I was listening to Supercollider by Fountains of Wayne a while back. As I was listening, I found myself thinking “Y’know this sounds a bit like Oasis”. A quick visit to Wikipedia, and yup, it turns out that’s deliberate – the band were fans and wanted to write a song in that style. This hasn’t affected my enjoyment of the song a bit – I like Oasis, plus the song is a very Midwestern take on the Gallagher brothers, if that makes sense. They add something.
That got me thinking about other examples of an artist recording something in the style of someone else, for whatever motive. Fans of the Coen brothers will remember the fictional group Autobahn in The Big Lebowski. On the soundtrack, their long time collaborator Carter Burwell provides one of their songs (“Techno Pop”), which is a pretty good pastiche of Dusseldorf’s finest.
Sometimes it can stretch to an entire album. The Cult’s “Electric” is obviously the result of producer Rick Rubin trying a thought experiment to see to what would have happened if Jim Morrison had replaced Bon Scott in AC/DC after the latter had died (I know there were some logistical issues in that actually happening, but let’s not limit our creativity here. There are some Post-it notes in the corner). Whatever the motive, it’s the best AC/DC album since Back in Black.
Any others?
I’ve always thought the same of Elevator Up from Out-of-State Plates. B-side to Stacy’s Mom so also from the WIM era.
Yup, that’s good. That one’s not on my CD. I have the first album, plus WIM and Utopia Parkway. Really good band.
Fabulous band. They did a good tribute to Ray Davies too
And Tim O’Brien has this on the same album
And here’s Otway performing I Will Survive in the style of His Bobness
…and Stacy’s Mom (at least in parts) nods heavily at the Cars – the video has a pastiche Cars reference.
The Dukes Of Stratosphere, XTC’s homage of 1960s psychedelic pop is an entire couple of albums worth of pastiche. It’s all fantastic, both albums should be in any collection, but perhaps the most obvious “in the style of” tune has to be Pale And Precious, a beautiful Beach Boys drenched classic.
I have a playlist called ‘Tonight, Matthew’ which is all acts paying tribute/pastiching Brian Wilson and Co. Here’s The Raspberries:
That’s great! You can hear how Teenage Fanclub might have taken some influence from there as well.
Blindingly obvious but a proper group too.
I was playing the Rutles and someone much younger and I was with thought it was the Beatles but didn’t know the songs had his flabber well and truly gasted when I explained about them.
1) The Rutles are a great shout when you fancy listening to The Beatles but are a bit jaded by overplay…
2) I will die on the hill that “Let’s Be Natural” is a better song than putative inspiration “Dear Prudence”…
Disagree, almost nothing is better than Dear Prudence
Yup, I agree. Hold on, you’re talking about the Siouxsie and the Banshees version, right?
Nope
Cheese and Onions found its way onto a bootleg in the US claiming to be newly discovered Beatles/ Lennon demos.
Get Up And Go was left off the original album as it was felt “too close to get away with”
This is Pet Shop Boys’ Oasis song.
Kraftwerk – Radioactivity
OMD – Electricity
Hadn’t noticed that before, you’re absolutely right.
The Raspberries Starting Over LP is full of different pastiches.
Here they are doing …..hey, it will only take a few bars to spot it…
Apologies – I missed that this had already been posted!
Talking of the Fountains and pastiches:-
I guess any pastiche post needs to include the hugely popular festival band, the Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican, who play folkified versions of popular hits of the day. Or, more often, of yesterday. I don’t get them myself, but many do. (having said, the re-written lyrics are capable of raising a smile.)
So, popular AW mop-tops:
and something newer in wave:
and, is it Lady Di’s favourite:
When I first heard it, I was convinced Horse With No Name was CSNY (or maybe just Y on his own)
Paul does his old friend John
The Boss does his impression of Ian McNobb and chums.
Really? I thought it was more of a Beach Boys or Burt Bacharach “tribute”
It’s brilliant, whatever it is
I agree, the best thing he’d done for ages, and possibly the last thing I bought.
The Icicle Works hardly sounded unique, more like a mid-80s take on CSNY. See also McNobb’s later dalliance with Crazy Horse. And this, where Ian goes the full Shakey:
Bob Dylan’s pastiche/pisstake of The Beatles.
Possibly more of a pastiche of The Beatles (Lennon) when they were trying to be like Dylan, I’m a Loser, You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood (especially)
The Dame parodies his great frenemy…
Morrissey has a go at Bowie (5 Years similar), a “tribute” that was reciprocated
Suzanne Vega with her Dylan pastiche- tribute. Chambermaid.
Senor Coconut’s electro-latino cover versions are always a treat.
Time for a visit to Venice Beach for some blue-eyed soul nostalgia with the Conchords…
Pete Wingfiled’s ’18 With A Bullet’ was written as a pastiche of doo-wop. Total choon.