1. mashers

    mashers Contributor Contributor Community Volunteer

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    My cover of “Life On Mars”

    Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by mashers, Feb 26, 2018.

    I’ve been working on my voice recently, and decided to record a version of Life On Mars. Maybe some members here will enjoy it :)

     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2018
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  2. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    It's a cool song you've chosen!

    Question: I know you're from England, so I guess you come by your accent honestly, but your delivery sounds an awful lot like David Bowie. Were you just covering the song or were you consciously trying to imitate Bowie's original? I don't mean to offend, but it seems there isn't much mashers in this, but a whole boatload of Bowie.

    When I sing someone else's song, I usually put in a fair amount of work to come up with my own version that doesn't sound like the original. (This is usually pretty easy for me, because my voice is pitched lower than the voices of most rock singers. Also, I'm naturally more of a turtle than a hare, so my tempos are generally slower than the originals.) I don't like my own performances when they sound like the originals - I keep thinking I haven't injected enough me into the song.

    Still, you sound good. And big props to you for posting this! I don't have the guts to post my stuff - besides, all my recording equipment is in storage, so I can't anyway. :superagree: :cheerleader:
     
  3. mashers

    mashers Contributor Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Thank you, I love this song (along with most of Bowie's work, especially his earlier work)./

    Yes, I was absolutely deliberately trying to introduce his style into this. I'm not offended at all. I am actually incredibly flattered that you saw his style in there, as it shows I was getting it right. I do definitely have my own style, which comes across much more in my own work. I am able to cover songs using my own style too, but for this one I wanted to get as close to Bowie as I could. It was a personal challenge, and I'm happy with the result overall.

    I think it's quite hard to cover Bowie in an original way. He was unique, and embodied his songs. If it wasn't him performing it, it isn't really the same song in my opinion. What I would say is that Bowie had much more 'ease' with his voice. He could hit the high and powerful notes with the only sign of strain being a slightly raised eyebrow. He was absolutely incredible. I'm not professionally trained as a singer (though I am as a musician), so you can see that I have to use my whole body to even come a fraction of the way to what he was able to do. His voice was also cleaner than mine, which is a bit more gravelly than his was in his early years (it changed over time, and he could absolutely produce a gravelly tone if he chose to). I do naturally sing in a deadpan, "British" way, which is a result of growing up listening to Blur, Radiohead et al.

    Thank you, I'm flattered that you thought so :) I wouldn't have done this 6 months ago either. 6 months ago I had just been pulled out of the sea and was under house arrest. I set myself a personal goal to do this, and now I've done it.
     
  4. mashers

    mashers Contributor Contributor Community Volunteer

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    By the way, I'm re-recording some of my original work, so you'll be able to hear my personal style of delivery in that. It's definitely influenced by Bowie/Morrisey/Albarn/Yorke etc., but I've developed a style of my own I think. I just find it hard to use it when I'm singing someone else's song.
     
  5. mashers

    mashers Contributor Contributor Community Volunteer

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    One other thing to add is that this recording is more of a tribute than a cover. It's an expression of the influence Bowie has had on me, so it felt apt to approximate his style as closely as I was able.
     
  6. mashers

    mashers Contributor Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Ziggy Stardust :cool:

     
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