Life During Wartime-Talking Heads Cover

  • Thread starter Thread starter queepy
  • Start date Start date
queepy

queepy

aka Variaxman
unnh...yeah, this one is a bit of a mess I think...tried to play some keys/synth on this ...having a hard time getting them to fit in the mix....early in the game so the drums are a bit straight...not to many fills.....a bit over ambitious for me probably , wish I could capture what I'm hearing in my head for these songs :o
Streaming link:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=9634855&q=hi
 
This is great!:D

I was pumped to hear this after seeing the thread title and it didn't disappoint. I think the drums are cool and the simplicity fits the tune...the fills that are there are fine, but I wouldn't think you'd want to go too much farther with that sort of thing for this. Chris Franz was no Keith Moon.

Guitars sound cool as usual. Is the bass going through an envelope filter, or was that another guitar? Love the vocals on this too. The delivery is great.

Wished the synth that came in around 3 mins was more centered though - kind of odd off to the side like that. Also, I thought there was maybe an overload of higher slushy/sizzly type frequencies in both the vocals and the cymbals. Would like to hear maybe more bottom end in general.

Cool choice of tunes done with great energy and a sense of fun.

P.S. - You should cover "Cities" some time.
 
heatmiser This is great!
I was pumped to hear this after seeing the thread title and it didn't disappoint. I think the drums are cool and the simplicity fits the tune...the fills that are there are fine, but I wouldn't think you'd want to go too much farther with that sort of thing for this. Chris Franz was no Keith Moon.

Guitars sound cool as usual. Is the bass going through an envelope filter, or was that another guitar? Love the vocals on this too. The delivery is great.

Wished the synth that came in around 3 mins was more centered though - kind of odd off to the side like that. Also, I thought there was maybe an overload of higher slushy/sizzly type frequencies in both the vocals and the cymbals. Would like to hear maybe more bottom end in general.
Cool choice of tunes done with great energy and a sense of fun.
P.S. - You should cover "Cities" some time.
Click to expand...

Thanks HM! Agree about the drums....hadn't listened to the studio version of this song in a long time, watched a little bit of there live vid "Stop Making Sense" and really dug that version with the xtra percussion, synth etc...this probably sounds crazy, but when I do a cover, I try to do one I'm pretty familiar with, but, don't pick them apart and try to do note for note versions, but rather, I try NOT to listen to them as a refrence , and see what I come up with:p...
I do have a autowah thing on the bass via my podxtl (bass model packs)..I think maybe that sacrifices some of the low end bass presence....not sure how to get some mor elow energy in this, cause I kinda like the lead bass kinda vibe:p...I do have a chorus plug(classic chorus) on both vocals and cymbals that maybe causing that sizzlin' sludge...I hear it to and will try to tame it...Diving back into the TH's early catalog....Cities would be cool to do fer sure!


PDP:
Definately,
only,
Cant hear the Vox on the verse's.
Sounds a little bass light.
Click to expand...

Thanks PDP...agree on both your points...will address...Thanks a lot for checking it out!!
 
queepy said:
Thanks HM! Agree about the drums....hadn't listened to the studio version of this song in a long time, watched a little bit of there live vid "Stop Making Sense" and really dug that version with the xtra percussion, synth etc...this probably sounds crazy, but when I do a cover, I try to do one I'm pretty familiar with, but, don't pick them apart and try to do note for note versions, but rather, I try NOT to listen to them as a refrence , and see what I come up with:p...
I do have a autowah thing on the bass via my podxtl (bass model packs)..I think maybe that sacrifices some of the low end bass presence....not sure how to get some mor elow energy in this, cause I kinda like the lead bass kinda vibe:p...I do have a chorus plug(classic chorus) on both vocals and cymbals that maybe causing that sizzlin' sludge...I hear it to and will try to tame it...Diving back into the TH's early catalog....Cities would be cool to do fer sure!
Click to expand...

Yes, that live version is lighter and poppier than the original studio version which is more guitar-based.

Your method doesn't sound crazy at all. I know you don't go for note-for-note covers which I don't care for personally anyway. I do exactly the same thing. Pick a song I know well. Use the basic chords and vocal melody as a guide and then build the song sort of from scratch without referring back to the original.

Having said that, I think the synth sound you used later in the song is actually very reminiscent of the original sound. Hope to hear a remix on this.
 
Cool, stuff man.

really does the original justice.

I think the drums are a bit overly agressive, but thats my only nit.
:cool:
 
I saw THeads on the OZ tour between 1st & 2nd LPs - REALLY COOL.
This is a terrific cover & the vox are really good - you're really improving mate.
I reckon you should record a 2nd bass line but a really simple one to give the bottom end. the lead bass is cool but needs some support. Tina wasn't a fussy player - just funky & simple so drop in some bottom in to compliment the bass drum. Oh, DON'T complicate the drums - they're spot on.
Nicely gonzo keyboard stuff too!
It's such a pity Mr Byrne decided he was too big for the rest of the band - he really produced a lot of self indulgent stuff solo.
This track was a superb peak on a really excellent LP wasn't it?
You've done it justice by doing your own FUNKY thing.
Some peanut Butter to last a couple of days.....
This really was a rad set of lyrics in the comfy zone - rebellion was jsut leather & spitting for SOOO many years & then we were hit by urban guerilla funk!
 
Heatmiser - I did think I got pretty lucky on that synth sound, seeing as I don't really know what i'm doing with that thing:laughings:....Wish I could only play it better....

Nakatira - Thanks Nak...about the drums, do you mean to loud in the mix? Or maybe to busy?


rayc - Man...you are sooo lucky to have seen them then! My introduction to them was on the TV show Saturday Night Live, when they were doing "Take Me To The River" ...a bit over my head at the time, but all the "cool" kids were buzzing about them that Monday in school, and I dug how different they were from the Ted Nugent, Styx,Journey, Reo Speedwagon diet of Detroit radio in the mid-late 70's.
I am going to try your suggestion and lay down a straight bass track to try and fill out the low end...
Thanks for listening, really appreciate it!
 
Cool cover choice. I'm not a big TH fan, but I usually like their stuff. It's hard to believe they came from the same scene that gave us the Ramones. :laughings:

The performances are all pretty good. Awesome guitar playing. I think the kick could come up some. Just a hair. It's big and boomy, but it kind of gets lost once everything's rolling. Maybe a little more bass gtr too. Or hell, just bring the guitars down a little instead of bringing other stuff up. The synth stuff sounds great to me. I like how you sang the vocals, but they're damn near unintelligible. Whatever effect or doubling you've done is making them unclear.

Good job overall though. :drunk:

do "Psycho Killer" next. :D
 
One of our few great musical Scottish exports, you did a pretty good damn clone of his voice...great tune, your's sounds like a live recording compared to a studio one...and all the better for it


no nits from me :)
 
in fact second listen...love this version....vocals could be a tad clearer..I imagine if you didnt know it you'd be fucked guessing what you're singing half the time...love the keyboards :)
 
Cool version, Queep! I really used to like TH about the time this came out.
Vocals are a bit roomy sounding, I would move them closer. Otherwise, love everything about it.;)
 
:drunk:
Greg_L :
Cool cover choice. I'm not a big TH fan, but I usually like their stuff. It's hard to believe they came from the same scene that gave us the Ramones.
The performances are all pretty good. Awesome guitar playing. I think the kick could come up some. Just a hair. It's big and boomy, but it kind of gets lost once everything's rolling. Maybe a little more bass gtr too. Or hell, just bring the guitars down a little instead of bringing other stuff up. The synth stuff sounds great to me. I like how you sang the vocals, but they're damn near unintelligible. Whatever effect or doubling you've done is making them unclear.
Good job overall though.
do "Psycho Killer" next.
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Thanks Greg, I think the Talking Heads actually opened for The Ramones in Europe early in there career...would have loved to see that show! Thanks for the guitar props...great groove to jam on fer sure...I think the problem with the vocals is the way I sang it...was really trying for that quirky voice like the original, and think I ended up mumbling at times...been messing with Psycho Killer...but if you thionk my vocals are hard on this one, you should hear me trying to sing the frencj parts in that song!

kcearlOne of our few great musical Scottish exports, you did a pretty good damn clone of his voice...great tune, your's sounds like a live recording compared to a studio one...and all the better for it in fact second listen...love this version....vocals could be a tad clearer..I imagine if you didnt know it you'd be fucked guessing what you're singing half the time...love the keyboards
Click to expand...

Hey thanks kcearl...I can dig the live sound vibe your getting as this is all a one man band thing,(except drums) and I try hard to not make it sound to fake:D...I tried cleaning up the vocals on my new mix I will be posting shortly....but I think that sound came right from me at tracking...I can understand me pretty well...but it semms as though nobody else can:laughings:.Thanks for checking it out and commenting!!

joeym Cool version, Queep! I really used to like TH about the time this came out.
Vocals are a bit roomy sounding, I would move them closer. Otherwise, love everything about it.no nits from me
Click to expand...

Hey Joey thanks man...addressed the vocals on my new mix...not much better I think, but will see....
 
here is my new mix taking all the feedback I have gotten...not sure if it's any better tho'...if anything, to me , it now may have the dreaded"mixed by the guitarist" feel to it:laughings:...I backed down the synths during the verses, added a straight up bass guitar track(no auto wah funk thang, although the original bass thing is still in there as well) tried to dry up and clear up the vocals, and also added some funky percussion blurgs in and out of the verses ...I'm not sure, but the soundclick sound seems kinda muffled and does not sound at all like the file does before I upload it....not sure if it takes a while for the hi quality version to encode?

Link:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=9654706&q=hi
 
New mix sounds a lot better - vocals are clearer now...
 
Thanks heatmiser and Greg, as always, I appreciate your feedback....helps a lot!
 
Did one final mix on this before moving on...I think I did some good addition by subtraction mixing here as I cut out a verse synth track...and a large chunk of the wah bass that was on my original...I think it sounds even cleaner and more balanced now....it was a fun one to work on for sure!
last mix:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=9661307&q=hi
 
Sounds really good. The new one is clearer, but I kind of like the first mix's stereo spread better. This one still sounds great though.
 
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