I was up late reading about the ancient Christian philosopher St. Augustine.
Augustine of Hippo grew up in North Africa where Algeria is now and lived during the actual last days of the Western Roman Empire.
Like many people of the Dark Ages (or Early Middle Ages), he believed that they were in fact living in the time of Apocalypse.
And like college kids today, he also went off to college where he got up to (or lied about) all sorts of sex. And he’s the patron Saint of Brewers… of course you are Augustine.
Since the times of antiquity, young gentlemen have gone off to college, had sex and believed that their generation would be it. The end.
Fast forward a whole bunch college toga parties (some actual toga parties, others ironic) to the 60s and whole other generation believing that this will be it. War, civil unrest, Woodstock.
Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone magazine in 1995 that their 60s jam, “Gimme Shelter” wrapped all these ideas up in a song. “It’s Apocalypse.”
No Mick, THIS is Apocalypse!
Trolling the net brought me face-to-face with a wobble and glitch explosion. Toronto dubsteppers Zed’s Dead remixed the Rolling Stone’s “Gimmie Shelter.”
I am not too down with whole dubstep phenomenon so I wouldn’t be able to tell you if low bass warble is any better or worse then the next glitched out production… but I did enjoy the Stone’s hooks thrown into the mix.
I check out some comments on the youtube view and not surprisingly, many people thought the remix was an abomination. You can check it out for yourself… if you dare! muhahahahahaha
Rolling Stones – “Gimmie Shelter” (Zed’s Dead Remix)
Download MP3 >> Gimmie Shelter (Zeds Dead Remix)
I am pretty liberal on my view of a remix or cover. Remixes or covers don’t go back in time and erase the old classic. They always have the ability to generate excitement for the original and enable discussion and reflection.
I enjoy this song for what it is… dubstep but with the Stones. In fact, that is why I like. If I had to be at a dubstep party, I might as well get some Stones in there. I could also imagine this cut being a real banger on the dancefloor.
Mick says the song was created in a time of unrest and uncertainty. Nothing amplifies that feeling of dred more than the post-industrial noise of dubstep.
I an appreciate the challenge of trying to merge the two conflicting styles into a cohesive song. For the most part I think it works alright. It does feel a bit like the Rolling Stones vocal track floats over a dubstep base. The “gun click” sound was a little heavy fisted for my personal taste as well.
One of the best parts of Gimmie Shelter is the end when Mick sings, “Love sister… its just a kiss away, its just a kiss away.” But I don’t recall hearing that in the Zed’s Dead version. Maybe that was intentional in their reinterpretation or maybe they didn’t fully appreciate the context of the original? I’ll hope for the first.
Either way… if “Gimmie Shelter” was Apocalypse before, its Armageddon now.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 