Welcome to my first Battle of the Bands in four months.
To see what I’ve been up to, scroll down the page. It’s good to be back!
BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB), hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. is where you listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best. Two “Battles” per month, on the 1st and 15th. Votes will be tallied and posted the following week. (See below for further details.)
Using a musical theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge gave me a few battle ideas, for instance:
RIDERS ON THE STORM
Inspired by THIS POST
♫ Riders on the storm
Into this house we’re born
Into this world we’re thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan ♫
HISTORY:
[reference only – please do not vote on this one]‘Riders on the Storm’ is a song by American psychedelic rock band The Doors. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album, L.A. Woman, in June 1971, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. According to band member Robby Krieger, it was inspired by the song “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend“.
Also, Jim Morrison mentions serial killer. Billy Cook, in passing, during at least one interview. Cook killed six people, including a young family, while hitchhiking to California. In all likelihood, the Cook murders were inspiration for the song’s lyric, “There’s a killer on the road / His brain is squirming like a toad … if you give this man a ride/sweet family will die ;…” – WIKIPEDIA
The preceding serves as background information only.
Now, on to the actual contest. We’re going to Germany!
▼
LISA BASSENGE
Lisa Bassenge is a German-Iranian jazz/blues/pop singer, born in Berlin. ‘Riders on the Storm’ is the first track from her 2015 album, ‘Canyon Songs‘.
VS
MY SECRET ISLAND
My Secret Island is a German punk/metal/rock band, founded in Berlin in 2009 by Mark van Merm (real name Marco Zimmermann). ‘Riders On The Storm’ was included in their 2010 debut, an EP called ‘The First Stories’.
VOTE NOW!
Please state your preference in comments below and why you chose it.
Voting remains open until 11:59 pm EDT May 21st,
after which I will count the votes, add mine and publish the results.
These are the other BOTB regulars and semi-regulars.
Please cruise on by their sites and, if they have a post up, vote on their selections as well:
[Check back – there’s no set posting time]Angels Bark / Curious as a Cathy / Jingle Jangle Jungle / Mike’s Ramblings / Sound of One Hand Typing / HOST: StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands / Tossing It Out / Your Daily Dose
As always, “Sharing is Caring”. Spread this musical joy all over your social networks.
Hashtag is #BOTB
From January to March, I did a little blogging, but mostly I was prepping for the April challenge of publishing 26 posts in 30 days. Additionally, March is the busiest time of the year for my dog boarding business and we had the house full. I hope to get back into the groove, but am still fighting some leftover internet fatigue from last month.
Click on links for more info:
THE LETTER FLASHBACK FRIDAY ‘1965’ MUSICAL MEMORIES #AtoZ 2017 THE DOG DAYS!
Until next time.
ROCK ON!
♫♪♫♪♫ Rockchick Rapture!
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
29 thoughts on “RIDERS ON THE STORM | BATTLE OF THE BANDS #BOTB”
My Secret Island gets my vote, Lisa’s version was interesting, but her vocals didn’t appeal to me.
Thanks for your vote, Mike. Nice to see another one for My Secret Garden.
I know all about blog fatigue. Make that life fatigue that leaves little to no room for blogging. Hang in there. It will get better!
I think you know I am not a big fan of metal music. That said, I liked the second one more than I expected. However, the softer (bluesier???) sound of Lisa Bassenge gets my vote.
Hi Robin; Yup; life often gets in the way of blogging. Any type of fatigue is tough and I hope yours will pass, too. My Secret Island’s version wasn’t what I would call ‘hardcore’ metal. It has some cool, “Peter Gunn’ style riffs. ? Lisa’s version is definitely more mellow, though. Thanks for your vote. Lisa, it is!
Loved the Doors! But this was difficult. Neither hubby or I liked either of the choices, but definitely give the win to My Secret Island even though the music felt thrown together. The first one was just too slow – but maybe we just couldn’t translate this too jazz. Going against the tide again! Oh well! 🙂
So glad you are feeling better. Enjoy your trip to Germany, and don’t over do!
Hi Yolanda; It’s hard to accept different versions of a song you really love. 🙂 Thanks for coming by to vote. My Secret Island needs all the help it can get! We only went to Germany for this battle, but I’d love to go back again. Last time was in 2013.
Debbie,
You’ve been nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award by little ole me. Stop by my site to check it out, HERE for details! This is meant to be fun, so if you wish to not accept then you won’t hurt my feelings. Have a funtastic day!
Thank you for that honour, Cathy. 🙂 I just checked it out and will think about doing it, if that’s okay with you. These things are a lot of work and there’s some other stuff going on at the moment. Is there a time limit? Thanks again! I thought you were taking a break? 😀
Great song to battle over and what a battle! While one remains true (if slightly spastic) to the original sound, the other adds an enticing bluesy touch without altering the message – nice!
I’m going for Lisa 😉
Hi diedre; Slightly spastic – good description! 😀 I was thinking schizophrenic. Thanks for voting. Lisa has a healthy lead, so far.
Welcome back Debbie! Love how we chose to come back to BOTB on the same day. 🙂
Your first battle back is a Killer one ! Love it.
I’ve always liked The Doors and especially this song. And I always found that album perfect for a rainy day…
The Cook murders are chilling for sure and this song has such an ominous vibe to it. You picked two exceptional covers. I liked both but I was particularly taken with Lisa Bassenge’s so my vote goes to her. I really like her voice and the instrumentation is fantastic. Interesting to hear a jazzy take on this song. Great comeback battle!
Michele at Angels Bark
I’m happy to see you came back at the same time, Michele. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the battle. You’re right about the chilling, ominous vibe. That’s another vote for Lisa. This one may be a blowout, in the end!
DEBBIE, this was a good Battle! Funny… when I was a teenager, The Doors was one of my very favorite bands. In fact, a girlfriend’s younger brother used to say I looked just like Jim Morrison. Then in my early twenties I discovered Blues and Jazz and abandoned most of my favorite teen bands, including The Doors. But I rediscovered my roots in my late thirties or early forties and now own three discs by The Doors. And ‘Riders…’ has always been one of my favorites by them.
I actually enjoyed both of these recordings and felt the groups did a good job of remaking the song in their own style. But since Jazz is STILL my favorite musical genre, I’m voting for LISA and that cool Jazz vibe she has going on.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews…
You must have been a handsome dude, if you looked like Jim Morrison, Stephen. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed both versions of the song. That’s another vote for Lisa; she seems to be pulling ahead, here.
LISA BASSENGE has really caught my attention here. I enjoyed her rendition a great deal. It is nice to see you Battle of the Bands back in the swing of things, Debbie.
Thanks for your vote, Myke. It’s good to be back. 🙂 Lisa is building a healthy lead, at this point.
Truth in advertising dept: I hate the Doors, hang on while I duck rotten fruit thrown my way, but if there is one song of theres I can abide, this would be it. And since I have been such a $#!t about doing BOTBs lately, I promised I would buckle down and participate this week.
Lisa’s was musically gorgeous. MSI seemed a bit unevenly paced to me, and the Morrison-esque beginning won no points with me. If it was a song I really liked, this would be a hit with me. Does that sound weird? Anyway, I’ll go with Lisa.
Taste in music varies from person to person, Chris. No reason to throw fruit, rotten or otherwise. 🙂 I get what you’re saying. Bottom line, we have one more vote for Lisa. Thanks for playing! Maybe the next one will be more to your liking.
Debbie,
Growing up in southern WV, we never thought much about hitchhikers until the late 70s and then we questioned doing it. These days you couldn’t pay me to pick up a stranger. People are a whole lot of flipping crazy or evil folks out there waiting to do you harm. I’m either paranoid or cautious or both. 🙂 Good song choice. My vote goes easily to Lisa Bassenge. She did a really nice job! Thanks for stopping already and voting in my mid-month battle. Have a good evening, my friend!
You’re so right about picking up hitchhikers, Cathy. Much too risky in these troubled times! 😮 I’m glad you enjoyed the song. That’s an easy vote for Lisa Bassenge. Thanks and enjoy your time off!
I think we’ve talked about this before, but The Doors hold a special place in my heart. I like that you found 2 German artists for this song. I couldn’t quite get into Lisa Bassenge, but My Secret Island won me over! My vote goes to My Secret Island.
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Yes, I remember your story involving The Doors, Mary. 🙂 It was a coincidence about the artists’ nationalities; these were the covers that stood out to me the most. My Secret Garden gets another vote. Thanks!
It’s hard to beat the original on this one, but I preferred Lisa Bassenge’s “smooth jazz” version over My Secret Island’s. I liked the trumpet in Lisa’s, and while her voice wasn’t perfect for this song, it was all right. My Secret Island’s cover started out close to the original’s and I actually liked the singer’s voice at first, but the sudden power chords were a big turn-off.
There would be no contest if I used the original, that’s for sure! 🙂 That’s another vote for Lisa’s jazzy version. Thanks, John.
I was really into the Doors when they came out. They did some great music.
These versions are both interesting and enjoyable to listen to. I liked the Secret Island version except it did get a bit jarring at times–but it was really good.
Maybe listening early in the morning has some influence on my vote, but I did like the laid back jazzy sound of Lisa Bassenge.
My vote goes to Lisa.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
The Doors certainly left their stamp on the music world. 🙂 These versions are so different from each other, it will be interesting to see how the battle plays out. That’s one vote for Lisa Bassenge. Thanks, Lee.
This was a tricky decision. I’m going to cast my vote for My Secret Island because it made my paws start tapping.
Nice to see you, Clowie! 🙂 Thanks for voting. First one goes to the paw-tapping ‘My Secret Garden’.