Mutineers Tell Me All About Their New Single, Give it A Listen Here!

Manchester has always contributed the hottest bands to the British music scene and the Mutineers are no exception to the rule. Their debut album,  Friends, Lovers, Rivals flourished on the underground scene due to the loyalty and word of mouth of their fan base.  The four Mancunian lads started out in 2010 and can add names such as Pete Doherty, Bad Lieutenant and Wintersleep to those who they have supported on tour.

The exciting news arrived today that a new single 'Tell Me Why' is to be released on Monday 23rd September and I was treated to a sneak peek to the single. Here the Mutineer lads tell me all we need to know about their upcoming single.

Summarize the single in 3 words

Mutineers: Upbeat/vibey/ Fresh

The lyrics to 'Tell Me Why' are quite haunting, is there a story or inspiration behind it?

Mutineers: It's a bit more imagery led than a lot of lyrics from the 1st album and some of it touches upon an interest in Greek mythology. Other than that, we prefer people to take what they like from the lyrics and form their own ideas. It keeps a certain level of mystique intact.

Compared to other tracks, 'Tell Me Why' has more of an electric dance vibe to it, does this mean you're moving in a new direction with your music?

Mutineers: The new album songs have a different vibe in that they're a bit more rhythmic and seem to be a little bit bouncier to get up and play life. The important thing for this record is that we've kept the melody at the forefront, which was the thing that made the 1st album so good. We've had our own studio set up which in some ways helps us experiment much more with our sound without having to check the clock.

Who will be your support act for your upcoming mini-tour?

Mutineers: We'll be playing 5 shows and there will be different support acts in every city. We've had a hand who is supporting on most of the shows. It's great for us to mix it up a bit - we get to watch some ace bands as well as play our own show. You should all check out Bison & Wolf who are opening for us in Manchester and Harriet Jones who's doing the London leg.


Be sure to check out 'Tell Me Why' and join the lads on one of these tour dates.

Warrington Friars Court - 12th October

Manchester Sound Control - 17th October

London Rattlesnake - 18th October

Glasgow Pivo Pivo - 2nd November

Leeds Cockpit - 16th November

                                                     

When Covers Are Better Than The Original

I'm not always one that 'approves' as such of those who rip off other artists' materials and there is nothing more infuriating than when it does happen, but at the risk of upsetting many dedicated music fans, there are quite a few covers of classic song that (dare I say it) are better than the original. Maybe this is because sometimes it is easier to identify ways in which to improve a song from an outside perspective, or it's just been adapted to suit the tastes of a certain genre, deeming it more likeable to an individual's ears.

Below I have picked out a few of my favourite examples of where an artist has covered a classic, and in my opinion, have done a much better job of it.


Oasis: I am The Walrus by The Beatles

It is no secret that the Gallagher brothers admired The Beatles far more than they admire one another and this cover of the drug-fuelled 'I am The Walrus' is a fitting tribute to the four mopheads. Oasis released their live version of 'I am The Walrus' as a B side to their better known single 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' in 1994. Although I have always loved the original, there have been times when the imagery of 'yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye' combined with the monotony of Lennon's voice has made me feel as though the Liverpudlian lads were pumping funky-brownies through my speakers. For me it is the slow, steady guitar rhythm that makes me feel uncomfortably freaked.
 However, Oasis did a fantastic job of adapting the track for us less hippy inclined rock 'n' rollers by including guitar solos alongside a heavier drum rhythm. This combined with Gallagher's vocals makes it ideal for those who would choose moshing over chasing dragons.

Nirvana: The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie

Another iconic cover that was released in 1994 is courtesy of Nirvana covering Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' which featured on their MTV Unplugged in New York album.  The melancholic riffs and reflective, sombre lyrics is everything that Kurt Cobain was. Watching the performance we can almost believe that Cobain was The Man Who Sold the World'.  Was Bowie bitter the cover was so successful that many thought that it was a Nirvana track? Not at all! 'It was a good straightforward rendition and sounded somehow very honest' he mused (although he did reportedly get a little peeved when fans told him that they liked that he had performed a Nirvana cover).

Echo and the Bunnymen: People Are Strange by The Doors

The Doors originally released the lonely ballad of 'People Are Strange' in 1967 which managed to reach the top ten charts. Although the jaunty chord progression deems it worthy of being a blues anthem for all the lone wolves out there, it doesn't half tug on the heart strings. There is very little that differs in the cover by Echo and the Bunnymen, which was released as the soundtrack for the 1987 cult classic film 'Lostboys', except for a bigger emphasis on the guitar riffs which strips away the 'wild west' imagery which the Doors created in the original.