Artists who have never recorded a cover?

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**Yeah, if you don't count Peel Sessions - New Order.**

Their first release was a Joy Division song!

― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Kraftwerk may never have recorded a cover. But surely the Go-Betweens must have!

― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

No.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:24 (twenty-two years ago)

The Velvet Underground?

Seemingly a bootleg of a Bo Diddley song...

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Mogwai covered "sweet leaf" on a Fierce Panda single

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, having just checked google, Jandek did indeed cover House Of The Rising Sun on Blue Corpse.

it's an original, it just has the same title.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Did the Cure do covers?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

We must pray not.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:40 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cure at least did a Hendrix cover early on.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Go Betweens is a good answer - checking out their extensive discog uncovers no covers. they have however both performed covers solo

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom, surely if they took the place of Robert Smith originals it would be som sort of kindness?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:44 (twenty-two years ago)

**it's an original, it just has the same title.**

With Jandek, how in fuck can you tell?

― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:45 (twenty-two years ago)

the lyrics :)

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Looks like I failed to credit some 70's Leonard Cohen covers, so my already qualified nomination was even more incorrect.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

No, I think a strict containment policy is the only way, particularly in these days of easy downloads. A curious fan of the covered band might be 'intrigued', after all.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

have AC/DC done any covers?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:47 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cure did "Hello I Love You" on a Doors tribute album. Velvet Underground might not have done any covers, but they fall foul of my totally arbitrary ten-year-career rule.

― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:49 (twenty-two years ago)

For a 60s band, try the Outsiders (might just fail on the 10 year rule).

Tom, you are right of course. I am getting soft.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 09:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Felt released just one cover in their 10 year career (The Beach Boys' Be Still), which is maybe cooler than avoiding them entirely.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Pink Floyd never recorded a cover, unless you count "King Bee", which they demoed while still The Pink Floyd Sound.

― Zvia Admon (Zeef), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 10:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Young Marble Giants...although people have covered their songs

― Jez (Jez), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 10:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Not a very long career, Jez.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 11:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Wire?

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 11:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Did the Cure do covers?

They've covered Hendrix, the Doors, Depeche Mode.

AC/DC? Hmmmmmmm. You may have one there. I certainly can't recall one, if they have.

I don't think the Police ever recorded one. Likewise, Gang of Four never bothered with one. The Buzzcocks steered clear of covers, I believe.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

buzzcocks did a beefheart song.

Why do half the people I know in local bands think playing covers is somehow morally wrong? does anyone understand this? at all?

― thom west (thom w), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah, they also did a Tom Waits cover ("Better Off without a Wife")....or was that simply Pete Shelley solo?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

acdc did baby pls don't go on their 1st album & a chuck berry song on the 2nd

― duane, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Pink Floyd

― Evan (Evan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Phish.

*tries in vain to maintain straight face*

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Did The Smashing Pumpkins do any covers?

Ditto My Bloody Valentine.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

MBV covered 'We Have All The Time In The World' beautifully.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

A few which may or may not be accurate, but I can't think of any covers they've recorded:

Amon Duul II
Hawkwind
Dire Straits
Genesis
Magma (this one I'm sure about)
Rush
Supertramp

possibly Billy Joel (although I can't claim any detailed knowledge of his, ahem, output)

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Did Cab Voltaire do any covers?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

That Smashing Pumpkins Aeroplane Flies High box-set has an entire disk of covers, including a dopetacular version of The Cars' "You're All I've Got Tonight". Plus there was that solo Billy C. version of Stevie Nicks' "Landslide" on Pisces Iscariot.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Cab Voltaire covered the Seeds' "No Escape" on Mix-Up.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

MBV did a Wire (off 154) song on some comp.

ps-it rools

― ddb, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

But did Wire do a cover? For some reason I suspect something from Document and Eyewitness.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Fugazi.

Also, Sleater-Kinney does covers live ("Hooked on a Feeling," "White Rabbit"), but I don't think they've ever recorded any.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Same applies with Belle & Sebastian, though again, they fall on the 10 year career rule.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Why do half the people I know in local bands think playing covers is somehow morally wrong? does anyone understand this? at all?

It's not a matter of morality. For me, it's a desire to stake out my own musical territory. I want the audience to walk away humming one of my band's original tunes, not just remember us as the band who covers Belle & Sebastian (although our Kraftwerk cover is ace). Once we get a bit more established, then I'll feel more comfortable about playing covers. (I've had this argument many, many times. Sigh.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

The Charlatans, I think. At least I don't own one.

― turkey (turkey), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Did Pulp record any?

― turkey (turkey), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think there's anything wrong with doing cover songs, so long as:

1. You keep it to a minimum (live or recorded) and
2. Redefine it with your own sound

Ergo, all truly great covers show off the covering band's sound by demonstrating what they can do with a song people may already know.

Now, having half your set/demo be covers...that's a different thing entirely, and I do totally agree that it will compromise things.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

AC/DC's no good: "Baby Please Don't Go".

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

oh, and Chuck Berry's "School Days" on TNT.

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Did Pulp record any?

I was just reminded of a Polnareff cover they did thanks to Z; also there's a radio session version of "Whiskey in the Jar" that saw an official release on a charity album.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Mogwai are on the Spaceman 3 tribute/covers album

Didn't Radiohead do a really chronic Aphex Twin cover version album?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

― Kim Tortoise, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Wire recorded a version of J.J. Cale's After Midnight, though it wasn't for official release. It eventually showed up on the Behind the Curtain compilation.

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I suppose that counts, although they did manage a good twenty years or so.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't think of any Steely Dan or Roxy Music covers at the moment. Bryan Ferry did a buncha solo covers, of course.

― Salmon Pink (Salmon Pink), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 199 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Although Hugh Hopper was not a member of the band when they recorded it - he was their roadie - so it's in a grey area.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 16:27 (two years ago)

_Velvet Underground might not have done any covers, but they fall foul of my totally arbitrary ten-year-career rule.
― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, August 12, 2003_

Oh I see that now. Well 5 albums seem decent enough !

― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 16:40 (two years ago)

oh yeah 10-year rule disqualifies Crass as well

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 16:53 (two years ago)

I don't think that really counts, thats like saying I've Seen All Good People is a John Lennon cover
― frogbs, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 3:59 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

I mean, they jam it out and add new stuff but it's definitely a cover of "Shockadelica"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgo2wlbz0Q

― The SoyBoy West Coast (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 16:59 (two years ago)

Well 5 albums seem decent enough !

Plus two studio odds & ends collections! It is kind of remarkable that VU never put an R&B cover or something on tape.

― Energy wrong, I log off (morrisp), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:18 (two years ago)

"Foggy Notion" is apparently a cover of a song by the same name by Hy Weiss.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:37 (two years ago)

..or close enough that he received co-songwriting credit.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:38 (two years ago)

Merzbow also did "Silent Night" on a Christmas compilation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBOanPoEek4

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:45 (two years ago)

Fugazi are still eligible here, I believe?

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:48 (two years ago)

Are we counting interpolations as covers? Fugazi sings the “Ring the Alarm” dancehall hook on Fell, Destroyed.

― bbq, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 18:09 (two years ago)

..or close enough that he received co-songwriting credit.

I don’t know enough about that songwriting credit but it doesn’t seem like a cover anyway (otherwise the credits wouldn’t be shared, would they ?): the velvet underground seem like a pretty good answer to that question !

― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 18:19 (two years ago)

There's a story behind the Hy Weiss writing credit... but I've completely forgotten it.

― Blood On Santa's Claw (Tom D.), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 18:20 (two years ago)

It is kind of remarkable that VU never put an R&B cover or something on tape.

Meanwhile later on, Lou liked doing "Tracks of My Tears" live in the 90s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKc3l6g8fVk

― paisley got boring (Eazy), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 18:39 (two years ago)

There's a story behind the Hy Weiss writing credit... but I've completely forgotten it.

The "She made me do something that I never did before" verse comes from this song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3Ac47sfZTg

Hy Weiss isn't listed as the songwriter of "Later For You Baby" but as owner of Old Town Records (who released the track in 1955) he may as well have been.

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 21:22 (two years ago)

Although Hugh Hopper was not a member of the band when they recorded it - he was their roadie - so it's in a grey area.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:27 (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Considering that Wyatt and Ayers were in The Wilde Flowers with Hugh, and considering Hugh would be in Soft Machine in 1972 when it was first released on obscure demos compilation "Rock Generation Vol. 7-8", and considering The Wilde Flowers' version wasn't released until the 90s, and considering both versions were demos not intended for release, I think it's not so grey.

― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 21:29 (two years ago)

(xp) Wow, I'd never heard that before, Lou totally ripped it off!

― Blood On Santa's Claw (Tom D.), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 21:35 (two years ago)

wow x2

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Wednesday, 19 June 2024 21:45 (two years ago)

conversely it'd be interesting to do a thread on electronic artists that did record covers

― scanner darkly, Saturday, 22 June 2024 05:20 (one year ago)

xposts thanks for laying that one out. As one of the answerers on the VU question thread, I never knew that detail, but guessed it must be something like that...

― Mark G, Saturday, 22 June 2024 08:46 (one year ago)

Gonna go out on a limb and proclaim that The Durutti Column never recorded a cover version. Maybe?

― henry s, Saturday, 22 June 2024 14:15 (one year ago)

Not exactly a prolific career, but well over ten years and nary a cover that mine eyes can see: The Blue Nile

― henry s, Saturday, 22 June 2024 14:31 (one year ago)

XPost

“I get along without you very well” was a Durutti Column single a-side, vocal by Lindsay Reade

― Mark G, Saturday, 22 June 2024 18:05 (one year ago)

Ah, well then I stand behind The Blue Nile. And as a bonus I'll throw in the Paul Buchanan solo LP, to pad out the offerings.

― henry s, Saturday, 22 June 2024 19:06 (one year ago)

About Paul Buchanan...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BUAskru82k

― Blood On Santa's Claw (Tom D.), Saturday, 22 June 2024 19:26 (one year ago)

OK, The Blue Nile only.

― henry s, Saturday, 22 June 2024 19:35 (one year ago)

durutti column also covered “white rabbit”

― brimstead, Sunday, 23 June 2024 02:15 (one year ago)

one month passes...

Kraftwerk cover “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” in tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto at Fuji Rock 2024 pic.twitter.com/BknIo3TsRp
— Patrick St. Michel (@mbmelodies) July 27, 2024

Kraftwerk cover Ryuichi Sakamoto (Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence)

― Mark G, Saturday, 27 July 2024 18:14 (one year ago)

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