RIP Natasha Shneider, cover song project.

I found out last night that Natalie Shneider (I knew her best from the band Eleven and from her work with various artists particularly Chris Cornell) died a few months back from cancer. She was one of my vocalist idols and I was completely caught off guard by the news she actually passed away.

It was mostly because Jon and I were listening to some CDs we've not heard in a while from our collection. One of the ones I picked up was Eleven's Howling Book and I was all "hmm, let's see if they have a new album??" only to find out the sad news.

Then I got the idea for a cover album (well, more like EP, maybe 5-6 songs) that Jon and I could try to put together, as one of Anthegenia Records' first projects. We really want to get at least enough gear together to start on it next year.

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting for Jon and I to arrange and perform our own interpretations of some of my favorite dark-themed songs: "Howling Book" (the title track of the album mentioned above) being one of them. Kinda like a tribute to Ms. Shneider's passing, in a way, because I am so fond of her vocal range and style, and could in some fashion keep her music alive.

Without a doubt, Diamanda Galas' version of "Gloomy Sunday" would have its place on this record. Another I would consider is Portishead, "Wandering Star". And perhaps a rendition of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (inspired by Marianne Faithfull) and "My Beautiful Leah" (a rather short but very dark PJ Harvey song, one of my favorites from Is This Desire?).

The last song I thought to put in this cover EP is a Soundgarden song, though. "Fell on Black Days", which is one of my favorite songs and falls into my vocal range (Chris Cornell's range is close to mine -- but he belts tons better than I'm currently capable of. It's hard to practice belting when you live in an apartment! :P) We were talking while playing some PSU -- unsuccessfully farming for a Solid / Knight to trade for an outfit Jon wants for Shirai -- about how awesome and interesting it would be to take a Soundgarden song, pare and possibly slow it down, even make it a vocal-driven track.

I mean it boggles the mind to think of how HEAVY that would sound. Hard to describe in words. It would be interesting and vocally challenging for me, too. I have really been yearning to record vocal performance for years and years, at least as long as Jon has wanted to compose, record and produce.

Jon does have some ideas of songs he would put on the album too, though. Perhaps make a double EP out of it. The first one he mentioned was this awesome live version of Pain of Salvation's "Undertow" that he showed me a few times before. It's a breathtaking rendition and very emotional. I wonder if he would think of doing Alter Bridge's "Blackbird" (which is a song that he strongly identifies with) or something from Dead Soul Tribe. Or Declan de Barra. There are so many options!

I'm interested because Jon expressed a desire to sing, too, at least for "Undertow". It will be challenging for him, too, since he doesn't have as well trained a voice as I do, but I think that with an ear for music like his he could certainly learn how.

So... that's one of two projects I thought of last night. The other I may write about in a bit. I'll need to take a nap soon!