The other day we received an email from a gentleman named Nick Proch with a link to the above video of a “full, professional orchestra” performing Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” Needless to say… CLICK. As you can see, this isn’t just some random group of flautists and whatever they call a person who plays the oboe jamming out to an old favorite for the sake of said clicks, as these talented musicians really delivered a hell of a Rage cover, from the violins to the heavy brass. And there’s something really understated-yet-awesome about hearing “F*ck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” played by trombones.
It turns out that Proch, who arranged and conducted this performance, has launched a Kickstarter to make an entire album of cover songs like this one. Entitled “Tantamount,” it will (hopefully) include songs like Pearl Jam’s “Black” and My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” and the orchestra is even taking requests from donors, so long as their jams meet the guidelines. Let’s just all agree right now that no one requests a string cover of Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open”…
It has to be a recognizable song, from the past 30-40 years. Could be something as recent as this year or as old as the Rolling Stones.
It has to be one that doesn’t have a ton of orchestral arrangements already. We all love “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Stairway to Heaven,” but those have both been covered orchestrally many times by many great arrangers already.
It can’t be a cover of a U2 song. (There’s no real reason for this, I just don’t like U2. Sorry, Bono.)
Pledges start at $2 (an MP3 of one track) and go all the way up to $250 (an invite to the recording session and other perks), and the goal is $20,000. However, the more money given means “more musicians, a little more time to rehearse and record, and even a few extra songs to cover.” You know, in case you were concerned about these guys throwing one of those epic orchestra coke-fueled orgies that we always hear about.
