I have just a little bit more to follow up on my post yesterday about The Music Man.
There was a band in Seattle in the early 90s, Fear The Cow. I wish I could find any information on them. The group was a sort of country punk outfit, almost a form of performance art, and this was in full evidence by the number they opened their sets with – “Rock Island” the opening number from The Music Man.
What made these performances by Fear The Cow different was the use of industrial equipment. Friends and other audience members would join the band on stage and pick up various objects. My personal favorite was the massive chain and wield it in conjunction with an oil drum. The resulting sound was a cover that sounded less like a cover of a clever Broadway number but something completely transformative.
I really wish I could find something online about the band. I’d love to ask the band members if there are any recordings. And not just “Rock Island” either.
If I was ever going to cover a song from The Music Man it would have to be “Marian The Librarian”.