Cover Wars: Fame (David Bowie)

Artist: Duran Duran
Album: Starman: Rare and Exclusive Versions of 18 Classic David Bowie Songs (Uncut)
The Skinny: Duran Duran turns in this fast-paced, almost proggy sounding cover. This is not Duran Duran’s first Cover Wars appearance, they also were in the Femme Fatale edition.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/duranfame.mp3]

Artist: The Eurythmics
Album: Touch (Remastered Edition)
The Skinny: Released as a bonus track on the re-release of The Eurythmics 1983 release Touch, this brief, synthed-out cover clocks in at a cool 2:40.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/eufame.mp3]

Artist: The Feelies
The Skinny: So I thought this one would be a fun one to include, even though we generally do not use incomplete covers. The Feelies performed as a band playing at a high school reunion in the 1986 movie Something Wild, though they are referred to in the flick as The Willies.

Artist: God Lives Underwater
Album: 15 Minutes (Soundtrack)
The Skinny: This cover, that got some radio play, was recorded by God Lives Underwater in 1998 and then also included in the 2001 film 15 Minutes. You’ll see that video below.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/glufame.mp3]

Artist: Infectious Grooves
Album: Sarsippius’ Ark (Limited Edition)
The Skinny: Funk metal band Infectious Grooves makes good use of distortion and plenty of other guitar effects (Auto-Wah or Talkbox maybe?) in this studio cover.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/infectiousfame.mp3]

Artist: Roster McCabe
Live Show: 5-1-2010
The Skinny: When the request came in on Twitter, it didn’t just request that we do a Fame Cover Wars, it asked that we check out this version by Roster McCabe. And it’s damn good. Tight, with some shredding guitar too.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/rmfame.mp3]

Artist: Umphrey’s McGee
Live Show: 3-6-2011
The Skinny: Umphrey’s McGee first performed Fame on 12-30-2005 at The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago with a little help from show opener Keller Williams. The band has only played the cover a handful of times since, often with help from Keller. This version is just from Umphrey’s proper and it is from March of this year.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/umfame.mp3]

Video of the same performance:

Checking in on last week’s The Crunge Cover Wars, Joshua Redman has just narrowly beaten out Gov’t Mule to take the title.


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One Response

  1. The live version from Nassau Coliseum ’76 released in the Station to Station remaster is just awesome. Killer tune.

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