we associate Classic Rock with when he was part of The James Gang. This song is a little slower than their hits and a similar tempo to big singles in Joe Walsh's solo career but overall, it's pretty forgettable. There are lengthy guitar solos but they're all pretty weightless so there aren't many positive aspects to this track. Joe Walsh even rerecorded this song a couple of years later in 1974. Didn't improve it but it does sound a lot cleaner, if you're interested...anyone? Nope, guess I'll move on then.
ELO - This is easily the more famous version of the song. It's got the classic ELO rhythm with plenty of Jeff Lynne and his Beatlesque space-age sound effects and tones throughout. Since it's more of a Pop Rock single, there isn't much to the song other than the verse and chorus combo but thankfully, it's a damn good combo that lasts exactly the right amount of time (approximately three minutes, for future reference). It goes without saying that it's easier on the ears than the Joe Walsh track.
VERDICT - Whilst I prefer the Classic Rock genre to Pop Rock, it has to be ELO who takes the win for this one for reasons previously listed. Since there were a good five years or so between the initial release of Joe Walsh's "Turn To Stone" and ELO's, it's possible that Jeff Lynne may have been inspired by the former track. However, it's equally likely that the idea of turning to stone is a common one that multiple artists can think of without relying on each other. Gosh, this post's really nailing it so far, huh.

ROUND SIX: Don't Stop Me Now
Queen - I think this is quite possibly the first Queen song I ever heard, or at least ever attributed to Queen. It's built almost entirely around the piano and vocal combo with Brian May's guitar only coming in at the short guitar solo before the final chorus, although there is a version of this song that exists with guitar throughout the entire track (it's pretty meh but feel free to check it out!). Luckily, it doesn't need riffs and technical solos to be a fun little track that prove Queen can still knock it out of the park seven albums into their career.
Status Quo - Whilst the previous track was Queen at their best, this one was released around the time Status Quo was at theirs. Vocal harmonies are typical Quo and the guitars are fairly standard for their material too. It's a little bit heavier than some of their signature songs too so fans of bigger Rock bands might enjoy it more than "Sweet Caroline" and "Whatever You Want", although don't expect more than music that's catchy all round.
VERDICT - I really like both songs but the choice is easy. Queen win it for writing what's clearly the more fun Rock song. I find myself listening to their track frequently whenever I want a short but hugely enjoyable burst of music. Whilst it's possible that Status Quo picked this exact combination of words that happened to be popularised by Queen without knowing about the Queen song, I believe it's almost certain that Status Quo knew they were using the same title of a popular Queen track (potentially to sponge a bit of attention), even if it wasn't as popular as it is now thanks to Shaun Of The Dead and...well, Shaun Of The Dead.

ROUND SEVEN: The Way It Is
Bruce Hornsby & The Range - I'm not sure whether Pop Rock, Yacht Rock, Soft Rock or outright Pop is the best way to categorise this song from 1986 but either way, it's one of those tunes that you'll remember once you listen to the opening piano melody or chorus. I'm not sure if Bruce Hornsby ever wrote any songs heavier or more Rock orientated than this but between the emphasis on the lyrics, two piano solos and bass synth, it's a fairly average track that's decent in small doses.
Tesla - As far as 80s Hard Rock love songs go, this one's not bad. Great vocals, solid guitar, memorable if not relatively basic solos and a proper outro. It's no "Cumin' Atcha Live" or "Modern Day Cowboy" but if you like slower tracks that still pack a punch, I'd recommend checking this one out.
VERDICT - I've mostly been favouring the original and more famous tracks so far but I'm inclined to give Tesla the win here. It's no secret that I prefer Rock to Pop but to be honest, I'm not too fussy about the genre as long as the melody's good. The Bruce Hornsby single is good but the Tesla track has more going for it, despite also being a slower song. I can't imagine Tesla stealing the phrase "the way it is" from Bruce Hornsby to make their song more notable, although I reckon at least one member of the band knew of the song before they wrote theirs. However, since it's a fairly common expression, chances are they felt like using the same name was justified.

ROUND EIGHT: Bad Reputation
Thin Lizzy - I'm not sure if it's fair to call this a well known Thin Lizzy song. It's got an album named after it and it was chosen to be in Guitar Hero 2 instead of all the other classic Thin Lizzy tracks yet I feel like it's nothing more than a filler track with a decent solo. This song was released in the late 70s during the period where Thin Lizzy were transitioning from Classic Rock to Hard Rock a few years away from their second transition from Hard Rock to Metal, although this track is definitively Hard Rock.
Joan Jett - Most of you will probably know the cover of this song from the film Shrek but as far as female Punk songs from the 80s go, this one's damn good. It might have a dodgy key change and could do with something to deviate from the same verse/chorus structure (aside from that godawful guitar "solo") but in short bursts, it's a great little "Fuck you" song which is what Punk should be. Plus, Joan Jett's vocals sound just right for the song, unlike the loud, droning atonal shite most female Punk tracks have.
VERDICT - Yeah, Joan Jett takes it here. Compare the two tracks and the Thin Lizzy one just sounds boring, even if I will always prefer Hard Rock on the whole to Punk. Once again, the words "bad reputation" aren't unique enough to make me assume Joan Jett stole them for her own gain and I don't believe she even knew the Thin Lizzy album or track existed when she wrote her song. Besides, Punk bands thought 70s Rock groups were boring and shunned their works in favour of anti-establishment noise so copying one doesn't add up.

ROUND NINE: I'm A Believer
The Monkees - You know what? I like The Monkees. They're not a guilty pleasure or anything like that, they're just a good band in my books. They've got some great Rock tracks for a bubblegum Pop band and whilst this signature song of theirs does sound a little too safe to be "Rock" from that decade, it has a great chorus and a good little solo too; you can thank Neil Diamond for that, as he wrote this song. Oh hey, this song was also covered in Shrek, although this time by Smash Mouth. Small world, huh.
Giant - Back to 1989 with another Hard Rock track, I see. Opening with a passable solo before turning into a Bon Jovi song, "I'm A Believer" by Giant sounds nothing like The Monkees' hit and, therefore, reached nowhere near the same amount of success. It's an OK track too but I feel like naming it the same as a much more popular tune likely did more harm than good, as there's a line between piggybacking and dooming yourself that this song strides across, especially since most of the lesser known previous shared song titles belong to filler tracks as opposed to hit singles.
VERDICT - Well, to be fair to Giant, it's not a bad track. A little bland and too similar to much greater Hard Rock bands of the time but I don't mind listening to it. That doesn't mean it takes the win, though. The Monkees clear this one and I'm pretty sure at least one member of the band or producer knew about their song before entering the studio, hence why none of you know about Giant. Nice choice of band name too, fellas. Definitely didn't tempt fate there.

ROUND TEN: Danger Zone
Rainbow - Believe it or not, even this wasn't the first Rock song named "Danger Zone". Quiet Riot recorded one for the Metal Health album but I'm not entirely sure when that was released, as I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the original album. The Rainbow track, however, was and that came out in 1979. It's built around a pretty sweet riff (what else from Blackmore?) and Bonnet's vocals make this track great to Rock out to as well. However, I think we all know what's coming next so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?
Kenny Loggins - Song from Top Gun, classic chorus, simplistic guitar, awesome solo, fucking rocks, 'nuff said.
VERDICT - If you're ever faced with this decision and you pick anyone other than Kenny Loggins, your opinion is not valid. Pick another shared song title for your bullshit "I'm smart because I don't conform to popular opinion" hot take, The Log Dog will always win when you're in the Danger Zone!


I found quite a few songs with shared song titles so expect another one of these posts a few months or so from now. Likewise, if you have any requests for songs to be included in said post, let me know in the comments or via Twitter.