More Pretenders

You all know this song, so I’m not sure why I’m posting this, other than it’s always seemed to me to be somewhat underrated.  Yeah, it appears on “best of” compilations, and MTV did air this video some, but I don’t remember ever hearing it on the radio.  It’s a great song, with brilliant guitar parts throughout, and a badass lead break at the end.  Do I wish I’d seen them live?  Hell yeah.  Sadly, half of this line-up would  be dead within a couple of years.

Mirrored Aztec

Bob and the boys release their 31st (? maybe, who knows? how do you count?) and second album of 2020

f you’ve worn all those out, the band has also announced a fan club of sorts called Hot Freaks (what else?) that will give you access to unreleased content, rarities and other stuff. Let us know how it is, Monkeystador.

But wait, there’s more!

While we’re revisiting great covers…this one achieves the impossible by being better than the Kinks’ original, in my opinion.  I doubt anyone else has ever bested the Kinks.  Another Nick Lowe production.

Speaking Of Great Covers …

A little … context, courtesy of you-know-who.

The Elvis Costello & the Attractions version was first issued as the B-side of Lowe’s 1978 single “American Squirm”, credited to “Nick Lowe and His Sound”. At the time, Lowe was Costello’s producer, and he produced this track as well. When the song became a hit, it was quickly appended as the last track to the US edition of Costello’s album Armed Forces. It has appeared on most of Costello’s “Best of…” compilations over the years, as well as on the soundtrack to the film 200 Cigarettes. Live versions appeared on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Volume 7: 2002–2003, and 2012’s The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook, both by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked this version of the song as the 284th best song of all time.

Modern Drummer said of drummer Pete Thomas’ performance, “A beautiful thing happens on this song, common to many early Attractions songs. It’s that feeling that the track could derail, when in reality Thomas has everything locked down. He does a lot of playing here without overplaying. Like most Attractions songs from that era, this was cut live, full-band and lead vocal. That’s probably why so many years later, it still sounds so energized and inspired.”

The video for the song was directed by Chuck Statler.