Peanut, as a fan of both Roxy Music and Neil Young, it would be interesting to hear your views on RM's version of Like A Hurricane.

Also, do you think that Neil should return the compliment? If so, what might he cover.....perhaps Angel Eyes?

I can't remember the last gig I went to where the band played a song because of requests shouted out from the crowd. It seems that setlists are much more rigid than they used to be, perhaps because of the need to time the lighting changes, projections etc that the bigger bands use. Sparks recently based a setlist on fans' suggestions through their website, and we got a great mix of rarities. I think if Roxy did this, we'd get a setlist similar to that in the 2011 shows.

Well, I became a Roxy fan in 1980, but didn't discover Neil until a few years later. So, the first version I heard of "Like a Hurricane" was on The High Road EP. In a way, that version made me curious to check out Neil's other work, so I guess it did its job. I like Roxy's version, particularly the almost-gospel backing vocals in the chorus. It's very different from the original, which is essential in a good cover version, I think.

Neil and Bryan are poles apart, stylistically and in the subject matter of their lyrics. I can't imagine Neil ever performing a Roxy cover. But, if we're going to stray into the realms of fantasy, "Angel Eyes" isn't a bad call; I can hear Neil doing a low-key, country take on that song. Or perhaps a solo, electric-guitar version of "My Only Love". I think he would be drawn more to Roxy's later albums than the earlier, glam stuff.

I think Neil could cover Prairie Rose quite well.

^
I paused to consider that very song, but ultimately rejected it as too ... jaunty, perhaps. Not that Neil isn't capable of jaunty, but I can't see "Prairie Rose" being his style.

Who knows. It's all illusion, anyway.

Neil Young wearing his "Godfather of grunge" hat could do an interesting version of "Out Of The Blue"- well, I'd buy it.

Peanut explains that his interest in Neil Young was kicked of by Roxy's cover of Like A Hurricane. Over the years, Ferry's solo work opened me up to music that I either hadn't heard before or hadn't been much interested in. For example, as a teenager in the 70s, I wasn't interested in Dylan (who was, I suppose). However the inclusion of the 2 Dylan penned songs on the first couple of solo albums changed that. I really liked Hard Rain from the first time I heard it, and while It Ain't Me Babe was a slow burner, Bryan's performance (plus those acerbic lyrics) slowly reeled me in until it became one of my favourite tracks on Another Time Another Place. If I am being honest, there was also a bit of "If Ferry likes it then I like it" going on as well. As a result, and although it took a bit of time, I became more receptive to Dylan and started to check out his work. It is hard to go through life ignoring Dylan so I might have got there anyway, but without Bryan kicking it off then who knows?

It is not only Dylan but others like Otis Redding and Al Green. I just didn't listen to any of this stuff when I was growing up but The Bride Stripped Bare (once I got over my initial disappointment with this great album) got me going on this genre. I reckon that I have a lot to thank Mr Ferry for.

Peanut also makes the point that the best covers are very different from the originals, and I agree with this. Of course, so are the worst e.g. Madonna's woeful American Pie. Funnily enough, when I think of the greatest covers over the years, it is interesting how many of them are Dylan songs (including the aforementioned Hard Rain, which is one of the best and most novel interpretations of another person's song ever). I know it doesn't need stating on this forum, but Bryan has shown a real talent over the years for taking other people's songs, putting them through the wringer, and coming up with something really special. Maybe I am overlooking somebody obvious, but I can't think of any other artist with anything like as successful a track record at doing this as BF.

While Roxy covering "Like a Hurricane" was certainly the first time I'd heard of Neil Young, I feel that, like Avondale, I would have ended up becoming a fan regardless. I bought Decade a few years after The High Road, so it wasn't exactly an instant conversion; more a natural development in my own musical maturation.

I am also a keen Dylan fan/collector, and first started delving into his back catalogue around 1987. I borrowed a bunch of LPs from an older friend. By this time, I was already familiar with Ferry's cover of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", and it was quite a shock to hear Dylan's original! Again, though, I wouldn't say Ferry kickstarted my interest in Dylan.

I was a David Bowie fan before anything, so I suppose the first time I heard Dylan's name was in "Song for Bob Dylan" on Hunky Dory. But Bowie wasn't responsible, either. Listening to Dylan was just another road I had to walk down before they called me a man

I was converted to Neil Young as well when I heard Roxy's version of Hurricane and promptly went out and bought a Neil Youngs Greatest Hits LP.I did the same with Dylan when i heard Bryan's versions of Hard Rain and It aint me babe, but sad to say I wasn't converted. I thought Dylan was awful ! Trouble with cover versions is most people do a straight cover of the original , which in my opinion is pretty pointless. Bryan does record his own version and stamp his style on it. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Hard rain, It aint me babe, and Dont think twice were great versions of Dylan songs. I put a spell was a great version too. Are you Lonesome tonight was a great version of an Elvis song. One Night, Whatever gets you through the night and That's how strong my love is were awful. But hats off to him for giving it a go !

I really like Bryan's version of "She's Leaving Home" but think I might be in the minority with that one! As it was recorded for the "All This and World War II" OST I am not sure if it was his own choice or if he was asked to do it. It is a straight cover with it being "Bryan-ised" too much but he does seem to put a lot into the emotion of the song.