Artists who have never recorded a cover?

Re: Mogwai - you could argue that 'My Father My King' counts as something approaching a cover.

Point of order: are we talking *recorded* covers or just performed stuff? I'm sure pretty much every band in existence has covered *something* live.

Probably Jandek too?

Oh, and I'm talking about studio-recorded covers, not live covers.

Peel sessions are a moot point - loads of bands use them as an excuse to cover something silly/throwaway.

Their first release was a Joy Division song!

Seemingly a bootleg of a Bo Diddley song...

it's an original, it just has the same title.

With Jandek, how in fuck can you tell?

Tom, you are right of course. I am getting soft.

They've covered Hendrix, the Doors, Depeche Mode.

AC/DC? Hmmmmmmm. You may have one there. I certainly can't recall one, if they have.

I don't think the Police ever recorded one. Likewise, Gang of Four never bothered with one. The Buzzcocks steered clear of covers, I believe.

Why do half the people I know in local bands think playing covers is somehow morally wrong? does anyone understand this? at all?

unreleased cover of "Twist and Shout"

Oh, and released an instrumental version of "Kashmir", so there's that.

You know when you're much too late? Someone upthread said "Roxy Music" and nobody refuted, I mean c'mon!

Faust?

xp Kashmir just a live thing, no?

never heard about Twist and Shout - what era? recorded-but-unreleased is borderline tho!

UB40

Someone upthread said "Roxy Music" and nobody refuted

I refute your accusation that nobody refuted, they refuted just two posts below the post you wish they had refuted.

Crass and Faust are still viable candidates as far as I can tell/remember

I'm assuming electronic acts like Cluster and offshoots don't count.

yeah I think you have to limit this to more or less "normal" rock bands

secondhandsongs.com seems to confirm Crass, fwiw

(it says that Faust covered something called "Lady Sorrow," originally by Karamel, in 2009 – but I'm not gonna follow the breadcrumbs)

also seems to confirm Split Enz, if they qualify

UB40

UB4ALOL

Gong!

i was going to say that they covered Soft Machine's "Memories" but that was Daevid Allen solo so yes, Gong is it!

The velvet underground ?

Velvet Underground might not have done any covers, but they fall foul of my totally arbitrary ten-year-career rule.
― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, August 12, 2003

They used to play a couple of Chuck Berry numbers live but that's all.

Also Bo Diddley's "You Can't Judge a Book", I once read somewhere.

Merzbow

not true! lol

this covers 'Wild Thing":
https://www.discogs.com/release/718547-Society-For-Cutting-Up-Merzbow-Severances

(also includes a Motorhead cover for good measure)

Gong!

i was going to say that they covered Soft Machine's "Memories" but that was Daevid Allen solo so yes, Gong is it!

― stirmonster, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 16:24 (fifty-four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Soft Machine too, though Second Hand Songs list Memories as being a Wilde Flowers song I don't think it counts as a cover version because Hugh Hopper wrote it.

Also The Wilde Flowers never released anything

Although Hugh Hopper was not a member of the band when they recorded it - he was their roadie - so it's in a grey area.

_Velvet Underground might not have done any covers, but they fall foul of my totally arbitrary ten-year-career rule.
― Susan (Susan), Tuesday, August 12, 2003_

oh yeah 10-year rule disqualifies Crass as well

I don't think that really counts, thats like saying I've Seen All Good People is a John Lennon cover

― frogbs, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 3:59 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

I mean, they jam it out and add new stuff but it's definitely a cover of "Shockadelica"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgo2wlbz0Q

Well 5 albums seem decent enough !

Plus two studio odds & ends collections! It is kind of remarkable that VU never put an R&B cover or something on tape.

"Foggy Notion" is apparently a cover of a song by the same name by Hy Weiss.

..or close enough that he received co-songwriting credit.

Merzbow also did "Silent Night" on a Christmas compilation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBOanPoEek4

Fugazi are still eligible here, I believe?

Are we counting interpolations as covers? Fugazi sings the “Ring the Alarm” dancehall hook on Fell, Destroyed.

..or close enough that he received co-songwriting credit.

There's a story behind the Hy Weiss writing credit... but I've completely forgotten it.

It is kind of remarkable that VU never put an R&B cover or something on tape.

Meanwhile later on, Lou liked doing "Tracks of My Tears" live in the 90s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKc3l6g8fVk

There's a story behind the Hy Weiss writing credit... but I've completely forgotten it.

Although Hugh Hopper was not a member of the band when they recorded it - he was their roadie - so it's in a grey area.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:27 (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Considering that Wyatt and Ayers were in The Wilde Flowers with Hugh, and considering Hugh would be in Soft Machine in 1972 when it was first released on obscure demos compilation "Rock Generation Vol. 7-8", and considering The Wilde Flowers' version wasn't released until the 90s, and considering both versions were demos not intended for release, I think it's not so grey.

(xp) Wow, I'd never heard that before, Lou totally ripped it off!

wow x2

conversely it'd be interesting to do a thread on electronic artists that did record covers

xposts thanks for laying that one out. As one of the answerers on the VU question thread, I never knew that detail, but guessed it must be something like that...

Gonna go out on a limb and proclaim that The Durutti Column never recorded a cover version. Maybe?

Not exactly a prolific career, but well over ten years and nary a cover that mine eyes can see: The Blue Nile

XPost

“I get along without you very well” was a Durutti Column single a-side, vocal by Lindsay Reade

Ah, well then I stand behind The Blue Nile. And as a bonus I'll throw in the Paul Buchanan solo LP, to pad out the offerings.

About Paul Buchanan...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BUAskru82k

OK, The Blue Nile only.

durutti column also covered “white rabbit”

Kraftwerk cover “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” in tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto at Fuji Rock 2024 pic.twitter.com/BknIo3TsRp

— Patrick St. Michel (@mbmelodies) July 27, 2024

Kraftwerk cover Ryuichi Sakamoto (Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence)