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seedarklyxeroWelcome back to SeeDarkly Sunday DisCOVERies, where we explore goth/industrial cover songs, their origins, and other bits of fun related trivia!
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
This is it! The final week of a four week series: Octoberween! Cover songs in tribute to Halloween! I'll have to admit a little disappointment because what I planned to share, upon deeper investigation, was sadly not a full cover at all but only a vocal cover sung over the original instrumentation slowed down by 30%. That seemed very much like a trick and not a treat, so I've found this instead:
Mind Driller - Thriller
Michael Jackson's Thriller began with a quite different concept. Written by Rod Temperton, the original lyrics had a far sunnier disposition and the song was titled Starlight. Now whether it was Jackson who turned it down initially because he wanted it to appeal more to youth or because producer Quincy Jones felt it wouldn't impact well enough, it's said that somewhere along the line the name "Edgar Allen Poe" was discussed as a focal point for the overall theme of the song. With the lyrics re-imagined to fit a spookier story-line, and the eventual inclusion of horror star Vincent Price to narrate the ending monologue, what started as cheerful and light became a dark and exciting pop-sensation.
Even though it was released on the LP of the same name in November 1982, Thriller wasn't released as a single until January 1984, after six other singles from the album had become top ten hits and after the December 1983 debut of one of the single most celebrated and exciting video releases of all time. I still remember how everyone I knew was planning to tune into MTV for this 13 minute long masterpiece of monsters, choreography, music and suspense! This wasn't any mere video debut; THIS WAS AN EVENT! And it was epic! (...and those who know me know I do not use that term casually.)
There's no disputing its significance no matter what your musical tastes. It had teeth and it captured the world in its jaws! If not for that video, Thriller might have never become as influential as it has... and it is still played annually during this season.
There are many covers of the track in styles ranging from death metal to jazz acapella and by artists from around the world. Some of the notable covers by dark alternative artists include those by Gothminister and Ian Brown of the Stone Roses.
This cover comes to us from an aggro/industrial synth/rock act from Alicante, Spain called Mind Driller. It's the next to last track on their Red Industrial album, released in late 2012 on the Mutant-E label. This is a bit of a headbanger, with a lot of really interesting and fun elements. One unique feature of this version is that it doesn't attempt to recreate or sample Price's monologue, though it does end with his distinctive laughter.
Would I play this in the club? Maybe... in the right conditions. In truth, with respect to this song, most (even in our scene) would probably rather hear the original. Who could blame them!?
The Cover:
The Original:
That concludes this year's edition of Octoberween! Happy Halloween everyone!
If you missed one of the previous entries, click the sdsd tag and scroll down!
I'll be spinning twice this week in Boston before Halloween. The details of my schedule are up on my site. Make plans to come out if you can and feel free to request any of the covers featured here if you like them. ^_^
Next Week: Halloween will be officially over, so no theme, just another great dark cover!
Join me then and explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Oct 18 - Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls (Joy Division)
Oct 11 - Hausfrau - Season Of The Witch (Donovan)
Oct 04 - Selebrities - The Monster Mash (Bobby "Boris" Picket)
Sep 27 - Carbon Airways - Microwaved (Pitchshifter)
Sep 20 - BiGod 20 - Like A Prayer (Madonna)
Directory of All DisCOVERies
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
This is it! The final week of a four week series: Octoberween! Cover songs in tribute to Halloween! I'll have to admit a little disappointment because what I planned to share, upon deeper investigation, was sadly not a full cover at all but only a vocal cover sung over the original instrumentation slowed down by 30%. That seemed very much like a trick and not a treat, so I've found this instead:
Mind Driller - Thriller
Michael Jackson's Thriller began with a quite different concept. Written by Rod Temperton, the original lyrics had a far sunnier disposition and the song was titled Starlight. Now whether it was Jackson who turned it down initially because he wanted it to appeal more to youth or because producer Quincy Jones felt it wouldn't impact well enough, it's said that somewhere along the line the name "Edgar Allen Poe" was discussed as a focal point for the overall theme of the song. With the lyrics re-imagined to fit a spookier story-line, and the eventual inclusion of horror star Vincent Price to narrate the ending monologue, what started as cheerful and light became a dark and exciting pop-sensation.
Even though it was released on the LP of the same name in November 1982, Thriller wasn't released as a single until January 1984, after six other singles from the album had become top ten hits and after the December 1983 debut of one of the single most celebrated and exciting video releases of all time. I still remember how everyone I knew was planning to tune into MTV for this 13 minute long masterpiece of monsters, choreography, music and suspense! This wasn't any mere video debut; THIS WAS AN EVENT! And it was epic! (...and those who know me know I do not use that term casually.)
There's no disputing its significance no matter what your musical tastes. It had teeth and it captured the world in its jaws! If not for that video, Thriller might have never become as influential as it has... and it is still played annually during this season.
There are many covers of the track in styles ranging from death metal to jazz acapella and by artists from around the world. Some of the notable covers by dark alternative artists include those by Gothminister and Ian Brown of the Stone Roses.
This cover comes to us from an aggro/industrial synth/rock act from Alicante, Spain called Mind Driller. It's the next to last track on their Red Industrial album, released in late 2012 on the Mutant-E label. This is a bit of a headbanger, with a lot of really interesting and fun elements. One unique feature of this version is that it doesn't attempt to recreate or sample Price's monologue, though it does end with his distinctive laughter.
Would I play this in the club? Maybe... in the right conditions. In truth, with respect to this song, most (even in our scene) would probably rather hear the original. Who could blame them!?
The Cover:
The Original:
That concludes this year's edition of Octoberween! Happy Halloween everyone!
If you missed one of the previous entries, click the sdsd tag and scroll down!
I'll be spinning twice this week in Boston before Halloween. The details of my schedule are up on my site. Make plans to come out if you can and feel free to request any of the covers featured here if you like them. ^_^
Next Week: Halloween will be officially over, so no theme, just another great dark cover!
Join me then and explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Oct 18 - Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls (Joy Division)
Oct 11 - Hausfrau - Season Of The Witch (Donovan)
Oct 04 - Selebrities - The Monster Mash (Bobby "Boris" Picket)
Sep 27 - Carbon Airways - Microwaved (Pitchshifter)
Sep 20 - BiGod 20 - Like A Prayer (Madonna)
Directory of All DisCOVERies