Product ReviewsVarious Artists - Rockabilly Rules OK, Vol.1 (2010)

Poor covers, the originals are far better!

I ask, what is the point of bands recording weaker versions of 80s rockabilly/rock'n'roll than the originals? The production seems bass light.
I hoped for more powerful or more imaginative versions of these covers.
In all cases, the originals are better. If I hadn't heard the originals then
'Marie, Marie' 'Gunning for the Dog' 'Please Mama Please' are passable.
As a Rock'n'Roll DJ these could be played at a dance. Especially disappointing is Darryl Higham's cover of the Jets 'Love Bug', weak and insipid and not up to his usual quality stuff.
Rockabilly Rebel is weak, as is Rockbilly Rules Okay. You'd think the King Drapes are made of tin foil. This is number 7 in this series.
It is a poor advert for the bands covering the original bands numbers.
The idea is good, but this should cast the net wider into doing our bands covers of outside music's stuff. For example Dave Phillips stunning cover of 'Tainted Love', the Riverside Trios inspired country cover of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades' done as Johnny Cash might have done it. I first heard this live at Preston and thought it sounded familiar then was astonished and delighted when I finally recognised it. This is the direction this series should go in. Also up there is Jack Rabbit Slims cover of a Gary Numan track. We all know and love Restless best version ever of Them's Baby 'Please Don't Go' and their top bopper cover of an originally weak country number 'Long Black Shiny Car'. So, the covers are there, better than the originals, not this insipid collection of weak covers of tracks better performed by our original bands. This CD is going to the charity shop!Read full review...

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