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May 20, 2020 By Lily Guthrie Devendra Banhart

Devendra Banhart has covered T. Rex’s 1968 song “Scenescof,” from the English rock band’s debut album My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair… After Nick Cave’s release of “Cosmic Dancer,” this is the second single to preview the upcoming two-disc cover album dedicated to T. Rex and Marc Bolan titled Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, out September 4 via BMG. Listen to Banhart’s version below.

The record producer electronics/synth player on Banhart’s cover of “Scenecof,” Hal Willner, passed away in April from complications with COVID-19. He produced albums for Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, and William S. Burroughs. Willner was the production visionary behind Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, and he spent years mapping out how to graciously revive some of Bolan’s greatest works. In addition to Banhart and Cave, several other musicians will be featured on the LP, including Marc Almond, Børns, Helga Davis, Elysian Fields, Perry Farrell, Gavin Friday, Emily Haines, Jesse Harris, Joan Jett, Kesha, King Khan, Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Nena, Maria Mckee, Father John Misty, John Cameron Mitchell, Gaby Moreno, Beth Orton, Peaches, Todd Rundgren, U2, Elton John, Lucinda Williams, and Victoria Williams With Julian Lennon.

Banhart had this to say about the cover in a press release: “I was completely in love with Marc Bolan, from John’s Children to Dandy in the Underworld and everything in between. I remember the feeling of freedom I got from ‘Scenescof’—‘I don’t need anyone to dictate all my fun smile your smile and then run.’ That line gave me the courage to carve out a little bit of fantasy in my life back in my late teens… But now, the song will be inextricably linked with mourning, it was the last time I was in a studio with my dear, dear friend Hal Willner… I haven’t even begun to process the heartbreak of that loss… We were just texting about Jerry Lewis and sending each other links to funny videos and weird songs and two weeks later he was gone… Hal had the coolest, calmest demeanor… The kind that comes from having had really been through some shit and come out of it still caring about life, the world, and art… I will miss him terribly… To two angel headed hipsters, I’m honored to be a part of this tribute album…”

This homage to Bolan was conceived and executive produced by Bill Curbishley and Ethan Silverman, and you can listen to Banhart’s interpretation of “Scenescof” below.

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