Fantasy A&R: If Queensrÿche Wants To Do Covers, We’ve Got Suggestions

By: Christa Titus

(Music that is referenced in this review is hyperlinked to Amazon.com for your purchasing convenience. If a product is not hyperlinked, Amazon.com did not offer it at the time of publication.)

Remember that straight-faced gospel reading the Rev. Jesse Jackson gave Dr. Suess’ Green Eggs and Ham on “Saturday Night Live”? The following five songs were picked with the idea of Queensrÿche letting down its hair a lot more while recording Take Cover and noodling on top 40 hits for shits and giggles. Consider the band, ironically or not, giving these hits the Ryche treatment. Each song is paired with another that The Killing Words would actually love to see Queensrÿche cover (hint, hint), along with suggested production tips for a plan of attack.

For laughs: Oops! . . . I Did It Again by Britney Spears
Strategy: Rectify Brit’s diva bragging—and the saccharine production—by scrapping the arrangement and completely recasting it as a regretful ballad, because this song has as much testosterone potential as a convent.
Biggest challenge: Dignifying the lyrics.
For real: Bravado by Rush
Strategy: Rush is one of Queensrÿche’s long-ago heroes who has since become a peer. This soaring piece on being humbled by Pyrric victory is tailor-made for the Rÿche with its strolling guitar lines and complicated patterns—especially Scott Rockenfield, who counts Neil Peart among his personal influcences.
Biggest challenge: All Rush material requires great TLC, lest millions of devotees riot.
Keep an ear open for: How Rockenfield would pace his drums.

Scott Rockenfield (on drums) and Geoff Tate.
Sept. 8, 2007, at Jones Beach Ampitheater in Wantagh, N.Y. Photo © 2008/Christa Titus.

For posterity: White Lines (Don’t Do It) by Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel
Strategy: Either let it ride, or turn it into a warning call like “Empire.”
Biggest challenge: Singer Geoff Tate loathes rap.
For real: Master of Puppets by Metallica
Strategy: Throw themselves into this headlong like it was a drunken bet on which they accidentally wagered everything they own.
Biggest challenge: Reaching the speed threshold.
Keep an ear open for: How guitarist Michael Wilton would live up to his nickname of Whip.

For crossover: Brick House by the Commodores
Strategy: Forget any attempt at giving the song any depth, and have bassist Eddie Jackson bring the funk.
Biggest challenge: Keeping a straight face while performing.
For real: Face Down by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Strategy: The song’s composition is broad enough for Queensÿche to follow pretty straightforwardly. The guitar squeals can easily convert to metal, and the lyrics are a message the group can get behind.
Biggest challenge: Not letting emotion get in the way of performance. (The Ryche is parent to quite a few daughters.)
Keep an ear open for: How the band balances Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ pop aesthetics with the song’s outrage.

Eddie Jackson.
Sept. 8, 2007, at Jones Beach Ampitheater in Wantagh, N.Y. Photo © 2008/Christa Titus.

For Seattle locals: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
Strategy: A combination of the attack for “Oops . . . I Did It Again” (reinterpretation) and “Bravado” (reverence). A good start would be following the lead of Patti Smith’s shuffling rendition, but build it into an explosive crescendo.
Biggest challenge: Giving both guitarists enough to do throughout the song.
For real: Teenagers by My Chemical Romance
Strategy: Let the thinking rock band wag its finger at teens’ homicidal quirks, but stick with the camp attitude. The rollicking licks should let QR relax into their groove like a rocking chair. Add audible fingersnaps to the verses. Bonus points if the band records it live with a crowd singalong and Tate vamps it up as much as Gerard Way.
Biggest challenge: Keeping it from sounding preachy.
Keep an ear open for: How guitarist Mike Stone would freewheel with the good-time party vibe.

For a curveball: Bye Bye Bye by ‘N Sync
Strategy: Boot the fuzzy synths. Extract the bubble gum from the vocals. Swap the programmed beats for a huge wall of percussion. Instead of this song waving buh-bye, it needs to flip the bird.
Biggest challenge: Giving this tripe balls.
For real: Separate Ways by Journey
Strategy: Follow it exactly, right down to the last note, except for Jonathan Cain’s keyboards. Have Wilton handle them as the rhythm guitar as Stone does the soloing.
Biggest challenge: Rocking it harder than the original without going over the top.
Keep an ear open for: How Tate would hit Steve Perry’s money shots.

Geoff Tate.
Sept. 8, 2007, at Jones Beach Ampitheater in Wantagh, N.Y. Photo © 2008/Christa Titus.