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re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock"

Posted by:
Pudding 08:58 pm UTC 12/17/08
In reply to: re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" - wordnix 12:26 pm UTC 12/17/08

Tenacious D are shit at best, Kelly Clarkson is shit at best and Rod Stewart is shit at best. Elton John would ruin FCOL and I have doubts Roger Daltry could cope with Bat Out Of Hell. Rascall Flatts is about the best one, but if you're going to do a country feel album then why not use country artists for all the songs?

> 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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Next: re: Suggested artists for "Bat Out of Hell: 30 Years of Pure Rock" - Pudding 06:01 am UTC 12/17/08

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