Mick and Keith learned fast. Initially Rhythm ‘n’ Blues purists who believed that only ageing black Americans could write decent songs, they released their first original song ‘Stoned’ (a group-composed near-instrumental) as the UK B-side of their version of Lennon-McCartney’s ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ in November 1963; within 18 months they had written and recorded ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, and had become The Beatles’ biggest musical rivals. Now that is fast!
In the 60 years since they started, there have been thousands of Rolling Stones cover versions. Music historian Peter Checksfield listened to most of them (so you don’t have to), and came up with the best 500, in a staggering variety of genres: Rock, Blues, Soul, Garage, Psych, Prog, Beat, Reggae, Ska, Pop, Funk, Disco, Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Rockabilly, Glam, Metal, Punk, New Wave, Indie, Gothic, Grunge, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Bossa Nova, World, Gospel, Electronica, Boogie Woogie, Jazz, even Cabaret, Polka and Classical.
Also included are a mammoth 130 exclusive interviews with many of the musicians involved. Which former Rolling Stone recorded ‘Play With Fire’ in the 90s? Who’s favourite album is ‘Jamming with Edward’? What legendary Punk group wanted to cover the entire ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request’ but ran out of time after 1 song? Read on…
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The following musicians very generously shared their time answering my questions for this book: Art Alexakis (Everclear), The Allah-Las, Frank Allen (The Searchers), Allman Brothers Band, Marc Almond, Ian A. Anderson, Robyn Adele Anderson, JJ Appleton, John Batdorf, Kasper Bjørke, Bloodshot Bill, Derrick Bostrom (Meat Puppets), Bob Bradbury (Hello), Paul Brady, Vashti Bunyan, John Butler (Diesel Park West), Susan Cadogan, Tony Campbell (The Mighty Avengers), Gerald Casale (Devo), Tommy Castro, Jake Cavaliere (Lords Of Altamont), Louis Cennamo (The Herd), Roger Chapman (Family), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Steve Conte, Julie Corbalis, Allison Crowe, Rodney Crowell, James Curtiss (Vitamin String Quartet), Diana Darby, Eric Davidson (The New Bomb Turks), Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers), Joel Van Dijk, Linda Draper, Jane Duboc, John Easedale (Dramarama), Ralph Ellis (The Swinging Blue Jeans), Steve Ellis (Love Affair), Mary Fahl, Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos), Lee Fields, Roxanne Fontana, Robert Forster, Mary Gauthier, Laurie Geltman, Bobby Goldsboro, Billy Goodman, Benny Gordini (The Slow Slushy Boys), Steve Harley (Cockney Rebel), Charlie Harper (The U.K. Subs), Lenny Helsing (The Wildebeests), Marcia Hines, Hooyoosay, Thelma Houston, Cary Hudson (Blue Mountain), Johnny Indovina (Human Drama), Crystal Jacqueline, Teresa James, Wendy James (Transvision Vamp), Anders Jarkell (Vinylbandet), Ignatius Jones (Jimmy and The Boys), Barbara Kessler, Jonathan King (Bubblerock), Kat Kramer, Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow (Anvil), Robin Lane, Jeff Lang, Anita Livstrand (Anitas Livs), Richard Lloyd, Ian McNabb (The Icicle Works), Manfred Mann, Marie Martens (Marie Martens and The Messarounds), Charlotte Martin, Kathy Mattea, Helge Mattenklodt (The Beatlesøns), Sarah Menescal, Andrew Molloy (Bum), Mike Montali (Hollis Brown), Wendy Ellison Mullen, Tomo Nakayama, Paul Nash (The Danse Society), Samantha Newark, Chris Norman (Smokie), Joe Nosek (The Cash Box Kings), Andrew O’Hazo (Eight n’ Up), Christine Ohlman, Gale Paridjanian (Turin Brakes), Icarus Peel (Icarus Peel’s Acid Reign), Tiffany Pollack, Jennifer Porter, Will Potter (Cud), Jan Preston, Greg Prevost (The Chesterfield Kings), John Primer, P.J. Proby, Frank Renshaw (The Toggery Five), Kimmie Rhodes, Chris Richards (Chris Richards and The Subtractions), Miranda Lee Richards, Mike Rimbaud, Alice Russell, Japhy Ryder (Celestial Bums), Fernando Saunders, Jill Saward (Shakatak), Rat Scabies (The Damned), Jeff Schroedl (Altered Five), Nicolas Schuit (The Cosmic Carnival), Sandie Shaw, Bryan Shore (The Prisoner Of Mars), David Skinner (Twice As Much), Michael Snow (West Five), Gilles Snowcat, Brett Sparks (The Handsome Family), Chris Spedding, Lane Steinberg (Tan Sleeve), Andrew Strong, Justin Sullivan (New Model Army), Jesse Sykes, Larry Tamblyn (The Standells), Dick Taylor (The Rolling Stones / The Pretty Things), Jimmy Thackery, Joe Louis Walker, Dean Wareham (Luna), Mark Wenner (The Nighthawks), John Wheeler (Hayseed Dixie), Dani Wilde, Dave Wilson (Chatham County Line) and Sean Yseult (Rock City Morque).
5 Rolling Stones Cover Versions That You Must Hear – The Strange Brew