Best Clash covers?

[fingertrouble]

For a future show I'm looking for the best Clash covers - now you'd say 'Tim you must know all of them by now' - well I might know the really obvious ones (Pogues, Mighty Bosstones Moby etc.) but 99.9% of them are exceedingly crap-cakes. Especially as you can just listen to the originals.

So looking for odd / good covers other than ones I've played (the Urge, Josh Rouse come to mind, there's a few more but not many) and Clash rarities or remixes or Clash boots I might not have heard (yes I have heard the London Booted LP since I'm on it, and you might hear that on the show ;-)

So?

Ideas?

*Warning - I am very picky about what makes a good Clash cover, having heard so many now - so don't get upset if I say 'yuk!' or 'nah!' I still value the suggestion! But who knows maybe you could suggest one that rocks my world and I'll play it with a credit? Go on! See if you can flummox me...*

Comments

[kevin-v5.livejournal.com]

I like the Afghan Whigs "Lost in the Supermarket" sung to the tune of "Train in Vain"
I also like Emm Gryner's version of "Straight to Hell"

[timbearcub.livejournal.com]

I was listening to the Whigs version earlier - it's OK but doesn't cut it for me (I really am pedantic about my Clash covers - hence the name of the podcast). Now the Flaming Lips... if they covered the Clash, that might be interesting...

Or I'll play simple odd ones - I've got some argentinian Clash covers which although funny actually seem to capture the Clash's energy more (what's more punk that lalala-ing the words cos you don't know the language?)

It's like Joy Division or New Order - very few people have done covers that really do something *different* or as equal with those songs.

I'll check out the Emm Gryner version - thanks!

Nouvelle Vague covering "Guns of Brixton"

[nlotic.livejournal.com]

Nouvelle Vague covering Guns of Brixton
Download at Insound for free here:
http://www.insound.com/mp3/mp3s.php?searchby=Nouvelle%20Vague

Re: Nouvelle Vague covering "Guns of Brixton"

[timbearcub.livejournal.com]

ooh freebie!!! thanks!

I think I've heard this - there's a very good reason why Nouvelle Vague have never been played on Radio Clash - partly their awful samba version of Love Will Tear Us Apart for that alone hanging's too good for 'em.

*listens*

Not bad, better than I remember, still no Prozak for Lovers 'London Calling'?

Re: Nouvelle Vague covering "Guns of Brixton"

[timbearcub.livejournal.com]

I really don't like her voice, she sounds like she's taking the piss (which could work, but with another song...)

[nlotic.livejournal.com]

The covers project...
http://www.coversproject.com/artist/clash

[timbearcub.livejournal.com]

yeah I've heard most if not all of those...forgot about the Specials cover, must have that somewhere...

[tim-e-bear.livejournal.com]

There's a cover of a Clash song on an album by early 80s Vancouver (British Columbia) band the Dishrags (well, they never had an 'album', but it's a collection of demos, singles, etc.). I'll have to dig that up and see which song it is.

Of course, finding it where YOU are is another matter...

[holy13nation.livejournal.com]

Did you get the UNCUT Clash issue with the 2 seperate CD's of covers ? I got one and think I have it still somewhere. Nothing made too much of an impression though. If I root it out this weekend could send it you.
Wondered if you were a Clash fan. Glad to know you are.
I stopped off at Stompers in SF on my last day to pick up some engineer boots a la Strummer. Along with the grey overcoat and hair greased with Murray's pomade I felt every bit London Calling ( I play at rock group in my head when travelling through airports ).

[timbearcub.livejournal.com]

yeah I've downloaded the odd track from that - it didn't set me alight either although it did have a vanilla tape track, must track that down.

Clash fan? Partly by osmosis, partly by accident...tbh I hadn't heard much of their stuff apart from early punk tracks or the hits until about 3 years ago - working on a Clash bootleg album meant I had to listen closely to London Calling and fell in love.

Still feel a bit of a fake sometimes calling Radio Clash what it is as I'm not the biggest Clash fan, and haven't played them much over the years - will make amends to that tho ;-) The idea is that it's mashing up radio formats, like an old Sound Clash - and I could use some cool punk-Warhol referencing imagery.

And I love the punk ethos - still inspires me as an artist.

It's just a very convenient name but I do like that song a lot.