Classic Rock Bottom

 

With covers week behind us I thought a great segway would be to look at some Rerecorded tunes. Like cover albums, classic rocks artists seem to be rerecording hit songs from their back catalog. Sometimes with great success, but all the time so that they can control usage and royalties of these songs.

Case in point... KISS. When they released Sonic Boom, they included a disc of rerecorded material. Which they promptly released to Guitar Hero and Band Hero games. Also, it seemed that to strike the "Wal-Mart" deal it was something that made the deal even sweeter. Journey did it as well. So I went back and took a look at rerecorded songs and found a treasure trove of material hidden in Greatest Hits packages and recent releases.

 

And while this playlist will be more mellow and mid-tempo than what we’ve posted lately, I think you'll love the listening experience. So here's 3 of the coolest!

 

PLAYLIST --> http://snack.to/adp84nnu

BENNY MARDONES - ST
1989

1 - Into The Night

This song is so good it hit the Billboard Top 20, twice! Once in 1980 and once again in 1989. Spending a total of 37 weeks on the charts, which, at the time, broke Laura Branigans record of 36. In 1989, KZZP, a radio station in Arizona, ran a segment titled "Where Are They Now?" The most popular question was "Whatever happened to the guy who sang 'Into the Night'?" Scott Shannon, then program director for Pirate Radio in Los Angeles, added "Into the Night" to its playlist. Radio stations across the country followed suit and "Into the Night" was once again a hit. Mardones was 33 years old when the song became a hit for the first time and he still lives quite well on the royalties. Even though his lone hit charted twice, Mardones is still considered a "one-hit wonder." He continues to have a substantial fan following in Syracuse, New York with his band, the Hurricanes. This song can originally be found on his album titled "Never Run, Never Hide" released in 1980.

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS -World Gone Crazy
2010
 
2 - Nobody

The first single from their debut album, "Nobody," failed to chart, as did the album itself. The single was re-released in 1974 after the group had become a highly successful touring and recording act, peaking at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Willing to go after it a third time, the band rerecorded the song and included it on their 2010 release "World Gone Crazy". Although it may come too late for chart success, the track really work as a rerecorded song. All the hallmark acoustic geetar work is still in place just better heard.

STYX - Greatest Hits
1995

3 - Lady 95'

Previous greatest hits packages had excluded the hit song "Lady" because the song was originally recorded for and released through Wooden Nickel Records (which also had a distribution arrangement with RCA Records). Because A&M/Polygram had been unable to secure distribution rights to the song, most of the classic lineup of Styx (Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, Chuck Panozzo, and James "J.Y." Young) reunited to re-record the track at Dennis' home studio. They were joined by uncredited session drummer Todd Sucherman, who filled in for John Panozzo due to Panozzo's failing health. It was first released on Styx II and was a local hit in the band's native Chicago, but initially failed to chart nationally until the band moved to A&M Records in 1974.

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Interesting choice broham.  But no Kiss?  You should be ashamed.  A lot of "Kiss fans" seem to like the re-recorded version of Hotter Than Hell and I Was Made For Loving You.  I'd go with Black Diamond.  

As far as these three:

Benny Mardones - This one is a thumbs down for me.  Not because it's terrible, but his voice sounds...older (of course, that's not unexpected).  But I don't really like the over singing towards the end of the song.

The Doobie Brothers - Thumbs up for this one.  This is the first version I ever heard.  I didn't have much old DB's material prior to this album coming out, other than the hits, and I don't ever remember hearing the original.  And to top it off, this was one of the better songs on that album.  

Styx - I have both versions of this now, but honestly, I listened to it numerous times from the greatest hits album and never realized it was a re-record.  I like both versions just fine and would have absolutely no problem listening to either.  

I'm not crazy about a disc of re-records, regardless of the reason for them, unless it's included as a "free" or "extra" bonus in a package.  That would apply to the Journey and Kiss re-records.  But don't ask me to buy 'em (Loverboy and Styx immediately come to mind).  I read where Cheap Trick completely re-recorded the "In Color" album a couple of years ago.  To my knowledge it has not been released.  I'd like to see it as a bonus with their next studio album.  That would be cool.  

How 'bout when a band just re-records one song from their past for a new studio album.  I'm thinking Whitesnake here.  I can dig that.

Great topic this week Scott.

Oh yeah, I have something else to add.  I think that the law should allow a record company no more than 20 to 25 years, a patent if you will, on the rights to an artists recordings.  Then the rights should automatically revert back to the artist.  Period.  Then we wouldn't have the re-recording issue.

Thanks Boss!  We featured "Fool For Your Loving" on the Ready N Willing release from Whitesnake recently, so it didn't get reposted.

Did I mention this is a great topic?  I really want to know everybody's feelings on this matter, including the thread author.  Is it always a bad idea?  Is it always a good idea?  Maybe it's just okay sometimes.  Whaddayathink?

In some cases I really like it, in some cases it's clearly a mistake.  I posted 3 great ones (IMO) that showcase what there is too like about them.

  • Technology advances
  • Way improved production
  • Little twists in the songs that improve it are cool
  • A whole new audience gets to potentially enjoy something they may have missed

The Journey rerecords are interesting in that they are both, cool and not cool.  I love the treatment they gave Wheel In The Sky for example.  They incorporated some of how they play it live at the end of the song because they know that enhances the tune, on the other hand, Any Way You Want It and Open Arms exposes Arnels voice in parts and the songs feel like they are played just a hint slower than the original.  Like Open Arms could feel any slower!

I do respect what the bands are trying to do with the rights to their music, so I could never say its a bad move.  But regardless of the intent, I think the packaging has to be perfect and not come off as an attempt at a Greatest Hits disc.  Maybe single out the tracks they could license right out of the gate and then add some deeper-hard-core fan favorites.  Wouldn't you have loved that Journey set with Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin, Too Late, Precious Time, Walks Like A Lady?  I think this approach gets them a chance at doing it again.  Look what it did for sales of their new music?  Most of these albums charted on Billboard album charts and Adult Contemporary singles charts (Journey, and KISS for example)

sorry, but I wouldn't know any of these albums/songs to begin with so to hear there rerecorded versions would only be a first for me.

Well yes in deed he did....The King of Shock Rock ...Uncle Alice rerecorded 5 songs/hits from his past back in 2010 putting out "Alice Does Alice".

 

The track list:

1. School's Out

2. No More Mr. Nice Guy

3. Elected

4. Eighteen

5. Welcome to my Nightmare

This was a download ONLY Ep, and I think it cost me $5.99. I took a chance and besides...It was Alice so I had to have it. At first listen I was pissed. I DID NOT like it. I don't know what I was expecting really. But then, I played it again. And again...and again and DAMN...I loved it. mIn fact I like these recordings better than the originals. Maybe it has something to do with the advancement in recording tools compared to the 70's but still all the same, Cooper still has some pipes. ELECTED is a great example. It is also worth noting that Cooper has always had some fabulous musicians in his camp and they really played the hell outa these tunes.

and then...he put out his worst album ever with the atrocious Welcome to my Nightmare 2.  I don't get it.

Never knew this even existed.  I love Elected!  Probably a top 3 Alice tune for me.   I'd love to hear the rerecord.

I will upload later today

here is the link for Alice Does Alice

http://snack.to/adplbmmp

Alice does sound great, but they aren't any "better" than the originals to me.  I think I noticed some added guitar parts in No More Mr. Nice Guy, and it sounds just slightly slower.  It was worth the listen though, thanks bro.

maybe I have the advantage having heard these songs hundreds (high hundreds) of times. To me, there are major differences. Not so much that it is an entirely new song, just improved and fresher. Again probably due to technology. Maybe I was just really bored/accustomed with the older versions. 

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