Hurt

Cover version of the month #13

Johnny Cash covers Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

I remember hearing this song and watching the video for the first time. It truly stopped me in my tracks - the feeling, the emotion, the soul, the pain....the hurt. It was written all over the faces of Johnny and June Cash, it was in Cash’s voice, trembling yet finding strength to sing the heartfelt lyrics.

The song is a cover version of Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor’s version conveys the same emotion, soul, passion and hurt. It is far from the industrial metal that Nine Inch Nails are more known for.

Hurt was originally released on the Nine Inch Nails album The Downward Spiral. It certainly fits in with that title, as Reznor takes a look at his life and of those around them; the self harm, the addiction, the desolate bleakness of it all.

The Cash version is breathtaking. The basic piano note being played over and over with increasing intensity is so simple yet so effective. The performance is simply spellbinding. 

American IV: The Man Comes Around was the fourth album in Cash’s American series - produced by Rick Rubin. There are plenty of covers, including stunning versions of Wichita Lineman and In My Life. Cash’s aged voice adds extra edge to lyrics like 

And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time - from Wichita Lineman

But of all these friends and lovers, there is no-one compares with you - from In My Life

I hurt myself today

To see if I still feel

I focus on the pain

The only thing that’s real

The needle tears a hole

The old familiar sting

Try to kill it all away

But I remember everything

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns

Upon my liar’s chair

Full of broken thoughts

I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time

The feelings disappear

You are someone else

I am still right here

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

If I could start again

A million miles away

I would keep myself

I would find a way

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 
8. Sound and Vision 
9. All Along The Watchtower
10. I Am The Walrus 
11. Guiding Star
12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

2014 review by Crash Club

One of Neal McHarg's favourite albums of 2014 from one of his favourite bands

I first met Neal McHarg when Nevada Base ventured out to Ayrshire to play with Neal's band Crash Club. I admired the way he played the bass, there was real attitude. We got talking, discovered we shared similar taste in music  and have talked on and off ever since and when I got tickets to Primal Scream's secret show at the Poetry Club last year, Neal was one person I knew that would truly appreciate a ticket.

Neal's passion for music is clearly evident to anyone who has ever met him. He has a thirst for new music and a desire to delve back into musical history to discover all kinds of stuff.

Crash Club have really kicked on in 2014 and 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for them. They play King Tut's on New Year's Eve with Medicine Men and Tijuana Bibles.

I caught up with Neal to find out what he had been listening to through 2014. I'm sure you'll agree that it is a superbly eclectic mix. I hope Neal dj's sometime!

1. What singles/songs that have been released in 2014 have stood out for you?

the war on drugs -  red eyes
I remember hearing about them for a while and never really getting excited then I heard the new album and being blown away, this is the stand out for me.

Todd terje - Delorean Dynamite
thanks to a night out with Nevada base’s calum muir I discovered this track, the drive of the track just caught me straight away, yet parts of it sound so chilled, amazing mixture.

Medicine Men – Show What You're Made Of
Can’t get enough of this, tho big Ian defo gets enough of me telling him how much I love it ha. Brilliant groove and it just gets big as it goes on. Live wise its just unreal. 

Medicine Men

Tijuana bibles – Crucifixion
Dirty sleazy rock and roll at its finest, fat fuzzy bass line to tony’s husky vocal this is how rock n roll should sound.

Vigo Thieves – This Love
Remember hearing this for the first time on my way to Ayrshire and just feeling uplifted and having to listen to it over and over again, ridiculously catchy. 

   

2. What albums released in 2014 have you enjoyed?

black angels – clear lake forest
they really can’t do anything wrong in my eyes, yet another great explain of why their one of my favourite bands ever.

klaxons – love frequency
was really surprised by this, I wasn’t really a fan of the new rave stuff they done and we I listen to this for the time, I was amazed at how early 90’s influenced it was. Right up my street.

the war on drugs – lost in the dream
as I said earlier, the album is just outstanding.

deathcats -  all hail deathcats
got to love james and the boys, one of the hardest working bands in Glasgow and this album is great fuzz rock, Saturday night golden retriever is my personal stand out.
jagwar ma – the time and space machine dub sessions
Jagwar ma are right now my favourite band in the world, the album last year was unbelievable, and tho these sessions appeared on line last year, the vinyl only came out this year, and its so different track remixes yet still brilliant.



3. What old music/bands have you discovered/gone back to in 2014?

the bee gees – first 
they get a bad rep for cause of the whole disco stuff, but people forget how good the bee gees actually are! First is a 60’s classic.
john kongos – he’s gonna step on you again
all thanks to the happy Monday doing a cover of this with step on.  Love both but hadn’t really listened to the original for a long time.

supergrass – in it for the money
I miss supergrass loads, and with gaz releasing his next solo album, I went back and listened to my favourite supergrass album

Relaxed Muscle -  a heavy nite with…
my mate G loves Jarvis cocker during this part of his love, and when it was first out I wasn’t really listening to much of this period, but found my way back to it at the start of this year.

Nirvana- Bleach another album you kinda forget about just because what was to follow  blew your mind. brilliant all the same.

4. What has been the musical highlight of 2014 for you?

Seeing nine inch nails at primavera sounds was one hell of an experience so that is definitely a highlight, along with jagwar ma at the art school for stag and dagger.
but being asked to open for the klaxons and to finish of the year playing with 2 bands I love and have worked with in medicine men and Tijuana bibles will be up there as well. 

5. What are you plans for 2015?

We’re going to put out a vinyl with yoko pwno next year which will be brilliant to do, keep the momentum going for this year and step it up another level with the live show, introduce some visuals and stuff along with the lights, and target doing some festival shows this year.