MetaChat - The 'Louie Louie' of mullet rock

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08 October 2005

The 'Louie Louie' of mullet rock The Music post to end all music posts.→[More:]"Since You've Been Gone has been floating around the hard rock universe since time immemorial or at least the early seventies. It's like 'Louie, Louie,' in that it's strength lies in a simply punchy guitar riff and an infectious chorus, and a simple 'Baby, you done me wrong' lyric. The hands it's passed through give one a mini-history of the rock scene over the past couple decades. (all files yousendit, as always)

1. Russ Ballard

This is the guy who actually wrote the thing. Ballard was a former member of Argent (led by former Zombie Rod Argent). His British Invasion roots show up in this version, which sounds kinda like a Wings song with more insistent guitars.

2. Head East

These guys were sweaty midwestern hard rock of the type pioneered by Grand Funk Railroad (or in England, Humble Pie); the big hit was "Never Been Any Reason". Their version, beefs up the guitars and adds what's either a weird synth or some kind of electric washboard behind the chorus.

3. Rainbow

Ritchie Blackmore's post-Deep Purple outfit was famous for having more personell than the 8th army. This one was cut with their second lead vocalist, Graham Bonnett, a Brit Rock stalwart and possibly the most testosterone OD'd singer of all time. his wounded bear singing and Blackmore's riffery make this probably the definitive version of the song

4. Impellitteri

Bonnett was not long for Rainbow, due to a drinking problem and personality conflict with the imperious Blackmore. When he left to hook up with you guitar virtuoso Chris Impelliteri, he took the song with him. The riffs and solos are getting a mite flashier, and Bonnet's sounding even more hormone-laden.

5. Alcatrazz

After breaking off with Impelliteri, Bonnett hooked up with Swedish fretboard gymnast Yngwie 'Unleah The Fucking Fury' Malmsteen. The flash is starting to get over the top here, but this song sure travels well.

6. Hi-Standard

I've always maintained that good mullet rock and good punk rock are more alike than different, and this cover by these Japanese punkers bears me out. All they did was speed it up and blur the lyrics (whether on purpose or from linguistic confusion, I don't know) but the riff and the chorus still pack a punch.

And there we are, a journey through music history through the eyes of one song. Enjoy. Special thanks to dash_slot.

post by: jonmc at: 12:52 | 32 comments

cool! i had never heard any of these but rainbow! thanks jon!

posted by quonsar 08 October | 13:20

"Wounded bear singing." Hehe. That will keep me happy all day.

posted by goatdog 08 October | 13:37

Excellent. I'll add one more version: Ted Leo, accoustic.

posted by me3dia 08 October | 14:10

I don't have a version handy (it's in a box somewhere), but no Motorhead? That was the first version I heard (at 13 or so and have since heard the original at least a few times) that I could understand the lyrics. Thanks for the post.

posted by sleepy_pete 08 October | 14:18

Different song, me3dia. =)

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 08 October | 14:18

Yeah, I just realized that. Serves me right for uploading before listening.

posted by me3dia 08 October | 14:23

Just to make jonmc pull his hair out, I would like to add that I like the Kelly Clarkson song better than the Ballard song.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 08 October | 14:27

motorhead? color me curious...

posted by jonmc 08 October | 14:29

Wowie, jon! Thanks for this.

posted by taz 08 October | 14:41

I may have more comic books, jon, but you've got the music in you, baby. Color me always impressed by your collection. Thanks!

posted by WolfDaddy 08 October | 14:49

Comics? Please tell me you're a Peter bagge fan? Gotta go watchthe rest of the Incredibles with Pips...

posted by jonmc 08 October | 15:08

Oh, yeah, you asked that before and I forgot to respond. Short answer: I was just a little too old to hop on that wave and ride it. Long answer: at the time I was far too interested in dissociating myself from all things "slacker" and "gen-X" and other related buzzwords because, being born in '65, the cusp of baby-boomer-ness and gen-X-ness, I felt resentment at the attempt to pigeonhole people like me by the media. I got over it, but I missed out on a lot. Apparently.

It's been 15 years since Hate first hit the scene, though, so I guess I should get over it, eh? :-)

posted by WolfDaddy 08 October | 15:14

Actually, Bagge is around your age and as disusted with Gen-X cliches as you are. Give him a look. His drawing style is very reminiscent of Big Daddy Roth.

Also, re: Motorhead doing this song. Lemmy's voice is the vocal equivalent of guitar feedback (and I mean that in the best possible way, he's also the sharpest guy in the metal/hard rock/punk pantheon, read his autobiography), but this song calls for steroidal belter/crooner approach and Bonnett not only sounds the part, he looks it, too. You should hear his stuff from his Brit Invasion garage band The Marbles, he hadn't quite cut loose yet, but you van hear it coming.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 16:10

and as yet another bonus, here's Cozy Powell (Rainbow's drummer during Graham Bonnett's tenure, among other things) with "Na Na Na," another great peice of Caveman Rock, that also offers a great answer to "What's this Rock And Roll thing all about, anyway?"

posted by jonmc 08 October | 16:26

Answer to a prayer, Jon: I've had a fairly wrenching couple of weeks and just now was driving home really wishing for some seriously thunkingly dumb rock n' roll and I mean that in the best possible sense; Cheap Trick on the radio got me thinking it) to crank up loud and lose myself in. Yeah. This is good.

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 16:58

I'm picturing you at your desk banging your head and making devil horns, MGL. and that's a great picture.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 16:59

Insert an open parenthese between "roll" and "and" and that sentence might actually make sense. ;-)

Taking requests? Got any Bad Company?

On preview, hell yeah. And dancing around the kitchen with a lighter.

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 17:07

Got any Bad Company?

your wish is my command

My favorite Bad Co. song

a gem from Paul Rodgers' solo album

and Rodgers singing lead on the Willie & the Poor Boys charity album, proving he can sing soulful as well as powerful.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:18

I'd put up some Free (since that was Rodgers at his best) but all my Free is on my vinyl copy of Fire & Water, sadly.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:20

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!! This is great - I like Na Na Na a lot too; totally perfect for a good driving-fast-on-the-highway-to-clear-your-head CD if the price of gas goes down enough to justify one. ;-)

In other commands, I'm out of cigarettes - bring me over a pack?

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 17:23

Did you ever see Scotland, PA? One of my favorite movies. The whole soundtrack is Bad Company - and there's this part where they cut to almost every character, listening to the radio, and a second Bad Company song comes on and they all go "Yeah! Rock Block!" and turn up the volume. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. So, dude,

YEAH! Rock Block!

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 17:28

can't help you there, but here's more Paul Rodgers,

dueting with Buddy Guy on "Some Kind Of Wonderful"

and accompanied by Jeff Beck on "I Just want To Make Love To You."

on preview: nope, never saw it. something for the Netflix queue.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:31

crap, sorry. it's not since you've been gone but actually louie louie that was done by motorhead. i should read more closely and drink more coffee before posting. oh well, here's the link anyway. so is argent playing on the russ ballard tune by any chance?

posted by sleepy_pete 08 October | 17:37

I don't think so, dude.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:38

God, you mean I'm like going to have to walk a block to get smokes? Dag. Hehehe. Perhaps something entertaining will happen at BJs Food Mart, our very own Kwikee-Mart, the only freaky little Indian bodega in Asheville, which we often say is worthy of its own short independent film and the place where I once saw a large black church lady bless out a wino in the name of Jesus.

Seriously Jon this is most wonderful of you.

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 17:40

Wow! I so need to download these when I get home. I've only heard the Rainbow version (which is on my IPod).

posted by sisterhavana 08 October | 17:45

*grinning ear to ear*

Thank you jonmc. Like some others said, the Rainbow version is the most familiar to me.

I really appreciate your musical interests. You are thoughtful and have standards, but can appreciate some nice bullshit guitar rock like this.

And big big thanks for the Beck/Rodgers song. Both that , Head East, and Rainbow will go on my next "Loud Bullshit Guitars and Screaming White Guys" anthology. Of course, volume 1 features Mountain, Blue Cheer, and all the Uriah Heep anyone needs.

posted by Marxchivist 08 October | 18:00

Completely off topic, also I'm realizing that unless I shell out the $20 for the pro version, my winamp music means nothing to most of you, but anyway, kick ass rock n' roll. If a bit more modern than the other (great) stuff here. Southern Culture on the Skids

Jon, if you don't have this CD, you should.

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 21:38

I saw SCOTS live on a triple bill with the Muffs and Cub at maxwells in Hoboken back on News Years Eve 1995. They were incredible.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 21:50

Completely off topic, also I'm realizing that unless I shell out the $20 for the pro version, my winamp music means nothing to most of you

Are you talking about encoding? You can get freeware mp3 encoders if that is what you mean. I use eac/lame and it works fine for me but I think there are probably even easier/better options now.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 08 October | 22:34

Okay, you have to walk me through it. I'm slightly technologically challenged - I can show you a .tif and raise you a .jpg, but music files aren't something I've ever messed with until the last couple of weeks. I was happy up til then with my CD playing boombox - now I want to move into this century. I think.

posted by mygothlaundry 08 October | 22:56

Of course, there was only just enough cowbell in Ballard's version...
Rainbow's is the definitive to me, but those speed thrash foreign covers are a joy too.

Glad to have been of assistance, jon - now, how about a thread of all the different 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself's?

posted by dashie 09 October | 08:24

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