IT'S MY PARTY AND I WILL GRIN IF I WANT TO: thoughts on Hayseed dixie and cover versions in general.

HEY HEY MAMA, THE WAY YOU MOVE, GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT, GONNA MAKE YOU GROOVE.

Well, I managed to refrain from playing my Hayseed Dixie CD till me birfday... which be today.. and it was well worth the wait. I is not normally a big fan of Blue Grass but if you are not familiar with the original versions of the tracks on here this album still stands up quite well on it's own, a real toe tapper. If you are familiar with the original versions by the likes of Black Sabbath, Neil Young, Outkast, Geen Day, Franz Ferdinand and Led Zeppelin, you cant help but grin when you hear the lyrics.

I hate bands that get on stage and just do cover versions with no imagination, trying to replicate the original. Totally pointless as far as i am concerned. Now taking a song, ripping it appart and putting it back together to be something else, something new... well it can be hit and miss and is a risky business, but when it works it can be awesome.

Note worthy reworkings, that add something to the music scene, include.. Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix) by Johnny Jones and the King Casuals, Shaft (Isaac Hayes) by the Chosen few, Babylons Burning (the Ruts) by Zion Train, Police and Thieves (Junior Murvin) by the Clash, The Ace of Spades (Motorhead) by Pronghorn, Dark Side of the Moon (yes... the WHOLE Pink Floyd album) by The Easy Star All Stars (what a dreadful name for a band!!!) and... well .. almost everything Hayseed Dixie have ever done! There are plenty more but I aint got time to sit here listing them, these are just a few that spring to mind.

Although it is my birthday, i have to get ready to head off to taunton for a job interview tomorrow morning.

Photo, Hayseed Dixie