James Chance & the Contortions - I Can't Stand Myself

New York, New York, big city of dreams . . ."  Good music town.

This is a very successful, shockingly unconventional cover of a James Brown tune.  Amazing solos from the sax and guitar, some people just pick those things up and own them.  This was "No Wave" music, a reaction to New Wave.  1978 was a good year for music. 

Helmet Heads Are Thai

These guys remind of of Shonen Knife at just that moment when they started to figure out how to play.  Helmet Heads are not a great band, but they're very good.

They do listen to great records and then play the songs with great enthusiasm, hence the Shonen Knife reference.

These guys do a killer version of the Spencer Davis hit, "Keep on Running."  If I had to guess, they get this stuff from YouTube.  I seriously doubt that they know anybody who has these records.

My favorite version of "What I Like About You" is by the Suicide Machines, it's just the original idea but rougher and a little bit faster.  This version is straight up and heavy on the innocence.  There's room for all schools.  I wonder if Melt Banana every covered this song?  I should check.