Los Angeles – Hot on the heels of their electrifying version of AC/DC’s “Live Wire,” released earlier this year as part of the High Voltage Punk – A Tribute To AC/DC compilation that also featured tracks by UK Subs, 999, Fear, Skids, Anti-Nowhere League, The Vibrators, and more, Brighton’s merry band o’ misfits Peter And The Test Tube Babies release a full throttle version of The Rolling Stones’ classic “Mother’s Little Helper.”
Originally released in 1966 as part of their commercial and critical breakthrough album Aftermath, “Mother’s Little Helper” showcased the burgeoning songwriting talent of the young Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while its subversive message, calling out the hypocrisy of upper-class drug users, cemented the Stones’ credibility in the countercultural revolution. PATTTB’s version strips the song to its bare essentials, a driving chord progression and a spitfire vocal melody that offers founding vocalist Peter Bywaters a chance to wax serious for a change and let his inner rabble-rouser take center stage. The result is a track that sounds as fresh and new as anything coming out of today’s punk rock scene, which is no mean feat considering the band who created it have been in the game for over 4 decades!
Founding guitarist Del Greening shares, “When Cleopatra Records asked us to cover a Rolling Stones tune, Peter immediately picked their ‘60s classic ‘Mother’s Little Helper.’ It had a guitar riff that could be Test Tubed up, and Oi! at the end and it was about drugs. Perfect!”
Bywaters adds, “A song about getting old and taking drugs. Sums us up to a T.“
Stream/download the single: https://orcd.co/patttb_motherslittlehelper
And if you’re in that neck of the woods, be sure to catch the band performing live in Ireland this month and around Germany at the close of this year!
Oct 13 Lost Lane – Dublin, IRELAND
Oct 14 Voodoo Belfast – Belfast, IRELAND
Dec 14 SO36 – Berlin, GERMANY
Dec 15 Don’t Panic – Essen, GERMANY
Dec 16 Markthalle – Hamburg, GERMANY
Dec 18 Kleiner Klub – Saarbrücken, GERMANY
Dec 20 Backstage Halle – Munich, GERMANY
Dec 21 Hall, Im Wizemann – Stuttgart, GERMANY
Dec 22 Gebäude 9 – Cologne, GERMANY
Dec 23 Batschkapp – Frankfurt, GERMANY
Dec 30 New Cross Inn, New Cross UK