Tia Gostelow Turns Alice Cooper's 'Poison' Into Emotional Ballad On 'Like A Version'

Mackay, Queensland singer Tia Gostelow unveils her third album, Head Noise, today, and to commemorate the release, she appeared on triple j’s Like A Version for a surprise cover of the Alice Cooper classic, Poison.

Released in 1989 on Cooper’s 18th album, Trash, the original Poison is a lusty, intense number that peaked at #3 in Australia and hit Platinum status. It’s also a hard rock song, which couldn’t be more different to Gostelow’s cover.

Stripping the track right back, Gostelow strums an acoustic guitar as her three bandmates keep the song anchored to her emotional delivery. She turned Poison into a sweet-sounding ballad rather than a reminder of the original music video censored in 1989, which is a pretty clever move. You can watch Gostelow’s Like A Version and listen to the original track below.

“Over the past few years, my anxiety has really affected me being able to fall asleep at night, all of the thoughts that come through can be really overwhelming, and I know I’m not alone in it,” Gostelow said about the album’s themes in a press release. “I hope in some way this album can bring a little bit of comfort to the head noise that might keep you awake in the early hours.”

In addition to the new album and Like A Version, Gostelow dropped the music video for her current single, I’m Getting Bored Of This, earlier this week. You can watch that here.

“I'm Getting Bored Of This is about the process of learning what my body physically and mentally can and can't deal with,” Gostelow shared in a press release, revealing that the “cycle of drinking” is no longer enjoyable due to the anxiety the following day brings.

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Supported by triple j and Psycho Touring, Gostelow is taking Head Noise on tour across Australia from late September into early November. You can find the tour dates below and tickets here.