DUTC#18 May 14, 2023

Featured Artist

Robyn Adele Anderson

Robyn Adele Anderson (born 1989) is an American singer and stage actress based in New York City. She is a cast member and featured artist for Scott Bradlee’s Post Modern Jukebox (PMJ) with over 250 million views on her music videos. She is credited with the band’s breakthrough cover of “Thrift Shop” (see DUTC#8) in 2013. She also performed lead vocals for performances on Good Morning America (ABC) in 2013 and TEDx in 2014. From 2012 to 2015, Anderson worked for the ANSOB Center for Refugees, a non-profit organization in Astoria, NY that assists refugees in obtaining legal and social services.

After serving as PMJs primary vocalist, Anderson started producing music under her own name. It was released on YouTube and other platforms. As of August 2021, her YouTube channel has over 653,000 subscribers and over 84 million views. She is also an occasional guest vocalist for the musical duo The Skivvies, composed of Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley.

I wanted the selections for this DUTC to showcase her talents at being able to put a personal stamp on the songs that she covers. I also wanted to include an eclectic selection of songs and artists. The first two selections are from her time with PMJ, while the last to from her own productions. First up is “Talk Dirty To Me” by Jason Derulo. Although I cannot claim to be a huge fan of this song, I could not pass on the opportunity to feature a Klezmer cover, especially since Anderson translated 2Chainz’s rap on the song into Yiddish (a language that I heard my grandparents speaking when I was growing up)! All I can say is that if you are familiar with the song, and in particular 2 Chainz’s rap, you might be happy that it’s in a language you don’t understand. And if you do speak it, please let me know how she did! You will know what I mean when you listen to the original, so let this be my disclaimer before you listen to it. I must admit to being a bit skeptical when I saw Klezmer, but when you listen to the original there are a few musical interludes that sound very similar to that style of music.

The second PMJ selection is “Wake Me Up” by Swedish DJ and producer Avicii) Tim Bergling), released as a lead single from his debut studio album True released in June 2013. The song was written by Avicii, Mike Einzeger (of Incubus) and Aloe Blacc, with Blacc providing the vocals on the track, while Einzeger provides acoustic guitar. The Mariachi cover is a very interesting interpretation of this song that was named the highest charting dance track of the decade.

The two selections I’ve chosen from her independent collection of covers are “We’re Not Going To Take It” by Twisted Sister and “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple. My reason for choosing these two is quite simple. Heavy metal repurposed in a “Les Mis” style and modern hard rock in a 1920s style was just too intriguing to pass up!

So, buckle up, and enjoy the ride! Original first, this time around.

Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo, is an American singer and songwriter. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 million singles worldwide and has achieved eleven platinum singles including “Wiggle,” “Talk Dirty,” “Want to Want Me,” “Trumpets,” and others. After contributing and writing songs for various artists, Derulo signed to recording label Beluga Heights, owned by record producer and industry veteran J.R. Rotem. After Beluga Heights became part of Warner Music Group, Derulo became a recording artist and released his debut single “Whatcha Say” in May 2009. It sold over five million digital downloads, gaining triple platinum certification, and reaching number one in the U.S. and New Zealand.

Tauheed K. Epps (born 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper. The former name being reason enough for the lyrics warning! He initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, alongside longtime friend and fellow rapper Earl “Dolla Boy” Conyers.

Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz. “Talk Dirty To Me.” Album Tattoos (2013).

PMJ feat. Robyn Adele Anderson. “Talk Dirty To Me” Jason Derulo vintage Klezmer cover, including a rap by 2 Chainz, translated into Yiddish, and sung by Anderson! Scott Bradlee, piano and arrangement; Adam Kubota, bass; Jay Rattman, clarinet; Kate Dunfry, accordion; and David Wong, violin. March 2014.

Tim Bergling (1989-2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and music producer. At age 16, Bergling began posting his remixes on electronic music forms, which led to his first record deal. He rose to prominence in 2011 with his singe “Levels.” His debut studio album, True (2013), blended electronic music with elements of multiple genres and received generally positive reviews. The lead single, “Wake Me Up,” topped most music markets in Europe and reached number four in the U.S. Several music publications credit Bergling as among the DJs who ushered electronic music into Top 40 radio in the early 2010s. He retired from touring in 2016, after several years of poor mental health, unfortunately culminating in his suicide while on vacation in 2018. In 2019, his third and final album, Tim, was released posthumously.

Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III (born 1979), known professionally by his stage name Aloe Blacc, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. He is best known for his singles “I Need A Dollar,” “The Man,” which topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and for writing and performing vocals on Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” which topped the charts in 22 countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom. Aside from his solo career, Blacc is also a member of the hip hop duo Emanon, alongside American record producer Exile. Blacc was introduced to Avicii by Linkin Park’s co-vocalist Mike Shinoda who was a good friend of Avicii.

Avicci feat. Aloe Blacc. “Wake Me Up.” Album True (2013).

PMJ feat. Robyn Adele Anderson. “Wake Me Up” Avicii/Aloe Blacc Mariachi style cover in Spanish. Scott Bradlee’s debut playing classical guitar; Allan Mednard, drum; Adam Kubota, bass; Jon Challoner and Roger Lent, trumpet; Karina Hernandez, violin and backup vocals; David Giardina, vihuela. Dec. 2013

Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based in Long Island, New York. The best-known songs include “We’re Not Going To Take It” and “I Wanna Rock,” both of which were associated with music videos noted for their sense of slapstick humor, as you will see when you watch! They evolved from a band named Silver Star and experienced several member changes before settling on the classic lineup of Jay Jay French (guitars), Eddie “Fingers” Oieda (guitars), Dee Snider (lead vocals), Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (bass), and A.J. Pero (drums) in 1982. It was this lineup which recorded the band’s first four albums. Their first two albums, Under The Blade (1982) and You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll (1983), were critically well received and earned the band underground popularity. They achieved mainstream success with their third album, Stay Hungry (1984), and its single “We’re Not Going To Take It.”

Twisted Sister “We’re Not Going To Take It.” Album Stay Hungry (1984).

Robyn Adele Anderson. “We’re Not Going To Take It” Twisted Sister “Les Mis” cover. Andre Washburn, keys; Adi Meyerson, bass; Patrick Soluri, drums; Kevin Moehringer, Trombone; Stan Killian, clarinet. Feb. 2023

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, but their musical approach has changed over the years. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple In Rock. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the “unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to med-seventies. They were lasted in the 1975 Guinness Book Of World Records as “the globe’s loudest band” for a 1972 concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide. They have had several line-up changes and an eight-year hiatus (1976-1984). The first four line-ups, which constituted the band’s original 1968-1976 run, are officially indicated as Mark I (1968-1969), Mark II (1969-1973), Mark III (1973-1975) and Mark IV (1975-1976). Mark I comprised the founding members of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Rod Evans (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Ian Paice (drums), and Nick Simper (bass), while Mark II was the most commercially successful line-up, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replacing Evans and Simper respectively.

In early December 1971, the band travelled to Switzerland to record Machine Head. The album was due to be recorded at the Montreaux Casino using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, but a fire during a Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention concert, caused by a man firing a flare gun into the ceiling, burned down the casino. This incident famously inspired the song “Smoke on the Water.” The album was later recorded in a corridor at the nearby empty Grand Hôtel de Territet, with the exception of the music track to “Smoke on the Water.” That track was recorded at a vacant theatre called The Pavillon before the band was asked to leave. Blackmore would later say that the recorded the whole thing in four takes because the police were banging on the door. “We knew it was the police, but we had such a good sound in this hall. We were waking up all the neighbours for about five miles in Montraux, because it was echoing through the mountains. I was just getting the last part of the riff down, we’d just finished it, when the police burst in and said, ‘You’ve got to stop.’ We had the track down.”

Deep Purple. “Smoke On The Water.” Album Machine Head (1972).

Robyn Adelle Anderson. “Smoke On The Water” Deep Purple 1920s cover. Oscar Willaims, piano; Kim Hawkey, banjo; Tom Jorgensen, drums; Steve Whipple, bass; Aaron Johnson, clarinet; Peter Lin, Trombone.  Jan. 2022

Los Angeles 2023