Fun Trivia : Bands in Songs

Structure Sub-topic of: Something in Common Quizzes Interesting Questions, Facts and Information There are a total of 30 general entries. Special Topics Band Names In Song Titles Musical Allusion

Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

Bands in Songs

Pavement once wrote a song about R.E.M. For Pavement, who are usually pretty absurd, it's got a very straightforward lyric, listing some facts about R.E.M., mingled with some personal observations like "Time After Time was my least favourite song." Only at the end do they go off on a tangent about Georgia. Anyway, what's the title of the song?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Unseen Power Of The Picket Fence. "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence" first appeared on the 1993 benefit album "No Alternative", which also featured contributions from Bob Mould, Breeders, Nirvana, Sonic Youth ... Pavement wrote quite a few other songs about other people. When The Fall singer Mark E. Smith accused Pavement of totally ripping of his band, badly, and buying a Mercedes with the profits, singer Stephen Malkmus reacted by composing the ditty "Mark E Smith", in which he proclaims that Smith used to work for him and stole all his ideas. They only played this song live a few times. Then there was the "Range Life" debacle. The lyrics to that one went: "Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins. Nature kids, I ... They don't have no function. I don't understand what they mean. And I could really give a ... Stone Temple Pilots, they're elegant bachelors. They're foxy to me. Are they foxy to you? I will agree, they deserve. Absolutely nothing. Nothing more than me". It has been said, though nothing's officially confirmed, that in 1994 Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan had Pavement kicked off the Lollapalooza tour, due to these lyrics.



In 1996 Love singer Arthur Lee fell foul of California's 'three strikes and you're out'-law and was imprisoned for eight to twelve years. One band quickly sprang into action and released the song "Free Arthur Lee". What band?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


The Make Up. During an argument with a neighbour Arthur Lee reportedly fired a gun into the air. He was arrested and convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and reckless discharge of a firearm. He had had earlier convictions: assorted drug charges, two alleged arson incidents (he once broke into an ex-girlfriend's apartment and tried to burn it down), and driving without insurance since 1963. He received eight to twelve years. He was released in 2001, though. Whether the Make Up song - in which they describe him as a seer and a teacher - had anything to do with this, is unconfirmed. In April 2006 Lee was diagnosed with leukaemia.



In 1993 Pixies singer Frank Black recorded a tribute to The Ramones for his first solo album, also called 'Frank Black'. At first it may not be obvious that it's a tribute to the Ramones, because he doesn't mention them by name. But it is definitely aimed at them. What's the song called?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


I Heard Ramona Sing. "I Heard Ramona Sing" sounds nothing like The Ramones, but it's a beautiful tribute nonetheless. "I had so many problems. And then I got me a walkman. I really liked it a lot and - they walked right in and they solved them. They walked right in and they solved them - I heard Ramona sing. And I heard everything. The speed they’re traveling. They are the only thing. Ramona."



When Lou Barlow was kicked out of Dinosaur Jr. for 'not getting along' with singer J Mascis, he focused his attentions on Sebadoh, a very lo-fi project he started two years earlier. A lot of songs from this period are about his former bandmate, but one especially. Which song goes: "Now you will be free. With no sick people tugging on your sleeve. Your big head has that 'more room to grow'. A glory I will never know"?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


The Freed Pig. A few years after the sacking of Barlow, original drummer Murph also left the group. Dinosaur Jr. effectively became a solo project for Mascis. In 2000 he started recording under his own name, as J Mascis & the Fog. Then in 2004 it was suddenly announced that the original line-up - JayLouMurph - was doing a reunion tour. These three guys who supposedly hated each other and hadn't been on speaking terms for years, were suddenly touring again. One of the greatest rifts between band members ever, seemed to have cleared up all by itself. And it cleared out beautifully, cos now it's 2006 and Dinosaur Jr are still touring ...



In 1984 Julian Cope released his second solo album: "Fried". On it was a song about his former manager and KLF frontman Bill Drummond - who once suggested that Cope commit suicide in order to boost record sales - titled "Bill Drummond Said". What was Drummond's answer in song called?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Julian Cope Is Dead. The song appeared on Drummond's only solo album, "The Man" (1987). Unrelated info: former Soft Boys frontman Robyn Hitchcock wrote a song called "I Dreamed I Saw Julian Cope" in the early 90s. He only played it live and never recorded it. Hitchcock also wrote a song called "I Saw Nick Drake", which was used in a Volkswagen ad in 1999.



Famous recluse and studio wizzard Kevin Shields sort of dropped off the radar after finishing the album "Loveless" (1991) with his band My Bloody Valentine. In 1999 a certain band thought he was gone long enough and released the single "Where on Earth is Kevin Shields". What was the name of this band?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


PS I Love You. Shields never completely disappeared though. From the mid-90s on he did a lot of producing and (re)mixing work (ao. for Dinosaur Jr, Yo La Tengo, Primal Scream, Mogwai, J Mascis, ...). After working on Primal Scream's "Exterminator" (2000) - or "Xtrmntr" as it's better known - he joined the band. He even toured with them when "Evil Heat" (2002) was released. He also received a lot of praise for his contributions to the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola's "Lost In Translation" (2003). That's where on earth Kevin Shields is!



Experimental guitarist Alan Licht - formerly of Run On - released a 7" single in 1994 called "Calvin Johnson Has Ruined Rock For An Entire Generation" A New York band reacted immediately and wrote a song called "Alan Licht Has Ruined Music For An Entire Generation". Which band?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Free Kitten. Sub Pop records publicist Nils Berstein came up with the slogan 'Calvin Johnson Has Ruined Rock For An Entire Generation' as a playful dig at their 'rival' independent records mogul (Johnson is head of K Records; and singer with Dub Narcotic Sound System). Berstein printed up some t-shirts with the slogan and gave one of them to Licht. Licht then used the slogan as title for his 7". In a 1995 interview with Teen Looch he said the following: ""It's not that much of a 'statement', just a t-shirt Nils Berstein gave me. I have a t-shirt that says 'Wheelchair Sports' on it, I could have called it that too." In 1996 Licht released a cd called "The Evan Dando Of Noise?". A reaction from the former Lemonhead hasn't surfaced yet. Free Kitten was made up of Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Julia Cafritz (ex-Pussy Galore, ex-Action Swingers), Mark Ibold (ex-Pavement) and Yoshimi P-WE (Boredoms).



At the beginning of his career Jonathan Richman was very much influenced by this particular band. His first record - "Modern Lovers" (1976) by The Modern Lovers - sounded a lot like this same band. Later he said he didn't care much for his own debut record, but he still wrote a song about his favorite band. Which band?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Velvet Underground. "Modern Lovers" was recorded in 1972-'73 but only released years later. By this time the original Modern Lovers had split up and Richman had formed a new band with a much softer sound. That's why he didn't like the record anymore, because it was quite an underground hit, but he didn't make that sort of music anymore. The original Modern Lovers were Richman of course, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), David Robinson (The Cars), John Felice (The Real Kids) and Ernie Brooks (David Johansen's band). The song "Velvet Underground" appeared on the 1992 album "I, Jonathan". Who's he anyway, you ask? The guy with the guitar up the tree in "There's Something About Mary", OK. In 2006 The Television Personalities also released a song called "Velvet Underground", on their "My Dark Places" album. It features lines like "Don't sit under the apple tree, with anyone but Lou Reed".



In 1987 the Replacements released the album "Pleased To Meet Me". On it they paid tribute to their favorite singer. The chorus contained the lines "Children by the million sing for ... ... when he comes ’round. They sing I’m in love. What’s that song? I’m in love with that song." Who do the children sing for?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Alex Chilton. At the age of 16 Chilton was singer with The Box Tops, who scored a huge hit single with "The Letter" (1967). Because he was considered too young, he was given no say in the material The Box Tops recorded, so he left them. In 1970 he recorded a solo album, which was shelved until 1996. After that he formed the powerpop band Big Star. They released three legendary albums. Later he released the garagerock standard "Like Flies On Sherbert" (1979) and produced the first records by The Cramps. With drummer Jody Stephens and aided by members of The Posies he started Big Star back up again. They released an album - "In Space" - in 2005. His influence can't be overestimated. His songs were covered ao. by Teenage Fanclub, Placebo, This Mortal Coil, The Replacements, The Bangles, Garbage, Magnapop, The Walkabouts and Evan Dando.



After splitting from The Box Tops singer Alex Chilton recorded sessions for a solo album. He recorded a song called "I Wish I Could Meet Elvis", in which he expresses his desire to meet The King 'to see what's behind that crooked smile'. He also suggests "It sure would blow my mind ..." if what happened?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


"If Elvis would drop me a line.". Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Memphis. In 1985 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds released the album "The Firstborn Is Dead", which featured the song "Tupelo". It contains lyrics that refer to Elvis' birth: "Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals. And a child is born on his brothers heels. Come Sunday morn the first-born dead. In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red. Tupelo! Hey Tupelo! In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red." Elvis' twin brother, Jesse Garon, died at birth and Cave gives this a very biblical twist. As he does with everything.



The Welsh Teen Anthems is a sonic terrorist outfit. Sometimes they create a happy mashup of pop hits, other times they write nice pop tunes like "Welsh Bands Suck" - all in the name of subverting the medium. In 1996 they released the 7" called "I Hate Oasis (And I Hate The Beatles Too)", for which they became infamous. Other artists aren't safe either. Who is the Anti-Christ according to them?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Paul Weller. Teen Anthems operate under different names: Teen Anthems, Steps Pistols, Supercute, Samo Hung. Among their releases are: "Boyzone Kill Hippies", "Never Mind The Boy Rock Here's The Steps Pistols" and "Paul Weller = Anti-Christ". They're pretty funny. Check out their MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/teenanthems



Not everyone hates The Beatles, though. Which English band recorded the ode called "The Beatles And The Stones"?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


House Of Love. A certain sentence in the chorus of this 1990 tribute to The Beatles and The Stones - I can't believe they forgot about The Rolling Who - has often been the source of much merriment: "The Beatles and the Stones. Sucked the marrow out of bone. Put the 'V' in Vietnam. The Beatles and the Stones. Made it good to be alone." Very moving indeed. So there once was a country named Ietnam, was there?



The indie supergroup P only released one album, called 'P' (1995), which featured the song 'Michael Stipe'. The singer for P was Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), the percussionist was actor Sal Jenko ('Donnie Brasco', 'Arizona Dream') and it also featured contributions from Steve Jones (ex-Sex Pistols), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Andrew Weiss (ex-Rollins Band, Ween), Chuck E. Weiss (the man Rickie Lee Jones sang about in 'Chuck E's In Love). Who was P's guitar player?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Johnny Depp. "Michael Stipe" namedrops a few other people: Sofia Coppola and River Phoenix for example. P was actually playing a gig in Johnny Depp's LA club The Viper Room on the night that Phoenix took an overdose there and passed away. Depp is a pretty good guitar player. He's contributed music to albums by Shane McGowan & the Popes, Iggy Pop, Goran Bregovic, Chuck E. Weiss and even Oasis. Years before this song was recorded Gibby Haynes and his band desecrated R.E.M.'s tour bus with a little poem: "Michael Stipe. Spread the hype. We'd like to suck on your bagpipe ..."



The Japanese band Shonen Knife had a lot of fans among the 80s underground guitar bands, long before they even released a record in America. Among them were Sonic Youth, White Flag, L7, Lunachicks, and later Nirvana. But their most vocal supporters were Redd Kross, who even recorded a song called "Shonen Knife". What was Shonen Knife's reaction?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


They wrote a song called "Redd Kross".. "Shonen Knife" appeared on Redd Kross' 1990 album "Third Eye". Shonen Knife sang a few songs about themselves as well: "Shonen Knife" on their "712" (1991) album and "Shonen Knife Planet" on "Happy Hour" (1998). Other bands that wrote songs about Shonen Knife: Benzene (Korean skate core - "For Shonen Knife"), Graverobbers (DC poppunk - "Shonen Knife") and Wesley Willis ("Shonen Knife"). Redd Kross were called Red Cross at first, but when the international Red Cross threatened with litigation they changed it into Redd Kross. Later, when they used a red cross in the artwork for some poster, the international Red Cross came a-threatening again.



At the beginning of their career the bands Sonic Youth and Swans often played live together. They were part of the same scene. This inspired some musicians to record the 7" single "Sonic Yoot / Swan Jovi" (1987) under the pseudonym Swanic Youth. Who were these musicians?

Songs About Other Bands : #1


Peter Holsapple (ex-the dBs and sometime R.E.M. collaborator) and Mykel Board (journalist for Maximum Rocknroll magazine). Sonic Youth'ers Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo used to play in Glenn Branca's guitar orchestra, as did Swans' Michael Gira. In a 1987 interview they had the following to say about the Swanic Youth single: Interviewer: "What do you think of Swanic Youth?" Thurston Moore: "It's kind of silly. I don't know." Lee Ranaldo: "I wish I could hear it. I haven't heard it." Moore: "Really? The only thing I don't like about it is that some people say they hear it on the radio and the DJ says it's us and the Swans together. They actually believe it's like a compilation." It's a pretty cool single though, especially the a-side: a mangled calypso track, with vocals declaring "Thurston Moore, he big and strong. He write the dynamic songs." Check it out.



Sleater-Kinney's "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone" was on their second album. What was it called?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Call the Doctor. "Call the Doctor" was released in 1996. Their 1997 release "Dig Me Out" brought them wider attention. The chorus to "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone" goes as follows: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wanna be your Joey Ramone. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Pictures of me on your bedroom door. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Invite you back after the show. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm the queen of rock and roll." Though in the second chorus they replace Joey's name with that of Thurston Moore.



The Liverpudlian group Those Naughty Lumps debuted around the same time as Echo & the Bunnymen, the Teardrop Explodes, Big In Japan, Wah!, and their ilk. They released only a single and an EP. What was the title of this vestibular single?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Iggy Pop's Jacket. Those Naughty Lumps were formed in the summer of 1977, by Peter Hart, Kevin Wilkinson (later of China Crisis, Robert Fripp & The League Of Gentlemen and the Waterboys), Martin ‘Armadillo’ Cooper (later of O.M.D.), Tony Mitchell and Pete 'Kid' Younger (later of Wah! Heat). "Iggy Pop's Jacket" was released in 1979. It was the second 7" on Zoo Records. Zoo records founders Bill Drummond (KLF) and David Balfe (The Teardrop Explodes) played guitar and bass on the single. The lyrics ran thus: "I touched/Iggy Pop's Jacket it was/made out of leather/Iggy Pop's Jacket I could/have worn it forever."



When Pink Floyd guitar player David Gilmour heard the song "I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives" by the Television Personalities, he invited that band to support him on his first solo tour, in 1984. After a few gigs the TV Personalities were kicked off the tour, because singer Dan Treacy had done something to offend Gilmour. What?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


He told the audience at a London gig the actual address of the famous recluse.. In 2000 the band The Mr. T Experience released an EP called "The Miracle of Shame". On it was a song called "I Don't Know Where Dan Treacy Lives". It went: "Dan Treacy always was my idol. I still think of him whenever I'm. Feeling vaguely suicidal. Which is nearly all the time. So it's ominous and weird. That he's completely disappeared. I don't know where Dan Treacy lives. I heard he just dropped out of sight. And no one knows where Dan Treacy lives. But I hope he's alright." Treacy had indeed dropped off the face of the earth. Between 1996 and 2004 no-one knew of his whereabouts. It was rumoured that he was homeless or even dead. Then it turned out he was incarcerated, for drugs-related crimes, on a prison boat, in Dorset. In 2006 the Television Personalities made a brilliant comeback with the hugely entertaining and rather moving album "My Dark Places".



In 2003 The Flaming Lips released the song "Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me)" on the b-side for their single "Fight Test". This was, of course, a little nod to The White Stripes' frontman Jack White. What's the other connection that the Flaming Lips share with the White Stripes?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


The Flaming Lips covered "7 Nation Army" by the White Stripes.. The Flaming Lips started covering "7 Nation Army" live on stage. A recording of this was released on a compilation album that the Flaming Lips put together themselves, called "Late Night Tales". This features their favourite bands: Björk, Miles Davis, Chris Bell, Faust, Roxy Music, Alfie, Aphex Twin, Mice Parade, Chameleons, Chemical Brothers, Love And Rockets, Lush, Psychedelic Furs, Nick Drake, Sebadoh, Radiohead, 10CC, Brian Eno, David Shrigley.



LCD Soundsystem - the band formed by James Murphy, one half of the kings of the dancefloor production team DFA - released an album in 2005. The opening track regales us with a story about how a certain hip dance act is playing in their living room. I think it's got something to do with the way they (the band) perceive how we (the public) perceive their glamorous lives as international underground jet-set warriors. Or something. Anyway, what's the song called?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Daft Punk Is Playing At My House. LCD Soundsystem's debut single - "Losing My Edge" (2002) - was a genius pisstake of musical trainspotters; people who can't talk about anything but their record collections and the shows they've seen. Yup, like me. Anyway, it mentioned bands like Can ("I was there at the first Can show in Cologne"), Suicide ("I was there in 1974 at the first Suicide practices in a loft in New York City"), Captain Beefheart ("I was there when Captain Beefheart started up his first band. I told him, "Don't do it that way. You'll never make a dime."), Daft Punk ("I was the first guy playing Daft Punk to the rock kids. I played it at CBGB's"), Larry Levan, Beach Boys, Modern Lovers, Niagra, Yaz, This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses, Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, the Germs, Section 25, Althea and Donna, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby, PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, the Human League, the Normal, Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Monks, Joy Division, Lower 48, the Association, Sun Ra, Scientists, Royal Trux, 10cc, Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel, Soulsonic Force, Juan Atkins, David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil Scott Heron!, the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines, the Swans, the Soft Cell, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics ...



In 1989 Mojo Nixon and his pal Skid Roper released a song in which they claimed that a certain teeny bopper pop star was pregnant with his two-headed love child. Which teeny bopper was this?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Debbie Gibson. You can find "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child" on the "Root-Hog Or Die" album. They also released songs called "Stuffin' Martha's Muffin'" (cfr. MTV VJ Martha Quinn, not Martha & The Muffins - 1986), "Elvis Is Everywhere" (1987) and "Don Henley Must Die" (Nixon solo - 1990). The Pixies' drummer Dave Lovering was at one point obsessed with Debbie Gibson. That's why singer Black Francis wrote the song "Make Believe" for him/about her. It appeared on the b-side of the "Velouria" (1990) single, and later on the "Complete B Sides" (2001) compilation.



In 1991 the rap crew Young Black Teenagers released the single "To My Donna", which was actually an attack on Madonna. Why?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


She'd sampled their heroes Public Enemy, without acknowledging them.. Madonna's "Justify My Love" single used the Public Enemy track "Security of the First World" as a rhythm track. Madonna denied any previous knowledge of the PE track and also said that Lenny Kravitz wrote the song, so she didn't know what had happened. Kravitz later claimed that he found the track on a cassette in his studio and had presumed it was something he'd knocked up earlier. Public Enemy used a lot of samples themselves, so they decided not to sue.



In 1984 Psychic TV released a single called "Godstar". It was their tribute to a legendary musician. The song was supposed to be part of the soundtrack for a movie about the life and times of this said rock star, which was supposed to have started shooting in 1986. But it wasn't until 2005 that a movie about the star appeared. Who was the 'godstar'?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Brian Jones. "Stoned" (2005) was directed by Stephen Woolley and didn't have anything to do with the previous plans for making a film about Brian Jones. Genesis P-Orridge (ex-Throbbing Gristle) and his band Psychic TV recorded and entire soundtrack for that failed project. The songs were originally released on three separate recordings during the 80's. In 2004 they were finally compiled on a double cd. Psychic TV also recorded a tribute to Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, called "I.C. Water".



The lyrics of The Bloodhound Gang's "Why Is Everybody Always Pickin' On Me?" aren't really about him, but the chorus goes "The drummer from Def Leppard's only got one arm ..." What is this drummer called?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Rick Allen. Brian Downey was in Thin Lizzy. Sale Griffin was in Mott The Hoople. And Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey played with David Bowie - he was one of the Spiders From Mars. Rick Allen lost his arm in a car accident, on New Years Eve 1984. He'd joined the band at the age of 15, in 1978. Def Leppard waited until he was able to drum again, and only surfaced again in 1987. The chorus of the Bloodhound Gang song seems to be a totally random line. In an interview on the lollipop.com website singer Jimmy Pop says: "The line 'the drummer from Def Leppard's only got one arm' I specifically remember writing. I was driving from Chucktown back to Philly in the snow, and I was thinking of all the musicians who'd had car crashes."



In 1985 The Fall released the album "This Nation's Saving Grace". On it was the song "I Am Damo Suzuki", a tribute to the singer of a famous Krautrock band. Which one?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Can. Kenji 'Damo' Suzuki was Can's singer between 1970 and 1973. They discovered him busking on the streets of Munich. When he was asked to replace their first singer, Malcolm Mooney, he joined Can live on stage that very same evening. After four albums - which are generally considered to be their best - he left Can and retired from music, to become a Jehovah's witness. In 1983 he started making music again, and to this day he performs with the Damo Suzuki Band: a very loosely composed band that completely improvises all their gigs.



In 2001 a compilation of songs by retired Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett was released. This gathered some songs from his only two solo albums and some previously released outtakes. Hence the compilation was sold on the inclusion of one never before released track. Which one?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Bob Dylan's Blues. The 2001 compilation was called "Wouldn't You Miss Me", and included seven songs from "The Madcap Laughs" (1970), nine from "Barrett" (1970) and four from the 'odds & sods' compilation "Opel" (1989). "Bob Dylan's Blues" was a pastiche of Bob Dylan's style: "Got the Bob Dylan blues. And the Bob Dylan shoes. And my clothes and my hair's in a mess. But you know. I just couldn't care less." The chorus goes: "Cos I'm a poet. Doncha know it. And the wind, you can blow it. Cos I'm Mr. Dylan, the King. And I'm free as a bird on the wing." It was probably one of the first songs Barrett ever wrote, somewhere around 1963. It was recorded during a session in early 1970 and was unearthed in Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour's private archive.



When the Sex Pistols split up during their American tour in 1978, there was a lot of bitterness and anger involved. So much that years later former Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook felt compelled to release the single "The Magnificent" (1981), which was all about their former bandmate Johnny Rotten. What was their band called at that time?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


The Professionals. "The Magnificent" featured a send-up of the sound of John Lydon/Johnny Rotten's new band PiL - scratchy guitar and all - and lyrics like "Who put you on the wall? Who's the one who has to watch you fall? Who put you on a pedastal? Who's the one who ends up as the fool?" It was a bit of a 'hey, we-made-you'-statement, but it pales next to Lydon's own reflections on his past. Public Image Limited's debut single - "Public Image" (1978) - was a vitriolic attack on former manager Malcolm McLaren and on the way he was perceived by the public. Then there was "Albatross", the opening track of their magnum opus "Metal Box" (1979), another scathing putdown of McLaren: "Getting rid of the albatross. Sowing seeds of discontent. I know you very well. You are unbearable." The third album, and its title track - "Flowers Of Romance" (1981) - referenced former Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious. In 1976 Vicious had been in a band with Keith Levene (ex-the Clash, later of PiL), Viv Albertine and Palmolive (both later with the Slits), called The Flowers Of Romance; a name suggested by John Lydon. The band was actually started by two other girls, Jo Faull and Sarah Hall, who used to be the girlfriends of Pistols Jones and Cook.



Before they finally split up in 1996, the Ramones would sometimes play a song called "R.A.M.O.N.E.S". This was a tribute song for themselves. They had not written it themselves though, but liked it so much that they decided to cover it. Who first performed "R.A.M.O.N.E.S."?

Songs About Other Bands : #2


Motörhead. "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." appeared on the Motörhead album "1916" (1991). Even though Motörhead has always been labelled hard rock or metal, Lemmy and his gang had a big affection for the punk scene. For example, they released records on the Stiff records label, which was mostly a punk label (The Damned, The Adverts, Plasmatics ...). Singer Lemmy Kilminster also said: ""We are half punk, half metal and half rock and roll". That's three halves of course, but Motörhead has always possessed that little extra more.