How long an artist should wait before recording a cover?

Originally posted by WenOrder Wasn't that song a cover of a Roy orbison song or the other way around?

it certainly was.

what about the two 'lady marmalade' covers coming out within a year of each other?

Two weeks, tops :D

One question begs to be asked: What the hell were you doing listening to Celine Dion?

Oh well, I'll forgive you last time, it's not like you own the CD.....right?

Originally posted by ShugZV©
Depends on who's covering it, of all the neworder stuff I've heard, there are very few I'd go out and buy.My dad and his brothers have loads of Dylan covers - there are fookin millions, and I have to say that 99% of them are shite.Maybe bands could play em at concerts, but resist the urge to release them as singles.

but there have been some damn good dylan covers, as well. case in point:

all along the watchtower--jimi hendrix knockin' on heaven's door--guns 'n' roses knockin' on heaven's door--eric clapton mr. tambourine man--the byrds blowin' in the wind--peter, paul and mary highway 61 revisited--PJ harvey death is not the end--nick cave like a rolling stone--the rolling stones

and who can forget the greatest dylan cover of them all...

all along the watchtower by william shatner

How long before doing a cover?

I think it depends really, in modern times. If you've worked your arse off to learn an instrument/get a band together/get a contract etc., then either when you've got a stack of albums to your credit, and it's something you want to do, or never.

Or if you're a boy/girl "band" then immediately. And for the duration of your career. i.e. ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS!!!

Sorry. I get angry sometimes. Especially when I see the dross that top the charts at the expense of talent like, oohh, let's say.... New Order maybe?

New Order = Manufactured Manure = :barf:

p.s. Just listening to "Turn My Way". One of those rare songs that gets better the more I hear it. (Playing in the shop the day I went in to buy "Get Ready". Sweet)

Originally posted by ShugZV©
Depends on who's covering it, of all the neworder stuff I've heard, there are very few I'd go out and buy.My dad and his brothers have loads of Dylan covers - there are fookin millions, and I have to say that 99% of them are shite.

Damn straight, which is why of that tribute CD that I burned for ya, I only really listen to a third of the songs whenever I play it, and the rest I avoid like the plague that horrid version of Love Minus Zero/No Limit by Steve Harley.

adamski's killer was a bit weird, got to number one & then seal (singer on adamskis version) released it shortly after & also got a number one.

14 years is quite long these days for a cover version to come out imho

These would be my rules:

1. Covers may only be done by an established act to show their influences or who they really like. They can do an album of covers (i.e. Anthrax "Attack of the Killer Bs" and Metallica "Garage Days Revisited", etc.) after the first 5 original albums.

2. Covers may NOT be done by anyone else, esp acts that win tv talent shows. These people/groups and those just trying to break in can only release stuff that THEY write or cowrite. They need to be worthy of us and our money. They can do 1 cover after the first 5 top 20 singles, but the next 5 singles must be originals.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D anita...sick of hearing covers by one-hit-wonders

It just takes an artist with the right sense of skills to cover a song that is current, and for my money, no one has ever topped Aztec Camera and their Loaded version of Van Halen's Jump, from whatever year that was.

Roddy's low-key delivery of DLR's macho-bluster lyrics undermines his intentions, and the wall of feedback at the end tells Eddie to Bite This!, a nice combo. Always used to play it to piss off all of my lite-metal head friends.

lol I guess it depends on the reasons. If its a tribute it can be as soon as you want. If its to rake some money in you should do the cover just before they take the car, and in Dion's case around the time you realise you are a washed-up, skint, long faced old trout.

Originally posted by Spotnick I know there is no "rule" or anything...But I heard yesterday Céline Dion's last single, and to my horror, it's the good "old" hit by Cyndi Lauper "I Drove All Night"...Let's say I wasn't prepared for that I think "I Drove All Night" is from 1989, correct me if I'm wrong, but it makes it 14 years old.How long should an artist wait before covering a song like that?Your idea of it!

Surely 14 years is quite a long gap as far as cover versions go? PWEI covered Sigue Sigue Sputnik's Love Missile F1-11 less than a year after the original (and went higher in the charts with it). Anyone know any quicker covers? Anyone done a cover before the original was released?

Cover versions should be unreleased until i have heard them and passed judgement.