Under The Covers Volume 1

"Under The Covers" is a recurring series comparing, contrasting, and talking about cover songs and the originals of these cover songs.

I can't recall the very first time I ever heard "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", but I know it was somewhere around 1991 or 1992. I was in second or third grade and had excitedly rented the movie "Cool As Ice" which starred the one and only Vanilla Ice. The version of the song that was featured in the film was Saint Etienne's. I immediately fell in love with it. To me, even though it sounds incredibly early 90s, it also has a very timeless feel to it. Maybe that is just because of how much I like the song, I'm not too sure. Soon after hearing the song in this flick, my favorite radio station at the time (Power 106 in Southern California) started playing the song. As history would have it, I was practicing to be a back up dancer for my elementary school hip hop group and recording songs off of Power 106 onto a memorex cassette. I was lucky enough to catch "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and commit it to magnetic tape. To this day, that tape of recorded radio is in somewhat regular rotation, thanks in large part to me craving this Saint Etienne track.

That brings us to the original version of this song which was written and recorded by Neil Young. Somewhere between 1991 and now, I came to realize that the song was a cover. And somewhere between finding that out and now, I learned that Neil Young was the writer and original performer of the song. And up until a few months ago, I never listened to the original. I think part of me was afraid that if I heard the original and didn't like it, that it would forever change my opinion of Saint Etienne's version. Thankfully, I love the original too. The best part about it is that the two versions of the song are about as different as they can be while still being the same song.

I'll leave my words at that and let you listen to the two versions and form your own opinions. Does anyone remember that movie "Cool As Ice"? Which version of the song do you like better and why?

Do you play baseball?

Books: Check Em Out

You may have heard of Neil Strauss before. He has helped write the biographies of such icons as Marilyn Manson, Jenna Jameson, Motley Crue, and Dave Navarro. Previous to this book, I had never read anything he has written. Admittedly, I was skeptical. I was going into this book thinking it was a comical look at the dangerous situations life throws at you and how to survive them.  I was only partially right.


Neil Strauss has written a memoir about his descent into the sometimes frightening world of survivalism. Spurred by the eye opening events of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina, Strauss decided he needed a plan for "when the shit hit the fan (WTSHTF)". Having been raised in a high rise building in Chicago, his survival skills were lacking to say the least. This wasn't going to stop Strauss. What begins as a conquest for a second citizenship and some nature survival training turns into a life changing journey. 


Initially, I was drawn to this book because I thought it would be a fun and easy read. The whole book definitely has a comedic feel to it. But somewhere along the line, the journey becomes less about making a joke out of the whole thing and more about the self fulfillment that comes along with being able to not only survive the most dangerous and dire of situations, but to also be able to help others WTSHTF. I found this book to be extremely inspiring. When I wasn't reading, I was usually daydreaming about how I would react to the scenarios posed within the pages. This book makes me want to push myself to the limits and know that I'm prepared. Which, I'm sure I'm not. Are you ready for WTSHTF?

Purchase "Emergency" Here 

Coliseum-Blind In One Eye Video!!

Hey all! Sorry I've been missing for a while. I guess I just haven't felt too inspired. I've got some good stuff in the works though. And this video is one of the coolest things I've run across lately. Coliseum's new record, House With A Curse, is out June 22. I'm sure I'll be posting more about that later. In the meantime, enjoy this great video from these great guys!


BrooklynVegan Presents: Coliseum - "Blind In One Eye" from BVBBG on Vimeo.

No Big Hair!

Motion City Soundtrack covers Pavement

Where Are They Now?: Nevermind Baby Edition

Have you ever wondered what happened to this baby?

Well, here he is now, all grown up. No more baby wiener. 

Nirvana Baby, Spencer Elden from Barry O Donnell on Vimeo.

One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Mankind

What happens when you mix a MicroKorg synthesizer and "a 1980s futuristic sci fi vision of the United States under communist rule"? Chances are, you'll end up with some cold war influenced, dance floor packing songs by young Pittsburgh band Comrade Kangaroo. Comrade Kangaroo is composed of C.A.P.A. classmates George Cessna and Hunter Blackwell. As far as who does what in the band, George had this to say when I recently spoke to him: "When we play live we just blast the backing tracks while I sing and Hunter plays synth."



The band recently self released their five song self titled demo on March 5. The songs on the demo show similarities to bands like The Postal Service, Junior Boys, and O.M.D. There is a harmonious marriage between predominantly synthetic sounds and subtle doses of analog instrumentation, all the while, having a sense of humor and not being too serious. "Even though Comrade Kangaroo is all about the science fiction and communism thing, it's safe to say that most of the songs are pretty goofy and suffer from some major teenage drama. If it's not about girls, it's about robots." Regardless of any teenage drama, George has pretty grown up tastes, claiming that the main inspirations on Comrade Kangaroo are Kraftwerk, New Order, Julian Casablancas, and David Bowie. You'd be hard pressed to find many 18 year olds who have even heard of Kraftwerk. 


Following graduation from C.A.P.A., George will be heading to MICA Art School in Baltimore in the fall. He didn't comment on the impact this may or may not have on Comrade Kangaroo. But it is safe to say that people should go see the band while they can. After playing to nearly 200 people at a C.A.P.A. battle of the bands, Comrade knows how to rock a crowd. This Friday, May 7, Comrade Kangaroo will be playing a show at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. See the flyer after the jump. While you wait in anticipation of the show, go check out Comrade Kangaroo's Myspace and listen to some songs. And remember..." if it's not about robots, it's not Comrade Kangaroo."


Visit Comrade Kangaroo's Myspace HERE