Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Smith & Myers (Shinedown) cover Wanted Dead or Alive

This acoustic cover of "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Brent Smith and Zach Myers from Shinedown got a bit of publicity last year before anyone had even heard it... mainly because Bon Jovi had been singled out as the band "blocking" the release of Smith and Myers' (Acoustic Sessions) album. From what I can gather, Zach made a slightly flippant remark in an interview and a whole bunch of other websites jumped on it to blame Jon for not allowing a cover.

Anyway, "Wanted Dead or Alive" will now be released on (Acoustic Sessions, Pt. 2) along with three other songs for which publishing permissions couldn't be obtained in time for the first EP's release.

Check it out.

Smith & Myers - Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi) (Acoustic Cover)


What do you think of this acoustic version?

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Richie Sambora doesn't want to play Runaway again

Richie Sambora sat down for an interview with The Sun-Herald during his recent visit to Australia. Much of what he said has been mentioned in some form or another in previous interviews, but what stuck out for me was when Kate Waterhouse asked Richie if there were any songs he never wanted to play again and he said he didn't think he'd ever perform Runaway again:

The early Bon Jovi stuff I can't stand. I just think we didn't have our stylistic voice. But some people love some of that stuff. Like people are going "[play] Run Away" and I'm going "I hate that song! I'll never play it again!"

I know it's the only song from the first two albums that Bon Jovi plays these days and that neither he nor Jon are too fond of those albums. But given Runaway was written by Jon and George Karak before Richie was ever in the picture, and there may never have been a Bon Jovi band without it, I thought it was a strange example to use. And possibly one that signals Richie's intentions going forward.

Anyway, here's a video of Richie talking to Kate about the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, writing hit songs, and his feelings about Runaway.

Date with Kate: Richie Sambora


You can also read other extracts from the interview here.

Dolly Parton covers Lay Your Hands on Me

Dolly Parton's gospel version of Bon Jovi's "Lay Your Hands on Me" appears on her 2014 album Blue Smoke. Here's a live performance of it from her recent Australian tour.

Dolly Parton - Lay Your Hands On Me- Perth Arena - February 27th 2014


What do you think of it?

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Richie Sambora Soundwave Perth 3/3/14 & Melbourne 28/2/14 set lists

Richie Sambora finished his Australian tour by playing at Perth's Soundwave Festival, with he and his band dishing up a few surprises.

Perth, WA, Australia - Arena Joondalup - March 3, 2014
  1. Paranoid [Black Sabbath cover]
  2. Nowadays
  3. Burn that Candle Down
  4. Lay Your Hands on Me
  5. Voodoo Child [Jimi Hendrix Experience cover]
  6. Learning How to Fly with a Broken Wing
  7. Don't Change [INXS cover]
  8. No Surrender [acoustic/Bruce Springsteen cover] / Wanted Dead or Alive
  9. Livin' on a Prayer

Being my hometown, not to mention the final Soundwave to be held in Perth (It'll be an "east coast only" festival from 2015) and possibly the only chance I'll ever get to see Richie do a solo gig, I decided to head up to Joondalup. Unfortunately I didn't get the video everyone wants (i.e. Paranoid) -- I think I was too stunned! Plus I was staying for the whole day/night so I needed my phone battery to last.

I had an awesome time and really enjoyed Richie's set, which was like a big jam session, but I've heard mixed reviews from various people that I can certainly understand. I don't think No Surrender was rehearsed -- Richie was mumbling his way through all the words -- and it's only because it's one of my favourite Springsteen songs that I recognised it when it started.

Two friends of mine also saw Richie's set. One thought he was "shit" and "off his f***ing tree". The other described the show as "passionate dirty blues guitar sex" and reckons it was the best version ever of Lay Your Hands on Me and Wanted. All agreed that Orianthi was brilliant. I'd give the performance a 7/10 but I would love to see Richie at one of his own headlining gigs, rather than the lunchtime slot at a festival that's not really his genre.

Meanwhile, this is the set list for Richie's Soundwave gig in Melbourne on February 28, which I'd been looking for:

Melbourne, VIC, Australia - Flemington Racecourse - February 28, 2014
  1. Burn That Candle Down
  2. Nowadays
  3. Lay Your Hands On Me
  4. Every Road Leads Home to You
  5. Don't Change [INXS cover]
  6. Wanted Dead or Alive
  7. Voodoo Child [Jimi Hendrix Experience cover]
  8. Livin' on a Prayer

Did you catch Richie at any of the Soundwaves in Australia? What did you think of his performance?

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Richie Sambora Soundwave Adelaide set list 1/3/14

Richie Sambora and Orianthi returned to Ori's hometown of Adelaide to perform at Soundwave. Here's what they played:

Adelaide, SA, Australia - Bonython Park - March 1, 2014
  1. Nowadays
  2. Burn that Candle Down
  3. Lay Your Hands on Me
  4. Voodoo Child [Jimi Hendrix cover]
  5. My Hometown - Orianthi
  6. Wanted Dead or Alive
  7. Don't Change [INXS cover]
  8. Livin' on a Prayer

Were you at the show?

Richie finishes his Aussie tour tomorrow, March 3, at what will be the final ever Soundwave Festival in Perth.

Richie Sambora Melbourne set list 27/2/14 + Purple Rain ft Corey Glover & Orianthi

Richie Sambora played a sold-out charity show for the Starlight Foundation at The Espy in Melbourne on February 27. Corey Glover from Living Colour, who's also on the bill for the Soundwave festivals, joined the band on stage for Purple Rain.

Were you at the show?

Melbourne, VIC, Australia - Esplanade Hotel - February 27, 2014
  1. Burn that Candle Down
  2. Every Road Leads Home to You
  3. Taking a Chance on the Wind
  4. I'll Be There For You
  5. Nowadays
  6. You Don't Wanna Know [Orianthi song] - Ori vox
  7. Wanted Dead or Alive
  8. Voodoo Child [Jimi Hendrix Experience cover]
  9. Stranger In This Town
  10. Sugar Daddy
  11. Lay Your Hands On Me
  12. Seven Years Gone
  13. Livin' on a Prayer



    encore:
  14. Don't Change [INXS cover]
  15. It's My Life
  16. These Days
  17. Purple Rain [Prince cover] - Corey Glover vox
Richie Sambora & Corey Glover - Purple Rain (Melbourne) - amazing pipes!
I'm still waiting for Richie's set list for Soundwave in Melbourne on February 28. Anyone got a copy of it?