This past October, Black Country, New Road took their record Forever Howlong to Oslo, NO, stopping by the Sentrum Scene on their European leg of their tour. There, they performed a special cover of 1970s power pop band Big Star's "The Ballad of El Goodo".
Today, the band shared a live recorded version of the song, commemorating the end of an eventful year for them.
The band has been performing the cover all throughout the European leg of the tour, with members Tyler Hyde and Georgia Ellery on vocals. Watch their Cambridge, UK rendition, uploaded by a fan, below:
Big Star originally released the track "The Ballad of El Goodo" in 1972, where it appeared on their debut album, #1 Record. Putting a bit of psych folk into its power pop composition style, the song — a first-person account from El Goodo — explores perseverance, hope, and trusting one's heart. In other words, it's a seemingly good musical fit for the world of Forever Howlong.
As an homage to the #1 Record cover art, BCNR got artist Jordan Kee, who also painted all the artwork for the Forever Howlong album and singles, to paint a star in their signature surrealist style and write "BIG" over it.
The song is available for immediate and free download if one subscribes to their mailing list. It's compatible with some streaming service libraries (Apple Music, Deezer, and Spotify), but it can't be found directly on the band's pages.
The 2025 Forever Howlong tour ended last week in Japan. In the new year, the band will travel to Australia and New Zealand to continue promoting their new record at both standalone gigs and the Perth Festival. Tickets are available now.
Tour dates:
02/22 Perth, AUS @ Perth Festival
02/24 Sydney, AUS @ Enmore Theatre
02/25 Hobart, AUS @ Odeon Theatre
02/26 Melbourne, AUS @ Palace Foreshore
02/28 Brisbane, AUS @ The Tivoli
03/03 Auckland, NZ @ Powerstation
03/04 Wellington, NZ @ Meow Nui
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