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In 1996, the larger-than-life underground noise-rock goblins known as the Butthole Surfers randomly scored a freak alt-rock chart-topper with "Pepper," a psychedelic half-rap experiment that sounded a lot like the music Beck was making around that time. The success of "Pepper" didn't lead to any further success for the Buttholes, and the song plays a chaotic role in the chaotic story of a chaotic band. "Pepper" will always and forever be tied to the cultural context of summer 1996, but maybe that's one of the reasons that a "Pepper" cover is a fun thing to consider.
Kentucky singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman ain't scared of Pepper. Last year, Goodman released her album Planting By The Signs, and fearless Stereogum leader Scott Lapatine filmed her busting out a "Pepper" cover at the Newport Folk Festival. Today, she releases a studio version of that cover, and it's fun to hear her drawling those slackjawed sketches of unfortunate people, putting a little BBQ sauce on it. The honky-tonk guitar solo is a nice touch. In a press release, Goodman says:
Being I was a young child when I first heard "Pepper," I am certain that I loved the excuse to request a band where I could say “Butthole” without consequence. To be honest, it still brings me joy. The adult me understands that the lasting appeal of the Butthole Surfers would melt into my own work, simply because of their distinctive approach to making music that felt right to them. The only covers that excite me are ones where the outcome is evident of the original's influence on the artist as a whole. My cover of “Pepper” feels like me, and it feels like the same intrigue I experienced when hearing the original: to be left wondering what is actually going on here?
Check out the S.G. Goodman cover and the Butthole Surfers original below.
English (US) · 