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| re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" | |
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Dr_Rock 01:08 pm UTC 12/17/08 |
| In reply to: | re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" - wordnix 04:18 am UTC 12/17/08 |
| If that particular line-up were to record the songs it would be the first Jim-related album I wouldn't bother buying since TMIL (although that was very loosely Jim-related). Elton John and Rod Stewart haven't made decent albums in over 30 years and, having basically settled for being lounge singers since, would struggle to handle a Steinman vocal part now without it sounding far inferior to teh original. And why Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, Miley Cyrus? Have people been picking names from the Top 40 at random without first checking that they were any good? Personally I'd like to hear Danny Vaughn tackle "For Crying Out Loud" and "Read 'em and Weep." For "Bat Out of Hell" I think were Glenn Hughes to cover it properly, then he'd blow Meat's version out of the water. In fact I'd love Jim to work with Glenn on new material but am not sure how compatible their personalities would be and it could end up going the way of Hysteria. Joe Lynn Turner might be a more sensible option (although not quite as strong vocally) if such a thing were to be realistically considered. Will > 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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