Greetings, ye greased goblins & gorgeous ghost hosts! Welcome to Episode (Lucky) XIII of the Detholz! Mp3 Blog, the third in our countdown to the 8th Annual Jukebox of the Dead Halloween Spectacular!
In this spirit of this season of giving (and taking), another two-fer today of previously unreleased Detholz! covers. A trick and a treat.
1. TRICK: “Faith” by George Michael (live version)
A number of versions of this cover have been recorded over the years, though there was never a proper demo for the completed arrangement. Jonny (Detholz! keyboardist – visit his songwriting blog at jonsteinmeier.wordpress.com!) originally tackled arranging “Faith,” and elements of his original arrangement can still be heard here. After he submitted it, we took his initial idea and ran with it as a group. Of all the covers, this one really went through the Detholz! ringer. The finished product sounds much different than the initial versions.
This version was recorded live for a radio broadcast 2 or 3 years ago, and was a regular part of the Detholz! diet at that time. We played this at most of the shows we did with Wilco on their “Ghost is Born” tour in 2005 to some accolades… and more than a few Bronx cheers. It ain’t exactly easy listening.
At the time we recorded “Cast Out Devils,” we considered including “Faith,” and a complete studio version was tracked. After some “mass debating,”however, we decided against including it for various reasons– the primary reason was that it seemed a little heavy-handed in the context of the other material. It subsequently remains in the VORTECS Corporation vaults to this day, and has never been properly mixed.
2. TREAT: “Something About You” by Level 42
Originally intended for Jukebox of the Dead VII last year, this is a home demo I recorded last summer. I hoped to kill 2 birds with one stone: write another Jukebox of the Dead cover for 2006 & complete a submission for a wedding compilation released by Lujo Records, Baby Teeth’s DC-based label. (Baby Teeth is my “other” band– click the link for the BT Mp3 blog). The compilation was released to celebrate the wedding of our friends, Erik and Jocelyn (Lujo Records owners), so this arrangement is appropriately luvvie-duvvie. Interestingly enough, Erik and Joce decided to include “Invisible Touch” instead. (see last week’s post)
When Halloween came around last year, the band worked on this cover during a rehearsal and decided it was simply too tame. It was subsequently shelved, and will probably never see the light of day.
This is a rare case in Jukebox-land where I really *love* the source material; “Something About You” is a good, old-fashioned Eurovision-worthy song for that lonely junior higher at the roller rink.
Oh, and for you Detholz! ueber-geeks, there’s yet another narcissistic self-reference. Can you spot it? Where’s Waldo?
Ueber-geek or no, tune in next week for the “Final Countdown” to Halloween and Jukebox of the Dead VIII!
For those of you in Indiana and DeKalb… beware. Detholz! draweth nigh…THIS WEEK:
DETHOLZ! in JUKEBOX OF THE DEAD VIII : “Xanadu!”
Friday, October 26
Zanies Too
Indianapolis IN
w/Creepin’ Charley & the Boneyard Orchestra
Saturday, October 27
The House
Dekalb IL
Wednesday, October 31 HALLOWEEN
Ye Aulde Empty Bottle
Chicago, IL
w/ the Mucca Pazza Marching Band & the amazing Lord of the Yum-Yum
October 24, 2007 at 11:09 pm |
that would be instermay ectricityelay…
and nice cover. I am not a fan of the original although i do not dislike it either. I can tell you are giving it a little more love than usual.
nice touch on the wedding organ.
October 25, 2007 at 3:22 am |
“Nice touch on the wedding organ”? What kind of blog is this?
October 25, 2007 at 3:24 pm |
‘Bab: Touching the wedding organ is my specialty.
AIP: Homo blog.
October 25, 2007 at 5:46 pm |
OK OK. i will admit that was not intentional. wish it was. pretty funny. but i definitely would have refered to it as a “pump organ” so let me rephrase: “i commend your musical inclination to select a churchy sounding midi keyboard setting for this song”
October 26, 2007 at 12:41 am |
Ok, back to the music. Gotta say “Faith” is quite tasty. Had heard it live plenty, but hadn’t heard this studio version. Nicely done. Thanks for giving it up for your fans.
I can tell you like “Something about you”. Or at least it seems that way. Or there’s an element of nostalgia there or something. With the other covers you do, you skewer it and show the world the innards. And we love it. With this one I can smell a little T.L.C. and a touch of Mr. Electricity.
October 26, 2007 at 2:01 pm |
I agree with dj. “Something” definitely has a kind of close-to-your-heart feel to it. Ironically, the feeling kind of shines through the distant sounding, transistor radio like vocals. And the harmonies in this one are just beautiful. Very powerful track. I’m surprised the folks with Lujo picked “Invisible” over this one.
And as for Faith; I’m just ecstatic of the fact that, with the extensive musical knowledge the band possesses, you all decide to use your powers to rock so hard.
And Kebab, proper Where’s Waldo etiquette is to give everyone a chance to find Waldo before you point him out. It’s alright, I suppose. He was kind of standing in the middle of a black and green forest in this one anyway.
I’m digging these two. Can’t wait to hear all the ones you’ve kept. Rock on.
October 26, 2007 at 6:07 pm |
Great work as usual, Jim (and Jon, Ben, Karl, and Andrew). I really like the “Something” arrangement, and definitely caught the old-school Detholz reference.
Really wish I could make it to this year’s Jukebox of the Dead show. Mandie and I have Baby Porick #1 (a girl, named Ruby) on the way (due 11/6), so heading into the city keeps us a little too far from the hospital in case Ruby decides to show up a week early.
October 26, 2007 at 9:05 pm |
‘Bab: It’s too late for you, homo. That was one Freudian slip too many.
Deej: Well, it is sort of nostalgic, I suppose, as I was thinking about my now-fiancee when I put it together. This was before we had our relationship rubber-stamped by a pedigreed official, so I was in Lonely-ville at the time.
Jim: Glad you all like this live version of “Faith.” The song works in a live setting, but I’ve never been convinced by the 3 or 4 recordings we’ve done.
If Waldo was dressed as a wizard, you might have a hard time seeing him in a dark forest.
BP = Baby Porick?! Baby Porick?!? Congrats to both of you! You know, BP, there are a few things in life more important than Halloween.
That said, the Empty Bottle is convenient to a number of hospitals. Aside from that, the Empty Bottle ITSELF might be a prime location in which to have Child Numero Uno. The sights, the sounds, the smells… they all point towards one idea: “BABY.”
Sorry to miss you, BP, but certainly understandable. Give our best to Mandie!
October 26, 2007 at 9:57 pm |
i have had that song stuck in my head for the past two days… I really super like it.
October 28, 2007 at 10:36 pm |
‘Bab: See? It really ain’t so bad. I did little to change the hooks/melodies from the original.
October 29, 2007 at 1:08 am |
never thought it was “bad” per se. just never really thought of it at all. it was just a song from the 80’s.
i really like the use of that song I am not supposed to mention in this one. The invisible touch self reference is hilarious (especially the one guitar line) and so out of place but this one really has a nice feel to it. it adds to the song.
one thing I keep hearing though is once the second verse hits and its drums and guitar and “organ”… I keep thinking the vocals should be up close and clear sans the “video kill the radio star” effect.
October 29, 2007 at 2:19 pm |
All right. We all know the connection with “Something..” by now. Sorry to bust some balls.
As the vocals are fading out, leaving the organ solo at the end, one of the last things heard is the line, “…crackles in my bones”. Was that too a reference to Mister Electricity, or is that a line from the original version of this song?
If it’s an extra, bonus reference, I believe more ‘props’ are in order.