Bobby Weisblatt's Real and Fantasy Collabs

REAL:

 Aerosmith and Run DMC

In 1986, one of the most unlikely collaborations in contemporary music history was Run DMC’s cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” What made this song so special is that it wasn’t merely a cover; it was actually a true collaboration in that Steve Tyler and Joe Perry joined Run DMC on vocals on the new recording. The song was essential in bridging the gap between the classic rock of the 70s and the emerging hip-hop scene. The song was the first rap song to reach the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, bringing the new genre into popular light. The song proved to be a phenomenal success for both groups and became nearly as popular, if not more so, than the original Aerosmith track. If you’re wondering how this collaboration even came about, look up the fantastic music video which provides a comical explanation of how this all might have gone down.

FANTASY:

Tallest Man on Earth and Regina Spektor

The Tallest Man on Earth (Kristian Matsson) and Regina Spektor have some of the rawest music in indie music today. Matsson has a voice that sounds like tires rolling over gravel, and Spektor hits every note on the spectrum in a single line of lyrics. Her voice could easily serve as the taming counterpart to Matsson’s early Tom Waits sound. Matsson’s acoustic guitar is intimate but lively, and Spektor’s signature erratic piano manages the same effect. And when she picks up a guitar, she’s absolutely deadly. It’s a pretty shocking surprise that these two artists have never combined their raw skills in any sort of collaboration before. A combination of these artists’ wide range of skills would be sure to result in something personal, tragic, and positively genius. Even the tones of Matsson and Spektor’s songs seem to go hand in hand: both write about love,  despair, and eventual redemption. A combination of their interpretations of these themes would surely give way to a terrible tumble into a dark recess and an eventual struggle to climb out.