Jesse Malin’s songs take on new life across 26-track tribute collection
Jesse Malin will be celebrated by friends, collaborators and fellow travellers across the punk, glam and New York rock spectrum on Friends Of Jesse Malin – I Would Do It For You Vol. 1, due out on 11 September via Wicked Cool Records.
The 26-song compilation finds a broad cast tackling material from across Malin’s catalogue, including Gogol Bordello, Dead Milkmen, Bebe Buell, Sami Yaffa, Valley Lodge, Trapper Schoepp, James Maddock, Cat Popper & Sasha Dobson, Danny Sage and Prima Donna.
Prima Donna’s brisk version of Everybody Wants To Rock And Roll is among the release-week focus tracks. The Los Angeles rockers’ take clocks in at two minutes and 27 seconds, leaning into the song’s shared punk, power-pop and glam instincts. Frontman Kevin Preston has a long connection to Malin’s world, having first seen D Generation open for Green Day before later touring as a guitarist with Green Day himself. Preston recently joined Malin onstage in Los Angeles to perform the song.
A project that outgrew one record
Produced by Lyle Hysen, the collection began as a single tribute album before expanding into a two-volume undertaking. Nearly 80 recordings have been made by artists from across Malin’s musical community, with a second instalment set to include contributions from Thurston Moore, Willie Nile and others.
“Friends, collaborators, and artists from every corner of Jesse’s world wanted to be involved,” Hysen says. “The songs just kept coming. What started as a single collection quickly grew into something much bigger, encompassing almost the entire Malinverse. We’re excited that this is only the first chapter.”
The album also includes the first newly released recording in 35 years from New York alternative rock band Das Damen, who cover Don’t Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day!).
Malin continues his recovery following the rare spinal stroke he suffered in 2023. Since then, he has returned to public performance with two sold-out Beacon Theatre shows in New York and the Off-Broadway production Silver Manhattan.
The full 26-song collection
Friends Of Jesse Malin – I Would Do It For You Vol. 1 will be available digitally, on vinyl and as a deluxe double-CD. The vinyl edition carries 12 tracks and includes a download code for the complete digital collection, while the double-CD includes all 26 recordings across two discs.
- Amanda Cross – Shining Down
- Bebe Buell – Dance With The System
- Trapper Schoepp – Almost Grown
- Valley Lodge – Too Loose
- Danny Sage – I Would Do It For You
- James Maddock – Bar Life
- Gogol Bordello – Here’s The Situation
- Ursa Minor – Keep On Burning
- Sami Yaffa – Black Haired Girl
- Prima Donna – Everybody Wants To Rock And Roll
- Das Damen – Don’t Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day!)
- Rene & Grace Mata – Broken Radio
- Dead Milkmen – She Don’t Love Me Now
- Cat Popper & Sasha Dobson – Brooklyn
- Robinlee Garber – Cigarettes and Violets
- The Seashore Sharks featuring Jesse and Alexei Sanoff – In The Summer
- Derek Cruz – Silver Manhattan
- Jill Fiore – Since You’re In Love
- Matt Madly & Co. – NY Nights
- Davey La – Ameri’ka
- American Dream – Xmas
- Joe McGinty – Wendy
- Randy Schrager – Burning The Bowery
- Stephen Chopek – High Lonesome
- Ben Foley – She’s So Dangerous
- Kelley Swindall – You Know It’s Dark When Atheists Start To Pray
