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| re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" | |
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wordnix 12:26 pm UTC 12/17/08 |
| In reply to: | re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" - Pudding 06:03 am UTC 12/17/08 |
| Think honestly about it for a minute. You can consider the Abba one dead in the water, because I myself thought it was an iffy choice at best, but think about the rest of the selections. Some of them are Class A pairings of artist and material (for example, that no one ever suggested that [what's left of] The Who cover BOOH on here when it's such an obvious choice surprises the hell out of me). > Obviously Christmas has come earlier in your house and > you've found your parents secret stash of Class B > narcotics. > > > And now my full BAT I line-up! > > > > Bat Out of Hell - The Who > > The ultimate arena rock band performing the ultimate > > arena rock track. It's sort of like "Baba O'Riley" crossed > > with Bruce Springsteen crossed with Peter Pan as it is, so > > why not let the ultimate pretentious rockers take on the > > ultimate in pretentious rock? > > > > You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer > > Night) - Tenacious D > > Quirky enough, Jack's voice is similar to Meat Loaf, > > and I can imagine them having more fun with tiny ad libs > > during the "hot summer night" bit. (I know, Meat does the > > same thing live, but they can do it without so much > > sad-sack carrying-on.) > > > > Heaven Can Wait - Kelly Clarkson > > She's got the closest thing to a Steinman-ready female > > voice out there today, or at least she did at one > > point. > > > > All Revved Up with No Place to Go - Abba > > I dunno, this sort of sounded like their vintage style > > after several listens. Then again, anything sounds > > like their vintage style after enough listens, so if you > > have better suggestions, I'm welcome to them. > > > > Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - Rascal Flatts > > There were two directions in which I could have gone. > > Number one was a country ballad, "dusty plains of Texas" > > type number, as Jim envisioned it, and number two was a > > boy band break-up song, which was feasible with harmonies > > and the right arrangement a la O-Town or Boyzone. Finally, > > I thought of these guys which gave me a comfortable middle > > between boy-band harmonies and country sound. > > > > Paradise by the Dashboard Light – Rod Stewart and Tina > > Turner > > This one took the most thought. It's telling that aside > > from some foreign language covers, no one in the > > English-speaking world of some level of fame (leaving > > aside karaoke singers and Porkington who is lower than > > karaoke for the moment) has dared attempt a cover. It's > > almost as if they all agree this is Meat's sacrosanct > > masterpiece. > > > > I agree with bellminer, Rod Stewart is the right male > > voice, but the question was what female voice would > > complement his well enough. So I thought in my head of > > various divas (including Cher, who I dismissed as too > > bravura), and then suddenly the thought of Tina Turner > > throwing her heart and soul into "STOP RIGHT THERE!" made > > me do just that! So it was a quick and easy pairing from > > there on. And of course, in tribute and out of respect, > > Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto's voice would stay. (Thoughts of > > Dennis Miller re-recording it were quickly thrown out, as > > it was thought anything less than Phil would be in bad > > taste.) > > > > For Crying Out Loud - Elton John > > The kind of OTT piano ballad that one would expect to > > hear from Elton at this stage in his career. Think > > "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" or the '97 version of "Candle > > in the Wind," with a tasteful string arrangement, and > > maybe that boy soprano choir that Jim is so fond of, > > Mahler style. > > > > Coming soon, BAT II, where Queen will get some air time, I > > promise! > > > > > Queen is so OTT, to me, that it can't be anything on BAT > > > I. BAT I was just a shadow of what was to come. It's in > > > BAT II that the arena rock really picks up, and there are > > > many songs Queen would qualify for on that one. > > > > > > I chose the Who for "Bat" because, basically, "Bat" is > > > just like "Baba O'Riley." Same long mainly keyboard and > > > drum instrumental intro, roughly the same style, and > > > they're one of Jim's favorite artists (he saw "Tommy" at > > > the Met). > > > > > > As for Elton, come on, I listen to FCOL and I imagine him > > > singing it sometimes. Who doesn't? It's totally suited to > > > Elton's voice right now and is a ballad that he can't > > > possibly fuck up. (He seems to do the same programmed > > > percussion crap for all his upbeat songs now and we don't > > > need a song that sounds like Bova without the Jim.) FCOL > > > is something you can't fuck up unless you're a bad singer, > > > it's pretty much just piano and voice. > > > > > > Now I like the idea of a female vocalist for "Heaven Can > > > Wait." Jim wrote it for one and I think it would be > > > fitting to have it sung by a female on this hypothetical > > > BAT tribute album. Hayley Westenra is one good option. > > > Another is any teen pop princess who wants a quickie > > > single, like, say, Miley Cyrus. (Hey, cross-promotion with > > > Disney for BIKERS, if that ever happens!) > > > > > > > Let's hope this doesn't go to the top of the board! > > > > > > > > Personally, I think the Who would be better for "All > > > > Revved Up With No Place to Go," and Elton should be doing > > > > "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" (perhaps a duet with Rod > > > > Stewart, much like his song "Let Me Be Your Car"). > > > > > > > > Okay, maybe I'm joking. (Just a little.) I do recall a few > > > > months ago, though, someone here suggested Neil Diamond > > > > for "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." > > > > > > > > As for the big one ("Bat Out of Hell"), the only band > > > > over-the-top enough to do it is Queen, though we all know > > > > they're only half there anymore (literally). No, I don't > > > > include Paul Rodgers. If they found the right singer to > > > > collaborate with, it'd be cool since Brian May would be > > > > perfect for the guitar part. > > > > > > > > The perfect band for "For Crying Out Loud" is Boston, but > > > > unfortunately that can no longer happen either. Maybe > > > > Journey? (Why do all the good bands have to lose their > > > > singers???) They have that new guy Arnel, but I dunno. > > > > > > > > Somehow in my head I think Jimmy Buffett's tropical, > > > > carefree attitude would work for "You Took the Words Right > > > > Out of My Mouth." Maybe I'm just delusional. > > > > > > > > Okay, one left. "Heaven Can Wait." I think we need a woman > > > > in there, so I pick Hayley Westenra. Her voice is so > > > > beautifully pure. > > > > > > > > So there you have it. My ideas, totally haphazard and > > > > completely bizarre. It'd probably never work, but I'd buy > > > > it. ;) | |
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