JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 58th anniversary of Scott Weiland’s birth.
Tag: Scott Weiland
Throwback: Happy Belated 57th Birthday, Scott Weiland!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates the 57th anniversary of Scott Weiland’s birth.
New Video: Burning Pools Release an Explosive Feminist Anthem
Burning Pools is a new and emerging Los Angeles-based rock act that features three incredibly accomplished musicians: husband and wife team Kristopher Pooley (drums) and Ginger Pooley (bass, vocals) and Max Bernstein (guitar) have been session players and touring musicians with the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Morello, Siouxsie Sioux, Slash, Morrissey, Liz Phair, Scott Weiland, Tegan and Sara, Jane’s Addiction, Weezer, Gwen Stefani and Kesha. And while the band may be a relative newcomer on the scene, Burning Pools has been several years in the making; in between their various obligations The Pooleys had been demoing songs showcasing Ginger’s penchant for empowering, protest-fueled lyrics paired with pop hooks.
Kristopher Pooley had met Bernstein through their work together with Kesha, recruited him to add some sub-octave fuzz to some tracks. Recognizing that they found the missing piece to their sound, it was decided that Kristopher Pooley, who was a keyboardist by trade should dust off his drum kit and shelve the keyboards as they were determined to craft a massive guitar, drum and bass sound inspired by The Pooleys experience touring with Smashing Pumpkins.
Much like countless acts across the globe, the members of Burning Pools had their hopes of road-testing material dashed as a result of pandemic-related lockdowns and restrictions — but in the meantime, they’ll be releasing songs from their forthcoming EP, including the trio’s latest single “Woman.” Centered around an alternating quieter verses and explosive choruses, “Woman” features enormous fuzz and distortion pedaled power chords, thunderous drumming, arena rock friendly hooks paired with Pooley’s defiant vocals. And at its core, the song is a feminist anthem that celebrates the unique strength, resiliency and power that only a woman can possess.
Of course, it shouldn’t be surprising that the band’s latest single is fueled by Ginger Pooley’s own personal experiences. The song not only addresses the biases and challenges she — and of course, other women — would face in society and as a musician, but it gets more much personal, discussing how hours after she gave birth to her daughter, she was tasked with the responsibility of planning her own mother’s funeral, who died while Ginger was in labor. Unsurprisingly, the male members of her family weren’t up to the task. And while the experience of celebrating new life and mourning the passing of one within a week had been traumatizing, they were also profound on her, as it revealed to her a strength and resiliency that perhaps she may not have known she had until then.
The recently released video follows a young girl, who stands in as the a larger female archetype. She may be on an arduous and important mission but she’s brave, determined, strong, bold, fun — and sometimes lonely.
With the release of “The Motions” featuring Chris Rivers, “The Road” produced by Sicknature of Snowgoons, Boston-based artist Rite Hook has received attention and praise as an emcee and as a vocalist. Building up on the buzz, he’s received Rite Hook has released a moody and spectral cover of Stone Temple Pilots‘ classic “Creep,” which has the Boston-based emcee and vocalist channeling Scott Weiland with an uncanny accuracy — as though he were possessed by the late vocalist’s spirit during the recording of the song.
Pairing The Arcitype’s production consisting of ominous atmospherics, layers of bluesy and buzzing guitars and propulsive drum programming with Rite Hook’s vocals, their rendition is a modern, Portishead-inspired cover that replaces the acoustic guitars of the original’s verses and electric guitars of the song’s chorus and hook while retaining the melancholy introspection of the original. Unfortunately, “Creep” will not appear on Rite Hook’s forthcoming full-length Modify — but from what I understand there are plans to official release it sometime this year.
As an unabashed child of the 80s, Depeche Mode holds as much of a place in my heart as New Order; after all, so much of their material has managed to be part of my life’s soundtrack. More than enough ink has been spilled throughout the act’s influential career, so delving into their biography is largely unnecessary. Interestingly, over the past 20 years, an in impressive and growing number of artists have covered, remixed and reworked Depeche Mode including Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, A-ha, Monster Magnet, Scott Weiland, The Cure (yes, seriously, The Cure!), Tori Amos, Nada Surf, Linkin Park‘s Mike Shinoda, Breaking Benjamin, Royskopp, Placebo and more.
Comprised of Paris-born and London-based duo Axel Basquiat (composer, vocals, bass) and Vincent T. (production, sound engineering and keys), The Penelopes are an indie electro pop act, production and DJ duo who have developed a reputation for propulsive, Giorgio Moroder-like remixes of Lana Del Ray, Pet Shop Boys, We Have Band, Night Drive, The Ting Tings, Alt J and a growing list of others, and for their own original material — which critics internationally have compared to Daft Punk, M83 and Air, among others. The Parisian-born, London-based duo add their names to a growing list of artists, who have covered Depeche Mode with their rendition of “Never Let Me Down Again,” which turns the slow-burning and moody industrial/goth song into a shimmering and anthemic, club-banger with a sinuous bass line and propulsive drum programming with Basquiat’s breathy baritone. And although The Penelopes uptempo rendition is warmer and dance floor friendly, it retains the original’s sense of longing and desire.
Check out how The Penelopes cover compares to Depeche Mode’s original below.