New Coat of Paint
I’ve been using the default WordPress theme for almost three years and now I’m ready for something different. I’m looking for something with two columns and a clean, easy to read look. I think this theme is pretty reasonable but I might change it again if I find something else I like. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
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My friend Migor used to play in a covers band. One night he had what alcoholics call a “moment of clarity” when somebody in the audience asked the band to play “Brown Eyed Girl.” He doesn’t play covers any more and has a tendency to go on a rant when you mention any of the standards of the bar band canon. And then the dynamic George Blowfish suggested that I build a Cover Freak theme around the discussion. And so it is with apologies to Migor that I present the songs that every bar band dreads playing.
Prozak for Lovers “Proud Mary” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
They’re really covering the Ike and Tina Turner cover, but it’s still nice to hear the song completely stripped of any passion. It’s really quite relaxing.
Steve Madaio “Mustang Sally” (Wilson Pickett)
As longtime Cover Freak readers know, I have a thing for vibes.
Judas Priest “Johnny B Goode” (Chuck Berry)
I’ve never thought of this song as a metal anthem but Rob Halford and company have changed my mind. Chuck Berry doesn’t travel with a band, he just shows up and has the show’s promoter round up some guys to back him up. It would be great if some promoter booked Judas Priest to be Chuck’s band some time.
Greyhound “Unchained Melody” (Righteous Brothers)
The town I live in has free concerts in the park on Sunday evenings during the summer. Usually they have a reasonably competent bar band that cranks out inoffensive covers. Last week was the last one and it featured a terrible over-amplified reggae band. They did do a version of “Hotel California” that was so bad that I couldn’t stop giggling.
Those concerts never feature “find ’em and grind ’em time” as Mr. Blowfish calls it. They’re family-oriented events. Too bad because I’d love to hear how badly that reggae band could have mangled this song. No way they could have done as good a job as Greyhound.
Reel Big Fish “Brown Eyed Girl” (Van Morrison)
I’ve always wondered what Van Morrison thinks about this song. I saw the guy who wrote “Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother” at a bar near my house and he had a very long rap that he laid on us about the origin of the song and what it’s like to be condemned to sing it every night. He said that every three months when he gets his royalty check he feels just fine about it. He also said that if you’re going to have to sing a song every night for the rest of your life that you should be sure that it’s a good song. Mr. Morrison is prickly enough that I doubt that he shares that view.
Okay, so some comments about the new look…
First of all, the “theme” will always be secondary to the content and I’ll always enjoy your blog.
Second of all, it was just a little confusing leaving a comment. The link is at the top of the page (which is somewhere you don’t naturally look after reading an entire post like I do) then a comment box opens at the bottom where you don’t see it until you decide to scroll down.
Third of all (you don’t hear that phrase much), I thought the previous layout was much cleaner and easier to read than this one. I like the narrower column for the main content. It makes the paragraphs more like short little nuggets rather than sprawling, exhaustive sentences.
But those are just my thoughts.
BM, I’m glad that somebody in this day and age appreciates the value of content over aesthetics. I agree with you about the comments link and I’ve moved that down to the end of each post.
I also see your point about the width of the column and I’ll have to work on that one. Editing php code is not exactly my strong suit.
A really great collection of bar cover band hell. Too bad you couldn’t have found an appropriate cover of “Freebird”.
I seem to recall Van Morrison claiming he’d never received royalties for “Brown-Eyed Girl”. I didn’t ever hear or see the discussion with Ray Wylie Hubbard you referenced, but I’ve always believed he was never paid.
Anyway, great stuff, as always. And I like the new, clean-shaven look, personally.
Dogg I tried to find “Freebird” but couldn’t find any interesting covers of it, surprisingly enough. I saw Ray Wilie Hubbard in a bar near my house and he launched into a discussion of the song before and while he played it. And he did indeed say that he got a check every three months. Which I’m sure is the only reason he sings it every night.
I’m not surprised that Van Morrison never got paid for “Brown Eyed Girl.” And I’m sure it pisses him off.
Glad you like the new look. Thanks for the kind words.
Have you heard “Built to Spill’s” snarky cover of Freebird? They used to get the proverbial “Play Freebird” as a joke at their shows, so they actually recorded a live cover of it that is droning and dripping with sarcasm. I thought it was hilarious.
I like the previous Coverfreak style better, mainly because font size was larger and easier to read and also in a narrower column so your eye didn’t travel so far across the page and get lost.
But I have always liked your site because it is clean looking, funny, the colours make it easy on the eye: it’s just the new font size. Maybe I need specs!
I also liked your previous style better. This one’s a little too “businesslike”, IMHO.
Sue, I’ve bumped up the font size and narrowed the column width, hopefully you’ll find things more readable now.
Where did you see Jerry Jeff Walker?
Chris, I didn’t see Jerry Jeff Walker. I saw Ray Wylie Hubbard, who wrote the song, at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn IL.
Yes, I like it better now. Thanks!
I’m a man of habits so I prefered the ancient look…
But your blog is still great and that’s what matters !