Mike Portnoy Honored to be One of <em>Gibson.com</em>’s Top 10 Drummers

Earlier this week, Gibson.com listed the Top 10 Drummers of All Time to much excitement and debate. Today, ex-Dream Theater member and percussionist extraordinaire Mike Portnoy heard about the list and posted about it on his Facebook page.

“Aww shucks... it’s always an honor for me to be recognized (especially in such great company!) Thanks Gibson.com,” Portnoy posted, along with a link to the story.

A debate broke out on Portnoy’s Facebook page about what earns a drummer a spot in the Top 10. The man himself then weighed in on the discussion.

“Just a follow up thought on that Gibson.com Top 10 Drummers list: I honestly don’t think these polls mean the BEST drummers as much as IMPORTANT or INFLUENCIAL [sic],” he wrote. “So in that case, I do believe (reading some of your comments) guys like Lars Ulrich, Dave Grohl and Ringo Starr do rightly belong on lists like these...

“Regardless, it’s always an honor for me to be recognized in such great company...
Thanks everyone!”

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<em>Gibson.com</em>’s Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time - #30-21

Some of the most famous songs in music history are cover versions – whether it’s The Beatles doing Motown hits, Elvis tackling R&B tunes or just about everyone covering Bob Dylan songs. In honor of the artists who didn’t write the songs, but recorded legendary versions of them, Gibson.com is counting down the Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time.

Gibson.com recently enlisted its editors, writers and you, the readers, to vote for the greatest cover songs ever released. After announcing #50-41 and #40-31, we’re revealing another 10 on the list – with the original artist, or, in some cases, the most famous previous artist in parentheses. Check back each day this week, as we unveil 10 more classic covers – with the Top 10 arriving on Friday.

30. “Blinded by the Light,” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Bruce Springsteen)

Manfred Mann had stated out doing the British Invasion blues-based thing with hits like “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” and “The Mighty Quinn” (another excellent cover), but by 1971 were dabbling in more lavish prog rock sounds. New Dylan on the block, Bruce Springsteen, had seen his first tracks rejected by Columbia, who wanted something more radio friendly. He responded with “Blinded by the Light,” which made his debut album, Greetings form Asbury Park, N.J., but was never a hit for the Boss. In Manfred’s smart hands the bluster, pomp and musical majesty more than match Springsteen’s clever wordplay. – Andrew Vaughan

29. “Blue Suede Shoes,” Elvis Presley (Carl Perkins)

Rockabilly legend Carl Perkins was playing a small-town show when a teen ostracized his girlfriend for stepping on his “suedes.” Something registered with Carl. Later, Perkins came up with the classic intro, “Well, it's one for the money... Two for the show... Three to get ready... Now go, man, go!” (‘man’ became cat in the studio) for the rock and roll classic about shoes. Everyone remembers Elvis’ cover of the song, of course, but if a serious car wreck hadn’t de-railed Perkins career while promoting his version of “Shoes,” rock history may have been a little different. Maybe. – Andrew Vaughan

28. “Higher Ground,” Red Hot Chili Peppers (Stevie Wonder)

Red Hot Chili Peppers took this groovy, wah/Clavinet-driven 1973 Stevie Wonder song from the classic album Innervisions and turned it into a hyperkinetic funk/metal track on their 1989 album Mother’s Milk. The album was the Peppers’ first with guitarist John Frusciante. RHCP’s version felt more frantic than the original, and the video reflected this vibe in glorious Technicolor. The band’s hard work was rewarded with an MTV Video Award nomination. – Peter Hodgson

27. “Take Me to the River,” Talking Heads (Al Green)

A band of art-school punks scored their first real radio hit in 1978 by covering Al Green’s soul classic, in which lust and religion coalesced. Tina Weymouth’s grooving bassline and Jerry Harrison’s greasy keyboards brought new, subdued colors to Talking Heads’ twitchy sound. Frontman David Byrne somehow bridged the gap between R&B and punk with a delivery that was equally soulful and nervy – and included growling the song’s bass riff at the end. Somewhere in there, “punk” became new wave. – Bryan Wawzenek

26. “Proud Mary,” Ike and Tina Turner (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

This may be one of the most extreme examples of how an already classic tune, with a perfect performance, can be made into not only a great remake, but a classic live performance! With Tina’s first delivery of the song “nice and easy” and then turning it into a whirlwind rocker that’s “rough,” she and Ike, and let’s not forget the Ikettes, make this one of the all-time, and out-and-out sexy, explosive masterpieces of soul and rock ’n’ roll! – Arlen Roth

25. “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” Nirvana (Traditional, Lead Belly)

Nirvana included a wealth of covers on their MTV Unplugged performance, but none seem to capture the band’s last gasp like this version of the early 1900s folk tune. Originally titled “In the Pines,” the most famous rendition was by Lead Belly – whom Nirvana credited with inspiring their take. With a foreboding cello looming in the background and Kurt Cobain howling “My girl! My girl! Don’t lie to me!” near the song’s conclusion, “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” might be the most powerful folk cover ever recorded. – Bryan Wawzenek

24. “Love in Vain,” The Rolling Stones (Robert Johnson)

Upon the release of 1961’s King of the Delta Blues Singers, Robert Johnson became a touchstone for up-and-coming London blues artists. While Eric Clapton famously raved up Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues,” the Stones chose to take a more emotive approach with the painstaking fare-thee-well, “Love in Vain.” Countrified on Let It Bleed, the track attained greater resonance on the more bluesy Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out live version. Both Keith Richards’ studio flourishes and Mick Taylor’s live solo are a study in the emotional possibilities of the slide guitar. – Michael Wright

23. “Hard to Handle,” Black Crowes (Otis Redding)

Originally recorded (and co-written) by Otis Redding, “Hard to Handle” was posthumously released in 1968, shortly after the tragic plane crash that killed Redding and most of his band. Although covered by many over the years, including The Grateful Dead, who made it a staple of their live shows from ’69-’71, it was The Black Crowes’ swaggering, Faces-esque version from their 1990 debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, that not only put the Crowes on the map, but made this soul classic a bona fide rock staple. – Sean Patrick Dooley

22. “Statesboro Blues,” The Allman Brothers Band (Blind Willie McTell)

McTell recorded this southern staple in 1928, and its lithe 12-string riffing remains a compelling insight into blues roots. In 1971, The Allman Brothers Band turned it into a stomping boogie, near-unrecognizable from McTell’s version, but it showcased Duane Allman’s peerless slide playing and the support-skills of Dickey Betts. The Allmans’ cover is indulgent, but with good reason. If you want to hear guitars “sing,” go here. – Michael Leonard

21. “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” Creedence Clearwater Revival (Marvin Gaye)

John Fogerty and the boys didn’t hold back when they took an R&B classic (recorded by no less than three Motown artists, although CCR was obviously inspired by Gaye’s version) and totally rocked out with it. Great vocals, long extended and interesting solos and jams help make this a unique piece in the Creedence library, from the incredibly overlooked album, Cosmo’s Factory! Classic upon classic material! – Arlen Roth

Votes for the Top 50 Covers of All Time were included from Michael Wright, Bryan Wawzenek, Andrew Vaughan, Sean Patrick Dooley, Cesar Acevedo, Paul Burch, Arlen Roth, Ted Drozdowski, Russell Hall, Peter Hodgson, Anne Erickson, Michael Leonard, Paolo Bassotti and the Gibson.com Readers Poll.

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<em>Gibson.com</em>’s Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time - #40-31

Some of the most famous songs in music history are cover versions – whether it’s The Beatles doing Motown hits, Elvis tackling R&B tunes or just about everyone covering Bob Dylan songs. In honor of the artists who didn’t write the songs, but recorded legendary versions of them, Gibson.com is counting down the Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time.

Gibson.com recently enlisted its editors, writers and you, the readers, to vote for the greatest cover songs ever released. After announcing #50-41, we’re revealing another 10 on the list – with the original artist, or, in some cases, the most famous previous artist in parentheses. Check back each day this week, as we unveil 10 more classic covers – with the Top 10 arriving on Friday.

40. “How High the Moon,” Les Paul and Mary Ford (Benny Goodman)

Les Paul’s name lives on via Gibson’s legendary electric, but he was also a master of recording. “How High the Moon” (1951) was the most influential side ever cut by Les Paul and singer Mary Ford. The sound was uptempo jazz-pop, but the 24-track concepts that Les pioneered here pretty much invented the modern studio. B.B. King reckoned that Les had a better tone than Charlie Christian, and LP also had crazy chops ­– the speedy guitar breaks of “How High the Moon” remain silky smooth. – Michael Leonard

39. “You Shook Me” Led Zeppelin (Muddy Waters)

When Led Zeppelin recoded this cover of a Muddy Waters classic for their debut album in 1969, Jimmy Page had no idea that former Yardbirds bandmate and old friend Jeff Beck had just recorded his own version. John Paul Jones knew though: he played organ on Beck’s version. Nonetheless, the Led Zep version had enough of its own character to stand on its own. The song is also noteworthy for its innovative use of backwards echo. – Peter Hodgson

38. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Otis Redding (The Rolling Stones)

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" set the rock & roll world ablaze when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards spit out the racy hit, sensual hit with the Rolling Stones. At first, the song was deemed too hot for radio, but that soon changed and it shot up the charts. With that kind of power and controversy, it’s no wonder countless artists have covered the track, from Vanilla Ice to Bill Cosby to Devo. In 1965, Stax vocalist Otis Redding put his own spin on the then-new single for his album, Otis Blue. His soul take on the song featured horns playing the signature guitar riff, and the ensuing success showed Jagger how to really get some satisfaction. –Anne Erickson

37. “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Gerry and the Pacemakers (Rogers and Hammerstein from Carousel)

It’s tempting to think of it solely as a sports chant, but the rousing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” actually began as a Broadway show tune. Though covered by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and scores of other heavy hitters, the song’s definitive version came from the unlikely source of Liverpudlian beat band, Gerry and the Pacemakers. Summoning a subtlety and nuance only glimpsed a handful of times in his recording career, Gerry Marsden shepherds the track for the quietest of beginnings to an absolute blockbuster ending. Absolutely spine-tingling. – Michael Wright

36. “Gloria,” Patti Smith (Them)

Patti Smith could hardly have chosen a more perfect song than “Gloria” to announce herself to the rock world. Written by Van Morrison and recorded more than a decade earlier by Morrison’s band, Them, the track embodied garage rock’s primal energy even in its original state. By prefacing her version with a lengthy section rife with poetic imagery, Smith came off as the pioneering punk priestess she was. – Russell Hall

35. “Come Together,” Aerosmith (The Beatles)

Written primarily by John Lennon and appearing as the opening track to The Beatles’ 1969 album, Abbey Road, “Come Together” was recorded by Aerosmith nine years later for the soundtrack to the Bee Gees/Peter Frampton trainwreck (nee film) Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Where the movie flopped, Aerosmith’s outstanding cover of “Come Together” soared, especially Steven Tyler’s angry vocals and Joe Perry’s staccato guitar punctuations, both of which breathed a sinister, almost manic, air into the song. You can almost feel Aerosmith’s own self-inflicted wounds – wounds that would lead to their eventual doom as a band. At least for a while. – Sean Patrick Dooley 

34. “American Woman,” Lenny Kravitz (The Guess Who)

Those born post-1980 may not even associate “American Woman” with The Guess Who. When Lenny Kravitz covered the shaggy track for the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, adding a funk-jam flair, it all but took over American pop culture. The single also scored the retro rock performer a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 2000 ceremony. –Anne Erickson

33. “Oh, Pretty Woman,” Van Halen (Roy Orbison)

The Big O’s 1964 original made #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Nearly 20 years later, Van Halen decided it was ripe for a party-metal makeover. Hey, why not? They had already mashed The Kinks, to devastating effect. Van Halen’s version walks a fine Spinal Tap line of clever/stupid, but it somehow works. EVH’s riffing sounds super-steely and David Lee Roth adds a comedic “grrrrrrrrr.” A hit was guaranteed. The fact remains, more wannabe bands rock Van Halen’s version than Orbison’s original. Mercy! – Michael Leonard

32. “Rockin’ in the Free World,” Pearl Jam (Neil Young)

Released in the summer of 1989, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” from his Freedom album, was an unveiled critique of the policies and rhetoric of President Bush’s administration (“We got a thousand points of light/For the homeless man/We got a kinder, gentler/Machine gun hand”). Pearl Jam, who by all accounts began collaborating with Young in 1992 when they both performed at a Bob Dylan tribute, deliver a spot-on cover that loses neither tenor nor impact. The real treat remains seeing the double-barrel shotgun blast of Young and Pearl Jam performing the song together. – Sean Patrick Dooley

31. “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley (Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup)

If judged on sheer cultural importance, Presley’s cover of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s All Right, Mama” would surely top the list. Sam Phillips’s 1954 session with a local truck driver was going nowhere when the young Presley busted out this blues classic. Suddenly, Phillips had found the sound and the star he’d been looking for to take rhythm and blues to the masses. The rest, as they say, is history. – Michael Wright

Votes for the Top 50 Covers of All Time were included from Michael Wright, Bryan Wawzenek, Andrew Vaughan, Sean Patrick Dooley, Cesar Acevedo, Paul Burch, Arlen Roth, Ted Drozdowski, Russell Hall, Peter Hodgson, Anne Erickson, Michael Leonard, Paolo Bassotti and the Gibson.com Readers Poll.

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<em>Gibson.com</em>’s Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time - #50-41

Some of the most famous songs in music history are cover versions – whether it’s The Beatles doing Motown hits, Elvis tackling R&B tunes or just about everyone covering Bob Dylan songs. In honor of the artists who didn’t write the songs, but recorded legendary versions of them, Gibson.com is counting down the Top 50 Cover Songs of All Time.

Gibson.com recently enlisted its editors, writers and you, the readers, to vote for the greatest cover songs ever released. Today, we’re revealing the first 10 on the list – with the original artist, or, in some cases, the most famous previous artist in parentheses. Check back each day this week, as we unveil 10 more classic covers – with the Top 10 arriving on Friday.

50. “A Day in the Life,” Jeff Beck (The Beatles)

Jeff Beck’s instrumental rendition of this classic Beatles tune for Sir George Martin’s album In My Life pulled off the rarest of musical feats: it made the song sound like it was always meant to be played that way. Beck’s trademark use of whammy bar tricks and vocal-like phrasing brought out the song’s pensive melancholy in similar fashion to Beck’s own track “Where Were You,” but if anything, his performance of “A Day in the Life” took this technique even further. – Peter Hodgson

49. “Suzie Q,” Creedence Clearwater Revival (Dale Hawkins)

Written and originally recorded by Louisiana-born Dale Hawkins (and covered by a phalanx of artists over the years, most notably The Rolling Stones, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent and Lonnie Mack), it was Creedence Clearwater Revival who really made “Suzie Q” their own. Clocking in at over 8 minutes on their 1968 debut album (a shorter version was released as the single), “Suzie Q” was one of Creedence’s first big hits, and it remains the only Top 40 hit the band ever had that was not penned by John Fogerty. – Sean Patrick Dooley

48. “Money (That’s What I Want)” The Beatles (Barrett Strong)

The Beatles loved Motown, of course, and this cover of Barrett Strong’s 1959 classic was rife with affection. Although the arrangement is relatively faithful to the Motown original, Lennon, in typical early Beatles fashion, injected jubilant rock and roll fervor into Strong’s more R&B-style rave-up. Just as “Twist and Shout” had done for The Beatles’ full-length debut, “Money” capped the Fab Four’s second album with an exultant exclamation mark. – Russell Hall

47. “Monkey Man,” The Specials (Toots & The Maytals)

In the late ’70s, the U.K. pop charts were ignited by a ska revival, the leading lights being Madness, The Selector, The Beat and The Specials. The Specials fused ska with punk-esque energy, no better than on this 1979 cover of the 1970 Toots & The Maytals hit. It’s an odd cover version, lyrically; The Maytals’ song was originally a playful jibe at their producer Leslie Kong, who died in 1971 at just 38. The Specials’ nevertheless turned the track into a celebratory floor-filler. “This one’s for the bouncers,” was their introduction. And bounce, it did. – Michael Leonard

46. “Sorrow,” David Bowie (The McCoys, The Merseys)

This track from Bowie’s 1973 Pinups covers album foreshadowed the crooner style Bowie would often adopt on the albums that followed. Sporting a less sprite arrangement than The Merseys’ 1966 hit upon which it was based (The McCoys, of “Hang on Sloopy” fame, had actually first recorded the song), Bowie’s version was power by watery keyboards and a sax-fueled bridge. His performance of “Sorrow” on the legendary 1980 Floor Show was a highlight of that TV spectacle. – Russell Hall

45. “Sabbra Cadabra,” Metallica (Black Sabbath)

When Metallica put out Garage Inc., the eclectic variety of covers on the compilation – from Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” to Blue Oyster Cult’s “Astronomy” – was a pleasant twist for die-hard fans. The heavy metal behemoth’s crowning triumph on the album was Black Sabbath’s “Sabbra Cadabra,” the bulk of which showcases boogie-woogie riffing and near-danceable rhythms. The interpretation surely shows Metallica can bring their style to the vanguard, even through other people’s songs. –Anne Erickson

44. “Blueberry Hill,” Fats Domino (Sammy Kaye Orchestra, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra)

Written in 1940 by Vincent Rose, Larry Stock and John L. Rooney, “Blueberry Hill” was a sedate jazz tune covered six times in its first year. But it took until 1956 for Antoine “Fats” Domino to eclipse the biggest hit version of 1940 by Glenn Miller. Now a rock ’n’ roll standard, Fat’s funky, up-tempo piano version became his signature and later versions by Elvis Presley, Little Richard and even Led Zeppelin didn’t deliver similar thrills. – Michael Leonard

43. “Absolutely Sweet Marie,” Jason and the Scorchers (Bob Dylan)

More than a couple Bob Dylan covers will appear on this list, but none were injected with such fervor as this one from ’80s country-rock heroes Jason and the Scorchers. The Nashville band gave this Blonde on Blonde ditty a swift kick with their cowboy boots, turning a folksy tune into a barn-burning explosion of energy. Ringenberg’s howled delivery – equal parts Iggy Pop and Jimmie Rodgers – was mesmerizing enough to help his cow-punk group land an MTV hit in 1983. – Bryan Wawzenek

42. “Blue Bayou,” Linda Ronstadt (Roy Orbison)

Linda Ronstadt, the most successful female singer of the ’70s, played a major role in reviving Roy Orbison’s stagnating career when she recorded his “Blue Bayou.” Orbison recorded it originally on his In Dreams album in 1963. Orbison’s version was a minor hit, but in Ronstadt’s hands it became a mega-seller around the world and played a significant role in giving Linda superstar status. A gifted interpreter of songs, Ronstadt blew a country breeze through Orbison’s forlorn epic, unaware that her name would become a baseball term – the “Linda Ronstadt,” for a fastball that “blew by you.” – Andrew Vaughan

41. “Rusty Cage,” Johnny Cash (Soundgarden)

A few years before it happened, who could have pictured Johnny Cash playing a Soundgarden song? The other way around, maybe, but Cash’s American Recordings series found The Man in Black exploring tracks from all sorts of unlikely sources. On his 1996 album, Unchained, Cash made the song his own, stripping away its electric grunge but maintaining its propulsive groove with some mean acoustic picking, before melting down into a lowdown bluesy groove in the middle (courtesy of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers). – Peter Hodgson

Votes for the Top 50 Covers of All Time were included from Michael Wright, Bryan Wawzenek, Andrew Vaughan, Sean Patrick Dooley, Cesar Acevedo, Paul Burch, Arlen Roth, Ted Drozdowski, Russell Hall, Peter Hodgson, Anne Erickson, Michael Leonard, Paolo Bassotti and the Gibson.com Readers Poll.

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