Courtesy of BMGA new cover of the classic 1971 T. Rex song “Jeepster” by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett, which will appear on the upcoming tribute album AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, has been released as an advance single digitally and via streaming services.
The new track also features contributions from guitarist Marc Ribot, drummer Jim White and The National‘s Thomas Bartlett on piano.
A companion video for Jett’s rendition of “Jeepster” has been posted at T. Rex’s official YouTube channel. The clip features black-and-white footage of Jett singing, playing guitar and smoking some kind of hand-rolled cigarette in the studio, interspersed with film of T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan playing live. Bolan was Jett’s teenage idol and a big influence on her.
“Jeepster” originally appeared on T.Rex’s hit 1971 album Electric Warrior, and reached #2 on the U.K. singles chart.
As previously reported, AngelHeaded Hipster will be released on September 4. The 26-track collection also includes a rendition of the classic hit “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” by U2 and Elton John, and as well as covers by Todd Rundgren, Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, Soft Cell‘s Marc Almond, David Johansen, Kesha and, separately, John Lennon‘s sons Julian and Sean, among others.
The long-in-the-works project was overseen by veteran tribute-album producer Hal Willner, who sadly died in April at age 64 of COVID-19.
Jett’s “Jeepster” cover was the fourth advanced track released from the album.
You can pre-order AngelHeaded Hipster now as a two-CD set, a two-LP vinyl collection and digitally. Here’s the full track list:
Disc 1
“Children of the Revolution” — Kesha
“Cosmic Dancer” — Nick Cave
“Jeepster” — Joan Jett
“Scenescof” — Devendra Banhart
“Life’s a Gas” — Lucinda Williams
“Solid Gold, Easy Action” — Peaches
“Dawn Storm” — BØRNS
“Hippy Gumbo” — Beth Orton
“I Love to Boogie” — King Khan
“Beltane Walk” — Gaby Moreno
“Bang a Gong (Get It On)” — U2 featuring Elton John
“Diamond Meadows” — John Cameron Mitchell
“Ballrooms of Mars” — Emily Haines
Disc 2
“Main Man” — Father John Misty
“Rock On” — Perry Farrell
“The Street and Babe Shadow” — Elysian Fields
“The Leopards” — Gavin Friday
“Metal Guru” — Nena
“Teenage Dream” — Marc Almond
“Organ Blues” — Helga Davis
“Planet Queen” — Todd Rundgren
“Great Horse” — Jessie Harris
“Mambo Sun” — Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl
“Pilgrim’s Tale” — Victoria Williams with Julian Lennon
“Bang a Gong (Get It On) Reprise” — David Johansen
“She Was Born to Be My Unicorn/Ride a White Swan” — Maria McKee
By Matt Friedlander
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