You know I always love a good cover song, so I'm more than happy to welcome Gene Champagne's new single on Rum Bar Records. It's a splendidly executed rendition of The Barracudas' 1981 classic "I Can't Pretend," a song which certainly rates as one of the greatest pure pop songs ever written. While Gene Champagne is well know as an ace drummer (The Killjoys, Teenage Head, Brad Marino, etc.), he has also shown a great knack for power pop/punk songwriting and singing with The Un-Teens and as a solo artist. And here puts his signature on an iconic tune. There is a really great history of covers of "I Can't Pretend." Teenage Head did a great version in the mid-'80s. Most people my age remember The Riverdales' cover from 1995. Then The Yum Yums recorded it in 1998. That's quite a formidable list of bands, and Gene Champagne fits right in. He takes on this song fully solo — producing, singing, and playing all the instruments. Like all the others that covered the song before him, he has the good sense to not mess around much with a perfect song. Anytime anyone covers this song, it inevitably compels a few people to seek out the album Drop Out with The Barracudas. Surely that's going to happen again, and so we thank Mr. Champagne for being the latest to spread the gospel. If you're a fan of his and are wondering if you might hear some more original songs from him this year, the Magic 8 Ball says, "Signs points to yes!"
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