What happens when two members of Supergrass cover the Beastie Boys?
They form a band called The Hotrats and give the classic 80s anthem a sort of garage rock Who-esque vibe that I find irresistible.
The band released an album of cover songs in 2010 called Turn Ons that included their take on artists such as Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, Doors, Gang of Four and a punchy cover of Elvis Costello’s Pump It Up. The album is available on streaming services so give it a listen.
Also, when googling The Hotrats, I’d always stumble on Frank Zappa’s album titled Hot Rats, one of my personal favorite of his releases. Turns out the band named themselves after the album.
I’d love to find a copy of this LP and spin their Beastie Boys cover during my set just to see if anyone notices.
Aaron Hartley 