OK, even more Gaz and The Drones which I'm not going to apologize for because they are my favorite band and singer-songwriter plus because I haven't done that much here on my blog lately this is extra, extra long. This time I've put together a collection of songs they or he has covered or name dropped at one time or another. I will do my best to cite when and where and why I've included them. If you have seen Liddiard's myspace he's written "Who care's" under influences but also credited Margaret Thatcher as a band member who play's the Kora. This post is somewhat inspired by my last post about Gaz. It's NOT a big list of who the members of The Drones have rooted but in this case it means influenced by, who they loved and covered their songs kind-off like Mojo magazine's free CDs but because this is an online blog here's what I found on youtube. I've made the player thingy small because most are not worth watching for one reason or another but you can make them bigger your self, if you want to.
1. De Kelb Blues by Lead Belly
The first of four songs The Drones covered on the debut album "Here Come The Lies".
2. The Downbound Train by Chuck Berry
The second of four songs The Drones covered on the debut album "Here Come The Lies" also killer live version on "Live in Spaceland".
3. New Kind of Kick by The Cramps
The third of four songs The Drones covered on the debut album "Here Come The Lies".
4. Motherless Children by Blind Willie Johnson
The last of four songs The Drones covered on the debut album "Here Come The Lies".
5. Same Old Man by Karen Dalton
The song which Shark Fin Blues was based on from the album "Wait Long By The River and The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By".
6. I Believe by Alan Vega
The original version of I Believe which was on the album "The Miller's Daughter".
7. Part 1: Acknowledgement by John Coltrane
In the liner notes for the above song Gareth also writes about "A Love Supreme" which is a Coltrane album but it must be this he's talking about.
8. Are You Leaving for the Country? by Karen Dalton
The one and only cover on the album "Gala Mill". One of only two artists who appear on this playlist twice.
9. Cortez the Killer by Neil Young
One of a couple songs The Drones have covered which can be found at thier website under sounds
10. Manic Depression by Jimi Hendrix
The second song The Drones have covered which can be found at thier website under sounds.
11. Who Do You Love? by Bo Diddley
Also at their website but orginally on the Hoodoo Gurus tribute album "Stoneage Cameos" so it's a kind-off cover of a cover.
12. Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones
Gareth Liddard sung a duet with The Audreys' Taasha Coates on Aussie music quiz show Rockwiz. You can find thier verison on "the Rockwiz Duets, Volume 2".
13. Messin' With the Kid by The Saints
Gareth Liddard sung a duet with Magic Dirt's Adalita Srsen on Aussie music quiz show Rockwiz You can find thier verison on "the Rockwiz Duets, Volume 3".
14. Words from a Woman to Her Man by Beasts of Bourbon
The Drones covered this Kim Salmon song on Triple J's Like A Verison. You can find it on "Triple J's Like A Version, Volume 2"
15. Suicide Is Painless by Johnny Mandel & Mike Altman
The Drones covered the M*A*S*H theme song Triple J's Like A Verison. You can find it on "Triple J's Like A Version, Volume 5".
16. River of Tears by Kev Carmody
Most likely the most well known song that The Drones have ever covered. You can find both the original and their cover on "Cannont Buy My Soul"
17. Jailbreak by AC/DC
The first of three songs on youtube from his top five "Greatest Aussie Song Ever" for Triple J's Ausmusic month in 2009.
18. Collapse Board by Laughing Clowns
The second of three songs on youtube from his top five "Greatest Aussie Song Ever" for Triple J's Ausmusic month in 2009.
19. Hope by Dirty Three
The last of three songs on youtube from his top five "Greatest Aussie Song Ever" for Triple J's Ausmusic month in 2009.
20. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by The Bee Gees
At the AIR (Australian Independent Records Labels Association) Awards 2008, The Drones and Martha Wainwright performed this and the next song.
21. Train Long-Suffering by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
At the AIR (Australian Independent Records Labels Association) Awards 2008, The Drones and Martha Wainwright performed this and the above song.
22. Crowned by These Immortal Souls
The Drones covered this on the album called "A Tribute to Rowland S. Howard" double CD.
23. I Drink by Charles Aznavour
The Drones cover this on the "Custom Made E.P."
24. You'll Need Somebody on Your Bond by Blind WIllie Johnson
Another song from "The Miller's Daughter" who's title borrowed and the second of only two artists who appear on this list twice.
25. Don't Look Back by John Lee Hooker
This is another song from "The Miller's Daughter" album, this song is what the track Stop Dreaming comes from but it is the lyric and not the title of the song that is borrowed here.
26. Moreton Bay by Bernard Fanning
Sixteen Straws for "Gala Mill" uses the first verse from Moreton Bay. This is a very old song. This version was recorded from the Ned Kelly movie but is better than John Denver's version but it's been around forever.
27. Believe In Me by The Throb
One of the earliest covers The Drones have done on the album called "Wild About You! Tales From the Australian Rock Undergound 1963-1968".
28. My Pal by GOD
The Drones played this at The Last Song at the Tote with original singer Joel Silbersher.
29. Slammin' On The Brakes by Spencer P. Jones
The first of six songs which have no videos on youtube so you'll have to find them yourself. Covered on "The Miller's Daughter" album.
30. Revolution by X
From his top five, the Aussie band X's song was picked for "Greatest Aussie Song Ever" for Triple J's Ausmusic month in 2009.
31. Obvious Is Obvious by Kim Salmon
From his top five, Salmon's song was picked for "Greatest Aussie Song Ever" for Triple J's Ausmusic month in 2009.
32. Long Gone Whistle by Maurice Frawley
This is the most recent cover The Drones have recorded from the three CD tribute called "Long Gone Whistle – The Songs of Maurice Frawley".
33. The Executioner by Paul Kelly
Gareth Liddiard played this live for Kelly's induction into The Age newspapers' EG Awards Hall of Fame in 2010.
34. Highlands by Bob Dylan
Not covered or anything like that but just a guess that it might be an big influence on Liddiard's songwriting with his songs like The Cockeyed Lowlife of the Highlands from debut album and recently Highplains Mailman on his solo album plus he now lives in the Victorian's mountains. There's no Dylan here on this list and it's his longest song and Gaz does like long songs.
35. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Patti Smith
If you haven't heard the original by Nirvana I don't know where you've been. Patti Smith covered it on her album called Twelve but at the Sydney Opera House in 2008 The Drones were her support band and were invited back on to cover it and I've finally found it on youtube, you can't see anything but you can hear it, well it's not great but better than nothing. I've made the size a bit bigger because it's The Drones with Patti Smith which is a great way to finish this very long post.
By the way I have no idea who took the top photo but it's another one from their myspace profile. Wow, that has taken me a really long time to write so I'll have to make the next post shorter.
Great post Duck, good on you for taking the time to compile all of this. There's a few tracks here where I've not heard the original versions before, like Charles Aznavour and Alan Vega, so I appreciate your efforts.
ReplyDeleteThere's one cover that The Drones have released which you missed here though: The Meanies asked them to cover one of their songs and Gaz n' co chose 'Buffalo Free' which they released on a shared single with Dan Kelly about four or five years ago. It's a pretty out there cover.