How powerful are music videos for a song?

When I was a child, whether or not I liked a song depended almost entirely on how much the music video appealed to me. I remember hating Kasabian's song 'Fire' because to my little brain, the music video wasn't full of flashing colours and therefore the song was shit.
(Ironically, I now love the music video, but that's because my love for Quentin Tarantino has meant that I love anything with a relative amount of violence in it and running away in it. Worrying, how much pleasure I get from seeing violence- I hope this doesn't lead to a life as a serial killer, but that thought is for another time).
I listened to the song again a couple of years ago, and realised that I BLOODY LOVE IT, and cursed myself for not giving the song a proper chance.

Matured (cough) as I'd like to think I am, I now view a great music video as simply a perk of a great song. Now I actually listen to the music, and most of the music I listen to was made before music videos were all the rage.  But it seems that many people are still stuck in that 'child' mode of frame. Just listening to a song is too much effort- sure, they'll download the song and listen to it on repeat AFTER they've seen the video and liked it. But meh, it's too much effort waiting through that boring 7 second instrumental without a jaw dropping video to grab your attention.

And music artists have picked on to this fact. Oh, you can be sure they have! In today's society when people are ridiculously impatient, easily distracted and need to be stimulated constantly to be interested (we'd probably all fit under the diagnosis of  ADHD ). Music videos are now seen as a way of stimulating people enough for them to listen, or at least hear, the song in the background, which will probably stick in their heads and force them to buy it. And never mind if the song's not good, whenever that person listens to it they'll always visualise the music video and forgot about how repetitive and empty the music is. *Record company boss rubs his hands together gleefully, salivating at the mouth* "What a brilliant plan!" he shrieks, and proceeds to burst into a long,evil laugh.

So we have music videos that a created into beautiful works of art to lure people in. Hey, fuck that, they don't even have to be all that beautiful they just have to be appealing, which can be achieved easily with attractive people, lots of shots of attractive settings and have bright colours and lots of flashing.

And music videos where people try and do controversial things to get publicity (oh the countless times this has happened in 2013 .....think Wrecking Ball and Blurred Lines to name but a two)

And often, music videos go viral and then BAM, the song achieves mass success despite the fact that it's in a language most people don't understand and has the same repetitive electronic sound that reminds me a bit of a window being scrubbed really hard (listen closely and maybe you'll see what I mean).

Precisely why Beyonce has released so many videos for her next album. Music videos are powerful- the release of this visual album  made her reach number 1 in over 100 countries.

Soon, we'll see the rise of more visual albums. With increased internet usage, our shorter attention span, and with the capacity for things to go viral- music videos are becoming a powerful force.

What do you think lies in the future of music videos?

Is it Possible to Achieve Fame as a Music Artist without Being Turned into a Product? 6 EXAMPLES OF WHY YOU CAN'T

Can music artists get people to like them for their music, and their music alone without turning themselves into an 'image' or 'a product'?

Let me explain. Take David Bowie:

A talented musician who's made incredible music that will be listened to for generations. But with the help of his image. He created  an eccentric image with the help of his two different coloured eyes, his reputation for crazy outfits,  and crazy spiked ginger hair that resembles the top of a pineapple. This of course gave him extra publicity, helping him to achieve fame. 

A touring exhibition is currently going around the world, centred around Bowie's original costumes, album artwork and creative influences. In other words, this exhibition is focusing on his image, rather than his music. And many people who may secretly loathe David Bowie's music will go to this exhibition to gawk in wonder at his insane clothing taste, and to appear cultural in front of their friends. 

Ultimately, music is a product: which means people have to turn themselves into products themselves in order to achieve mass fame, and sell. 

As I go through a list of the categories of  'products' people are turned into, you'll start to wonder more and more whether or not it actually is possible to achieve fame without an image...

1) Product Number 1: The sexually attractive girl

This has many sub-categories, because it is one of the most common. The two most common ones are  sexually attraction through trying to appear cute and virginal (even if you doubt she may really be a virgin, if you stare at her innocent smile, blonde hair and girl-next-door hairstyle, you find it incredibly easy to convince yourself she is) like Marianne Faithfull and Britney Spears in their early days, or she has some sort of inner confidence and (supposed) sexual maturity that oozes sex appeal like Grace Slick, Joan Jett or Debbie Harry. Ironically, as the 'cute & virginal' sexually attractive girl matures, she tries to dramatically change her image so she fits into the sexually mature category, as we've seen happen with Miley Cyrus. Marianne Faithfull's image also changed after she released the film 'The Girl on the Motorcycle', and her scandalous behaviour with Mick Jagger was made public....as for Britney Spears....she tried to shed her 'virginal' image as quickly as she could. 

Marianne as virginal: (throughout this period she'd almost always wear tops right up to her neck)

BAM, Marianne becomes sexy: (BAM, Cleavage everywhere)

2) Product number 2: The eccentric

We've seen this countless of times, used as a form of publicity to get a lot of attention. This includes acts of sexual promiscuity (though their effects are wearing off as we are exposed to this more and more frequently), such as Miley Cyrus' famous VMA performance and Madonna's pointed bras.

Undoubtedly, the most favoured way for musicians to make themselves seem eccentric is to wear eccentric clothing. This was seen very frequently during the 70s and 80s, and David Bowie did this very often.

Lady Gaga's mix of sexual promiscuity in her music videos and crazy outfits have ensured that she has achieved world-wide fame, proving that she knows herself exactly how important becoming a 'product' is to achieve fame. 

3) Product number 3: The Badass Rockstar

The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Doors.... I could go on listing for years.

These people became famous because of their extreme alpha male-esque confidence, drug usage, crazy sex stories (crazy to think that Jimmy Page effectively kidnapped the 14 year old Lori Maddox and used her as a sex slave...and this was regular behaviour?).

Trashing hotel rooms, drinking like mad, having groupies crawl after them...

All the girls want them. 

And all the guys want to be them.

As times have changed and music has changed, we now see many rappers and hip hop artists trying to fill in the space left by the 'Badass Rockstar', surrounding themselves with half naked women in their music videos, and becoming famous for drug usage.

4) Product number 4: The attractive boy-band

Never underestimate girl power.

Anyone at the Beatles' perfomance at Shea Stadium probably still feels a slight ringing in their ears when recalling the screaming girls, who'd faint one by one. 

Girls claimed they'd have orgasms just standing in a Beatles' performance

Why else are a terrible, terrible band like One Direction world-famous? 

5) Product number 5: The intellectual artist who writes deep, 'insightful' and depressing lyrics about how terrible the world is.

The artist proceeds to do one of two things: he wallows in self-pity or tries to use his lyrics to change the world.

Listen up y'all, the world is a terrible place but it's ok because I'm going to bring about world peace with my song lyrics....FUCK THE POLITICIANS, WHO NEEDS 'EM??

Said Bob Dylan

And John Lennon

Listen up y'all, THE WORLD IS A TERRIBLE PLACE AND YOUR GIRLFRIEND WILL FALL IN A COMA OR YOU WILL TRY TO GO TO A CLUB TO FALL IN LOVE BUT INSTEAD WILL STAND ON YOUR OWN AND GO HOME AND CRY AND WANT TO DIE, and then take it all out on the DJ and write a song about hanging him.

Said Morrissey.

6) Product Number 5: The mysterious ones

Ssssh, we can't scare them away. I think they're fairies. Their music certainly sounds like it. 

The XX and Syd Barrett (after he decided to release his own music) fit in here. These people who hide from the limelight, and reject the entire notion of becoming a product. But what they don't realise is, there is no way to escape it- in a world where every musician who achieves fame turns into a product, if you try to hide away then you are automatically selling yourself as 'Mysterious'.

Take this quote from Syd Barrett:

“I don’t think I’m easy to talk about. I’ve got a very irregular head. And I’m not anything you think I am anyway.”

Don't get more mysterious than that!

You could even argue Slipknot, with their insistence on wearing masks, fit in here. Although, their music does not sound at all like fairies. 

These categories mix together a lot, for example occasionally the 'Badass Rockstar' decides to write a song that also defines him as an 'Intellectual Artist'. Or there can be a band with a lead singer who is 'Sexually Attractive' whilst the rest of band members are the 'Mysterious Ones' who the public know very little about.

There is nothing wrong with having an image at all. In fact, as I just mentioned, by rejecting the notion of becoming a product, you become one underneath the 'mysterious' category. But I believe the problem arises when musicians become more about their image than about their music. Often, when terrible music becomes famous, it's because of publicity, and because the artist has a strong 'image' (take the majority of boy-bands out there). Also, I think it is sad that it has become necessary for artists to invest so much in maintaining their image,which is especially a problem for girls. Women in the music industry are under a lot of pressure to be sexually attractive, to die their hair a different colour every month, and essentially appear youthful forever. Madonna achieved fame in her late 30s. That could not happen any more. The average female artist becomes famous around 17-20. Any later than 25 and that's it- you have a significantly less of a chance to achieve fame under the 'sexually attractive' category- though there's always the option of fitting yourself under the 'intellectual artist' category. Though of course, sex sells a lot better, and people listen to music now to escape their worries in life, not to be reminded of the horrors in the world. The 'intellectual artist' category is dying.

What do you think?

How much for a concert ticket?

I remember there was a time when I would laugh bitterly in the faces of fools who spent ridiculous amounts of money on designer clothing. It's all very well going into hundreds for quality...but...thousands? Really?
"That white blazer you bought for £2000? Yeah, well I bought one almost identical for £25 in a sale. Put that in your juice box and suck on it."
What irritated me the most was that all that money, if donated to charity, would go a long way. It could feed a family in a poverty stricken country for at least a year. Is an item of clothing really worth someone else's life?

And then I thought...well shouldn't the whole 'ridiculous waste of money' concept apply to concert tickets?
Exhibit A: Glastonbury Festival, UK

£1 Baby to see T Rex? Yes please....

See, the fact is, there are some people in the world that will pay any amount of money to see their favourite band/ musician. 
But what about the people who would pay any amount of money to see the band BUT JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY?
I went to see Paul McCartney last year in the o2 arena...I paid £45, but Macca's team were so sweet they had these guys (good-looking guys I might add) go around giving tickets to the front row that were originally hundreds. And...yours truly was one of the lucky people to get free front row tickets!
It was a once in a life time experience but then I thought...
Hang on..
What about the people who had actually decide to spend hundreds on tickets? 

What had made me want to bring up this particular subject is the Rolling Stones' high prices for their concert in London. The cheapest ticket is £106. If you want Mick and Keith to be anything more than spindly stick figures in the distance, prices go to £406.

And a VIP hospitality ticket, which guarantees a place inside the terrifyingly-named "tongue pit" at the edge of the stage, is £1,140.

Yeah.

I understand why The Rolling Stones have put the prices so high. They're up there with the other "gods" of classic rock, like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. They're probably thinking, "Hey, it won't be long till we're in wheelchairs so we might as well milk those rich pigs who always wanted to see us as teenagers but never got the chance."

What's sad though is the high prices mean that the arena will probably be full of wealthy older men and the occasional spoilt kid whose parents have decided to indulge them. For the younger generation, The Rolling Stones will not be as accessible.

And then...back to the point earlier. Isn't spending £1,140 for a VIP ticket as self-indulgent and pointless as spending silly amounts on clothing, or a hotel room?


And to you: how much would you happily spend on a concert ticket?

The Monkees: one of the most influential sixties bands or just another Beatles copycat?

Just a month ago, I watched a mediocre BBC TV program about the Beatles' influence on America. They spoke of how the Beatles' visit to America created a massive infestation of "Beatlesque" bands (see, it was so common they had to create a name for it!), such as The Lovin' Spoonful and The Hollies, both of which in my opinion are bands in their own right with incredible songs. The TV program mentioned the Monkees only briefly, saying they were a band designed  specifically to replicate the style and music of the Beatles at the height of Beatlemania (hell, all you have to do is look at their names). After watching a Hard Day's Night, U.S. T.V. producers thought that a T.V. show about a band would be a good way to make money, and they were right,  so the Monkees were born. They had the majority of their songs written for them and didn't even have to play the instruments, all they had to do was smile and look attractive on their T.V. show. Sounds like a simple job, huh?

What the BBC program failed to mention  was that the Monkees would in fact outsell  the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined, and would have four consecutive Number 1 albums in the year 1967 alone (now that is a lot of money, though I'm willing to bet the band members only received a tiny fraction of it). This was not your average Beatle copy-cat.

In fact, there's a sweet little story about when the Beatles and the Monkees met. The Beatles very kindly hosted a party for them when they visited England, and Nesmith asked Lennon if he thought they were a cheap imitation of him. Lennon replied that he thought they were the greatest comic talent since the Marx brothers, and that he'd never missed one of their programs. The Monkees were no longer simply a "Pre-Fab Four" as they now wrote some of their own songs and played their own instruments, as well as going on tours. Their life was busy and far more stressful than most people realised, as the band rushed from interview to TV filmings.

I disagree with people who say compare their talent to the likes of One Direction (how could anyone, even bloody dare! It's blasphemy at it's worst). They're an incredible band that have made a lasting impact on music.

Had the BBC program been made a couple of months later, I'm sure it's tone would have changed in light of Davy Jones' death. Davy Jones was considered by many to be the most lovable of all the Monkees (did you know he acted in an Oliver! musical in London?), and how unexpected his death was is part of why it is was so tragic. I'm sure that if he could see what was going on down here, he'd be the slightest bit consoled that some of The Monkees' albums are now on the Amazon best-seller list.
If you're new to the Monkees and this entire article has seemed as confusing as Chinese (unless you're Chinese), then watch a couple of the following videos and see if you like them. If you like the Beatles, there's a 95% chance you'll like the Monkees (is it even possible to dislike the Beatles?...)

So what do you think? A band in their own right?
If any of you are interested in further reading on them, here's an excellent article on the Monkees and how their impact on music:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-davy-jones-monkees-changed-hollywood-297757
(this has been written late at night without proper proof reading, I apologise if it's not well written)

I'M BACK!!!!

I feel absolutely horrible for being away so long...
WAAAA
But I'm here to let all of my loyal followers know (I could never apologise enough for being away) that I'm still alive and kicking :)
And my music taste has changed incredibly, I think I can safely say I know a lot more about classic rock now than I did before :)
So, you can expect a slight change in blog layout and a proper blog post coming up very soon!

(hey, don't give me that face guys...I'M SORRY!)

Anti-Vietnam Songs

The 60s had some of the absolute best music. Coincidentally, it was also a time of deep unsettlement due to the Vietnam War, and I've often wondered if the two were connected in anyway. People's frustration with the government probably got tangled up in the music, and soon enough people were expressing their feelings using poetic lyrics. Powerful messages were sent across, possibly more powerful than the protests themselves.To this day people still sing the songs sung decades ago, and the warning from history still remains weaved in between the melodies.
It's unbelievable the amount of protest songs that one war struck up. Wikipedia has a very good list, but I'm sure there are more that aren't here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_the_Vietnam_War

This was a particularly popular one:


This has to be  the most famous:


And now to one of my personal favourites. It talks about the Kent State University shootings that happened after the National Guard got a bit carried away (massive understatement). Their excuse? They ran out of tear gas.


I feel really sorry for the poor men who got conscripted and forced to fight in the war, when the majority had no clue what they were fighting for. And when they got back from Vietnam, many injured and clinging onto life, they got attacked by anti-war demonstrators in the streets. More soldiers committed suicide returning from the war than actually died in combat. Interestingly, it's the same for the Iraq War, more soldiers commit suicide than actually die in combat. Look at this link http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/09/more-us-soldiers-committed-suicide-than-died-in-combat/ . Seems like we don't learn from our mistakes, do we. *Sigh*

Why am I getting so political?

Listen to music. It keeps you sane.

(Forgive me for my cat obsession) Anyway...if there are any anti-war songs (in particular anti-vietnam war songs) that you really like, feel free to leave me a comment. :D

The John Bonham of our time?

After reading a post on E.T gravity's blog (an awesome blog that you should definitely check out), it reminded me what an awesome person Dave Grohl is. How after all the drama of Kurt Cobain's death, he still managed to pull through and continue rocking out, to this very day.
Hands down, Dave Grohl is one of the best drummers in existence. Whether you like his music or not, you have to admit he's got talent.

Here's an awesome video of him performing with his Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Even THEY think he's amazing (just look at Jimmy Page's face!), and considering they've seen the likes of John Bonham (R.I.P)...well it speaks for itself.


Thought I'd just add this pic of Dave Grohl dressed up as a very convincing devil for Tenacious D: the pick of destiny

The New Sensations from Sweden...

Sweden! Has there ever been a country more famous for its contributions in pop? It's the home of ABBA, one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music (and I'm sure I don't need to tell you that). I mean come on, they're still remembered 40 years onwards.

Even though I don't often talk about pop on this blog, it doesn't mean I don't like it. I LOVE pop, just...good pop. I'm just allergic to meaningless repetitive songs that people forget about in a month's time. This however I do like:

Just listen to the drums! Here's their website if you happen to like them as much as me :) http://www.thosedancingdays.com
They're called Those Dancing Days, named after the Led Zeppelin song 'Dancing Days'. Well, this song definitely makes me want to dance...although my version of dancing looks like a constipated chicken frustratedly flapping her wings.
Anyway..what do you think of them?

Pop may be rocking the charts...but rock is rocking the concerts...

Not that I have anything against pop music. I love it, I really do, it's just that today's charts are mostly filled with the crappy pop and hip hop songs that people forget about in a year's time .Not the wonderful pop that people remember for decades afterwards.
It's all about which songs get the most airplay...
But, while people have been wasting mere pennies on annoying tracks from itunes...it's the dedicated fans who are paying real money to see better artists live.
This post was meant to be posted about four weeks ago, but I'm the queen of procrastination and I've managed to find a new excuse to not post it every day.
So without further ado...the Top Four Earning Tours of 2010!
1.Bon Jovi's 'The Circle' tour.
Money earned:$201.1m (£130.7m)

Um....am I allowed to admit I actually kind of like Bon Jovi? Just the tiniest, incy-wincyiest bit...I know lots of people find them annoying and cheesy, but they've made some pretty decent songs. I mean, come on, 'You give love a bad name' and 'Livin' On a Prayer' are so catchy! And you have got to love that 80s hair. Jon Bon Jovi should never have cut it all off...

2.AC/DC's tour
Money earned:$177m (£115m).

All I have to say is wow! They've been ongoing since 1973, with practically no breaks. And they're number two? And they were number two last year as well? Guys, I salute you.They've obviously got some very loyal fans out there. But with awesome songs like 'Thunderstruck" and "Highway to Hell" it's no surprise.

3.U2's tour

Money earned:$160.9m (£104.6m)

U2 were actually the top worldwide act last year as well. It's a shame they've slipped down, but hey, at least they're in the top three! They deserve it too, with their amazing live performances. Check this one out...I can't decide whether the girl on the stage is really embarassed or just overwhelmed.



I'm not the biggest fan of U2's music (not my taste) , but I guess they're good at what they do.
4.Lady Gaga
Money earned:$133.6 million (£86.8 million)

Yeah, well I never said these charts were completely rock dominated, did I? I actually used to like Lady Gaga, a couple of years ago when I rock music still scared me. But, hearing 'pa-pa-pa-pokerface' a hundred times on the radio, chanted by people at school and simply EVERYWHERE, needless to say, I felt like doing more than poking her face. To be fair though, Lady Gaga has worked very hard to get this position in the chart. She played 138 shows, whereas AC/DC only played 40, Bon Jovi played 80 and U2 played 32. I've heard her performances are as spectacular as her outfits too.


So there we have the top four earning tours of 2010! I just wanted to mention, Paul McCartney (my favourite Beatle! Apart from when it switches to George) made it to 8th place on the top ten! His tour made $93 million (£60 million)! I'd just like to congratulate him on that, because I think it's amazing people still listen to his music, even though it's been 50 years since the Beatles started performing. To give this post a great ending, here's a video of him performing 'Yesterday' (doesn't he look so cute?! He has the same nose as my little brother). Listen out for random hysterical screaming in  the audience. Girls don't even scream like that for Justin Bieber. 





So what did you guys think of the Top Four Earners of 2010? Were you surprised by any or not really? 
Don't be shy, give me your thoughts!

When we fall down...we have to pick ourselves up again.

I love rock. End of story. Classic rock. Hard rock.  Indie rock. Grunge.

But when I'm feeling really angsty-mad-teenager (like I really want to break something), only Paramore will do for me. They're like a whole new genre of rock all on their own. A potion of punk, pop and alternative, all mixed up together in a cauldron. Lots of people older than me won't like Paramore, and yes, I have to admit they are becoming a lot more commercial. But Paramore are like comfort food for me...like a Big Mac(and I'm supposed to be a liberal vegetarian...bah), like chocolate fingers, like marshmallows. They're familiar, they're the band that first introduced me to rock music. I started with Paramore, I moved on to Muse, I heard Muse liked Nirvana so I decided to check them out, things spiralled on from there. I soon discovered classic rock, I even went all the way back to the 50s and found Chuck Berry. A part of me forgot about Paramore. But a part of me still needed them.

So...you can't blame me...when I heard rumours Paramore were splitting up-ok, I cried. A lot. Before pulling myself together and reminding myself that rumours on the internet are not necessarily always true. I found out that although the Farro brothers were leaving the band, Hayley Williams, Taylor Yorke and Jeremy Davis were staying. Paramore had fallen down...pretty badly...I mean Josh and Zac Farro were two of the bands founding members. When the founding members leave...that's is basically almost as bad as it gets.

But. Paramore were picking themselves up again. Hayley, Taylor and Jeremy were definitely staying, and trying very hard to find a new guitarist and drummer. I still felt a tiny bit broken afterwards though. Paramore's band chemistry live was amazing. What if that all changed?

And then....I found this article in the Rolling Stone magazine:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ex-paramore-members-slam-hayley-williams-20101222

It says some very controversial things about Hayley Williams, who I adored for years. Apparently, she's been taking control of the band, and the band is becoming all about her. I don't know what to believe...I mean I know the media lies...I know that well enough- it's all very confusing. I found myself feeling very angsty-mad-teenager again, so I ended listening to more Paramore. But their softer songs, like We Are Broken.

Well, anyway, Paramore taught me a good lesson. The past can hurt. But the way I see it, we can either run from it or learn from it. And yes, that is quoted from the Lion King. (I like old Disney movies ok?! Well at least the classics...as for High School Musical...I better not get started).

Does anyone reading this remember a band close to them breaking up/almost breaking up when they were young? How did you react?

Thanks for reading if you did(well, you would have, if you're reading this) I appreciate it. Please comment, even if it is a couple of words.

There is so much good music still out there waiting to be discovered...

It seems to me that almost every week I discover a new band, a new artist or a new song. It's so exciting to know that there's still so much good stuff out there, just waiting patiently for me to find it.
Take for example Fleetwood Mac.
I know, I know, all those rock gurus out there will probably think it's quite sad that I've only just found them. I'm quite late. I've got lots of catching up to do when it comes to rock music. To be fair, most of the good stuff was made before I was born. :(
But...in case there's anyone out there who doesn't know them (high five for being late)...here's a small sample of their awesomeness


And Stevie Nicks who sings in Fleetwood Mac happened to have a solo career too. And even though I think she's amazing in Fleetwood Mac, I think she's even better solo. The following song happens to one of my favourite songs at the moment...I'm absolutely in love with it...


Enjoy....
:D

Guess who's birthday it is......!!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

I've let you down, haven't I? You were expecting someone famous and important. Not me, an insignificant child who you've never seen, and who wastes time writing random stuff and annoying you by commenting on your blog posts.

But it is my birthday. So I deserve some time to myself.

However, I happen to share my birthday with a very special man, who just so happens to be famous. He is the incredible drummer, Dominic Howard, who plays the the amazing band Muse. Here's Dominic Howard in a Spiderman costume.

His sense of humour never fails to amuse me. I love all the interviews with him!

Here's a birthday video someone made for him:

I wish someone would do that for me...

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOMINIC HOWARD! And Happy Birthday to me as well :)

Things are never what they seem.

This will be a short post. It's not really music related, but it gave me such a lot to think about I had to talk about it.
In London, there is a massive contrast between the wealthy, upper class neighbourhoods, and rough, dodgy, not-so-well-off neighbourhoods. They're like two different worlds, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a different country.
I was driving past an area that happened to have a very, very bad reputation. It had many council housing estates, and was famous for it's association with drugs. Instead of flowers, injections crop up on the floor. If you walked alone there at night, you were guaranteed to be attacked. Gangs hung about everywhere, people often got shot.
But. It had been snowing recently. The gangs didn't feel like hanging about in the cold weather. It was much safer.
And...underneath all the snow, the boring, grey council estates were absolutely transformed. It didn't look  like the same neighbourhood.
But what inspired me enough to write this post was that...on the wall...written with snowballs...was "I Love You". Not a hasty, "I <3 a="" and="" bored="" bring="" but="" carefully="" cheesy="" couldn="" face="" for.="" had="" help="" i="" it="" just="" love="" made="" meaningful="" on="" or="" p="" partners="" proposal="" smile="" someone="" something="" t="" their="" they="" to="" u="" wanted="" was="" who="" wondering="" write="" written="" you="">
What surprised me the most, was that the sudden declaration of love on the wall, helped to utterly transform the neighbourhood. Suddenly, it was beautiful. Cheesy as it seems, love can bring change.

Reading through this post, it is the most utter crap I have ever written, so I'll just post it before I change my mind.

Look here at what I've found...

I discovered this band by accident. But now, I'm absolutely in love with them. And the strange thing is, their music is so different to the sort of 70s classic rock I usually listen to, but it's got a hypnotic quality that puts you in a dreamy state of mind. So...I'm asking you guys out there to listen for a second. You might not end up liking it, but you might.

The UK's always produced some of the best music out there, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and more recently bands like Muse and Kasabian. Now, in my very own city London, a new indie rock band has appeared out of the gloomy rainclouds, and something tells me they're gonna be big. I'm just going to enjoy their music for now before they get really famous and their music starts becoming manufactured and boring. Although I doubt that will happen, they say that they want to avoid being 'flash' and showy. They don't care about their appearance, and they don't appear on their album covers either.

This wonderful band is called The XX. And without further ado...I give you Crystallised.

Just listen till the end. If you don't like it, fair enough. But I won't pretend I don't. It may not be classic rock, but it's good rock.

But if you do like them...first of all, give me a virtual high five, and secondly, I think you might be interested in this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/apr/10/the-xx-interview

Jimi Hendrix. THE MAN HIMSELF.

Yep. I'm typing so fast with eagerness, that my blog post is already swarming with red squiggly lines.
78 YEARS AGO, A ROCK LEGEND WAS BORN IN SEATTLE ON THIS VERY DAY . HIS NAME: JOHNNY ALLEN. HE WOULD LATER BECOME JIMI HENDRIX, ONE OF THE GREATEST GUITARISTS IN THE WORLD.
The very man who helped develop the rock and roll sound that we hear  listen to, was born today. 

As a child, he would pretend his Dad's broom was a guitar, and his father, spotting the potential decided to buy him a real one, although it was a old second hand thing that only cost him $5 .A left-hander who took a right-handed Fender Stratocaster and played it upside down, Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Not only did this look unusual, but it meant that the Strat’s bridge pick-up was also reversed, making the lower strings more resonant and producing a unique sound.Players before Hendrix had experimented with feedback and distortion, but he turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began. Apart from his sublime skill in making his guitars sing, Hendrix is probably best known for smashing and setting fire to many of them.And to think, his first string instrument was a ukulele that started off with only one string. 

Hundreds  look up to Jimi Hendrix, as the God of Rock n Roll. And so, today, I think we should all spend a couple of minutes in remembrance of him by watching the video below. Jimi Hendrix, although you died of heart failure, you live on in the sound of the guitar. We salute you.

Keith Richards has still got it...

( A small forenote: I apologise for not writing for ages. Yes, I only have twelve followers, but a lot of them are lovely people who are dedicated enough to actually read my silly ramblings. So, I'm sorry, I've been very busy lately and I simply haven't had the time. Even now I'm typing this secretly, I'm supposed to be doing homework, and planning a surprise birthday for my friend. But, I think I can spare an hour or so to type all this up :D)
All of today I've been pondering to myself what on earth I should write...
I've missed Neil Young's birthday, like the silly creature I am. I found myself searching my Dad's newspaper for inspiration.
But then I thought...
Well...

I THINK KEITH RICHARDS HAS STILL GOT IT.
Why not? He's releasing a new biography, let's start talking about the wonderful man. Yes Jagger is great, but what would The Rolling Stones be without Richards? He's the 'roll' in the rolling stones. He's the riff in their chart topping songs.  If you don't understand his awesomeness, watch this:



(Yes, I have finally figured out how to upload videos onto blogger. Do not laugh! We all have to start somewhere... this is only my eleventh post...)

SHARP REFLEXES! Possessed fan runs on stage, like a rock n roll ninja Richards uses his special skills to defend himself. For all of you party poopers out there who say, "But...isn't that mean?"
Well, this was only a year after Lennon had been shot by a fan, so of course all people in the world of rock would be on their guard.And trust  Richards to do it in style! Whack whack, whack them on the head with his guitar. And then coolly continue playing.

And I love how Mick Jagger just ignores it all and continues singing. Although, if there was any serious trouble, I'm sure he would have leaped to the rescue.Richards and Jagger's friendship is a strong one, one that has lasted about 50 years. They were both there when the Rolling Stones first formed, and they're still there now, unlike a lot of their other band members.

Chart to show The Rolling Stones' band members

I took this from an interview with Rolling Stone magazine(not the band, it confuses me too, don't worry) in 1981


You and Mick appear to have one of the great friendships of our era. Is it really as solid as it seems? 
Yeah. It's a true friendship when you can bash somebody over the head and not be told, "You're not my friend anymore." That's a true friendship. You put up with each other's bitching. People will think we're having these huge arguments and say, "Oh, will they split up?" But it's our way of working, you know? He's my wife. And he'll say the same thing about me: "Yeah, he's my wife."
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/51942/220525?RS_show_page=1


It's perfectly fine with me if they want to get married someday. I hope I somehow find a way to go to their wedding. I'll gatecrash it.





ANYWAY, STOP TRYING TO DISTRACT ME, I NEED TO GET ON TO THE MAIN TOPIC!
Yes. His book.

Ok, I have not actually read the book. I haven't had the time (PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!) and I have about three books to read for school, and tests coming up. But I've done some research and I've found a very good review from the Indepent. So here's some of what they've written:

That he's here at all to tell the story is a miracle. Back in the 1970s, New Musical Express used to run an annual Top 10 list of the rock stars least likely to see the following year due to their fondness for various substances. Top of the list year after year was Keith Richards.

"That was the only chart on which I was Number One for 10 years in a row," he writes in his book. "I was kind of proud of that position. I was really disappointed when I went down (to second on the list)."

Those were the days, as Mary Hopkin used to say. His intake was on an industrial scale and the behaviour that went with it created his global image as the ultimate rock 'n roll wild man. But what the book reveals is that this was always less than half the story. The real Keith Richards has been obscured for years behind that image.

He may look like an urban pirate (Johnny Depp robbed the look for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) with the flamboyant clothes, mad hair, crazed eyes, skin like an alligator and speech permanently slurred by decades of drink and drugs. But the real Keef is -- and always has been -- a serious, and supremely gifted, musician.

All the rest of the stuff happened, of course, and it's all part of him now. But what always mattered, above anything else, was the music. His book, possibly the most honest rock 'n roll autobiography ever written, goes through all the drug binges and busts, the groupies, Altamont and everything else in detail. But although he hides nothing -- and doesn't apologise for anything either -- it's all very much an aside to the main business, which is the music.

Yes. I copied and pasted. Screw me. But I did the good thing here, I could have copied and pasted it and pretended I wrote it, and that I had actually read the book (I was actually going to do that to be frank). But no. I was honest. So I think I deserve a round of applause, thank you very much. 

But it's a great book, from what I've heard. I'm going to read it as soon as I've got the time, so I think you should too.
Au revoir mes amies :D

If only they realised what sort of evil powers were at work...

There is a dark lord plotting his evil plans. He goes by the name Cowell. That is...
Simon...Cowell.
He is very cleverly scheming to take over the world, slowly and slyly without anyone realising.
And he is succeeding. Oh yes, he is. He has a massive entrepreneurial enterprise.
He is a British fellow-although, it shames me to admit this. He placed his base in the UK, and started his massive business. No one had predicted how big his business would become. But big, it did become. Immensely big. And so, he made another base in America, and in countries all around the world.

Picture it. You're in Britain. It's cold and rainy Saturday, and everyone's indoors in front of the TV. Unfortunately, it is Autumn. And do you know what that means? Every Autumn right through to Christmas... a horrible, slimy thing, creeps onto the television sets of vulnerable Britons in the form of....

THE X FACTOR.

This show has immense power.You cannot even begin to comprehend how powerful it is. Millions of people turn up to watch at times. 8 million to be precise. And that's if it's not the results show. There are only so many people in Britain you know. And every year, there is a winner, who sings a soppy ballad and nomatter how out of tune he is or how much everyone hates the song, it is ALWAYS, ALWAYS number one in the Top 40.

And every year, the magazines plaster pages upon pages with fictous stories about the X factor, and everything X factor related. Everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, there's always something to do with the X Factor. You can never, ever escape it, and you will never, ever escape it, even if you hide under your bed, and say you're never coming out. The judges faces' are on your shampoo bottles.You search in the newspapers for information on the recent floods in Pakistan, but no, all you find is an article telling you one of the x factor contestants is being deported because her Visa has expired or something like that. When so, so, so many inncoent people get deported every day, but no one even cares about them. 

Let me tell you a little story.

There was once a little girl  with a monobrow, frizzy hair and very disgusting teeth. She was a rough girl, who was always getting in fights. She worked as a waitress in a bar. She decided to try her luck oneday, and entered in a band competion. She couldn't really sing, but that was alright, she only had to stumble through a verse at most. Luckliy, her group won, as they showed their bums the most. She got her teeth fixed with some surgery, waxed her monobrow and got a hair stylist. After that, she married a footballer. Still, she was nothing special. No one really noticed her.

Until...

She worked as a judge on the X Factor.

And now...

SHE IS CALLED, THE NATION'S SWEETHEART.

Do you understand yet how powerful this show is?

Every year...every single year...I have to put up with this horror. I have to sit and cry as it slowly crushes the music industry. Because this...this is fast food music at it's absolute worst.

Musicians are hard working people. They have to spend ages performing at dodgy bars and get a part time job as a cleaner before they make it big. And everyday, they have to worry about paying bills, and about whether or not they should have stayed in school and become something sensible, instead of being in a band and not earning enough for their family. They stay up all night writing songs, they get guitar calluses. They have to work very, very, very hard. And in the end, it's very likely they'll die and no one will remember them.

But the people on the X factor simply appear...in all their cockiness, they just appear...and get voted in depending on looks and popularity rather than talent. And then, some stupid sod wins, and sings a song someone else has written, and it becomes number one.
Just like that. Instant fame. Instant success. Instant pleasure for the 'public'. Instant food. Or, rather, fast food.

The fluffy teenage girls vote for the young teenage boys that they're madly crushing on. (there's always, always one, this year it's this soppy thing called One Direction). The others who think they're being different, vote for the pretty girl they wish they could be. And the old ladies vote for the cheeky charmer they wish was their husband.

Picture it. It's a Monday morning in rainy London. You walk into school. You are instantly attacked by mad girls shrieking ,"OMG, OMG, did you watch the X factor, it was soooo good!" and "Oh, Rihanna's performance was so good, but Bon Jovi just ruined it all...ugh I hate rock music" and "Oh my God, I think Cher should win, she is sooo good. But I don't like that guy with red hair...he's butterz (London slang for ugly)"

You calmly tell them you don't watch the X factor. They stare at you in disgust, and quickly move away. You're not 'cool'. You have nothing to talk to any of them about, you're quickly excluded from the conversation.
You pick up the Metro that someone's left lying around. You soon regret it. It's stuffed full of X factor articles. Nevermind the war in Sri Lanka that no one knows about.Because Sri Lanka's not as interesting as the X factor. No, it's more interesting to read about how so and so missed a note in their song, or how someone else is wearing a hideous outfit.
You go to assembly, hoping you can escape it all. No. The head teacher is giving a speech about the X factor, and talking about how we should think about other things as well as TV. Yes, well how can we forget about the X factor if you keep on mentioning it?
Throughout the whole day...the teachers...people in the hallway...the receptionist...they're all talking about the X factor.

WHY?! Why does no one realise what a bloody SCAM this all is?! Simon Cowell is a dark lord at work here, he is earning billions of pounds, at your expense, every time you buy an X factor record or vote for someone on the show, you give him more money. Cowell is ruthless. He doesn't care if he ruins the music industry, he doesn't care as long as he gets his money. To be truthful, the X factor is more about the judges than the actual performers. Ooh, what is Cheryl Cole wearing? Ooooh, don't you think Simon was a bit harsh.All the faux bickering going on between the judges. Someone is always 'headed to the final' or 'deserves to be in the competition'. To be honest, I think Simon Cowell is vain, and wants the show to be all about him, which is why he is always thinking of new , cruel comments to give to the contestants. He knows it's only going to get him attention. 'You sounded like cats trapped in a bag.' Ok Cowell. You've had your fun. You're world famous from Tokyo to New York. You earn about $90 million a year (yes, I didn't believe it either) When will you stop? Exactly. When he controls the world.

Never mind Cowell. What about the music industry being corrupted? Well, no need to worry. This fast food music...some of the winners are forgotten and never remembered. Four out of six of the winners so far have been forgotten after a couple years. Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke are the only remembered ones. And you have got to admit, this is all very impressive considering all the hype that went on when they were on the show. So, why are they all forgotten so quickly?

Well, sadly, it's not because the public's music taste has improved. No, with the media, the general public will never improve their music taste. The reason that they're forgotten so quickly is because, like I said before, this is fast food music. Instant gratification, no staying power. Next year, there's a new winner, and everyone forgets the old one. The same happens every year.

Most of my readers here are from America, and so they won't be familiar with the X factor. Well, I'm sure you've gathered it's like your 'American Idol'. By Cowell as well, as I'm sure you know. I don't watch the American Idol, so I don't know if the winners have staying power or are forgotten. But I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

Once...some time ago...my friends were trying to persuade me to go on the X factor.  Yes, you heard right. They thought I had a nice voice (bah is all I have to say). But regardless, I'm glad I didn't go. If I ever do make it in the music industry (and that is if I did decide to )I don't want to be an act everyone forgets about in a couple of years time. I want to be an act that people remember years after I die, I want everyone to still be singing my songs years after I die.
Thank you very much, but I do not want to be another burger lying in the bin.


Thanks for reading. Please do leave a comment :D

Happy Halloween guys!

Humph. I'm quite disappointed with myself,  for the past few days I've been trying to think of a post I could do that was both Halloween, rock related and interesting.
You've probably logged on thinking, oooh, she's written another interesting blog post! (I flatter myself...interesting-hah!) But instead, you're left with me rambling... once again.... I've probably already wasted two minutes of your life.
Ok, right, this is my attempt at writing a Halloween blog post...I shall TRY to make a list of scary rock songs, that are somehow Halloween related. Just in case you were bored of listening to the Monster Mash and Thriller.
Sympathy for the Devil: The Rolling Stones
Ok...maybe this isn't that much Hallowen related. But it has the word 'devil' in it, ok? It's the best I could do...
I'm very sorry guys for no video, but here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLddJ1WceHQ

Highway to Hell: AC/DC
You have obviously seen the word 'hell' in the title of this song? Good. Now you know why it's on this list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TziyOcb96q0
It's quite cute how they're all wearing devil horns :)

People are strange:The Doors
Yay for the Doors!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi14wDTxNw


Led Zeppelin: The Battle of Nevermore
Don't ask. Just don't ask.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW6xaDGmffQ

OK, now, on a more fun note, here are some pictures of hamsters wearing clothes!!!

YAY for randomness and wasting people's time!!! Now, what are you still doing here?

Covers that make us want to hide in a cave

There are many covers of songs that can indeed be said to be better than the original. For example, Nirvana's cover of 'Man Who Sold The World'. But there are some covers that go as far as making us embarassed.

Yesterday, when typing in 'I love rock and roll' into Youtube, I accidently selected the Britney spears version. Out of mere curiosity, I watched the music video. Absolute horror ensued. Which is what inspired me to write this blog post. Signing into my yahoo home, I see that they have already done a blog post on the worst covers. But that will not stop me from doing my own. :D

So without further ado...a list of some of the worst covers. You can make your own mind up which you think is worst, they're in no particular order.

I love rock and roll-Britney Spears
Originally by: The Arrows

Excuse me, but since when did she love rock and roll?
Anyway...like in all of Britney's music videos, she is scantily clad, and there are close up shots of her body every two seconds to try and please her male fans.No. Just no. You can do that in all your other music videos Britney, but you have to respect the song in this one. Joan Jett managed to be a lot hotter in her cover of the song, without looking like a slut.
Sadly, blogger is being moody with me and won't let me upload videos. So I'll just leave some links:
If you want to witness the horror of the Britney Spears version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThZ9MgKjE1Q&ob=av2n
If you want to see the lovely version by Joan Jett: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ZicY7Oqmg
If you want to see the amazing original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AT_Pbtyid0
Moving swiftly on...

Smells like Teen Spirit-TAKE THAT!?
Originally by:Nirvana (the lovely men at the top of my blog)

I'm sorry, but what were they thinking? They covered the song the year after Kurt Cobain died. Ok, maybe I'm being harsh , maybe they were just having a bit of fun. It's just one of those songs you can't really cover. Although to be honest, I think Kurt Cobain would laugh rather than be angry. At least that's what I would do.I have nothing against Take That, but just....why? Oh why?
Take That's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzBjatkVtzY
However, I have to admit, their version is entertaining in a hypnotic sort of way.
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg

American Pie-Madonna
Originally by: Don McLean

I don't think Madonna should have covered it, but that's just my opinion. This song is supposed to be a recounting of 'The Day That Music Died', a 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. When Don McLean sang it, he was telling it from his perspective, so we could relate to it. He told us about himself as a paperboy, delivering the sad news in the newspapers. When Madonna sings it, I just can't relate to it somehow. She was only one year old at the time (she was born in 1958) so she obviously cannot remember it. Anyway, this one is a slight 'iffy', it sort of deserves to be on this list, it sort of doesn't. You can make up your mind about it:
Madonna's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkvpuOebd88
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI



Fairytale of New York-Ronan Keating and Moya Brennan
Originally by: The Pogues

Fairytale of New York is a folk rock song-so it just managed to scrape into this list of the worst rock covers. Personally, I think this is one of those Christmas songs you can never get bored of. Unless you're listening to the Ronan Keating cover. He changed the words from 'you're a cheap lousy faggot' to 'you're cheap and you're a haggard' because he didn't want to offend anyone. I don't really know who he thought he was offending, maybe he didn't want to upset his parents. Anyway, this is obviously again one of those songs you can't ever cover and  be better than the original. I wish someone had told Ronan Keating that. I don't know how he managed to drag Moya Brennan into it either. I don't actually know who she is, and I can't be bothered to research her either.
The horrific version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daAG5JfNNFQ
The timeless original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLb213lak5s



Strawberry Fields Forever-Candy Flip
Originally by: The Beatles

This is another 'iffy' one. It doesn't exactly make me want to go and hide in a cave. But the cymbals are very annoying. And it's nowhere as good as the original. Of course, no one can beat the Beatles :D
Candy Flip's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DjWpq8Oyoc
The Beatles version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A4r2RU1u3g


Under the bridge-All Saints
Originally by: The Red Hot Chili Peppers

It's not so much that the girls in All Saints can't sing. It's just that 'Under the Bridge' is completely about heroin addiction, and they utterly disrespected the song by removing the verse about drug use. So now it's a song about who knows what. Even The Red Hot Chili Peppers said themselves that they felt the song had now lost of of it's 'personal significance'
The All Saints Version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_c1o5Y95o
The orignial:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlogyj7nFE&ob=av2n

The Tide is High-Atomic Kitten
Originally by: The Paragons, but made famous by Blondie.

Ok. Maybe this is really stretching things a bit. But Blondie did write a lot of rock songs, so they are sort of a rock band. Maybe? Alright, no, maybe not. Nevertheless, the Atomic Kitten's version is incredibly annoying. Everything from their horrible music video, to the fact that they added a random bit called 'Get the Feeling'. To be honest, I find the Atomic Kittens annoying in general. I mean, what sort of name is Atomic Kitten? I'm a cat lover, and even I find their name annoying.
The Kittens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPFk0X1p2fs&feature=related
Blondie:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0skjm-uJSs&ob=av2n
The Paragons:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rwSPmT3ujU

God only knows-David Bowie
Originally by:The Beach Boys

I love David Bowie, but sadly he's not too good at covering others-his style is too singular. And this song is no exception.Although it's not as bad as the other offenders on the list.

David Bowie:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOadV_CPT_k
The Beach boys:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfH_J4MAUQ




I can't get no satisfaction-Britney Spears
Originally by: The Rolling Stones

Yes, once again Mrs Spears appears. Why Britney? Why cover a timeless classic like this that you know you're going to end up ruining? You might not be able to get any satisfaction, but we can't get any satisfaction from this either. Although at least she did try. And she tried and she tried and she tried.:D

Britney's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2l_rWdvDs
ROLL UP for the Rolling Stones:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_VbImuG71M

Song 2-Robbie Williams
Originally by: Blur

I happened to really like Song 2. Even though it was Blur's attempt at actually making fun of grunge bands like Nirvana, it's still one of those really catchy songs you can't get bored of. But Robbie Williams...why? What possessed you? But similar to the Take That version of Smells Like Teen Spirit, Robbie's version is strangely entertaining. You want to look away...and yet you can't.
Robbie's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObUz_on6c-I
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlAHZURxRjY&ob=av2e

You shook me all night long-Celine Dion and Anastacia
Originally by:AC/DC

This is actually quite funny to watch. Celine Dion and Anastacia prancing about, air guitars in hand, wearing the most ridiculous clothes. I highly suggest you watch it
The hilarious cover:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzTDfbbMXI
Ac/dc original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfffzRJ9nVs

Walk this way-Girls Aloud and the Sugababes
Originally by: Aerosmith

GA and S:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jvrjd8DI-c
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80c1KIMNxY&feature=related













Alright, maybe I'm being a bit biased here, as I adore Aerosmith but detest Girls Aloud. They're all sex appeal and annoying dance routines. Sorry. They might have some slightly catchy songs, but did they write them? No. At least we can say that they covered this song for charity...although I'm not sure I would even buy it for charity.

GA and S:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jvrjd8DI-c

The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80c1KIMNxY&feature=related

Absolute beginners-Carla Bruni
Originally by:David Bowie

Ok, let's get this straight Carla. Just because you're married to the president of France does not mean you can butcher whatever song you want. "I find it incredible she doesn't realise that she can't sing now, she doesn't have the right to when the country is on the verge of exploding and she is Sarkozy's wife. Can you imagine Cherie Blair or Samantha Cameron doing that?" said Jean Daniel Beauvallet from ‘Les Inrockuptibles' a French publication. Well, personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Michelle Obama cover something...
Carla Bruni's version:http://perezhilton.com/tv/Carla_Bruni_Absolute_Beginners/?ptvid=26bca2fbc44f8
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_cHvtPB2dY

Macy Grey herself

Macy Grey's covers are all hilarious. Listen to her version of 'Walk this Way' and you'll understand what I mean. But if you really want to get a taste of her covers...this as bad as it gets:
Macy Grey's cover on Elton John's Don't Go Breaking My heart.
Watch it here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEv65FaHG40
I found myself silently cackling at a remark someone on Youtube made: "This is the worst cover ever. Hands down. Nothing else even comes close. Still funny as shit."
If you want to compare it to the original, here you go:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJ_XuAgMNM

Mr Tambourine Man:William Shatner
Originally by:Bob Dylan

At least this is one of those covers where the singer is intentionally being funny, rather than blindly murdering the song and leaving us all embarassed.
Shatner's version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekMYBvhhMg0
The lovely original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff5wsQCPhtk


Is it wrong that I feel slightly guilty after all this for being mean? I have to admit though, this post was pretty fun to write...
All comments are welcome, if you disagree with me on anything don't be afraid to tell me.
Let me know of any other covers you think deserved to be on this list.
:D