Swerve, the Los Angeles rock outfit led by Greg Mahdesian and Ryan Berti, made a significant mark on the guitar scene with their Adam Lasus-produced debut album, “Ruin Your Day,” in 2021. Full of ripping, catchy, dark, and politically-minded love songs, the album not only received acclaim from critics but also enjoyed consistent airplay nationwide. Notably, it produced three number 1 hits on their hometown station KROQ’s Locals Only Chart (“Escape,” “Ruin Your Day,” and “Ebbs and Flows”), and the station listed them as one of the top 10 bands in LA. After this success, they became an official Vox Amplifier artist and were praised by music legends like Alice Cooper and Matt Pinfield, who both played them on their respective radio shows.
Though momentum was building, they hit the brakes so Greg could focus on spending time with his newborn daughter. Despite his newfound commitments, they managed to fit in an orchestral, cinematic rendition of “Ebbs and Flows” and perform a sold-out get-out-the-vote show in 2022. When the band regrouped, their sound evolved into something leaner and more focused, leading to their new “The Darkroom EP,” produced by Adam Lasus and Jessica Rotter and set to be released on June 21st. This record, looking back on their wilder years, delves into the darkness of failing relationships and endless nights, and the need to be adored, fittingly culminating with a reimagined version of the Stone Roses classic.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the band’s take on The Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored.” Compared to the original which skews in more of a moody, New Wave and post-punk sound, Swerve opted the give their version more guitar power and grit. While covers of iconic songs can be a hit or miss game, Swerve succeed in honoring the original while also injecting it with fresh creative energy.
Greg Mahdesian describes the inspiration to record the song:
The Stone Roses made one of my favorite records (I’ve actually purposefully never listened to Second Coming) and ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ is their most iconic track. It’s also a genuinely weird song that has minimalist lyrics and psychedelic/rave/rock production, and I’ve never heard a cover of it before. We’ve done plenty of covers live, from the Replacements to Black Sabbath, but really wanted to record one and take it in a new direction. When you’re writing your own song you can get locked into a style or idea of what your music sounds like. When the song is already written for you, all the creative energy can be put into the arrangement, and we went left-field with this one. Ryan used a baritone guitar, we got inspired by Desert Sessions and Queens of the Stone Age, and I sang the vocals in the dark- why not, ya know? Brandon Duncan, who plays bass and mixes our records, was given free rein and turned in a really creative mix. This is already opening up our sound and approach for the next batch of songs we’re working on.
WATCH:
