It should be obvious to everyone: You cover Donnie Iris at your own risk.
David Ellefson, former bassist and backing vocalist for thrash metal titans, Megadeth, takes a stab at it with his new version of Donnie’s signature song “Ah! Leah!”
He gives two singers, Chip Z’nuff (Enuff Z’nuff) and Stepthen Shareaux (Kik Tracee), the task of recreating those sky-high vocals, with backing vocals from himself, guitarist Drew Fortier (The Lucid) and drummer Paolo Caridi.
“The skinny tie alternative rock movement of the early '80s was such a fun and creative era for music,” Ellefson said in a statement. “‘Ah! Leah!’ was not only a massive FM radio hit; it’s a hauntingly beautiful song with an unforgettable melody and lyric. Alongside acts like Aldo Nova, The Greg Kihn Band, Joe Jackson and The Cars, this was a transformative time for rock music that shaped me as a young musician. This rendition brings together an amazingly talented group of friends and musicians to create a really cool version of this classic, setting a creative tone for the holiday season!”
Z’nuff weighed in too.
“Anytime I get the opportunity to work with heavyweights on a classic 1980s hit, I sonically attack with as much reflection and intent as possible,” Z’nuff said. “David Ellefson picked an incendiary track with Donnie Iris, ‘Ah! Leah!,’ which is the perfect combination of pop meets metal in 2025!”
The cover advances the March European tour for the 60-year-old Ellefson, who was with Megadeth from 1983 to their breakup in 2002, and returned to the band from 2010 to 2021. He then left and co-founded The Lucid with Fortier and Sponge singer Vinnie Dombroski.
So how is it?
Ellefson and company provide all the rock crunch to the Cruisers’ classic — from the start, it’s almost indistinguishable from the original (and, later, there’s a ripping guitar solo) — but as soon as the vocals kick in, it’s revealed that Z’nuff and Shareaux don’t possess Donnie’s vocal power.
Iris laughed at that notion when I sent him the track on Monday.
His only reaction: “Very nice! Kudos!”
First Published: December 30, 2024, 5:50 p.m.
