John Rockliffe: A Fantastic Find!

So, I decided to do a cover of Sting & The Police's "Walking On The Moon" yesterday. I had a look around youtube for covers of the song, and I was surprised to find few decent covers, most of which were auto tuned, which is always such an insult to the listener. Well, I kept looking around for Sting & The Police covers, and that's how I came across John Rockliffe. He was doing a cover of Sting's "Fields Of Gold". His acoustic guitar sound in the video is superb and his vocals are clear and sharp. It's been a while since I've found a cover I've liked so much. It's raw and it's powerful, unlike the many auto tuned covers one can find lying around Youtube's floor. Have a listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyPYIIKKgJ8

Absolutely stunning interpretation. It's one of those covers that makes you go "Why haven't more people listened to this?" Well, it's up to us to introduce more people to John. His crisp, crystal clear voice is smooth and perfect for that Sting sound. The simplicity in which he approaches the song without twisting it and trying to add something to it, only makes it more powerful. What a great find.

The next cover of his I came to listen to was of of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark". Once again, John keeps it simple and respects the natural beauty of the song and performs it in his own, smooth way. In this case, the song doesn't have the same dynamic as it does when Bruce performs it, but it has a certain "John" sound to it. I personally like it, because he doesn't mimic Bruce Springsteen, nor does he try too hard. He just does it. There's no other words to describe it really. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncvvpx58aIk

Great cover, although he didn't have a girl to dance with at the end of the video. It's a much more laid back than the original and almost reaches a whispered frustration, which echoes the soft side of alternative rock, sometimes present in R.E.M., Nirvana and Pearl Jam records. It's fantastic.

Regarding originals, I had a listen to an original he recorded nearly four years ago on youtube. It's called "Me And You". It's a fantastic little ditty and it's potential shines out from the stripped down version John performs for us. After listening to his covers of Bruce's "Dancing In The Dark" and Sting's "Fields Of Gold", can't you imagine taking on a style between the two? A sort of folk rock, alternative rock sound that so many people fall for. Check the song out and make sure you subscribe to John on youtube (John Rockliife) and check out his Facebook page for updates. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KPVevk618E

Alex Hamel