Manu "Lo-Fi" Causse, a French fan and musician, recently recorded a demo of "Matador", which you can hear on Manu's MySpace Page at http://www.myspace.com/449059592. Manu sent G the following message regarding his cover version:
Dear Garland,Here's 1 of the 3 videos Garland filmed for Matador:
It was called a 2CV. A old-fashioned citroen car, with almost no power and an unforgettable motor sound.
My mother used to drive it day after day to go to work, far in the french countryside.
And it had a radio, too. That could play homemade tapes.
And there was this tape (I think they were only two of them, in my mother's car), and the last tune on it.
And it was like sun, always. Like a kind of prince singing smiles.
On the tape's box, handwritten : Matador (Garland Jeffreys).
So when I finished my first musical demo, and thought about a cover to put a final touch to it... well, many tunes came, from Simon and Garfunkel to Leonard Cohen to Serge Gainsbourg and others.
But the real thing, I understood, was your song. Only I could not really touch it - what's the point in making a cover when you have nothing to add ?
French lyrics, I tried. They are kind of cheesy, as a matter of fact. For singing in French on an English song often sounds cheesy, so why not go for it ?
And the sound. Well, I listened through and through different versions of "Matador" - and again, nothing to add. So I just went for a "remembrance" of the song, and of those days. Mixed it in an old-fashioned way, aiming for the cracks, the hisses and all the little noises that - I think - I used to hear when listening to your song. Even used a 2CV motorsound sample.
I truly hope you'll take it as it is - an homage to a great song and a great singer.
Thank you for the sun, Mr Jeffreys.
Yours
Manu "LoFi" Causse
YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWg87DEwQBY
DW, Assistant to Garland Jeffreys
