CBID - The Never Ending Story - pt. 5

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: We still continue with our list of new cover versions which came to our attention recently. Again a few are digital-only, but worth to be listed here.

JOECEPHUS AND THE GEORGE JONESTOWN MASSACRE (USA)

Rock band (quintet) from Memphis, Tennessee. They mix outlaw country and rockabilly with hardcore punk and metal. Joecephus is guitarist Joey Killingsworth.

Back In The USA (2:18) 2023

2-LP: Call Me Animal - A Tribute To The MC5 [Saustex Records SEX-2306] ● USA, 2023

JUSTIN JOHNSON (USA)

Slide guitarist using handmade instruments, a.o. a cigar-box guitar (!) He founded the Roots Music School in Nashville, Tennessee. Good for him and all the students who can then learn the truth. I found some 8 albums by him, the first being “Smoke & Mirrors”, a 2-CD set from 2014.

Johnny B. Goode (4:14) 2017

2-CD: Drivin’ It Down [JJ CD-14541 2] ● USA, 2017

Also released as a 2-LP set. This is a drivin’ goode version, stretched out to over 4 minutes. Even though this is a self-released album set it looks like a professional issue with a booklet and all. Recorded and mixed by Chuck Turner at Cash Cabin Studio, Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Down Bound Train (6:18) 2020

CD/Digital album: Rough Edges [JJ Self-released ] ● USA, 2020

When I searched the internet for this cover, Bruce Springsteen’s own song popped up as the original. However, Justin is covering the Berry song (a bit noisy though). So who can you trust? You have to search and search and try to listen if possible. It’s not easy to be a Berry cover nerd.

CARVIN JONES BAND (USA)

Blues singer, guitarist from Texas. His playing is pretty raw.

No Particular Place To Go ( : ) 1998

CD: Unleashed - Burnin’ Up The Blues [Tee Records TR-69732] ● USA, 1998

Johnny B. Goode ( : ) 2003 (live)

CD: Live In Rome, Italy [Tee Records no cat no] ● USA, 2003

There’s a live performance on YouTube of Carvin from a festival in Spain doing this classic.

KATMEN (UK/USA)

Originally a rockabilly duo, formed in 2007, by guitar genius Darrell Higham (see Vol.4 page 1821) and drummer Slim Jim Phantom (see Stray Cats Vol.3 page 1538). In 2012 they were joined by bassist Al Gare.

Too Much Monkey Business (2:42) 2022

CD: Katmen Are Back [Foot Tapping Records FT-208] ● UK, 2023

This is a cross between Elvis and Chuck. It’s rockin’ although a little more laid back than Chuck’s.

JIMMY KEITH & HIS SHOCKY HORRORS (Germany)

Punk band (quartet) from Duisburg, formed in 1988.

Maybellene (3:03) 1995

CD: Hey Rock’n’Roll [Tug Records LC-7376] ● Germany, 1995

Cover songs from the likes of Mink DeVille, Rockin’ Sidney, Dr. Feelgood, Ben E. King a.o.

ANSSI KELA (Finland)

A popular singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in 1972. Has released many albums and singles since 2000.

Reelin’ And Rockin’ [as “Fiilaten Ja Höyläten”] (3:43) 2017

Various CD: Anssi Kela & Isot Biisit [Warner Music Finland 50 5419 76872 2 8] ● Finland, 2017

This is again a cover of the Finnish hit version by Rauli “Badding” Somerjoki (page 1521) from 1973. But the story around this version is a little bit different. Translated, the album title means Anssi Kela And The Big Songs. It was a music entertainment program led by Anssi Kela. It started in February 2017 and in each of the 10 episodes a guest challenged Kela to cover an old Finnish hit song. It tells the story of the background of the song and introduces the song’s original performer or a special person associated with it. But according to Ari Niskanen in Finland it was more about Somerjoki not Berry.

JAMIE AARON KELLEY & THE DEMPSEYS (USA)

Award-winning singer, songwriter and entertainer. But most of all he’s an Elvis impersonator. However, there’s not much Elvis stuff on the album below.

Maybellene ( : ) 2006

CD: The Sun Also Rises, Vol.2 – Memphis Fire [Cool K Records 08 3710 12723 2 2] ● USA, 2006

14 rock’n’roll, blues and country covers.

RICKY KING (West Germany)

Guitarist Hans Lingenfelder, born 1946 in Rastatt.

Johnny B. Goode (2:43) 1984 (instr)
Memphis, Tennessee (2:19) 1984 (instr)
Rock And Roll Music (2:00) 1984 (instr)

LP: Ricky King’s Rock’n’Roll Party [Epic EPC-26158] ● West-Germany, 1984
CD: Ricky King’s Rock’n’Roll Party (Memory Pop Shop) [Epic EPC-462452 2] ● West-Germany, 1988

Johnny B. Goode and Rock And Roll Music sound very good and solid. But Memphis is in the Lonnie Mack arrangement and therefore not in the same league.

ROBERT LEE KOLB & LOCAL HEROES (USA)

Singer, songwriter, guitarist. I saw an article from a Dallas magazine (Dec. 1976) where he says he’s going to be the new Elvis Presley of the 1980s. Excuse me. Why on earth would he say that in December 1976 when Elvis himself was still alive??? It makes no sense. And he sounded more rock and rhythm & blues.

Maybellene [as “Mabelline”] (4:40) 1985

LP: Robert Lee Kolb & Local Heroes [Rock Eye Records 44144A] ● USA, 1985

KRAYOLAS (USA)

Garage rock band (quartet) from San Antonio, Texas. They have released several singles from 1978 and albums from 1982.

Run Rudolph Run (3:19) 2010

CD: Tipsy Topsy Torvy [Box Records B-63052] ● USA, 2010

Cool rock version with plenty of guitar and piano.

MIKE KRÜGER (Germany)

Michael Friedrich Wilhelm Krüger, born 1951. Singer, guitarist and comedian.

Roll Over Beethoven [as “Schuss In Den Ofen”] (2:47) 1977 (live)

LP: Auf Der Autobahn Nachts Um Halb Eins [Philips 6305 330] ● West-Germany, 1977

Mike Krüger wrote the German lyrics.

DENYS LABLE (France)

Singer, guitarist, born 1947 in Auxerre. He’s a studio musician and has also played live with several French singers, like France Gall and Dick Rivers a.o.

Wee Wee Hours (6:22) 2003

Various CD: Autour du Blues Vol.2 [Créon Music 5928552] ● France, 2003

Pretty good and long version.

LARADOS (USA)

Rock and soul quintet from Dearborn, Missouri, probably? This is a little difficult, because it seems that they had a single out in 1958 and another in 1980. However, the album below is clearly of a newer date and it’s self-released. Are we talking about the same outfit? Not sure. In case they have been around for over 55 years when the album below was released.

Nadine (4:51) 2013

CD: Dance Party [LaRaDos CD-08 8829 50360 0 9] ● USA, 2013

14 covers from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

KIM LARSEN & KJUKKEN (Denmark)

See Volume 3, page 1308 for biographical info. He died in 2018 at the age of 72.

Havana Moon [as “Soloppgang Til Måneskinspriser”] (3:01) 2012

CD: Du Glade Verden [Medley Records EMI-5820505] ● Denmark, 2012

Strange, but I didn’t know that Kim had done a Danish version of this Berry classic that he first covered in its original form in 1977.

LAST ONE STANDING (Mexico)

Melodic hardcore / skate punk quintet from Ciudad Nezahualcóyoti, Mexico.

Johnny B. Goode (2:42) 2014

CD promo: Last One Standing [Promo 2014] ● Mexico, 2014
CD: Nothing Left To Lose [1onelife Records CD-1LR-003] ● Mexico, 2016

The album track opens with the intro from Marty McFly in “Back To The Future”, It’s an oldie - Well, it’s an oldie where I come from. (!)

MIKE LAWSON & FRIENDS (USA)

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, Tennessee. He has several albums on Bandcamp. On his site he has this to say about himself: “Musician, songwriter, author, music mag/book publisher, husband, autism dad, music edu advocate, guitar hoarder, audio engineer, no particular order”. On the album below he sings and plays various instruments, however, on the Berry track Lawson sings and plays piano plus the following friends participate: Rich Mahan (guitar), Fred Bogert (acordion), Travis Collinsworth (bass), Sam Skorik (drums), Sarah and Rachel Hambridge (background vocals). Produced by Mike Lawson at AP Studios, Fairview, Tennessee. However, there’s a fiddle in there but who’s playing? It could be Michael Cleveland who plays fiddle on another track on the album.

You Never Can Tell (4:00) 2020

Digital album: More Wonders Of The Visible World [Self-released ] ● USA, 2021

Released 1 January 2021. There’s also a video to this track on Bandcamp. Pretty nice!

DANIELLE LeBLANC, HALEY BIRNIE, BRIAND MELANSON (Canada)

From Toronto. Danielle (lead vocals), Haley (lead vocals), Briand Melanson (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, backing vocals), and on the Berry number Rich Trevor (electric guitar). I couldn’t find anything else by this trio.

Run Rudolph Run (2:32) 2015

CD: Coast To Coast Christmas [Self-released ] ● Canada, 2015

Good Yuletide music on this album, ten covers and two originals. A little different approach. Released on Bandcamp 1 November 2015. Mixed and produced by Briand Melanson.

LEG BENDERS (USA)

Rock band (quartet) from Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Madden Studios in Clarksville, Indiana by Clifford Madden. Daniel Hartman (vocals, guitar), Zach Coffey (guitar), Tyler Zoller (bass), Clifford Madden (drums). They also call themselves Jimmy & The Two Toned Leg Benders. Well then, who’s Jimmy?

Run Rudolph Run (2:50) 2015

Digital: Run Rudolph Run: A Jimmy Christmas Cover [Self-released ] ● USA, 2015

Really heavy rockin’ version. The main reason for including this, the band will tell you themselves:
“We decided to do our interpretation of the classic Chuck Berry Christmas tune ‘Run Rudolph Run’. We've included 4 different mixes for your listening pleasure: 2 standard mixes (stereo and mono) and 2 ‘1958’ mixes (also stereo and mono) to give you that classic late '50s sound that you all love. All tracks were meant to sound as though they were ripped straight from a 45rpm single record from back in the day. Enjoy & Merry Christmas!”
And they have also made a pretty nice ‘sleeve’. Released 8 December 2015.

MATTHIAS LENS (Belgium)

Accordion player and singer born 1986 in Turnhout.

You Never Can Tell (C’est La Vie) (2:40) 2015

CD: Samen Uit, Samen Thuis [ECV Records ECV-0187544] ● Belgium, 2015

Good rock version.

RONAN LEONARD (Ireland)

Singer, songwriter in the country, folk genre.

Too Much Monkey Business (3:33) 2005

CD: Roomful Of Dreamers [Ronan Leonard Prod. RLPCD-001] ● Ireland, 2005
Digital album: Roomful Of Dreamers [Self-released] ● Ireland, 2022 (March)

Really cool version! Dave Keary on guitar and Garvan Gallagher on bass should be complimented for their contribution. Interesting that all the other 10 songs on the album were written by Leonard.

LES FORBANS (France)

When they started in the late ‘70s they were a rock’n’roll sextet. However, around 1990 they became a quartet. Have released several albums since 1981.

Johnny B. Goode ­in a Rock’n’Roll Medley (3:47) 1996
Johnny B. Goode (3:01) 1996
Maybellene (2:37) 1996
You Never Can Tell (3:15) 1996

CD: Rock’n’Roll Story [Arcade 3017672] ● France, 1996

The Medley contains 8 songs. Strange that they are using the Berry song twice on the same album.

ADAM LEVY (USA)

Singer, songwriter and an accomplished jazz guitarist, born 1966 in Encino, California. He has recorded and toured with Norah Jones. Has also recorded with many famous people like Rosanne Cash, Tracy Chapman, Allen Toussaint, Chely Wright, The O’Jays and others. He has in addition released several albums of his own.

Memphis, Tennessee (3:30) 2014 (instr)

CD: Town & Country [Lost Wax Music LWR-1401] ● USA, 2014

Now this is a different approach to the tune, a little groovie, jazzy, soulful. He has also recorded a song titled “Promised Land” in 2011 but that’s not Berry’s.

SON LEWIS (USA)

Andrew Lewis, born 1951 in Patterson, New Jersey. Blues singer, guitarplayer.

Nadine (3:38) 2016 (live)

CD: From Time To Time [Silk City CD-08 0714 00203 8 3] ● USA, 2017

LEYVA (Mexico)

Omar Christopher Navarrete Leyva, born in 1980. He’s a singer, musician, songwriter, promoter. Has been active since 1998 and has been very productive on album releases, and also been part of numerous groups.

Carol [as “Oh Carol”] ( : ) 2012
Johnny B. Goode (2:43) 2012

CD: Savage Young & Wild 1957 [Blindspot Records 1957] ● Mexico, 2012

At the very end of Johnny B. they have inserted an original short comment from Alan Freed about rock’n’roll.

LIVE (Sweden)

Group comprising Kenneth Lundman, Mats Lundberg, Mikael Andersson, Peter Eliasson and Stefan Forsell. It was a one-off pseudo-educational project only known for one album release.

Around And Around ( : ) 1986 (live)

LP: Live [Caprice Records CAP-133] ● Sweden, 1986

The songs contained range from Berry and Beatles to Uriah Heep, Scott McKenzie, The Clash, John Lee Hooker, Sex Pistols, U 2, Martha & The Vandellas, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Sweet.

LMT CONNECTION (Canada)

Funk-rock group from Niagara Falls, Ontario. Leroy Emmanuel (vocals, guitar), John Irvine (bass, vocals), Mark Rogers (drums). They have played together for 30 years, recorded six albums and done over 6500 shows (!) which includes Europe and China.

Johnny B. Goode (5:17) 1997 (live)

CD: Outta Control [Impression Records IMP-2000] ● Canada, 2000

Recorded live 1997 at the Castle Rock in Niagara Falls. Released on Bandcamp 30 September 2020.

LOS ALVAREZ DEL NORTE (USA)

This is a family pop/folk band which plays various instruments and sings: Fred Alvarez, Maria, William, Daniel, Maggie, managed by Lauren, plus four background vocals.

Brown Eyed Handsome Man (3:21) 2012

Digital album: New Mexico Snow [Self-released ] ● USA, 2013

A little bit different than others, more laid-back. You can listen to it on Bandcamp. Fred Alvarez wrote most of the 20 tracks on the album.

LOS GATILLOS (Switzerland)

Trio from Geneva playing modern electric blues and rhythm & blues.

Down Bound Train (2:37) 2018

CD / LP: Fred Raspail-Pierre Omer-Monney B Sont [Bonfeeling Records BF-005] ● France, 2018

Except for two covers, they do original songs. The Berry cover is very similar to Berry’s own musically but Los Gatillos arranged it a little boring.

LEE LYNCH (Ireland)

Liam Lynch was born in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. He moved to London in 1956 and has lived in England since then. He had his first single released on Decca in 1966. He’s been singing, recording and performing up to the early ‘90s when he retired due to heart problems.

Promised Land ( : ) 1979

LP: Here I Go Again [Blue Angel Records FLIP NO.1] ● UK, 1979