88Nine Radio Milwaukee

Re-Introducing the 5 O’ Clock Shadow with Ayisha Jaffer

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Although I cannot grow a beard as fast as the average man, I can shave off whatever fuzz I have to give you a new fresh face for the 5 O’ Clock Shadow. 
As a new year approaches, I thought this would be as good a time as any to re-address the idea of the 5 O’ Clock Shadow and talk about the importance of a cover or re-imagination of a song and why we celebrate these.

When I think of the origination of a cover, I think of the many jazz standards that were written and the various careers and versions that were born out of this era. A great example is the George Gershwin song “Summertime,” arguably one of the best songs written in its time. This song was popularized by its many performed versions and their unique styles of interpreting this prose including the likes of Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald and even Janis Joplin. In fact, there are 25,000 recordings of this song — popularizing the song itself and also launching the careers of some of the said performers. The song made the performer and the performer made the song.

I believe more than ever, covers have been having a comeback which is no surprise as they have an important place in music discovery. Have you ever heard a song, found out it was a cover and then dived deep into the original songs’ catalogue? Of course you have! One of my favorite examples on my personal journey is Patti Smith’s “Gloria” based off of Van Morrison’s original which is how I discovered this great. Sometimes modern covers re-popularize a track that was missed or needed another turn on the frontlines. One great example is Jeff Buckley’s 1994 cover version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” which brought this track back on top 10 years later. The cover made Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was recently inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recoding Registry.  

Not only in music discovery but also in performance, new artists are being discovered by the cover. In modern times, a seven foot depressed clown comes to mind as a performer who exclusively performs covers under the name Puddles Pity Party and has made a lasting career from it. From an A&R standpoint, if you peruse YouTube long enough, you may discover the next new hit artist. Most famously Scooter Braun clicked on a YouTube video of an artist covering Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” and ended up singing the young man that would be today’s Justin Bieber. We wouldn’t have these wonderful gems without the cover.


For a while, the attitude of a cover was negative and people felt they were getting jipped because a cover wasn’t original, created art but the cultural frame of mind has changed. The cover has lead us to honor artists since past, revive amazing archived tracks, discover new performers and artists and create an entirely new art. Although I haven’t touched on the topic of samples, these are another wing of a positive shift in view allowing for a new form of re-imaginations in songs that are widely accepted and have lead to major successes, collaborations, and forming a new genre — but that’s another article. The ever evolving path of this history is only going to continue to bring new musical works and I look forward to covering that. 

Paper Holland take over the 5 O’Clock Shadow with Milwaukee covers from ‘Galápados’

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Last year Milwaukee’s Paper Holland released one of the year’s most distinguished local indie-rock albums, “Galapagos,” an escapist record with tropical undertones. This year that record is getting an unusual sequel: “Galapados,” a collection of covers of songs from that album by a wide range of Milwaukee artists.

The band will play a vinyl release show for the album on Saturday, July 20, with Shle Berry and Immortal Girlfriend at the Cooperage, but you don’t have to wait until then to hear some of those covers. The band swung by Radio Milwaukee for a takeover of this week’s 5 O’Clock Shadow. You can stream those audio segments below.

Paper Holland | Photo credit: Joe Ludwig
Paper Holland 5 O’Clock Shadow Takeover

Playlist

Klassik – “Sea [Sic]”

LUXI – “You’re Not There”

Vincent VanGREAT – “The Humble Current”

Josh Evert – “Milpool”

Nickel&Rose – “Back to the Sea”

Happy Birthday to the Late Kirsty MacColl

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Celebrating the life and amazing talent of Tom Petty

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Soundtrack gold for a Friday Flashback

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Don’t Dream It’s Over gets covered, again

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We lost the “Screaming Eagle of Soul” over the weekend

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Peter Adams:

I was one of the lucky one’s who was at the Studio Milwaukee Session with Charles Bradley.  Throughout the performance, he was constantly showing his heartfelt appreciation for the audience in attendance. Even though it was a very intimate performance, compared to what he is used to, Charles performed and responded to the audience as if it were the biggest show of his career!  It was amazing.  After he finished the crowd gave him a well-deserved standing ovation.  At that moment, I said to someone next to me that this was the best Studio Milwaukee session to date. I have yet to see one that was better.
After the performance, I went up with my 3 year old son so he could thank Charles for performing.  We went up and Wes said “thanks Mr. Bradley” at which point Charles Bradley grabbed his hand and gave it a kiss.  No joke.  It was quite amazing!  The photo here is moments after the encounter.  I’ll remember Charles Bradley as one of, if not THE most sincere and genuinely appreciative musicians that I’ve ever met.
Justin Barney:

I remember Charles Bradley was hanging out in our kitchen, really making the place a home, and I approached him to record 5 Songs with me. As we went down the stairs to record he said in a morning rasp, “Justin, last night was party. You should have been there. Usually I’m tired after the show and I just go back, but last night, boy did we party.” We laughed and he told me more about his carrying on. “I’m telling you, I think I’m getting younger. These crowds, and these people, they give me energy! I’m telling you Justin, I’m getting younger.”

That’s how I’ll always remember him.

Ken Sumka:

When Charles was here for a session, they’d played Minneapolis the night before. I made him some coffee and told him we have a shower, if he wanted to use it. A few minutes later, Jordan and I were talking in the programming department and Charles walked by in nothing but a towel, headed to the shower. The surreality of this larger-than-life figure traipsing by in a towel was just a funny moment and Jordan and said to each other, “Charles Bradley just walked by in a towel, how funny was that?!”

R.I.P., Charles Bradley.

Today’s Shadow is Charles’ lovely cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold”:

Another Milwaukee band factors into today’s Shadow

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A Milwaukee band covers a Milwaukee native on today’s Shadow

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A Girl Like You vs. A Girl Like You

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