Zak Starkey and his partner Sshh Liguz are premiering the video for their cover of The Big Pink’s Dominos exclusively with TeamRock.
The Who and former Oasis drummer – who is the son of Beatles great Ringo Starr – and Liguz are working under the title of SSHH on the new project.
Marilyn Manson bassist Twiggy Ramirez – aka Jeordie White – and drummer Gil Sharone appear on the track, along with The Big Pink singer Robbie Furze.
The track features on SSHH’s upcoming album Issues, which sees them cover a string of their favourite tracks along with members of the bands responsible for making the original songs.
The video for Dominos can be viewed below.
Multi-instrumentalist Starkey tells TeamRock that the idea for the album’s concept came about after they were asked to put together a list of their influences for a radio show.
He says: “After playing a couple of club shows in New York we were asked by Sirius radio to do a series of radio shows to talk about and play our influences and our original music.
“We wanted to make it a bit more real and record the tunes that influenced us live with the rhythm sections of the bands that originally recorded the songs.
“The finished tunes sounded so good and vibey that everybody involved thought that we should release an album of the sessions. There is also a film of us all in various studios recording each part of the songs.”
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Asked why the Marilyn Manson duo of Twiggy and Sharone were called on for the Dominos cover, Starkey adds: “We wanted to do a heavy version of the tune – and those cats are heavy.”
Other tracks on the album include versions of the Sex Pistols’ Problems, Bob Marley And The Wailers’ Get Up Stand Up, Primal Scream’s Shoot Speed Kill Light and Tin Soldier by Small Faces. Former Small Faces and The Who drummer Kenney Jones appears on Tin Soldier and is one of a long line of stars who guest on Issues.
On the challenges posed by working with so many big personalities, Starkey says: “Everybody was amazing. They are all people we admire. Kenney Jones has an inimitable style and was in Small Faces, The Faces and The Who, and also taught me a lot of drum stuff when I was young.
“Also recording some punk reggae on Get Up Stand Up with Jamaican rhythm section Santa Davis and Fully Fullwood was humbling and amazing. Legendary members of the soul syndicate, both these guys played with Peter Tosh and Bob Marley and so many other great Jamaican artists.”
Starkey and Liguz believe Liguz’ voice gives listeners a fresh take on some classic tracks.
“Sshh singing the tunes gives the songs a different dimension and sometimes a different emotion,” Starkey says. “Some of the tunes are sort of faithful to the original versions but with a twist and others have been rearranged to suit our style.”
Funds raised from sales of Issues will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity close to the hearts of Starkey and The Who, particularly frontman Roger Daltrey. Starkey adds: “Roger has created a way to help teenagers deal with cancer on hospital wards together and get support in a more social situation.”
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder also guests on the album, singing on Get Up Stand Up. Other guests include Oasis’ Gem Archer and The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie.
Issues can be pre-ordered now via the band’s Pledgemusic page.
SSHH Issues tracklist
- Problems (Sex Pistols, featuring Paul Cook and Glen Matlock)
- Jah War (The Ruts, featuring Dave Ruffy and John ‘Segs’ Jennings)
- Shoot Speed Kill Light (Primal Scream, featuring Darrin Mooney and Simone Butler)
- All The Young Dudes (Mott The Hoople, featuring Mick Ralphs, Martin Chambers and Glen Matlock)
- Dominos (The Big Pink, featuring Gil Sharone, Twiggy Ramirez and Robbie Furze)
- One Way Or Another (Blondie, featuring Clem Burke and Steve Fishman)
- Back to Black (Amy Winehouse, featuring Nathan Allen, Dale Davis and Ian Broudie)
- Private Life (The Pretenders, featuring Martin Chambers and Glen Matlock)
- Get Up Stand Up (Bob Marley And The Wailers, featuring Santa Davis, Fully Fullwood and Eddie Vedder)
- Babylon’s Burning (The Ruts, featuring Dave Ruffy and John ‘Segs’ Jennings)
- Tin Soldier (Small Faces, featuring Kenney Jones, Glen Matlock and Gem Archer)
