The Best Covers by 50 Rock Bands Pt. II

I do apologize for having to scroll down through the article of 55 best metal covers, but Loudwire will often have multiple articles sharing the same space. It's worth a look to see what 50 bands did covers. Listen for yourself and see if you like them

26. Linkin Park "Wish"

-Original artist: Nine Inch Nails

-The band's most performed cover song is "It's Goin' Down", from a side project of Mike Shinoda called The X-ecutioners. Despite being a Nine Inch Nails song, it feels almost perfect for Linkin Park. The high energy and aggressive vibes Trent Reznor gives off when singing feel just perfect coming from vocalist Chester Bennington. When Linkin Park played it live, fans loved it immediately

27. Marilyn Manson "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"

-Original artist: Eurythmics

-He took the 80s-era song by Eurythmics and turned up the sinister level to 100%. He made it slow and creepy, almost perfect for the Halloween season

-This version of the song is a little creepy. It can be heard on the soundtrack for the newer remake of House on Haunted Hill, where the people staying in the house are coming up the drive

28. Motley Crue "Smokin' in the Boys' Room"

-Original artist: Brownsville Station

-This song is one of Motley Crue's biggest hits. They modeled the song to fit their unique brand of 80s metal. They also did a cover of The Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K."

29. My Chemical Romance "Desolation Row"

-Original artist: Bob Dylan

-It's a far cry from the original, folky version of this song. My Chemical Romance injected some high energy, punk attitude and electric guitars into their version of the Bob Dylan song, even keeping the sentiment there. There was even an additional boost to this song. It was featured on the soundtrack for the film Watchmen

30. Nickelback "Sad But True"

-Original artist: Metallica

-Nickelback's most popular cover is their take on the Elton John song "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting." When they chose to do a cover of Metallica's "Sad But True", it came very close to the original. Fans loved it immediately because vocalist Chad Kroeger sounds almost identical to James Hetfield's raspy vocals

31. Nine Inch Nails "Dead Souls"

-Original artist: Joy Division

-This was said to be the biggest song of their career. It became even bigger when it was featured on the soundtrack for the film The Crow. With Trent Reznor's vocals, the song got an additional boost of aggression

32. Nirvana "The Man Who Sold the World"

-Original artist: David Bowie

-Despite "Love Buzz" by Shocking Blue being the most heavily performed cover Nirvana did, they also did a cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" during their MTV Unplugged session

33. The Offspring "Totalimmortal"

-Original artist: AFI

-The Offspring have done quite a few covers over the course of their career, but nothing gained more radio airplay than their take on the AFI song "Totalimmortal." Some think that The Offspring's version had more appeal than the original. And the cover was even featured on the soundtrack for the film Me, Myself and Irene

34. Papa Roach "Firestarter"

-Original artist: The Prodigy

-This band doesn't normally do covers. They did do something special. At the 2019 Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio, they did a cover of "Firestarter" by The Prodigy to honor Keith Flint. The high energy Jacoby Shaddix brings to Papa Roach concerts went well with the song and gave fans of The Prodigy something to remember. Papa Roach continues to have this in their setlist to this day

35. Paramore "Burning Down the House"

-Original artist: Talking Heads

-On the 2024 album Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense album, singer Hayley Williams of Paramore gets in touch with her 80s pop as she and the band take on "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads. You can feel that, with listening to this version, that the band wanted to ensure they showed they really respected and enjoyed covering this song

36. Pearl Jam "Rockin' in the Free World"

-Original artist: Neil Young

-Pearl Jam have covered many songs, but for some reason, the iconic Neil Young song seems to fit them perfectly. The band and Young have enjoyed a long but good friendship over the years, which makes Pearl Jam's cover of "Rockin' in the Free World" a bit of a sweet and respectful tribute

37. Queens of the Stone Age "Never Say Never"

-Original artist: Romeo Void

-This band has covered Billy Idol's "White Wedding" and Arctic Monkeys "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High." Instead, they looked back at 80s new wave band Romeo Void and chose to cover their song "Never Say Never." This version is close to the original, but in place of the horns, guitars replace them

38. Rage Against the Machine "The Ghost of Tom Joad"

-Original artist: Bruce Springsteen

-It was said that when Rage Against the Machine covered this Bruce Springsteen song, it was so good that guitarist Tom Morello could play it when touring with Springsteen himself. It was a powerful song originally, but when Tom Morello takes the stage and adds his guitar magic, it becomes even more explosive

39. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Higher Ground"

-Original artist: Stevie Wonder

-Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for infusing their brand of rock music with a heavy funk element. So it's no surprise that they chose to cover the song "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder. They infused their brand of high energy funk rock into this Stevie Wonder song and made it their own

40. Seether "Heart Shaped Box"

-Original artist: Nirvana

-Seether has gotten plenty of airplay for their version of the George Michael song "Careless Whisper." When they chose to cover Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box", it sounds eerily like the original. Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan nails down that Kurt Cobain vocal line almost perfectly. They have done covers of other Nirvana songs over the years

41. Shinedown "Simple Man"

-Original artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd

-On their debut album Leave a Whisper, they covered Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man." It's been a favorite of the fans ever since. Brent Smith, the vocalist for Shinedown, decided to take out the song for a setlist in 2018. Godsmack vocalist Sully Erna called him out for removing the song. "He was making the point about it's not about the painter, it's about the painting, and that stuck with me for a long time. The following night we put the song back in the set." said Smith

-This version of the song is a far cry from the original. Shinedown's cover is an acoustic guitar version. But, it's still good nonetheless

42. Slash "Oh Well" featuring Chris Stapleton

-Original artist: Fleetwood Mac

-In 2024, Slash decided to do a blues album, and on it is a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song "Oh Well." The song is sung in the slightly raspy vocals of country music superstar Chris Stapleton

43. Smashing Pumpkins "Landslide"

-Original artist: Fleetwood Mac

-Their most performed cover is the David Bowie song "Space Oddity" and while they give it all they have, it's said they do a great job at covering the Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide." They stay true to the original, with Billy Corgan's unique vocals leaving him with an almost vulnerable air on this song. It's beautiful, he sings it perfectly and is featured on their Pieces Iscariot collection

44. Staind "Sober"

-Original artist: Tool

-Their most well known cover is the Tool song "Sober." They went full unplugged and acoustic, but it still powerful as vocalist Aaron Lewis steps into the shoes of Maynard James Keenan and takes on that angst-riddled sound. Of course, Staind also did a cover of the classic Bob Seger song "Turn the Page"

45. Stone Sour "Gimme Shelter"

-Original artist: The Rolling Stones

-This is one song that has not been covered by many. It's been said that if "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones is going to be covered, you better have a good vocalist to handle the Merry Clayton vocals. Stone Sour provided a great vocalist for the Merry Clayton role-Halestorm vocalist Lzzy Hale. Together, both Stone Sour and Lzzy Hale deliver a cover of this song that is a must listen to song

-You have to check this song out! It's great!! Corey Taylor has great vocals on this song!

46. Stone Temple Pilots "Dancing Days"

-Original artist: Led Zeppelin

-Out of all the covers Stone Temple Pilots have done, Led Zeppelin's "Dancing Days" is a must listen to song. Originally featured on the Encomium: Tribute to Led Zeppelin album, Stone Temple Pilot's version really got some attention during their MTV Unplugged session

47. Three Days Grace "I Don't Care"

-Original artist: Apocalyptica

-This sounds like it could have been a Three Days Grace original, despite being a song by Apocalyptica

48. Van Halen "You Really Got Me"

-Original artist: The Kinks

-Van Halen does some impressive covers, including "(Oh) Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison. It's hard to argue against Van Halen's cover of The Kinks "You Really Got Me." This is the song that really introduced many to Van Halen

49. Volbeat "I Only Want to Be With You"

-Original artist: Dusty Springfield

-Volbeat have never played by the rules. They always do the unexpected. It's not remotely shocking to hear that this band have covered the bubbly pop single "I Only Want to Be With You" by Dusty Springfield. Volbeat does their cover with their usual successful brand of rock and does it better than most

50. Rob Zombie "We're an American Band"

-Original artist: Grand Funk Railroad

-The most performed cover song by the band White Zombie is "We're an American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad. It's almost always featured in the sets he performs

The Best Covers by 50 Rock Bands Pt. I

I do apologize for having to scroll down through the article of 55 best metal covers, but Loudwire will often have multiple articles sharing the same space. It's worth a look to see what 50 bands did covers. Listen for yourself and see if you like them

1. AC/DC "Baby Please Don't Go"

-Original artist: Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers

-This is the most played cover song by AC/DC. Despite being left off of the US edition of High Voltage, it was on the album in Australia. It helped give AC/DC some much needed attention

2. Aerosmith "Come Together"

-Original artist: The Beatles

-Despite the fact that Aerosmith also covered "Train Kept-A-Rollin'" by Tiny Bradshaw, Aerosmith's cover of The Beatles "Come Together" seems to stand out far more. However, their cover of the Tiny Bradshaw song is still good, even though it sounds like it was recorded live from a concert

-This is on the soundtrack for the film Armageddon. It's great. Aerosmith puts their spin on it and gives it a slightly druggy haze-type vibe to it

3. Alice in Chains "Tears"

-Original artist: Rush

-Alice in Chains didn't do a lot of covers, but this one stands out. Even Rush approved of this cover. Rush included this cover on their 40th anniversary edition release of their 2112 album

4. Alter Bridge "Travelling Riverside Blues"

-Original artist: Robert Johnson

-Out of all the cover songs that Alter Bridge has done, the one that gets the most airplay is this classic Robert Johnson hit. Myles Kennedy, being the vocalist, usually takes center stage, and shows off his amazing slide guitar skills and bluesy voice

5. Black Veil Brides "Rebel Yell"

-Original artist: Billy Idol

-Only issued as a single on the Rebels EP in 2011, this is the most frequently played cover by Black Veil Brides

-This is an awesome cover of a Billy Idol song! It's a metal version of the song!!

6. Blink-182 "Boys Don't Cry"

-Original artist: The Cure

-Blink-182 seem to be big fans of The Cure, incorporating songs by the iconic 80s band into their sets. So it's not surprising to see that they did a cover of The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry." They have done covers of other Cure songs, such as "A Letter to Elise" and "Just Like Heaven"

7. Breaking Benjamin "Iris"

-Original artist: The Goo Goo Dolls

-Breaking Benjamin took one of the biggest hits to come out of the 1990s and formed it into an emotional duet between vocalist Ben Burnley and singer-songwriter Diamante

8. Buckcherry "I Love It"

-Original artist: Icona Pop

-The resistance was futile. Buckcherry couldn't resist doing a cover of the 2012 pop song. In fact, they altered the lyrics ever so slightly and called their version "Say F--- It". This is their most frequently played cover song

9. Creed "Riders on the Storm"

-Original artist: The Doors

-Creed collaborated in the 1990s with Robby Krieger of The Doors and churned out two amazing covers of songs by The Doors. "Roadhouse Blues" and "Riders on the Storm." They were performed at Woodstock '99. Vocalist Scott Stapp perfectly captures that moody essence of Jim Morrison

-This is a great cover of the song by The Doors. Scott Stapp's voice is amazing!!

10. Def Leppard "Rock On"

-Original artist: David Essex

-With there being a three way tie between this song, Badfinger's "No Matter What" and Sweet's "Action", this one came out on top. The other songs were on their album Yeah!, which consists solely of covers. Def Leppard are said to have veered slightly off course with their version, adding string backing and a bit more soul to Joe Elliott's voice

11. Deftones "To Have and To Hold"

-Original artist: Depeche Mode

-This band's most frequently played cover is "To Have and To Hold" by Depeche Mode. This band has done covers of other songs, such as "Drive" by The Cars, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths, "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "No Ordinary Love" by Sade and "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" by The Cure. But this Depeche Mode song is their most frequently played cover

12. Disturbed "The Sound of Silence"

-Original artist: Simon & Garfunkel

-The orchestral arrangement, the powerful voice of David Draiman combined made this a fan favorite. To this day, the band incorporates this cover into their set. They have also done other cover songs, including "Land of Confusion" from their Ten Thousand Fists album, "Living After Midnight" from their album The Lost Children, Tears for Fears "Shout" and "Walk" by Pantera

-David Draiman's vocals on this song are hauntingly beautiful. It gives me goosebumps to hear how his voice goes from soft and mellow to that loud and thunderous tone he is known best for

13. Falling in Reverse "Last Resort"

-Original artist: Papa Roach

-When Papa Roach wrote this song, it sounded like the type of angsty song you would find coming out of the grunge era. When Ronnie Radke and company decided to write their version of the song, he really tapped the keg of emotions on the song and gave it a boost by adding piano and string background. Surprisingly, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach offered his full support on this song and he loves it. Beware, though. This song is an emotional powder keg ready to blow

-I honestly thought that it was the other way around. Falling in Reverse originally writing it and Papa Roach covering it. I like the Falling in Reverse version way better. Ronnie Radke's voice and piano playing are absolutely wonderful!

14. Five Finger Death Punch "Bad Company"

-Original artist: Bad Company

-This gives vocalist Ivan Moody a chance to show a more soulful side to him. The band also tapped into the blues rock world with their cover of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd song "Blue on Black." Overall, the band's take on the classic Bad Company hit is impressive to say the least

-Ironically, hearing this version of "Bad Company" is what got me into Five Finger Death Punch. It's great. Obviously a lot more intense than the original, but still good

15. Foo Fighters "Darling Nikki"

-Original artist: Prince

-Foo Fighters love keeping things interesting by putting a cover or two into their sets. "Darling Nikki" is one of them. They even covered "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones and "Under Pressure" by David Bowie and Queen, with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins singing vocals along with Dave Grohl

16. Godsmack "Good Times Bad Times"

-Original artist: Led Zeppelin

-The band took the original hard rock song by Led Zeppelin and gave it a modern hard rock sound. This band also covered The Beatles "Come Together"

17. Green Day "Knowledge"

-Original artist: Operation Ivy

-This band's most frequently performed cover is "Knowledge" by Operation Ivy. They have also covered the song "Shout" by The Isley Brothers and "We Will Rock You" by Queen

18. Guns N Roses "Live and Let Die"

-Original artist: Wings

-Featured on Use Your Illusion, the band's take on the classic Wings hit is far more successful than their take on the Bob Dylan song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." Not to say that the Bob Dylan song is bad, it's just "Live and Let Die" happens to be more well known

19. Halestorm "Still of the Night"

-Original artist: Whitesnake

-Halestorm is not a stranger to doing a cover or two. The band covered Judas Priest's "Dissident Aggressor" and Skid Row's "Slave to the Grind." These songs do get some airplay when the band is on stage, but nothing compares to Halestorm covering "Still of the Night" by Whitesnake. Their version is just mind blowing

20. Hellyeah "I Don't Care Anymore"

-Original artist: Phil Collins

-Previously recorded when drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott (yes, he is the brother of late Pantera member "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott) was in the band Damageplan, he did a cover of the Phil Collins song "I Don't Care Anymore." He used some of his brother Darrell's track when doing the song

21. In This Moment "Into Dust"

-Original artist: Mazzy Star

-The most performed cover by this band is Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." Vocalist Maria Brink gives an amazing performance of the Mazzy Star song "Into Dust." It has a haunting vibe, that would not sound out of place during the Halloween season. It shows a different side to this vocalist. This band also covered Queen's "We Will Rock You" with Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless) and Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)

22. Kid Rock "Feel Like Makin' Love"

-Original artist: Bad Company

-Kid Rock is a big fan of 1970s rock. So it should come as no surprise at all to find he's covered a song by Bad Company, "Feel Like Makin' Love." He covered the Bad Company hit on his self-titled debut album. He's also borrowed a few riffs and lines from "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd for a song of his called "All Summer Long" and the same thing for "American Bad A--." He borrowed lines and riffs from the Metallica song "Sad But True" 

23. Kiss "New York Groove"

-Original artist: Hello

-In 1978, it was decided that all four members of Kiss would release their own solo albums. This allowed each member to explore the music they loved, each one sounding radically different from the others. Ace Frehley covered the Hello song "New York Groove" and this is the version of the song that gets the most radio airplay. The band would play this song in their set from then on

24. Korn "Another Brick in the Wall"

-Original artist: Pink Floyd

-Korn has done other covers, including Cameo's "Word Up." But it's their cover of the Pink Floyd hit "Another Brick in the Wall" that is considered great. They perform all three acts of the song

25. Limp Bizkit "Faith"

-Original artist: George Michael

-This band attempted to go more in depth with a cover of The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes", but it didn't go over well. When they tried to cover "Faith" by George Michael, this seemed to work out. They took the catchy 80s pop song and gave it a 90s rock overhaul that fans loved almost immediately

War and Watermelon by Rich Wallace

This book is intended towards children, but it's still a good book

Summary

-It's 1969. The world is changing, not for the better. Protests against the Vietnam War are escalating. But that does not mean much to 12 year Brody Winslow. He's on his way to 7th grade and more concerned with the Top Forty hits on the radio and how much time he'll get to play football. His older brother Ryan is a recent high school graduate and eligible for the draft, much to his parents' worry. They want him enrolled in college to keep him safe. Instead he's protesting the war and taking his brother to Woodstock, in upstate New York. This festival opens Brody's eyes to the world they now live in, a world that could take away his brother for good

My Favorite Cover Songs Pt. II

A cover song is when an artist takes a song by another artist and does it in their way. Does their version of it. Some cover versions are better than the original, some not so much. It's all up to the listener to decide

Eminence Front

-Original artist: The Who

-Covered by: John Wetton (Asia), K.K. Downing (Judas Priest), Derek Sherinian (Alice Cooper, Joe Bonamassa, etc.)

-This is a metal-sounding version of the song by The Who. K.K. Downing gives it a metal-like edge with his guitar and John Wetton comes in with his clean, smooth vocals

Free for All

-Original artist: Ted Nugent

-Covered by: Jani Lane (Warrant), Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osborne)

-I like this version of the song better than the original by Ted Nugent

All Day and All of the Night

-Original artist: The Kinks

-Covered by: Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger)

-Former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner does an impressive cover of the classic Kinks hit along with Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis

All Day and All of the Night

-Original artist: The Kinks

-Covered by: Scorpions

-Featured on their Comeblack album, this band takes the Kinks classic and adds their signature sound to it. It's great

Tie Your Mother Down

-Original artist: Queen

-Covered by: Jani Lane (Warrant), Erik Turner (Warrant), Jerry Dixon (Warrant)

-This version of the song sounds like it was given a Warrant makeover

Won't Get Fooled Again

-Original artist: The Who

-Covered by: Sweet

-Glam band Sweet covers this song and it's actually easier to understand what the lyrics are. It's a good cover

Nights in White Satin

-Original artist: The Moody Blues

-Covered by: Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple)

-It's great. On the original, there is a flute solo. On this version, the flute solo is replaced by a guitar solo

Shoot to Thrill

-Original artist: AC/DC

-Covered by: Halestorm

-Lzzy Hale sings it perfectly. She has that right amount of aggression in her voice to give it a similar sound to Brian Johnson

Gimme Shelter

-Original artist: The Rolling Stones 

-Covered by: Stone Sour feat. Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)

-It's great!! Corey Taylor is amazing!

Rainbow in the Dark

-Original artist: Dio

-Covered by: Corey Taylor (Stone Sour, Slipknot)

-A more modern metal version of the song by Dio

Man on the Silver Mountain

-Original artist: Rainbow

-Covered by: Rob Halford (Judas Priest)

-A slightly more aggressive sounding metal version of the classic Rainbow song

Catch the Rainbow

-Original artist: Rainbow

-Covered by: Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple)

-Glenn Hughes, known as the Voice of Rock, sings this song perfectly. His voice is perfect on this song. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to sing this song, considering Ronnie James Dio was a very close friend of his. He was probably very emotional

Sunday Bloody Sunday

-Original artist: U2

-Covered by: Black Veil Brides

-This is a modern metal makeover for the highly successful U2 hit

Rebel Yell

-Original artist: Billy Idol

-Covered by: Adrenaline Mob

-This is a great metal cover of the Billy Idol classic

Rebel Yell

-Original artist: Billy Idol

-Covered by: Black Veil Brides

-This is the classic Billy Idol song covered by newer metal band Black Veil Brides

Tainted Love

-Original artist: Soft Cell

-Covered by: Scorpions

-A hard rock version of the 80s hit. Instead of the electronic beeping sound of the original, hard hit drums are replacing it in this song. Background choruses from the band members add an additional rhythm to the song. It's great!

The Temple of the King

-Original artist: Rainbow

-Covered by: Scorpions

-Klaus Meine's vocals on this song are absolutely beautiful. He sings it perfectly

Ruby Tuesday

-Original artist: The Rolling Stones

-Covered by: Scorpions

-Klaus Meine's vocals on this song are impressive. He doesn't strain to hit those high notes, he just sings it beautifully

My Favorite Cover Songs Pt. I

A cover song is when an artist takes a song by another artist and does it in their way. Does their version of it. Some cover versions are better than the original, some not so much. It's all up to the listener to decide

Sweet Emotion

-Original artist: Aerosmith

-Covered by: Tommy Shaw (Styx)

-With his slightly gruff singing voice, it sounds like Tommy Shaw is channeling his inner Steven Tyler and he manages to do it better than ever. I honestly didn't know Tommy Shaw could sing

Shot in the Dark

-Original artist: Ozzy Osbourne

-Covered by: Jeff Scott Soto

-I love Jeff Scott Soto's singing on this song. It's perfect. His singing on this song has that perfect 80s metal sound. Also, it's easier to understand the lyrics

Heroes

-Original artist: David Bowie

-Covered by: Motorhead

-I love this version of the song. It's a little hard to understand the lyrics only because of Lemmy Kilmister's raspy voice, but Motorhead's cover of the classic David Bowie hit is amazing!

Doctor, Doctor

-Original artist: UFO

-Covered by: Jeff Scott Soto

-Jeff Scott Soto's singing on this song is impressive to say the least. He sounds perfect on this song

Black Widow

-Original artist: Alice Cooper

-Covered by: Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

-Bruce narrates a small story towards the beginning and it leads into the song

Louie, Louie

-Original artist: The Kingsmen

-Covered by: Motorhead

-This version of the song is a far cry from the original. Motorhead took this song and gave it a heavy metal overhaul

Under My Wheels

-Original artist: Alice Cooper

-Covered by: Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Phil Collen (Def Leppard)

-This version sounds more like a Def Leppard cover of the Alice Cooper song than just Joe Elliott and Phil Collen. But isn't that the point of a cover song? To do a song in your own version of it?

Let It Be

-Original artist: The Beatles

-Covered by: Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple)

-This version of the song is beautiful. Glenn not only sings on it, but he also plays keyboard on it (According to his book Glenn Hughes: From Deep Purple to Black Country Communion, he learned to play keyboard while high on cocaine. Not the recommended way to learn). Glenn's singing is absolutely gorgeous

Ticket to Ride

-Original artist: The Beatles

-Covered by: Sweet

-I love Sweet's version of the song. It's a sort of glam rock version of the song

Yesterday

-Original artist: The Beatles

-Covered by: Molly Hatchet

-Just like the original, Molly Hatchet plays this on acoustic guitars. It's great

Here Comes the Sun

-Original artist: The Beatles

-Covered by: Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Steve Morse (Deep Purple)

-I love this version of the song. It's beautiful and upbeat, just like the original

Lunatic Fringe

-Original artist: Red Ryder

-Covered by: Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow)

-Honestly, I always thought "Lunatic Fringe" was done by Pink Floyd, because it that slightly space-y sound Pink Floyd is often known for. But when I found out it was a singer named Red Ryder, I was surprised. Joe Lynn Turner's version sounds similar to the original, only he adds a dash of his own unique vocals, meaning he hits a few high notes

Young Lust

-Original artist: Pink Floyd

-Covered by: Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple)

-It's a more modern, hard rock sound to the classic Pink Floyd hit. Of course, Glenn will hit those high notes occasionally, something he is often known for doing. It's good

Cat Scratch Fever

-Original artist: Ted Nugent

-Covered by: DJ Ashba (Guns N Roses, Sixx A.M.)

-This sounds more like an 80s metal or 80s rock version of the song. It's sung by former Guns N Roses member DJ Ashba, who's now part of the band Sixx A.M. He's a very good vocalist and gives it the slightly raspy, aggressive edge that Ted Nugent usually sings with

Cat Scratch Fever

-Original artist: Ted Nugent

-Covered by: Pantera

-If you're familiar with the aggressive sound of Pantera and their vocalist Phil Anselmo, be prepared for a thrash metal version of the classic Ted Nugent song. This version of the song is great!

Dream On

-Original artist: Aerosmith

-Covered by: Ronnie James Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen

-This song is amazing. Ronnie's vocals are just mind boggling on this song

Too Young to Fall in Love

-Original artist: Motley Crue

-Covered by: Gilby Clarke (Guns N Roses)

-Not surprisingly, this cover version sounds similar to the original. The only difference is the singer. Other than that, this version is good

Love Reign O'er Me

-Original artist: The Who

-Covered by: Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Rick Wakeman (Yes)

-Joe Elliott covers this song by The Who and makes for an impressive cover. It's quite good

F1: The Movie (2025)

For any fan of Formula 1, this is a must see movie. I actually had plans of going to see it with my sister in the theatre, both of us wearing our Formula 1 gear (me wearing either Aston Martin or Mercedes, her wearing Ferrari), but now I have to buy it on Amazon instead

Summary

-A former Formula One driver, who was a legend in his time, comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver and his team

For any fans of F1, you should immediately recognize Oscar Piastri in this picture

Cast

-Brad Pitt: Sonny Hayes

-Damson Idris: Joshua Pearce

-Javier Bardem: Ruben Cervantes

-Kerry Condon: Kate McKenna

-Tobias Menzies: Peter Banning

-Kim Bodnia: Kaspar Smolinski

-Sarah Niles: Bernadette

-Will Merrick: Nickleby

-Joseph Balderrama: Fazio

-Abdul Salis: Dodge

-Callie Cooke:Jodie

-Leigh Diffey: Daytona Race Broadcaster

-Will Buxton: Himself

-Martin Savage: Las Vegas FIA Race Director

Did You Know?

-It took a year to convince the FIA (the governing body of Formula 1) and the ten teams to allow production of the teams and drivers on the tracks during race weekends. One concern of the Red Bull team was that they would be shown as the villain because the Mercedes team had built the car used in the movie and then Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton was included as a producer on the film. Jerry Bruckheimer stated that the FIA or any of the teams would be not shown in a negative way

-Filming the racing scenes were scattered throughout the 2023 and 2024 race weekends. A garage was set up for production between the garages of the Mercedes and Ferrari teams

-For the drivers of the 2025 racing season, a private screening of the movie was held at the Cannes Film Festival

-Brad Pitt and Damson Idris did all of their own driving in this film

-Sarah Niles, who plays the mother of Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), is only 4 years older than him

-The car Brad Pitt drove is a modified Dallara F2 2018. The motor was replaced with an electric motor. It was created with the help of the Mercedes F1 team and Carlin Motorsport

-Brad Pitt is a long time fan of auto racing

-Director Joseph Kosinski was worried about Sir Lewis Hamilton's reaction to the footage of racing. Kosinski said "He smiled and said 'It looks fast.' I was like 'Oh, thank God.' If Lewis says that, we're in a good place.'"

-Any interior shots of the actors behind the wheel is actually them driving. No stunt men were used for the racing scenes. Brad Pitt logged over 6,000 miles of racing time, which now makes him quite experienced

-The scenes showing the racing simulator were done at the HQ and factory for the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team in the UK

-Bernie Collins, a Northern Irish female Formula 1 strategy engineer, was the inspiration for Kerry Condon's character, who was the first female technical director of the Formula One APX GP team

-Sonny Hayes would wear mismatched socks, a trait that former F1 driver Alex Wurz would do. Wurz would wear mismatched racing shoes and socks

-As a tribute to the F1 world, HAAS team principal Guenther Steiner can be seen swearing. He is famous for his profane language among Formula 1 fans. He does it silently in the film, but lip readers can still pick it up. Despite not being seen using profane language during broadcasts, the Netflix series Drive to Survive did an episode featuring Guenther Steiner, making it clear about his use of profanity

-The headquarters for the APX team is actually the McLaren headquarters. It's the McLaren Technology Center

-The English Bulldog being walked through the paddock early in the film belongs to Formula 1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton. The dog's name is Roscoe and he frequently joins Lewis during racing weekends

-This film was initially considered as a sequel to the 1990 film Days of Thunder

-Max Verstappen, driver for the Red Bull team, skipped the private screening for the F1 drivers and the New York premier while Carlos Sainz Jr, driver for Ferrari and now Williams Racing, cautioned the "pure F1 fans" to be "open minded to Hollywood films"

-Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) has a tattoo on his left arm. It's of the Jerez circuit in Spain, the circuit in which his character had his career-ending crash during an F1 race in the 1990s

-The name of the racing team Sonny joins is APX, pronounced Apex, the innermost point of a corner that a car can take to minimize lap time

-As part of an invitation from McLaren team principal Zak Brown, Brad Pitt took McLaren driver Lando Norris' car out for a private test at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) circuit in Texas. Lando Norris and SkySports commentator and former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle were present to give Pitt any advice. He did three laps in Norris' car

Zak Brown, McLaren Team Principal

-Black and gold are the colors of the APX team. They are also the same colors for the University of Missouri, where Brad Pitt attended school and dropped out

November Birthdays

Since it's November, time to say Happy Birthday

-Birth name: 11/13/1999

-DOB: Bristol, England

-Where: He has won 11 Grand Prix so far

Billy Idol

-Birth name: William Michael Albert Broad

-DOB: 11/30/1955

-Where: Stanmore, United Kingdom

-He got the nickname "Idol" from being told he was idle in school, so he changed the spelling to "Idol" to avoid confusion with comedian and actor Eric Idle

Tommy Thayer

-Birth name: Thomas Cunningham Thayer

-DOB: 11/7/1960

-Where: Portland, Oregon

-Previously played guitar for band Black 'n Blue

Rick Allen

-Birth name: Richard John Cyril Allen

-DOB: 11/1/1963

-Where: Sheffield, England

-He uses an electronic drum kit with foot pedals that play for his missing arm

Roger Glover

-Birth name: Roger David Glover

-DOB: 11/30/1945

-Where: Brecon, United Kingdom

-He was often the victim of pranks pulled by Ritchie Blackmore

DJ Ashba

-Birth name: Darren Jay Ashba

-DOB: 11/10/1972

-Where: Monticello, Indiana

-He played with Guns N Roses prior to forming Sixx A.M. with Nikki Sixx and James Michael

Frankie Banali

-Birth name: Francesco Felice Banali

-DOB: 11/14/1951

-Where: Queens, New York

-DOD: 8/20/2020

-Where: Los Angeles, California

-He played drums for Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P., Steppenwolf (1978)

Rudy Sarzo

-Birth name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavielle Grande Ruiz Paret y Chaumont

-DOB: 11/18/1950

-Where: Havana, Cuba

-Rudy was the bass player for Ozzy Osbourne in the early to mid 1980s. He left the band after the tragic death of guitarist Randy Rhoades, because he had lost the passion for music

Steven Van Zandt

-Birth name: Steven Lento

-DOB: 11/22/1950

-Where: Watertown, Massachusetts

-As a teenager, he was in a car accident, where his head went through the windshield and left several scars, causing the hair to not grow in right. Feeling self conscious about it, he took to wearing hats initially and then moved on to wearing scarves. It became his trademark look

20 Real Life Deaths That Were Written Into a TV Program

When an actor or actress dies during filming, it's then decided that their death should be written into the show. Of course, the cast will be devastated that they lost a fellow cast member. Acacia Deadrick, writer for MSN.com page Yardbarker, compiled this list of real life passings that were written into the TV shows

1. Cory Monteith

-Glee

-He played Finn Hudson. After he had died from a mixture of heroin and alcohol, resulting in an overdose. The writers of the show chose to honor his life in a touching episode called "The Quarterback". One of the songs the cast sung on that episode was James Taylor's "Fire and Rain"

2. George Cleveland

-Lassie

-He played Grandpa. While the show was still in its early seasons, George Cleveland died of a heart attack. His character was said to have died in the show. The writers honored his life with a funeral episode

3. Glenn Strange

-Gunsmoke

-He played Sam Noonan. He joined the cast later on. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and eventually lost his battle with the disease. The show's writers didn't immediately address that he had died. They chose to reveal that his character had passed

4. John Spencer

-The West Wing

-He played Leo McGarry. While filming the show, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. When fans learned of his death, they were devastated. It was written into the show that his character died during his bid for the presidency

5. John Ritter

-8 Simple Rules

-He played Paul Hennessy. He suffered a massive cardiac event and was rushed to the hospital, but died en route. His death was written into the show. It was turned into a two part episode, one part where his character passes and the other part paying tribute to him

6. Nancy Marchand

-The Sopranos

-She played Livia Soprano, Tony's headstrong, manipulative mother. When she died in real life from lung cancer, her character's death was written into the show. A CGI version of her was used during a final exchange between her and her son Tony

7. Will Geer

-The Waltons

-He played Zebulon Tyler Walton. Will Geer died from respiratory complications in the late 1970s and his death was written into the show. The characters said their tearful goodbyes to Grandpa Zebulon in the season 7 premiere

8. Karl Swenson

-Little House on the Prairie

-He played Lars Hanson. During the show, he suffered a heart attack and passed away. His death was written into the show and stated that Lars died from an undisclosed illness. Since the show was set in a time when people could die from simple illnesses that now have a cure, it was believable

9. Jim Davis

-Dallas

-He played Jock Ewing. In 1981, he lost his battle with cancer. His character was not present on the show for a time, but it was said on the show he died in a helicopter crash

10. Will Lee

-Sesame Street

-He played Mr. Hooper. He was a much beloved character on the show. He passed away from a heart attack in 1982. Several episodes aired without his character, but the writers used his passing as a way to say goodbye to his character and teach children about death and mourning in a very touching way. It turned out to be a very good episode

11. George Segal

-The Goldbergs

-He played Albert "Pops" Solomon. George underwent surgery in 2021 and died as a result of complications that arose. Writers included his passing in the show and wrote it into the season 9 opening episode to pay tribute to him

12. Carrie Fisher

-Family Guy

-She appeared as Angela. While her character was not a recurring one, the show paid tribute to Carrie Fisher by saying her character Angela died in an accidental drowning. Peter Griffin, one of the main characters, gave a beautiful eulogy that paid deep respect to both Angela and Carrie

13. Linda Porter

-Superstore

-She played Myrtle. She passed away in 2019 after a long battle with cancer. Her character was stated to have passed, but the cause was not mentioned. The Cloud 9 employees paid tribute to her with a hilarious but also touching moment when they think about all the moments that they had with Myrtle

14. Luke Perry

-Riverdale

-He played Fred Andrews. Writers wrote in Luke Perry's death as a car accident that kills Fred Andrews in Season 4. In real life, Luke Perry died from a stroke. The rest of the episode has the characters exploring the concept of death, mourning, loss and grief

15. Kristoff St. John

-The Young and the Restless

-He played Neil Winters. He appeared in just under 1,700 episodes of the show, making him a regular cast member. On the show, it was said he died of a stroke on the show. In real life, he passed away from heart disease in 2019

16. Adam West

-Family Guy

-He provided his own voice as Mayor West. Many thought it was in bad taste to pay tribute to Adam West's passing two years on the show after he really died. Adam West died of cancer in 2017, but his character was not written out until 2019

17. Carrie Fisher

-Catastrophe

-She played Mia. Carrie Fisher died in 2016 from a heart attack. Her death was written into the show. It was said her character also died from a heart attack

18. Carol Ann Susi

-The Big Bang Theory

-She provided the voice of Debbie, Howard's mother. You never saw her, but you often heard her arguing with Howard, saying things like "Close the door. You'll let all the bugs in!" with Howard responding back sarcastically "The only reason they would come in is because you're their queen!" or "Who's there? Is that a sex criminal?" and he would respond "Nobody wants to do that to you, ma!" Their arguments were often one of the funniest parts of the show

-Carol Ann Susi died in 2014 from cancer, and writers wrote her death into the show. Howard is at the comic book store with his friends when he gets a call from relatives. He finds out that his mother, who had gone down South to visit relatives, had gone to lay down for a nap and never woke up. The paid touching tributes to Susi and explored how Howard handled losing his mother in addition to how he handled life after losing a parent

19. Christopher Evan Welch

-Silicon Valley

-He played Peter Gregory. Suffering from lung cancer, he finally lost his battle in 2013. His death was written into Season 2 and honors his life with a funeral for the character

20. Christopher Allport

-Mad Men

-He played Andrew Campbell. He died when an avalanche hit him head on. The writers wrote his death into the show, saying he died in a plane crash. The entire episode was dedicated in loving memory to Allport