dance covers of alternarock: survey
D. Travers Scott/David Eckard
I'm working on an article for _Women and Performance_, an academic
journal out of New York University. I'm researching dance/euro/HiNRG
covers of *contemporary* "Alternative" rock songs such as Abigail's
versions of Losing My Religion, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Constant
Craving; A.D.A.M./Amy's version of Zombie, Civilles and Cole's Pride in
the Name of Love, MxM's Nothing Compares 2 U, and recent covers of 1979,
What if God Was One of Us, You Oughta Know (artist ID's on these last
3?!?). I'd greatly appreciate anyone emailing me their responses to
these questions, and would be happy to talk with anyone interested
further about my article. Thanks!! Travers dave...@halcyon.com
How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
Reinterpretations?
Where do you hear these songs?
Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
How do you feel about the originals?
How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
Tom and/or Alex Ewing
>I'm working on an article for _Women and Performance_, an academic
>journal out of New York University. I'm researching dance/euro/HiNRG
>covers of *contemporary* "Alternative" rock songs such as Abigail's
>versions of Losing My Religion, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Constant
>Craving; A.D.A.M./Amy's version of Zombie, Civilles and Cole's Pride in
>the Name of Love, MxM's Nothing Compares 2 U, and recent covers of 1979,
>What if God Was One of Us, You Oughta Know (artist ID's on these last
>3?!?). I'd greatly appreciate anyone emailing me their responses to
>these questions, and would be happy to talk with anyone interested
>further about my article. Thanks!! Travers dave...@halcyon.com
I don't know if covers of UK indie/alternative tracks count, but I
also know of Pianoman's "Blurred" (covering 'Girls And Boys') and
Princess Paragon's "A Girl Like You". Several Hi-NRG Oasis covers have
also surfaced.
>How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
It very much depends on whether the record has any point beyond being
a cover version. Abigail's versions don't, for example: they rely on
shock and novelty value. Pianoman's song, and ADAM And Amy's record,
are both cracking handbag tunes which happen to be covers, so I much
prefer those to dance to.
>How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
Fine. I'd play them in a party atmosphere to get people dancing if I
wasn't trying to be creative with my DJing at all, and when I am
trying to be creative I see my main objective as fucking with people's
perceptions of good or bad music or what music should go with what, so
I would probably play ADAM & Amy next to Panasonic or Motorhead.
>How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
>Reinterpretations?
Depends. Some are just novelties or rip-offs, others probably do have
some naive concept of 'creativity' and 're-interpretation' in mind.
The integrity of the producer/artist has no bearing whatsoever on the
actual quality of the record, luckily (naturally the same is the case
when dealing with the original alt.rock songs).
>Where do you hear these songs?
On the radio, or via friends. Very occasionally in shops and rarely if
ever in clubs.
>Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
No. I tape them occasionally, and if I liked one enough I would
happily buy it.
>How do you feel about the originals?
It depends, again. Nothing Compares To U I like, Smells Like Teen
Spirit is good but I've heard it too often, Zombie I detest, One of Us
I detest, the Alanis song I detest, 1979 I'm neutral about with slight
dislike, and so on. I think if someone did a hi-NRG cover of one of my
favourite alt.songs (The Pixies' 'Debaser' for example) I'd love it.
>How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
Not necessarily any different. With 'Zombie' I had if anything even
greater contempt for the idiotic triteness of the original lyrics, and
thought the cover was hilarious. With most of the others I felt no
different. I certainly didn't feel that anything shameful had been
done.
>What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
I like both. With dance music I tend to like the poppiest stuff
(handbag, house, disco, etc.) and the more extreme stuff (minimalist
techno, techstep drum'n'bass, hardcore, gabba). I also like hip-hop.
Stuff inbetween these areas I like considerably less, like
'intelligent techno' ir indeed 'intelligent jungle' or 'blunted
beats', especially since this sort of music tends to assume its own
superiority over other forms. With alt. music I enjoy a wide range
from very 'difficult' stuff like Japanese noise to poppy retro bands
like the High Llamas and Olivia Tremor Control. I don't like any of
the currently big alt. bands with the exceptions of (in the UK), Pulp
and Prodigy.
Good luck with your survey, though from the number of 'depends'es I've
put in it may be that you need to refine your qns a little (or else
I'm a contrary bugger).
Tom.
tew...@netcomuk.co.uk
Recommended Listening:
Various Artists - "Torque" (No U-Turn)
The hardest jungle you'll hear for a long time.
John England
> I'm working on an article for _Women and Performance_, an academic
> journal out of New York University. I'm researching dance/euro/HiNRG
> covers of *contemporary* "Alternative" rock songs such as Abigail's
> versions of Losing My Religion, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Constant
> Craving; A.D.A.M./Amy's version of Zombie, Civilles and Cole's Pride in
> the Name of Love, MxM's Nothing Compares 2 U, and recent covers of 1979,
> What if God Was One of Us, You Oughta Know (artist ID's on these last
> 3?!?). I'd greatly appreciate anyone emailing me their responses to
> these questions, and would be happy to talk with anyone interested
> further about my article. Thanks!! Travers dave...@halcyon.com
>
> How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
No problem whatsoever!
> How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
I dont mind, more importantly, the audience loves it!
> How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
> Reinterpretations?
These are both novelities and reinterpretations.
> Where do you hear these songs?
Only in clubs and on mixshows
> Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
No, they send me the promos...
> How do you feel about the originals?
Still like them, these versions are only for the clubs.
> How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
No differently...usually the newer versions add some zest to the song.
> What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
To dance; Im a disc jockey and a record pool director. To Alternative,
even though I live in Seattle, absolutely none!
--
John England
Director, Northwest Dance Music Association.
Director, National Association of Pool Directors.
Ant Chapman
In article <3329CA...@halcyon.com>, "D. Travers Scott/David Eckard"
<dave...@halcyon.com> writes
>How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
>
>How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
>
I'd rather listen to Scatman John for the rest of my life
>How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
>Reinterpretations?
>
Masturbation
>Where do you hear these songs?
>
Everyfuckingwhere
>Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
>
Are you taking the piss?
>How do you feel about the originals?
>
In the main - they suck JUST as badly
>How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
>
Like someone is twisting a knife in my guts
>What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
I enjoy a lot of dance music. Most so-called "Alternative Rock" is in
fact "Dad-Rock" for 20 year olds who wish they were middle aged.
Have a nice day.
PS - QUIT SPAMMING YOU FUCKING MORON
Ant Chapman
"Tell you what I like about you,
Tell you what's the least I can do,
F**k all!" - Bear, "Bugs"
Mark S-D
"D. Travers Scott/David Eckard" <dave...@halcyon.com> wrote....
>How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
>
I heard an Oasis tune put over a really dull 4/4 beat (NOT the chems
one, that's actually pretty good), they even chopped most of the lyrics
out and timestretched the vocals to fit. Yuk.
>How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
>
I wouldn't unless somebody put a gun to my head.
>How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
>Reinterpretations?
>
Usually the first two, *very* occasionally the third. I think a lot of
people are cashing in.
>Where do you hear these songs?
>
When I should be somewhere else. Erm, lots of places, pubs, burger bars.
>Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
>
No. Don't know, don't care.
>How do you feel about the originals?
>
They are usually a lot better.
>How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
>
They are usually a lot better.
>What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
I like parts of both.
I love to hear creativity or feeling in music, not some formula over and
over again with each record.
--
Mark S-D <m...@marksd.demon.co.uk>
Please remove the *no spam* from my address when using reply. Thankyou.
Thomas Wright
> How do you feel about dancing/listening to these songs?
That depends completely on the individual song. If a song's good,
I like it. If not, forget it.
> How do you feel about playing/spinning these songs?
Same as above.
> How would you describe these songs? Rip-offs? Novelties?
> Reinterpretations?
Depends on how the song is re-done. Sometimes songs are completely
redone so they end up being a new track (e.g. The Roof is On fire,
Bloodhound Gang, Too Kool Chris and someone from the 80')
> Where do you hear these songs?
Clubs, radio
> Do you buy these songs? If so, where?
some. DJ Stores.
> How do you feel about the originals?
Some, I prefer the original, some the remake.
> How do you feel about the originals after hearing the covers?
Ditto the above.
> What is your relationship to dance music? To "Alternative Rock" music?
I'm a club jock that plays both.
John England
In article <DXA97LAG...@achap.demon.co.uk>, Ant Chapman
<a...@achap.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I enjoy a lot of dance music. Most so-called "Alternative Rock" is in
> fact "Dad-Rock" for 20 year olds who wish they were middle aged.
>
> Have a nice day.
>
> PS - QUIT SPAMMING YOU FUCKING MORON
Hmmm, another AOLer...
Ant Chapman
In article <nwdma-ya02408000...@news.nwlink.com>, John
England <nw...@nwlink.com> writes ^^^^^
>Hmmm, another AOLer...
You what?