Enough Already! Cover Album Cop Out
I admit it! I am tired of the "album of cover songs" trend that bands have established over the past few years. Vince Neil's latest Tattoos & Tequila is just the most recent example of this, but off the top of my head, there is also Poison's Poison'd, Def Leppard's Yeah!, (Phil Lewis') L.A. Guns put out both Rips the Covers Off and Covered in Guns, and Stryper and Pretty Boy Floyd have both announced that their next efforts will be albums of cover songs. However, nothing tops the Kiss My Ass album put out by KISS a few years ago (an album that was simply other bands covering KISS classics...an example of KISS getting paid for doing next to nothing). In my opinion, a cover album is nothing more than a band taking a lazy approach to putting out a new product and it is always done under the guise of "paying tribute to the songs and music that influenced their careers."
Let's be honest...an album of covers is a cop out. The most difficult aspect of creating an album is removed from the equation, as there is no 'writing' involved. Now, this becomes a much more stream-lined approach to putting a product out. The bands simply have to walk into the studio and recreate works that others have already made famous. Sure, some artists will make some creative changes to the songs, but ultimately, the framework already exists. I am not against a band putting one or two cover songs on an album. In small doses, I think that it can definitely enhance an album. But, an entire album's worth of songs (or two in the case of L.A. Guns) not written by the band is just not something I am interested in, and I have to believe that overall, most fans agree with me. Sure, you may buy the album when it is released and you may initially think it is 'cool,' but after a month or so, do you really keep listening to it? How many of you listened to the Poison'd album this week? My guess is not many. Really, would you rather hear Grand Funk Railroad sing "We're An American Band" or Poison? To me the answer is clear, and that is most people want to hear songs performed by the bands that wrote them. In this regard, my hat goes off to RATT, who just put out an album of all original songs that were written in the true spirit of the songs that initially made them famous. They could have taken the easy route and recorded some classic rock songs, but instead they put some time and effort in and made an album that their fans will appreciate and enjoy. I will take Stephen Pearcy's goofy lyrics (i.e. "Rock steady/ your lost weekend/ I'm ready for big fun") over another re-recorded version of "Rock n Roll All Nite" any day.
So, what do you think? Are you sick of the cover album cop-out?
Reader Comments (24)
It might seem like a neat solution for a band owing their record company one last album, but covers are a snooze.
When it comes to KISS, and the KISS My Ass disc, I am completely biased. Being a huge KISS fan, I have several KISS tribute discs...and always enjoy hearing alternative interpretations of their songs. Granted the KISS My Ass was KISS being self serving, but the connection of the artist on that disc to the band as fans was what made it interesting.
Ive listend to Vince Neils new cover disc, and I will shamefully admit that I enjoyed it. (dont tell anyone) :)
So I see your point, and I agree its been last year since I listened to Poison'd, but I often listen to the Tesla discs as well as some KISS cover discs.
Having said all that, yes it can be a cop out, with no new writing, and many of them suck, and it never takes the place of wanting to hear new music instead!
Tribute albums are a different story, even when it comes to the KISS disc you mentioned. I would rather hear a different arrangement still, but I do enjoy listening to tribute albums.
And then you have the parody cover bands, like Hayseed Dixie (for a good example) and Full Blown Cherry (for a not-so-great example). Hayseed Dixie are just fantastically hilarious and worth every second that you listen to them. Full Blown Cherry seems a bit forced, though.
But yes, I agree, cover albums by bands are generally a bad idea.
Chuck Mydenrocks www.mydenrocks.blogspot.com
i want new music from artists....
not rehashed versions of songs that have been covered by every band in the world...
i will say this for the def leppard cover disc....
they did it to honor the musicians they listened to when they were young.....
as for the new ratt cd.....
ilove it.......classic ratt sound....
The odd cover song is cool, but I've never really been into entire albums of cover songs. As was mentioned above, the KISS My Ass album is cool, but I don't really listen to it that often. I still prefer to listen to the original track or one of the dozen live versions I have.
@ Brian...I didn't write this one. My friend Brian Carvell did. Just want him to have his credit :)
- Allyson
Who did the first unplugged tour and album - TESLA. Then everybody copied them, right down to song selection.
Who put their own style on really old and obscure cover songs, and recorded them analog like the old days, and had the creative idea to sell one CD and then give away the 2nd CD if you came to see them on tour - TESLA. Then everybody copied them, without the creativity.
Who continues to put out great new albums in the midst of everything - TESLA. Into The Now and Forever More are 2 of the best albums of the last decade, in any style.
Bottom line, if you are going to try to sell yourself as a working band, it is OK to play hits and some covers, but write some good quality new material too or you look like a cover band yourself. Hell, even Steven Adler is writing new material and playing it on tour this summer!
In my mind, the key to making a cover song successful is to pick a good song that isn't very well known. That way you can put your own styling on it without everyone always comparing it to the original. 'Signs' is a great example of that, and Metallica has always picked great songs to cover.
But I think it boils down to these artists being fans just like us. They pick tunes they like to sing along to in the car and what you to enjoy listening to their experience. I'm sure that Vince picked songs that *gasp* he actually likes. Why not ? Why not share with the world songs that he likes and lets face it, if they aren't redone will just fade into infamy.
I had a bad remake, but I'm all for a good try at remaking a song, especially some obscure ones - Tesla doing Stealin' by Uriah Heap ? It keeps good music new and maybe turn some ears onto songs they normally wouldn't care for.
AND, I forgot to include this in my post, but the ultimate irony is that Steel Panther, a band created for the sake of playing covers, put out an album of all original material!