I have never been a massive fan of The Doors, but if there’s one song I will admit to liking, it would be People Are Strange.
Which is lucky for John DeMena, who has chosen that very track to cover and send in for review.
Starting with a subtle bit of electronics that appears even slower than dished up by The Doors, DeMena eases into the track, softer and more delicate than Jim Morrison’s version and potentially more alluring as a result.
The chorus throws up the first surprise, changing to a spoken word delivery that reverts back to the calming vocals for the next verse.
An unexpected guitar solo chimes in at the two-minute mark, a beautifully haunting blues-fueled piece of music with chiming sounds of piano – almost sounding like raindrops – laying subliminally below the surface.
It is markedly different to the original, which is a major plus for me. Unless you are playing in a tribute band for cash, then I think any band that covers an original classic should impart a substantial amount of their own DNA on things, otherwise why bother?
