Need to get ready for the weekend? We’ve got some tasty late afternoon treats in the forms of tracks, videos, and news tidbits from around the interwebs that you may have missed that are sure to get you through that final push to freedom. Dig in!
World’s End Press Turn Tame Impala’s ‘Elephant’ Becomes Electro Hit
Electro-leaning dance provocateurs World’s End Press were the latest band to check into Triple J’s Like A Version segment this morning, and after playing the Melbourne crew delivered their original track ‘Reformation Age‘ from their much anticipated new album, they set about transforming the psychelicious rock sounds of Tame Impala into something suited for the dancefloor. Covering Lonerism hit ‘Elephant’ the quartet retained some of the original’s key elements (the guitar solo, syncopation) and threw out the rest in favour of installing throbbing four-to-the-floor bass, dotted synth parts, and a bubbling disco-esque groove that might even have Kevin Parker nodding along. It might not be the weirdest Tame Impala cover you hear this year (the Kanye West/Elephant mash-up still retains that honour), but its certainly the funkiest. (via Triple J)
Bleeding Knees Club Gig Features Regurgitator Rant, Epic Crowdsurf
Playing a BIGSOUND Live showcase last night at Electric Playground, Bleeding Knees Club frontman Alex Wall had a little onstage tanty that was triggered by a broken guitar string. After attempting to borrow another guitar from backstage, he was denied by a “bald sound guy,” in the words of the band, who was believed to be part of the Regurgitator live crew, who were scheduled to play following Bleeding Knees Club. Annoyed by the rebuff Wall took to the mic in a short yet expletive-filled tirade that called Regurgitator ‘un-Australian’ before leading the crowd in a chant directed at the band, Wall concluding his rant by saying “this is why I want to move overseas.”
According to reports Regurgitator weren’t inside the venue at the time of the incident but it was a sound engineer that received more insults from Wall, who then took to the Bleeding Knees Club Facebook page this morning to further vent his insults against a “bald sound guy” in a post that his since been deleted. Wall later admitted that he was angry at the situation but had no beef with Regurgitator. In more positive news, the same gig also made a minor celebrity out of an ageing rocker by the name of Shamus who crowdsurfed his way from ‘the stage to the bar’, that’s him shaking his tambourine below and you can check more photos from the gig here. (via Courier Mail)
MGMT Wear Scuba Gear, Sing With Helium For TV Performance
MGMT are currently doing the promotional rounds in America ahead of the release of their self-titled third album. For most bands, that would mean some niceties with TV hosts, but not these psych-rock boffins. For their turn on last night’s episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Andrew VanWyngarden, Benjamin Goldwasser, and their musical entourage gave not one, but two batty live performances of songs taken from MGMT. For their first trick, the band took a literal take on their tune ‘Plenty Of Girls In The Sea’ by donning scuba gear and diving equipment while serenading a goldfish. For their second track, they returned to their more colourful land-creature regalia to perform ‘Alien Days’, complete with a couple of doses of helium to enhance the vocals. All which bodes well for something unexpectedly wacky when the band hit Australia for Falls Festival at New Year’s, including their hints of doing “something crazy” with fellow Falls band (and psych-rock favourites) Pond. We can’t wait. (via Stereogum)
Queen Plan To (Dis)Honour Freddie Mercury For New Album
Queen’s legendary frontman may have moved on to that Great Gig In The Sky back in 1991, but Freddie Mercury left behind a lot of vocal takes and recorded material (such as those used on 1995 album Made In Heaven) and the surviving members of the British rock band are toying with the idea of using the rest for a new album. “We thought we’d exhausted everything that was around and could be worked on,” says 66-year-old guitarist Brian May; “but since then a number of things have come to light from various sources that we’d just plain forgotten about, including stuff with Freddie and Michael Jackson.” That’s right, May is not only plundering the archives of his band’s own fallen frontman but potentially the King of Pop also, referring to an unreleased duet the pair recorded together. Is it an example of continuing Mercury’s “wonderful” legacy as, May puts it? Or another opportunity to capitalise on fans? Something to ponder while you contemplate this archive image of Freddie and Michael from happier, healthier times. (via Express)
