The next couple days (well, today and tomorrow) will be somewhat brief because the preparation leading up to National Record Store Day (yes, that’s a thing) has been more intense and frantic than usual this year, and I’ve found myself working more to help ready ourselves for the onslaught of customers Saturday. Because of this, things like having a proper weekend have taken a backseat to work. I’m obviously posting today and will throw something up when I have a chance tomorrow, but Saturday might present a problem as I’m working a twelve hour shift and will be immediately driving to Encino, then Santa Monica, and I’m not sure when I’ll get back to my place. The next week is going to be dicy too because I have family visiting. I’ll be posting every day, just don’t anticipate any elaborate stories or anything. I just don’t have the time.
Covers! Covers! Covers! week continues with this split 7″ between Mogwai and Magoo. I don’t think Mogwai needs any introduction. I’ve written about them extensively over the past ten years or so, photographed their concerts going back to 2002 and generally preach the gospel whenever/wherever I can. Magoo, on the other hand, totally different story. They were a more indie-sounding band from the UK who were (of course) championed by John Peel and recorded a number of sessions for him during the ’90s. Magoo and Mogwai were labelmates for a while on the Scottish imprint Chemikal Underground. Although they formed in the early ’90s, their peak was in the late ’90s and they haven’t really released much new music in the past few years. They’re often compared to bands like The Delgados (who founded Chemikal Underground) and Cornershop. By the way, if you haven’t jumped headfirst into that label’s output you would be wise to start soon. Between those three bands (that is Mogwai, Magoo and The Delgados) there’s plenty of Radar Bros. and Arab Strap and Bis and Aerogramme to keep you occupied for a while. What was that expression Mogwai used to tout all the time? Scottish Guitar Army? That about sums up those bands.
Sometimes I still have a hard time wrapping my head around how bad Cornershop were when I saw them in 1998. They had a huge hit single and a unique sound, but they literally got booed (and laser-pointered) off stage. Oh well.
Alas, back in ’98 these two bands recorded sides for the UK label Fierce Panda, and each band contributed a Black Sabbath cover for the release. Sometimes its referred to by the two tracks, “Sweet Leaf” / “Black Sabbath”, but it also goes by the aforementioned Do The Rock Boogaloo moniker. I don’t know which one is correct but for the sake of my blog I’m going to go ahead and use the Boogaloo variation. Is it revelatory? No, not really. Is it fun to hear Mogwai covering Black Sabbath? You bet your ass it is.
Mogwai / Magoo
Do The Rock Boogaloo
(Fierce Panda – NING 47, 1998)
A1. Magoo – Black Sabbath
B1. Mogwai – Sweet Leaf [MP3]
