Can You Ever Have Too Much Cowbell? Quiz

Answer: Down on the Corner

Creedence Clearwater Revival were big exponents of the cowbell and used it on several tracks, but "Down on the Corner" is my personal favourite. It turns what could have been a fairly pedestrian song into a celebratory sing-a-long, at least it does at my house.

About the red herrings: I think "Stone Free" (1966) is The Jimi Hendrix Experience's finest employment of the cowbell, "Rebel Rebel" (1974) is one of David Bowie's best glam rock songs, arguably thanks to the cowbell, and "The Next Big Thing" is The Dictators' opening song and rally call on their debut album "Go Girl Crazy!" (1975).

Answer: Too Fast For Love

I've never come across an album with as much cowbell on as "Too Fast For Love". In fact, it comes close to having too much cowbell, but not quite. I wonder if Tommy Lee had just bought one the day they started recording? It's a fantastic debut and one of my favourite albums of the era, not only for the cowbell but also the raw sound and artless songs.

The three red herrings are all 1981 debut albums: "Welcome to Hell" is English metal pioneers Venom's statement of intent. "A New Form of Beauty" is actually a collection of singles released by Irish avant-garde pop group Virgin Prunes. The singles were apparently meant to make up a whole project called "A New Form of Beauty". "In the Garden" is Eurythmics' debut album.

Answer: Pavement

There's quite a lot of interesting sounds going on "The Hook" although the basic song is very straightforward. The cowbell really makes it though.

Malkmus was a founding member of Pavement and played on all their stuff until they broke up in 1999. Pavement were quite adventurous as far as percussion goes and even had a member, Bob Nastanovich, whose main role originally was to help the wayward drummer in time.

The Fall's frontman Mark E. Smith has been rather rude about Pavement on several occasions. His main gripe seems to be the allegation that Pavement were just Fall-wannabes. The Fall also dabbled in the art of the cowbell, a great example being on "Mere Pseud Mag. Ed" from the fantastic album "Hex Enduction Hour".

Answer: Climate of Hunter

In 1984, Scott Walker was forty years old. He had found fame with The Walker Brothers in the 1960s, then embarked on a fascinating but erratic solo career, reformed The Walker Brothers and disbanded them again, and disappeared almost completely off the radar. His next move was to set the standard by which his future career would be judged. In fact, he'd already laid down the avant-garde gauntlet on the last Walker Brothers album, "Nite Flights", but this was the start of something very, very different from the mawkish stuff he'd ended up doing in the 1970s. The cowbell introduction to "Rawhide" is an apt beginning to a groundbreaking album.

About the red herrings, which were all released in 1984: "Grace Under Pressure" is Rush's tenth studio album and saw the band experimenting with new sounds. "Defenders of the Faith" is Judas Priest's ninth album and the end of an era as on their next outing, "Turbo", they would experiment with new sounds too. "Make It Big" was Wham!'s second album and one of the year's top-sellers.

Answer: Corky Laing

According to legend, Corky Laing's cowbell intro wasn't supposed to be in the song at all but bassist Felix Pappalardi, who was also the band's producer, decided to leave it in, thus making cowbell history.

When Mountain broke up due to Pappalardi's drug problems, Mountain guitarist/singer Leslie West and Corky Laing hooked up with ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce as the unimaginatively named West, Bruce and Laing for two studio albums.

Mike D of the Beastie Boys sampled "Mississippi Queen" on the track "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" from the album "Paul's Boutique" (1989).

Answer: Goblin

Goblin are probably best known for the enigmatic theme to Dario Argento's international breakthrough film "Profondo Rosso/Deep Red", but there's a lot more to them than that. They provided the soundtrack to such Italian horror classics as "Suspiria", "Phenomena", and "La Chiesa". They also provided the soundtrack to the European release of George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead".

About the red herrings: Ufomammut are a wonderful psychedelic metal group from Italy. Strongly recommended for anybody who has ever wondered what Pink Floyd would sound like if they played stoner rock. They'd be even better if they used a bit of cowbell. Throbbing Gristle are an English experimental group who have probably used the cowbell, they played everything else. Extraordinary German band Can released an album called "Soundtracks" in 1970. It's actually a compilation of soundtracks they had done for films hardly anybody has ever seen. The drummer, Jaki Liebezeit, is certainly no stranger to the joys of the cowbell, along with a massive range of percussion instruments.

Answer: Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath's sound can be so overwhelmingly heavy that I'm not sure if Bill Ward used much cowbell or not. He certainly did on "Megalomania" and all Sabs fans just wait with bated breath for the moment it kicks in to signal a change of pace. It's one of those special moments you look forward to in a song you know inside out.

Of all the choices only the Sabs formed in England. Accept, who aren't averse to a bit of cowbell, formed in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in 1976. A fantastic low-key use of cowbell can be found on the track is "Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away" from 1982. Long Island tarts Twisted Sister brought the cowbell back to the fore with their hit "We're Not Gonna Take It" in 1984. Californian rockers Van Halen's 1979 hot song "Dance the Night Away" also sports a nice bit of cowbell.

Answer: The Only Ones

How The Only Ones aren't better known than they actually are is a mystery of popular music. Their debut album should have been a classic, and "The Beast" should be on everybody's list of favourite cowbell songs.

Of the red herrings, both UFO and Status Quo were formed in London. "Let It Roll" from "Force It" is my favourite UFO cowbell song, and "I'm Giving Up My Worryin'" from the mighty Quo's 1978 album "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." is a great example of old-fashioned cowbell.

In 1987 Guns N' Roses went straight into the cowbell hall of fame with "Night Train" from their debut album "Appetite For Destruction".

Answer: Lee Perry

The madcap Lee "Scratch" Perry is a master of manipulating sounds and has had a massive influence on reggae, which in turn has influenced all sorts of music. I'm pretty sure there's at least one cowbell on lots of his tracks, but on this one it's fairly recognizable. I tried to identify one on the wonderful "Cow Thief Skank" but couldn't be sure. Shame.

About the red herrings: actor Lee Van Cleef is something of a reggae icon (as are many actors from westerns, kung-fu films, and anything to do with James Bond). Jamaican DJ King Stitt even released a track called Lee Van Cleef in 1969. Lee Ving was lead vocalist and guitarist in the punk band Fear. Lee Konitz is an American jazz saxophonist.

Answer: Agents of Fortune

The cowbell is actually used quite subtly in the song, but it really does add a whole new dimension to the song and versions without it just don't work.

The funniest thing about one of the most famous, and best, cowbell songs is shrouded in mystery and contention. The main bugbear is: who actually played the cowbell? Everybody seems to agree that it was an afterthought, but various camps claim to have played the thing. I'm a huge fan of drummer Albert Bouchard, so in my mind it was him. One thing is for sure, it was not Gene Frenkle.

About the red herrings: "Imaginos" is a 1988 album by Blue Öyster Cult, although it had actually started as a solo project by drummer Albert Bouchard. "Let It Bleed" by The Rolling Stones featured "Country Honk", a country version of cowbell classic "Honky Tonk Women". The latter was recorded at the same sessions as the album and released as a single in 1969. "In Trance" (1975) is a cracking album by German group Scorpions.