NOFX: Radio & Rancid: Radio

I do this posts called "I like the cover better." Love the original, like the cover better.

This is not one of them.

The song is Radio. The original is by Rancid, the cover is by NOFX.

The Rancid original is amazing. It's one of the best tracks on the slamming Let's Go - the first Rancid CD I heard and owned. If you've seen them live, you know what this song means. It's generally a few songs into the set. It starts slow, but builds. When Tim screams "YOU KNOOOOOOWWWWWW!" the mosh pit just explodes into motion. The song kicks off the show even more than whatever they actually open with.



Along comes NOFX on the BYO Split Series CD they did with Rancid. They cover Radio.

And they turn it into a slow, rhythmic reggae song.



Yesterday I was driving in my car and flipped over to the BYO Split and listened to the NOFX cover. Then I quickly flipped over to Let's Go and listened to the original. I like to hear them back to back. NOFX really takes the song and does something else with it, but with love of the musical influences on Rancid. You can't hear a lot of reggae in Radio, but you can hear it elsewhere in the Rancid canon.

Jimi would be proud

I heard this last night on a New York Rangers radio broadcast. Luckily, the NHL put it up on their website:

Manning rocks MSG with national anthem on guitar



It's part of the Garden of Dreams Foundation week celebration, which will explain all the kids on the ice, behind the bench, etc.

Like I said, Jimi Hendrix would be proud.

God Save the Sex Pistols

Over on the Observer, there is an excellent article about the Sex Pistols:

The Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the U.K." is More Relevant Now Than Ever

It's a really good look at the classism that drives the song

Plus if you always wondered who the MPLA, UDA, IRA and the "the enemy" (the NME, I found out many years on) are it discusses that too.

It's not my favorite version of the song - I love this live version more:



"GET OFF YOUR ASS!"

The Best Thanksgiving EVER!

If you don't have time for the Arlo Guthrie classic this Thanksgiving, here is a 3:47 Thanksgiving song for you. With a shout out to Public Enemy!



The Dead Milkmen. Half punk band, half storytime with Rodney Anonymous.

Attery Squash - DEVO Was Right About Everything

Thanks to Brian Train for posting this . . . I never heard it before, but I like it.



I knew I was onto something good even back in the day. One of the first albums I ever owned was Oh, No! It's DEVO. I still love that one.

Alice Cooper - Elected

Some Election Day Alice Cooper, because it's Election Day where I live and because I've been listening to a lot of Alice Cooper.*




* And Cheap Trick. They go together.

The Records - Starry Eyes

I heard a snippet of this tonight in the background of a hockey game broadcast. I'd forgotten about this power-pop classic.



Fun song. I need to listen to more of The Records.