Everyone loves a good cover, includiong Steven Meyers of Past Tense Of Never. They are having a ton of success with their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Policy Of Truth”. Check their single out and then take a look at Meyers’ list below!

Within the deep library of any person’s musical preferences, one can always find the iconic shelf labeled ‘covers’ in perfect view, ready to be spun on the stereo system at a moment’s notice, bringing back memories . We all have a fondness for hearing standards of the past remade into a modern fashion, with genres selected like a roulette wheel spinning out random numbers. Inspired by my own band Past Tense Of Never’s rendition of Policy Of Truth (https://spoti.fi/3egSVFI), a hit pop single by British synth pop overlords Depeche Mode, let’s take a trip through my personal top ten favorite covers; timeless classics both new and old, starting with a community choice of mine.

#10. Prowess – Saturday Night Special (https://spoti.fi/2zjgjnv)

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, this balls to the wall rock n’ roll band spent most of the past four years touring all over the United States. Their music reminds me of a handful of lovely stoners drinking on homemade whiskey with disappearing bubbles when shook. When playing their blazing rendition of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic, it’s easy to be swept back to a time when life was much simpler, cameras weren’t everywhere and nobody gave a fuck about Kim Kardashian. Want a trip to the best of 70’s and 80’s southern rock? Then get up with this cover, press play, light that sweet sativa and raise your glass of whiskey in honor of these five gentlemen.

#9. The Ataris – The Boys Of Summer (https://spoti.fi/3e9KADM)

Easily their biggest hit with over 65 million plays on Spotify, the Eagles’ frontman Don Henley and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty fame 1984 Halloween banger was given a much loved makeover by the quartet from Indiana. What sold me were the don’t give a fuck guitars that seemed to couple perfectly with vocalist Kris Roe’s infectious voice. It’s almost impossible not to speed in your vehicle when blasting this track. The way this song grabs you by the balls and demands you listen, that is a force to be respected.

#8. Alive In Barcelona – Bad At Love (https://spoti.fi/3c2RadM)

Nobody could take the smash Halsey track “Bad at Love” and bring it to apocalyptic levels like only this inspiring group of five humans from the Pacific Northwest. Once you hit play for the first time, there is a guarantee you will become addicted not only to the band, but their rendition as well; what fine people, too! I had the pleasure of working with Jesse Barton (strings/vocals) in Band Academy’s esteemed Spotify Playlist Challenge. Not only a hard working human, Barton consistently showcases what it means to run your band as both a successful business and a creative force to be reckoned with.

#7. Pearl Jam – Last Kiss (https://spoti.fi/36plXjY)

Wayne Cochran began working on Last Kiss in the summer of 1961. Inspired by the frequent car wrecks on his local highway, the tragically ironic part came when a group of local teenagers crashed their car in 1962. This led Wayne Cochran to go back and give the song its intense feel. Last Kiss eventually found international acclaim when grunge turned jam band Pearl Jam (no pun intended) took to the airwaves with their rendition of this Wayne Cochran tune. Is there anyone in the world who hasn’t listened to this teenage tragedy masterpiece who didn’t immediately love it? I say if you fall into the category who feels this song didn’t grab you right away, go get drunk and think about an ex you lost. Then play this song and lean back in your couch, turn on Love Actually and reminisce of times past with those loved gone onto whatever heaven is.

#6. Faith No More – Easy (https://spoti.fi/2A5vhgG)

Is there one person in this world that hasn’t heard of Faith No More in one way or another? This band floored me with their iconic release “The Real Thing”. The cassette I had as a ten year old was permanently stuck in the Kool Aid walkman my father had gotten me for Christmas. Two years later, “Angel Dust” drops, guaranteeing my perception of rock never being the same again. Originally issued as a double A-side single with their ode to Roddy Bottum’s coming out, “Be Aggressive”, the Lionel Ritchie penned track found itself with three different names depending on the region it was released in. Tracks like Easy made it into their acclaimed live shows, generally to piss off the metal purists expecting to hear War Pigs. Honestly, I think that’s funny as hell. Sounds like some shit my band would do.

#5. September Mourning – Stand By Me (https://spoti.fi/2XjO8MQ)

My first interaction with September Mourning was in 2017 at the then Rock Shop in Fayetteville. Instantly I was hooked on their catchy songs, vocalist Emily Lazar’s captivating and multi octave voice and the comic book setup – holy fuck, a plethora of awesomeness, right there on stage. Not only does this transmorphic act take hold of your senses both visual and auditory; they happen to have one of the heaviest renditions of a classic I’ve heard in a long time. If you believe that it is impossible to inject musical amphetamine into Ben E. King’s 1961 classic, September Mourning immediately proves you wrong with their rendition. Also to its credit, Stand By Me has been recorded over 400 times by many artists both domestic and international. That list includes California pop rockers Weezer, but we will get to them later.

#4. Kevlar – Dark Horse (https://spoti.fi/2XpoBlI)

Even Katy Perry in her wildest dreams probably couldn’t imagine how deep down the rabbit hole a group of four killer musicians would be able to take her single Dark Horse to. Still, Kevlar managed to drop a version with all the successful elements of a djent-ish rendition; drops, chugs and smashing drums with matching low end. Let’s not forget vocalist Kelci Margaret, who captures the attention of anyone listening, taunting you with her first melodic, then brutal vocal techniques. Kevlar’s version is hands down one of my absolute renditions of a pop song.

#3. KrashKarma – Cruel Summer (https://spoti.fi/3gje3x4)

Holy shit. Take this Bananarama song, combine it with an act like the acclaimed Sonny and Cher from Hell, and out of the blender comes a murderously sensual version of this 80’s chart topper. Calling Los Angeles home, this iconic duo came onto my radar on Spotify, in one of my Daily Mix playlists. Hungry for more, I went to their Spotify, hit Follow, and from there became enamored with their library of music. The production as well is exceptionally impressive! Thundering drums, emotionally invoking synthesizers combined with a luscious vocal performance and the perfect amount of low end to carry the bottom Hz’s into play. Yes, I love the original, but goddammit, this version absolutely slays on every level.

#2. Weezer – Africa (https://spoti.fi/2TCDU9k)

Everybody has heard Toto’s instantly memorable piece Africa, they’ve sung to it drunkenly in karaoke bars across the world, and plenty of artists have covered it. This action is almost somewhat a rite of passage in learning to perform this track. But then Rivers Cuomo said, “Hold my hash pipe” and proceeded to churn out a version that brought back the best of the Blue Album with a lip synch performance by none other than his Holiness of Weird, the Pope of Motherfuckin’ Polka himself, Weird Al Yankovic. Imagine hearing a well produced recording with appropriate dynamic range, loud when it needs to be and chill at the appropriate stations of the song. It’s simply awesome in every way, and I believe that Jeff Porcaro would be very proud.

Which leads me to my all time favorite cover, and a second appearance from an all time favorite band of mine…

#1. Faith No More – This Guy’s In Love With You (https://spoti.fi/2TE0gaK)

There is nothing, I repeat, nothing, that Mike Patton cannot sing. The man has a vocal range of six octaves and the energy of a rabbit jacked up on Red Bull. From Faith No More to Peeping Tom, to Mondo Cane, to Fantomas to Dead Cross, Patton continues a decades old career of showing vocalists just exactly how the fuck it’s done. And while some may have expected me to pick a cover that slays or breaks windows when turned to 11, my apologies to disappoint. When my ears were first blessed to hear their take on a Burt Bacharach & Hal David penned song that Herb Alpert recorded lead vocals on originally, it was astounding to me that such emotion could be invoked with simple instruments. Hell, even Nancy Sinatra, Dionne Warwick and The Reels gave it a go. As talented as those three performing acts are, there is no way in my mind that they can ever hold a candle to the version Faith No More cranked out.

I really hope you enjoyed my top ten list of favorite covers! Do you have a suggestion of a rendition I should listen to? Email me at stevenmeyersjr@gmail.com and let me hear what you have to say!

Written by Steven Meyers

Edited by Monica Buhr

Steven Meyers is a producer, sound designer, multi instrumentalist and current guitarist/soundscaper of industrial postprog band Past Tense Of Never. He loves crocheting pentagrams into meatloaf and has a fond affinity for Christopher Titus comedy specials. You can find him creating music in his hometown of Saxapahaw, North Carolina or recording artists all over the Piedmont Triad. Contact him at stevenmeyersjr@gmail.com.

Monica Buhr is a writer, singer, artist and founder of Creating a Village, a group dedicated to helping people in their communities connect with each other. She enjoys playing The Sims and putting the people into their own little jails, and has a deep love for all things chocolate. Email her at monicalynne0106@gmail.com.