Help! I love playing old stuff

[NickInMesa]

We've created a cover band from scratch to play the songs that each of us like.

Basically we each accept to play songs they like and in return they accept to play the songs I like -except of course songs that are way too complex or that our baritone singer can't sing, so basically no Rush (my running gag is of course to play the intro from Tom Sawyer, hoping they'll jump in).

This makes me learn songs I would never have thought about playing had I joined a decade, genre or artist oriented cover band.

We can start with Weezer, move to GnR, ACDC, Blondie, Van Halen, Pearl Jam, in any order, and it's actually fun.

Turns out I am actually having a blast playing the old stuff, like the Eagles, CCR, Marshal Tucker, etc...

What can I do against that?

I was not even born or just learning to walk when these songs were on the radio. It's embarrassing ...

[southernrocker]

The old stuff is the best! Come sit in with my cover group, 90% of our stuff is from the 70s!

[bui]

Old stuff's fun to play...you can even add a more modern rock sound to it to mix things up...

[nortonrider]

Man... I feel OLD!

Check out the Allman Brothers

[NickInMesa]

"Take it easy... take it easy..."

[southernrocker]

"Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy"!

[dhomer]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

We can start with Weezer, move to GnR, ACDC, Blondie, Van Halen, Pearl Jam, in any order, and it's actually fun.

Turns out I am actually having a blast playing the old stuff, like the Eagles, CCR, Marshal Tucker, etc...

That's old? Where I come from that's darn near contemporary!!

Most fun I ever had playing music was w/a 50's greaser band years ago. A few years back the bandleader got married, and for the reception he invited everyone who has ever played w/him over the past 30 odd years for one big reunion.. That was freekin' amazing. He's trying to put the band back together again, and when he does, I'm back on board.. hell.. I might even buy a Fender...

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

We've created a cover band from scratch to play the songs that each of us like.

Basically we each accept to play songs they like and in return they accept to play the songs I like -except of course songs that are way too complex or that our baritone singer can't sing, so basically no Rush (my running gag is of course to play the intro from Tom Sawyer, hoping they'll jump in).

This makes me learn songs I would never have thought about playing had I joined a decade, genre or artist oriented cover band.

We can start with Weezer, move to GnR, ACDC, Blondie, Van Halen, Pearl Jam, in any order, and it's actually fun.

Turns out I am actually having a blast playing the old stuff, like the Eagles, CCR, Marshal Tucker, etc...

What can I do against that?

I was not even born or just learning to walk when these songs were on the radio. It's embarrassing ...

why fight it......ain't nothin wrong with it.....i listen to marshal tucker,abb,ccr and even the eagles
as often as miles or coltrane,or king crimson or anything else.....i bet you could find a lot of people that like 'em too

[mndean]

I certainly appreciate cover bands a lot more now than I once did. I'd love to do that sometime, even if it's harder than what I'm doing now. Used to be that I respected maybe a handful of cover bands, but being in a band has changed my attitude totally. The band I'm in is all originals and, well, most of 'em are mediocre to suck, three out of twenty are what I consider good songs. The leader (I no longer call him Dear Leader since he absolutely needs me and listens now when I have ideas for some of his songs) is at least reworking a few of them and writing new stuff that's better, but he's just in love with one key so much that 2/3 of his songs are written in it. Until someone shows me the magical qualities of G Major, I'm thinking it's a lack of imagination.

[Beginner Bass]

Originally Posted by mndean

The leader (I no longer call him Dear Leader since he absolutely needs me and listens now when I have ideas for some of his songs) is at least reworking a few of them and writing new stuff that's better, but he's just in love with one key so much that 2/3 of his songs are written in it. Until someone shows me the magical qualities of G Major, I'm thinking it's a lack of imagination.

I think of G as "the beginner's key". On bass or guitar, it allows the introduction of finger positions, and any sensible pattern will not result in an open string. Also, it can introduce the concept of sharps, as it has only one, while F is not as convenitent fingerboardwise. It's a good key to start on. i guess he just uses it becaue it's an easy key.

[mndean]

I know, I see a lot of lesson stuff in G, but he's been playing guitar for 30+ years. In my mind he has no freaking excuse to do it. I want stuff in other keys and he feels a lot more free to use others when writing in a minor key.

[totallyfrozen]

Nah, man. Those groups were the pioneers of rock. Those groups where huge and their songs were Hits for a reason...there's no need to feel embarrassed by having a taste for the "forefathers" of rock, man.
Try "Touch of Gray" by The Greatful Dead, that has a fun bass line.

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by mndean

...Until someone shows me the magical qualities of G Major, I'm thinking it's a lack of imagination.

Is this Country music that you guys are writing/playing?
Alot of Country seems to be in G.
Could be he lacks imagination or it could be that the key of G gives the feel that he wants. I'm pretty sure that all those big time Country music writers didn't lack imagination.
To me, the key of G feels solid and strong.

Meh...but what do I know.

[M.Wrenn]

dude i LOVE playing old stuff, so much of it has some serious groove to it

[Sartori]

Why couldn't your singer just sing it an octave down? That's what I do for our Emperor and Borknagar covers.

[mndean]

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

Is this Country music that you guys are writing/playing?
Alot of Country seems to be in G.
Could be he lacks imagination or it could be that the key of G gives the feel that he wants. I'm pretty sure that all those big time Country music writers didn't lack imagination.
To me, the key of G feels solid and strong.

Meh...but what do I know.

Maybe, but the songs are too much alike to be sung all at the same gig. As a matter of fact, they do have a country/folk feel to them, and there's really very little for me to do on the songs. The changes are always the same and all I can do is vary the bass line a little for each one. I could play the same line in all of them and nobody would notice, that's how alike they are.

[JukeBoxHero]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

I was not even born or just learning to walk when these songs were on the radio. It's embarrassing ...

.....Your point? I dig playing playing Yes' Harold Land as much as I do like playing my modern local group's stuff. Age does not matter when it comes to taste.

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by JukeBoxHero

.....Your point? I dig playing playing Yes' Harold Land as much as I do like playing my modern local group's stuff. Age does not matter when it comes to taste.

It was being sarcastic. I am like that all the time. It's a sport in my home.

[duff beer]

Originally Posted by mndean

Until someone shows me the magical qualities of G Major, I'm thinking it's a lack of imagination.

A standard G chord played on a good acoustic can sound magical...

[JukeBoxHero]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

It was being sarcastic. I am like that all the time. It's a sport in my home.

Ah, sorry but while I'm normally good at picking up sarcasm, it didn't look like it was sarcastic when I first read it.