i absolutely forgot why i have essentially been using a bunch of boxes and a desk for percussion as of late for these covers, as opposed to the regular old drum set- until i went down to record the drums yesterday.

i’m running out of space on the computer.

Despite emptying most things out onto an external drive, the digital audio workstation (DAW) i normally used kept saying that i’m using too many tracks to record with, therefore it would not let me record. This of course, makes me wish i had access to an analog setup- but alas, a dream this will stay. i actually do have a Yamaha MG16 mixer (and when i’ve recorded drums on it, it sounds amazing). However, that’s all i can do on it, since it is only one channel.

With this bit of a current roadblock, it’s led me to be musically creative in other ways. i don’t know if i’d be playing the melodica as much as i do, if i were mostly playing the regular setup. It’s also reminding me of the days i didn’t have access to a lot of instruments, and i got a lot of mileage out of a desk, some doors, a keyboard and ukulele.

One of my favorite things about doing these covers (whether it’s the ‘regular’ setup or a more limited one), is that it enables you to truly listen to the construction of a song. One can definitely cover a song to the exact note; however, i am not that good, so i have to figure out how to navigate something that others are much better than me at.
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Despite not being able to record on the usual DAW, i was able to record keys,. fortunately. As i was figuring out how i was going to cover the song below, i started messing around, playing other songs (and learning new ones). i kept playing my favorite riff of all time (American Jesus), as well as recording a silly version of ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ for my partner, without realizing that the next day (May 13) was Stevie Wonder’s day of birth. As ‘hokey’ as that song could be in lesser hands; it’s that song’s chords which always made me love it.

In messing around, i also ended up learning the main theme to the Godfather film.

After letting myself get some distraction out, i got down to it and did my interpretation of PM Dawn’s ‘Paper Doll’. i covered the club mix version.

Coming out of the land of Kool & The Gang (Jersey City, NJ), brothers Attrell and Jarrett Cordes were seen as being an extension of the hip hop community, but of course were attacked by purists (like KRS ONE in 1992, infamously) for not being ‘true to the culture’, as they included more pop and ‘alternative’ elements.

Given Kris’ unconditional/uncritical support of Afrika Bambaataa in the name lionizing his place in hip hop culture (despite his clear history of predation), i think ultimately, Prince Be has been vindicated via his criticism: “KRS-One wants to be a teacher, but a teacher of what?”

The first major single (‘Set Adrift on Memory Bliss’) famously sampled Spandau Ballet’s ‘True’; but it was not until i heard ‘Paper Doll’, where i was paying a bit more attention. Most people always seemed a bit more attracted to a song like ‘Die Without You’ (which appeared on the Boomerang soundtrack)- given the inordinate amount of covers, i take this to be true. ‘Paper Doll’ however, spoke to me more.

Again, i’m not musically adept, therefore i play everything by ear. i made the decision to use keys for everything- including the drum pattern, given that i was not able to record the drum set. Every single thing you hear was played by me, mostly on the Yamaha MODX6+, except for tambourine and (obviously) vocals.

Sadly, Attrell Cordes (aka Prince Be) passed on from the physical realm a decade ago, as he succumbed to kidney disease. If he somehow (miraculously) hears this, i hope he’s not too upset.

When i decided to do the covers i did, i did not realize it was going to be a memorial of sorts.

i also didn’t think about how the songs i decided to cover both have a very abstract set of lyrics, which ultimately read as (or reference) breaking free of the things which prevent us from seeing our fullest potential.

The thing about tributes, memorials and funerals though… they’re clearly for us here on earth, more than anything; and if we’ve been paying attention, there’s no shortage of tributes to Chris Cornell, the beloved vocalist of Soundgarden.

Admittedly, my two favorite bands hailing from that whole crew of OG Seattle/Aberdeen rascals are Mudhoney and Melvins; out of what’s called the ‘big 4’ though, Soundgarden is my favorite.

Sometimes, you can tell when the person who writes a bulk of the songs has history or experience as a drummer. Cornell, like James Hetfield (who also dabbles on the kit) can play complex, off-kilter riffs while simultaneously singing. Soundgarden’s songs are quite percussive and polyrhythmic (with no shortage of odd time signatures), which i of course, love.

Sub Pop and SST were a couple of the handful of labels i would buy anything that had their names attached to it, so i was familiar with the earlier days of the band. Soundgarden were also (if i’m not mistaken) the first band out of the Seattle area OGs to be signed to a major label- A&M, with Louder Than Love.

It was the opening track of their third album, Badmotorfinger though, where my all-time favorite Soundgarden song, ‘Rusty Cage’, was born. i appreciate the song for many reasons, but i’ve never heard anyone mention the song having blues elements, as many of their songs do.

It was a song i have always wanted to cover, but was scared to. It seemed like such a daunting task for someone who is not that great, like myself. However, after a long bout of air drum practice, i was finally able to figure out on some level what the great Matt Cameron was doing. Still, i was too scared to sit down and do a cover- that is, until the day i was inspired to attempt one, after watching the Musora series of ‘musical interpretation’ videos, where they have professional musicians cover songs either in their style, or a song they’ve never heard.

Before i found out about this series, i realized that doing my own interpretation of covers is something i do all the time, so it felt comfortable to see professional musicians engage in new experiences.

In regard to ‘Rusty Cage’ being covered, it was Riccardo Merlini’s interpretation that truly inspired me to want to do it. Like me, he heard the riff on the downbeat (at least i think it’s the downbeat- i always get it confused), as opposed to the upbeat (i think?) that the song is actually played on. Despite the song not containing any rhythmic illusions at all, my brain always twists the count around (until Cameron brings us back to earth), which is what attracted me to the song in the first place.

Obviously, please correct me if i’m confusing things. This is why i say i love playing music, but i have no idea what i am doing.

Cameron’s playing on the song is phenomenal, but Merlini’s playing (when playing it on the count the both of us heard it) makes it big and kind of funky, and when listening the way the riff is ‘supposed’ to be listened to, he gave it a bit of a Zigaboo Modeliste feel.

Therein lied my decision to do the percussion in that way.

While i got the drums, the verse riff (which is in the top 5 of my favorite riffs of all time) i figured would be even more daunting. Attempting it on melodica, i initially struggled immensely when playing the song at album speed. i began to practice it between 60 and 80 percent, and once i got that down i played it again at album speed- which ironically became easier than playing it slow.

Still, the cover i did was at 60 percent, which was sincerely one of the biggest challenges i’ve had covering any song on here. The saying goes: people always think playing extra fast is the most difficult thing; but many a drummer will tell you that playing at a slower BPM is one of the hardest things to do. And given that both the bridge and final portion of this song is all about the odd time signature, playing it extra slow is NOT easy.

Because i have no idea how to write about how i play drum parts, i made this quick explanation:

While the cover is at 60%, i did play a little of it at album speed, and with melodica it made me want to hear a Tejano band cover it really bad. With the 60% version, it made me want to hear a zydeco or New Orleans funk band/drum line cover it.

It also made me want to hear SUNN O)) cover it.

i played melodica, tambourine, cowbell, a cardboard box, a desk, a salt shaker, handclaps, and vocals. The original song has a bit of octave vocals on it (which i added), but of course being me, i had to add some sort of harmony to it. i am in no way, shape or form Chris Cornell- (a. he’s not alive, sadly, and (b. look at me- so the vocals are not… well, you know. i do hope you have as much fun listening though, as i did playing it.