Jan 232018
 
beth ditto cover

On our recent 25-track tenth birthday album, there was only one artist that two different musicians covered. It wasn’t the Beatles. It wasn’t Bob Dylan. It was Tommy James and the Shondells. Though, in terms of overall influence, I think many would put them in the second tier of 1960s pop bands, the songs they recorded during their initial five-year run just keep getting covered. In 1987, Tiffany went to #1 with a cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now.” She was then bumped from the top spot – by Billy Idol’s cover of “Mony Mony.” And this is twenty years past the Shondells’ heyday!

Now we’re thirty more years on, and the covers just keep coming. The latest comes from erstwhile Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto, who roars through relatively lesser-known cut “I’m Alive” on a new single. Though written by James, the song was first recorded by 1960s R&B singer Johnny Thunder (not to be confused with 1970s punk Johnny Thunders) before James’ own Shondells got to it. In 1969, Bob Dylan called the Thunder performance “one of the most powerful records I’ve ever heard.” Continue reading »

Sep 172012
 

Gossip (formerly known as The Gossip) is an indie punk- rock band that formed 13 years ago in Olympia, Washington. Singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie make up the powerful three-piece act. Last month while ending up a tour down under featuring an appearance at Splendour In The Grass festival, the band stop by radio station Triple J. As part of the station’s “Like a Version” live cover series, Gossip performed a tune they have played in their live sets, “What’s Love Got To Do With It. Continue reading »