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The Hot Rats are better known as two thirds of Britain’s much loved Britpop combo Supergrass. Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey together with world renowned producer Nigel Godrich. Named after Frank Zappa’s album Hot Rats the duo released Turn Ons, an album of cover versions in the vein of David Bowie’s Pin Ups at the end of January. It’s a difficult trick to pull off. Cover versions are notoriously difficult and the Hot Rats have not made it any easier by opting to cover tracks like the Sex Pistols’ EMI, Bowie’s Queen Bitch, The Beatles Drive My Car and Pink Floyd’s Bike.
With very few exceptions cover versions end up sounding like little more than a pale imitation of the original. It’s therefore to Gaz and Danny’s credit that, in most cases, The Hot Rats manage to take the originals and reshape them until they sound like their own. The Gang Of Four’s Damaged Goods has all it’s art rock creases ironed to become a thing of beauty while simultaneously reminding you of how good the original was. A difficult trick to pull off. Roxy’s Love Is The Drug is re-imagined as a dirty pub rock anthem and The Beastie Boys (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) is utterly unrecognisable sounding like a cover version of a long lost Who b-side.
OK not all of the covers are as successful, Drive My Car sounds like The Bootleg Beatles on an off day, Queen Bitch sounds so much like the original that it descends into mere pastiche and Pump It Up sounds like Elvis Costello played through very poor speakers. But these are minor gripes and in a battle with Bowie’s ‘Pin Ups’ ‘Turn Ons’ is the winner by a mile!
It’s a rat trap baby, and you’ve been caught.
Go Try
MP3 - The Hot Rats - Changes
If anyone from the IFPI is reading this track is linked direct from the Hot Rats Last.FM site and is therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.
Go Visit
The Hot Rats - Myspace // Website // Last.FM
Go View
The Hot Rats
Damaged Goods
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