Cover Commissions is a monthly series in which a featured artist produces a special cover for this blog. The song to be covered is usually chosen by blog readers via a poll or suggestions form. Any artists interested in participating in a future installment, please email me at the address on the right.
We’ve fallen a bit behind on our Cover Commissions her at Cover Me, but we’re not about to let November slip away without a new artist! In fact, Commissions is about to kick into high gear this week, beginning with a Cover Me song debut later this week (song hint: it’s not about married men…). Then, getting us back on track, another poll’s coming your way next week for December’s Cover Commissions.
But first…
Brady Harris first came to our attention with his acoustic-blues cover of Snoop Doggy Dogg’s “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?),” which you can still download here. That led us to his 2007 album Cover Charge, where he takes on everyone from the Vines to Madonna. We’ve got a couple selections from that record below, but to whet your appetite you should first watch this video of him putting together the Clash’s “Jimmy Jazz” with Babyshambles’ “Fuck Forever.”
Brady’s been around much longer than that though, releasing his first album in 1993 (No Place Like Gone, with his band-at-the-time the Solid Goldstein). An emerging solo career soon led him from his native Texas to North Hollywood, where a series of albums won him accolades from the Los Angeles Times, the NXNW Music Festival and a long list of others. In the early part of this fast-fading decade he even won the Pontiac Vibe Car Commercial Contest, using the prize money to (what else) produce another record, the critically acclaimed Lone Star. His most recent is North Hollywood Skyline and is well worth a listen or ten.
Right now though, we don’t care about his original stuff (sorry). Here’s a sampling of the way this guy nails a cover.
Brady Harris – Like a Virgin (Madonna)
Brady Harris – Ace of Spades (Motörhead)
Now, the important part. As regular readers will have already guessed, Brady has graciously agreed to record a special cover just for this blog. What song? You tell him!
Below are ten songs. Click on any one to listen to the original. Then just pick which one Brady should cover in the poll on the right! The winning song get the Brady Harris treatment which, as you now know, is quite something.
Enough talk though; this month’s almost over. Presenting…
The Contenders
The Beatles – Glass Onion
The Beatles – Your Mother Should Know
Blondie – Heart of Glass
Ian Brown – Dolphins Were Monkeys
Cheap Trick – Come On, Come On
Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
Grace Jones – I’ve Seen That Face Before
Oasis – Hello
Kevin Salem – Lighthouse Keeper
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A.
Voting closes in one week, so get deciding! Vote on the right. And remember, check back later this week for more Commissions excitement.
