Love songs are where we get our passion, our soul — and most of our worst ideas.
Throughout human history, oceans have been crossed, mountains have been scaled, and great families have blossomed — all because of a few simple chords and a melody that inflamed a heart and propelled it on a noble, romantic mission.
On the other hand, that time you told that girl you just started seeing that you would “catch a grenade” for her? You did that because of a love song. And it wasn’t exactly a coincidence that she suddenly decided to “lose your number” and move back to Milwaukee to “figure some stuff out.”
That time you held that boom box over your head outside your ex’s house? You did that because of a love song. And 50 hours of community service later, you’re still not back together.
Love songs are great. They make our hearts beat faster. They inspire us to take risks and put our feelings on the line. And they give us terrible, terrible ideas about how actual, real-life human relationships should work.
Welcome to our little homage to musical homage. The following ten artists, whether by willful attempt or sheer happenstance, managed to pull off amazingly credible imitations of more notable musical acts. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. We’ll let you decide:
Dave Kerzner: “Stranded”
This Dark Side-era Pink Floyd sound-alike couldn’t possibly have happened by accident. Kerzner’s 2014 New World album, though it literally and figuratively shows its influences on its sleeve, is actually an outstanding progressive rock record in its own right. But “Stranded”, more than any song I’ve ever heard, shows an artist who’s assimilated the Floydian musical vocabulary.
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Lissie: “Further Away (Romance Police)”
Late-70’s Fleetwood Mac is revisited by singer-songwriter Lissie, complete with the Lindsey Buckingham guitar and Stevie Nicks vocals.
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Ali Thomson: “Take a Little Rhythm”
You may remember this #15 hit from 1980. If so, you almost surely thought it was Paul McCartney because it perfectly mimicked the sound of his late-70’s hits, not to mention the Tom Scott sax solo of “Listen to What the Man Said” and the prominence of the bass guitar in the mix. And also because who the hell is Ali Thomson?
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Jeremy Fisher: “Scar That Never Heals”
With all the stories floating around about Paul Simon cribbing musically from other artists it’s good to see another singer so “inspired” by Paul. Or so it sounds to me.
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Kingdom Come: “Get it On”
This one’s just brazen. From John Bonham’s thunderous drum sound to Robert’s Plant’s wail to a riff that, to say the very least, “evokes” Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”…come on, guys. I mean, that sound is taken. Get your own.
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Tyler Ramsey: “Stay Gone”
Neil Young is channeled on this one, though it’s not clear if Tyler Ramsey consciously does so. I hear echoes here of some of young Neil’s early 70’s tunes such as “Winterlong”.
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Band of Horses: “Long Vows”
Again with the Neil Young! Band of horses sound like they got hold of a Zuma outtake here. In a good way.
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Kings of Convenience: “Homesick”
The Norwegian duo known as Kings of Convenience capture the close harmonies and intimate spare sound of “Scarborough Fair”-period Simon & Garfunkel on this one. Or as their own words in this very song describe it “two soft voices, blended in perfection”.
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Accept: “Balls to the Wall”
It seems in the world of 80’s metal you could scrape out a bit of a career merely by imitating an iconic act. Since their red hot career has presumably cooled off by now (unless like Spinal Tap they’re enjoying a revival in Japan) I wonder if it’s occurred to no-hit wonder Accept–and to the previously mentioned Kingdom Come for that matter–that there’s always a living to be made as a tribute band? Who could better fill the AC/DC void now that Brian Johnson has called it quits?
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Tin Tin: “Toast and Marmalade for Tea”
In case you’re not conversant with late-60’s pop, or old enough to remember that the Bee Gees had quite a successful career before anyone had ever heard of disco, Aussie duo Tin Tin was pretty much exactly what the Gibb brothers sounded like from about 1968 to ’72. It’s not a shock that Maurice Gibb produced the quaint “Toast and Marmalade for Tea”, Tin Tin’s only U.S. top 40 hit and a long-forgotten chestnut. It carries the stately sound of contemporaneous Bee Gees hits such as “Lonely Days” and “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You”.
Irish guitarist Henry McCullough passed away Tuesday at age 72. McCullough was a former member of Paul McCartney and Wings and played on their 1973 Red Rose Speedway album. He is credited with the iconic solo on McCartney’s love song to Linda “My Love”.
His playing is also featured on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, among other things.
McCartney shared the following statement on Facebook:
“I was very sad to hear that Henry McCullough, our great Wings guitarist, passed away today. He was a pleasure to work with, a super-talented musician with a lovely sense of humour. The solo he played on ‘My Love’ was a classic that he made up on the spot in front of a live orchestra. Our deepest sympathies from my family to his.”
James Young, Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung gather for the interview show In the Studio with Redbeard to discuss their 1978 platinum-selling conceptual LP Pieces of Eight:
Think you’re special because your fave band signed your forearm at a post-gig meet-and-greet? Think again. Not all fans are created equal. Here are 10 of the luckiest.
1. The 12-year-old who performed onstage with Jay Z
When I was 12 I spent most evenings a) on MSN Messenger b) watching Neighbours and c) working on my Craig David fan site (true story). I was not hanging out with my idols on stage at massive arenas like this special kid from Maryland. Imagine turning up to school one morning and being like: “Oh yeah, last night I went to a Jay Z gig with a sign saying ‘Can I Rap For You?’ so he invited me up on stage and I performed ‘Clique’ in front of thousands of people. Then I asked if I could come backstage and he was like’ yeah, alright then’.” Mind. Blown.
Some Girls saw the Stones back with a bang, on an explosive mission to show the world’s ‘new punks’ who was boss. Playing faster and dirtier than men of their age should, the Stones pulled out all the stops, invigorated by the provocations of these new upstarts, (most of whom had grown up on the Stones anyway).
Unleashed on the public in June 1978, the album’s cheeky artwork immediately landed the boys in trouble. Designed by Peter Corriston, who had had a run of eye-catching album covers, (Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti, Rod Stewart’s Sing It Again Rod), its elaborate die-cut design featured The Rolling Stones in garish drag alongside select female celebrities and lingerie ads…
A great album, great comeback, and a great response to the late-70’s punk movement.
With a little disco, a little country and a little R&B mixed in, this was also one of the band’s most diverse albums.
Even if you’re a fan and know the hits, but have never listened to this classic all the way through, you really should. It’s a staggering accomplishment and IMO the band’s last truly great LP.
Every Moment Has A Song 