Finally convinced my computer to allow me to listen to the kexp stream again. The station is out of Seattle and I was cordially introduced to it last winter by my friend and former co-worker R, when we worked the overnight together. I admit that last year I developed a minor crush on the morning dj, aptly named Johninthemorning. Obviously I am not alone as he has attained cult-like status among his fans. They (we?) are called The Morning Faithful. He has great taste in music and was always friendly during our email correspondance while I played the usual geeky game of trying to appear cool by making obscure requests. C hated him and cut on his on-air skills all the time. I suspect he was a touch jealous. C & I both have college radio background and I do have a history of picking up radio djs by calling into their shows. I was a founding member of 88.9FM WHIP (and no, I actually had nothing to do with choosing the call letters!) and C was station manager at 87.9FM WBMB for close to a decade during the eighties when college radio was "relevant." Over the last two days JITM has been playing amazing covers. I began thinking about my favorite cover tunes and will actually compile the list for you here, in no particular order:

Gary Jules--Mad World (Tears For Fears)
Cake--I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Johnny Cash--Hurt (NIN)
Ryan Adams--Wonderwall (Oasis)
Ben Lee--Anything, Anything (Dramarama)
Polysics--My Sharona (The Knack)
Depeche Mode--Route 66 (Bobby Troupe)
Revolting Cocks--Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? (Rod Stewart)
The Langley School Music Project--Innocence and Despair (the whole album):

1. Venus and Mars/Rock Show (Paul McCartney & Wings)
2. Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
3. God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)
4. Space Oddity (David Bowie)
5. The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles)
6. Band On The Run (Paul McCartney & Wings)
7. In My Room (The Beach Boys)
8. I'm Into Something Good (Earl-Jean/Herman's Hermits)
9. Saturday Night (Bay City Rollers)
10. I Get Around (The Beach Boys)
11. Mandy (Barry Manilow)
12. Help Me, Rhonda (The Beach Boys)
13. Desperado (The Eagles)
14. You're So Good To Me (The Beach Boys)
15. Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
16. To Know Him Is To Love Him (Teddy Bears)
17. Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac)
18. Wildfire (Michael Martin Murphy)
19. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day) (Klaatu/The Carpenters)

Jaymz Bee & the Deep Lounge Coalition--Sub Urban (is it lame of me not to narrow it down and claim another whole album?) You need to understand that we are talking about r&b, rap and reggae done as lounge. There's something very special about his cover of Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me."

I am fully aware that sampling a song is NOT covering it, but I think DJ Z-trip's mix of Midnight Oil's Beds Are Burning laid over Metallica's For Whom the Bell Tolls basically creates a whole new version of the song. This is MY list anyway so fuck y'all if you don't approve!


I realize that this list could get VERY long, so in the interest of getting SOMETHING done at the shop today, I will end here. However, I have an assignment for you...what's your favorite cover? I know at least a few people read this blog everyday, but no one ever comments! I'm lonely, it is time for a little audience participation!