The Eyes 9:20 PM

The Eyes are one of those mythic bands that command breathless hyperbole in those that already know they exist, while those that are introduced to them newly, often by the same fanatics, offer a little bit of a shrug and say "Yeah, they're pretty good". I think it's those that find them on their own that get so worked up because there is nothing like finding a band that has been long neglected and bringing them down from the mound like the ten freaking commandments and trying to tell everyone they just have to listen, because they are "so amaaaazing!"

When it comes to music from 1963-66 I have a difficult time placing it within a strict timeline because things happened so quickly. My original instinct was to file these guys away as bandwagoners, but this guy at the Power Pop blog seems to understand their relevance more than me. Click through to it to hear the song that seems to unanimously be considered their best.

Original copies of this EP goes for like $200 on eBay, and the CD reissue (I've heard) only got a pressing of 500 copies, although you can still find it easily enough on Amazon and lots of other places. The original copy doesn't have a quarter of the material of the reissue, this track included, (it's a demo). I see no reason to even want to own the original vinyl, at least at the price people are reportedly paying.



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Suzi Quatro 10:55 PM

As with most of the artists I've blogged about here, I know very little about Suzi Quatro. I don't own an album by her, and I've never heard any other songs by her. All of this is surprising, especially to myself, because this is probably my second most listened to version of Shakin' All Over that I have. It's a delight, and it feels like burning (the really good kind) for the entire duration. Especially that guitar solo! I honestly can't think of another that sounds anything like it.



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Ricky Valance 1:05 PM

Ok, no, not the La Bamba guy, who no one of my generation would know anything the eff about if it wasn't for Lou Diamond Phillips. This guy was, in fact, the first Welshman at number one. (according to Wikipedia). And like all Welshmen (or at least like that other Welshman), he injects a sort of safe, smarmy, sexuality into the song. It's fun, I suppose.



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Drinking Electricity 3:47 PM

I found out about Drinking Electricity while doing research for this blog, and as such is my most recently aquired version of Shakin' All Over. They are a new wave band, who would appeal to fans of The Plastics, The Normals, Kraftwork or even more recent electroclash stuff like Felix da Housecat. This single reached #43 on the UK singles chart in 1980. If you enjoy this, you might also like their full length album, which is available at the Fantod Under Glass mp3 blog.

The Damned 1:55 AM

Shakin' is pretty much a required cover for most punk bands. Here's a sloppy, meandering, live version by the legendary Damned. It's messy, but still pretty fun.

The Space Lady 11:51 PM

For the second post, I thought I'd push you guys right into the deep end, just to show how far this song can be pushed and still be true to it's roots. The Space Lady is Susan Dietrich, a woman from Boston. In the early 70s, driven by the fear of her husband being persecuted as a draft dodger, and needing to feed her child, she took to busking. She was evidently pretty good at it and she made a decent living. Eventually her act evolved into a mini-stage show.

The accordion was eventually retired in favor of the very first Casio keyboard released on the American market, a toy by today's standards. But with Joel's previous experience playing in various 60s rock bands, they plugged the Casio into a phase-shifter, mic-ed Susan's voice through an echo unit, created a light show by wiring her tip box with twinkling lights, and crowned her with a winged helmet complete with a blinking red ball on top.

Her story is on her MySpace page. I honestly didn't know anything about her before tonight, and now that I do, I have a deeper appreciation for this version of the song, and the rest of her music.

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Johnny Kidd and the Pirates 12:02 AM

What you've found here is a little tribute to my favourite song. Shakin' All Over.

Once a week or so, probably for about a year — or as long as I can stand it — I'll be posting a new cover this song. I'm not sure why I love this song so much. It could be it's just the right combination of British invasion, surf, blues, go-go, and whatever else was going on in 1960. It could also be that each time I hear a new version of it, it's brought back to life for me. I've heard dozens of covers of Shakin' All Over, some radically different from the original. There are many songs that get covered over and over, redefined in genres not created until years after it was written. It isn't that Shakin' All Over is better than those songs, it's just that this one is my favourite.

I'm starting you off with the original, by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.