After a six year delay, R. Kelly has finally gone on trial today. Kelly stands accused of child pornography having videotaped himself having sex with a minor roughly ten years ago. Apparently a small contingency of media & protesters surrounded the court building, including two guys holding a banner reading "R. Kelly: world's greatest pedophile". Oh lord...

Could this be the new 'Trial of the Century'? Will Kelly reach the dizzy lows of Jackson or OJ? Personally I'm holding out for his 'Crimes Against Music' trial. That should be a humdinger.

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A while back I wrote about a few different cover versions I thought weere good. Bands putting a different spin on the original. It can be found here
since then ive heard some new good ones and remembered some classic that i can't believe i forgot so i present cover versions part 2 (in the read more)

First up we have Big black (in case you don't know Big Black was a noise rock band founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, that was active between 1982 and 1987. They were headed by singer, lyricist, guitarist, and co-songwriter Steve Albini) doing a cover of Kraftwerk's "The Model" (or "Das Model") here's the original.

Kraftwerk - The Model


In Big Black's version the synths are replaced with that sick bass sound and high pitched guitar squeals to great effect.

MP3>Big Black - The Model


Next up I have Hot chip doing a cover of the original pimp himself Marvin Gaye all time classic Sexual Healing.

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing


Now im not sure that the hot chip version will have the same effect in the bedroom department but it still sounds good.

MP3>Hot Chip - Sexual Healing


next we have 5 street walkers with a record contract or better know as the pussycat dolls being covered by xiu xiu , this is a bit of a weird one and as much as it pains me here is the original.

The Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha


I much perfer xiu xiu version.
MP3>Xiu Xiu - don't cha


next we have Bonnie "Prince" Billy doing a cover of the real talking R. Kelly. the song in question is World's Greatest (I had never heard it before either).

R. Kelly - The Worlds Greatest


Will Oldam changes this RnB ditty into a country song as only he can and I have to say I love it.

MP3>Bonnie "Prince" Billy - World's Greatest


Next is Cansei de Ser Sexy putting their spin on the Grizzly Bear tune knife. I think you know what to expect so first the original
Grizzly Bear - Knife


and now the cover.
MP3>Cansei de Ser - the knife


Finally we have TV on the Radio covering a Daniel Johnston tune, one of my favorite Daniel Johnston, while his own version is raw and is really heartfelt the TV on the radio version really show off Daniels writing ability

MP3>Daniel Johnston - walking the cow


MP3>TV on the Radio - walking the cow


And now to show how wrong cover versions can be
Take That 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' 1995


yes they did this just a year after Kurt died

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Click

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For anyone who doesn't yet know, R'n'B singer and pedophile (ok, alleged pedophile) R. Kelly recently made the mother of all ego stroking music videos- Trapped In The Closet.

And it's fantastically awful. It's an exercise in pure hilarity which Kelly, clearly not realising that we're laughing at him rather than with him, has expanded into a TWENTY TWO (yes, 22) part music video.

I've sat through the first five or six, which are pretty amazing, but don't think I could make it through all twenty two (although judging by the elaborate make-up Kelly is sporting on the link page, I'll be missing some high production values).

Now all episodes of this farce are available to watch online here. Best of luck getting through them all (to be honest, you get the idea from the first two or so, they just keep getting progressively more ridiculous).

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