17 collaborations weirder than Jay-Z/Coldplay

Hip-hop vs Phil Collins and other crimes…

The MusicRadar Team, Thu 6 Nov 2008, 11:19 pm UTC

Shatner + Rollins: "illogical" says Mr Spock

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4. Michael Bolton / Bob Dylan: Steel Bars

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Michael Bolton: bolt-on hair

Written in two days at Dylan's California home, Steel Bars appears on Bolton's 1991 album Time, Love And Tenderness. Bolton reported that the legendary pop bard had called him out of the blue and was an enthusiastic partner. "He just kept coming up with all these great lines," says Bolton, whose input was...what? The supplying of an outrageous mullet?

5. REM / KRS-One: Radio Song

So many musical crimes seem to be committed when rockers and rappers become awkward bedfellows, and none moreso than on this 1991 track. REM lamely attempt to bring the funk, KRS bellows like a man lost, and the world's worst rap lyric appears: "When I got to the show / Yo ho ho". Everyone should be ashamed.

6. Robert Plant / Alison Krauss: Raising Sand

Bluegrass singer and fiddle player Alison Krauss has been a leading light in bluegrass for years, yet collaborating with Led Zeppelin's 'Golden God' Robert Plant on 2007's Raising Sand album threw everyone a curveball. The album went Platinum in both the UK and US, and its ongoing success and duet tour even nixed any chance of a 2008 Led Zeppelin reunion.

7. Jack White / Alicia Keys: Another Way To Die

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White and Keys: mission implausible?

If you believe certain reports, Jack White and Alicia Keys were only brought in to sing the 2008 Bond / Quantum Of Solace theme as Amy Winehouse was once again 'ailing' and unavailable. Yet, it seems that White and Keys genuinely wanted to work together – even if the pallid evidence of Another Way To Die suggests they're hardly a natural pairing. Next up, White duets with Adele for a Raconteurs b-side. Confiscate his mobile, say we.

8. William Shatner / Ben Folds / Henry Rollins: I Can't Get Behind That

"Captain Kirk" meets Henry Rollins: illogical!

Shatner was certainly star-trekking when he assembled the personnel for his bizarre William Shatner Has Been album from 2004. Shatner may be in good self-mocking form, but Folds' production is surprisingly supple on an album also featuring collaborations with Joe Jackson, country guitarist Brad Paisley and King Crimson's Adrian Belew. Then it got turned it into a ballet. Beyond weird.

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User comments (3)

JonnyScaramanga

35 weeks ago.

I always thought Ozzy Osbourne covering Born To Be Wild with Miss Piggy was unusual, but what do I know.

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Trott

Mon 10 Nov 2008, 6:09 am UTC

My thoughts (or lack thereof) on Jack White / Alicia Keys are here:
http://blog.musicroutes.com/?p=174
As for weirder--not sure if one needs to hear these before one dies--but...Frank Sinatra & Luciano Pavarotti dueted on "My Way" on Sinatra's Duets II record.
Pavarotti was joined by Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen for a concert performance of "Too Much Love Will Kill You."
Christina Aguilera sang "Live With Me" with the Rolling Stones on the soundtrack to Shine A Light.
Perhaps not quite the same thing, but Paul Anka and Megadeth have both used the same drummer: http://blog.musicroutes.com/?p=72

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Misanthropy

Fri 7 Nov 2008, 5:16 pm UTC

Whenever I listen to "The memory remains" I have to fastforward through Marianne Faithful's shitty singing, illadvised imo

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