challenge to cover bands who put "their spin" on songs

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

As good as they are, I'm not sure how they'd go over in some of the clubs I'm playing. I have a feeling you'd be lucky to escape with your lives, but you never know; they might just be good enough to win people over.

Maybe not where you're playing, but I bet these guys SLAY clubs where they're playing. People respond to quality, that stuff is quality.

[the yeti]

Originally Posted by Pacman

Maybe not where you're playing, but I bet these guys SLAY clubs where they're playing. People respond to quality, that stuff is quality.

i just wanna be on their street team.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by Pacman

Maybe not where you're playing, but I bet these guys SLAY clubs where they're playing. People respond to quality, that stuff is quality.

Well, you play to your audience. I'm going to wager they're not going out and billing themselves as a Classic Rock Cover Band.

Y'all have a way of massively changing the subject.

[natw42]

KCLR ... I think I've commented on this before when I've seen your band's vids before on here. But... Damn! You're band rocks.

And i def have envy of your guitarist... That's exactly the kind of guitarist I love to play with.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by KCLRbass

Thanks guys! We have a lot of fun working on these while our fans wait for our records to come out. Glad you enjoyed them!

A while back, I ran across your take on Marley's "Is This Love," which is mint.

When I saw this thread, your Marley revision and Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers' take on Hall and Oates were the two recent creative re-arrangements that immediately came to mind. Your band turns the arrangement inside out and beats it, while the Gramblers show how far you can go covering even a highly produced tune if you just attend to the signature bits.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

Y'all have a way of massively changing the subject.

I'm looking at the OP just to refresh my memory. KCLR seems right on the money to me.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by duff beer

There are always a lot of comments from people who say their band likes to put "their spin" on known covers.

Are any of you up for a challenge?? It would be interesting to hear some versions of how your band puts "their spin" on known covers. Let the talkbass readers comment on whether or not "your spin" was an improvement, or if it sounds like your band doesn't know how to play the song...

Any takers??

Originally Posted by KCLRbass

OK, we're not a cover band, but we've done tons of covers. A bunch of samples below. Some are closer to the originals than others. More where that came from on our youtube channel. Enjoy!

Here's a new one posted today:
2+2=5 by Radiohead

Some older ones:
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (reharm and a bit of DnB feel)
All of the Lights by Kanye (Dubstep bridge)
Forever by Drake (bluegrass)
Something by the Beatles (reggae)
Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana (funky house)

Originally Posted by derrico1

I'm looking at the OP just to refresh my memory. KCLR seems right on the money to me.

The OP is talking about cover bands, and KCLR comes right out and says they are not a cover band.

In short, unless KCLR plays four hours a night entertaining an audience playing mostly covers, they are an ORIGINAL band, with an ORIGINAL sound, and when they play covers, they sound like THEMSELVES more than the song they are covering.

The topic that got this thread started was a guy auditioning for cover bands, asking how much he needs to cop the original.

It's a topic that gets brought up a lot, and some of us have experienced bands who claim to put "their own spin" on a song, but really just can't play the song right.

I think it's great that talented musicians can put their own spin on songs, but we have yet to see an example of a working cover band doing much of it.

From the website:

KC Roberts & The Live Revolution (KCLR) are proud purveyors of beautiful vintage music (funk, jazz, rock), with an artistic obligation to shift all that's sacredly funky and soulful into the current phase of popular music (hip-hop, house, electronic, Drum n' Bass). Essentially an original 7-piece funk band, KCLR is well-known for its energized live performances winning the 2007 Toronto Independent Music Award for best live act. torontomusicscene.ca writes, "Their live shows are absolutely mind-blowing; the band is something entirely unique and influenced by atypical genres." Matt Bauer of Exclaim! Magazine writes, "If one needed proof of the vitality and authenticity of new Canadian funk music, they need look no further."

That is NOT a cover band; this is a thread about cover bands, per the thread TITLE.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I think it's great that talented musicians can put their own spin on songs, but we have yet to see an example of a working cover band doing much of it.

You might have heard of the Beatles.

Or is your argument that cover bands lack the talent?

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by derrico1

You might have heard of the Beatles.

Or is your argument that cover bands lack the talent?

Are you in the Beatles?

I don't have an argument. The OP is looking for examples of people posting THEIR COVER BAND putting their own spin on well-known songs.

We have gotten a few examples of this, so far. I'm not saying we haven't. But I'm saying that a cover band putting their own spin and actually improving the material is a lot less common than a cover band simply SAYING they're putting their own spin on a song, when really, they just can't be bothered to learn to play the song right.

This is just a thread to show the exceptions to that, and I hope we will see many more.

[the yeti]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

The OP is talking about cover bands, and KCLR comes right out and says they are not a cover band.

That is NOT a cover band; this is a thread about cover bands, per the thread TITLE.

so they're disqualified then? you should weigh in on these matters sooner, so i don't get all excited only to realize it's over something that doesn't rate consideration.

[Pacman]

Oy.

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

The OP is talking about cover bands, and KCLR comes right out and says they are not a cover band.

True, he did say cover band, but the point was to hear different covers if you read the OP.

In short, unless KCLR plays four hours a night entertaining an audience playing mostly covers, they are an ORIGINAL band, with an ORIGINAL sound, and when they play covers, they sound like THEMSELVES more than the song they are covering.

The topic that got this thread started was a guy auditioning for cover bands, asking how much he needs to cop the original.

Man, talk about changing the subject. This thread is this thread, the OP says nothing about a guy auditioning for bands...

It's a topic that gets brought up a lot, and some of us have experienced bands who claim to put "their own spin" on a song, but really just can't play the song right.

I think it's great that talented musicians can put their own spin on songs, but we have yet to see an example of a working cover band doing much of it.

From the website:

KC Roberts & The Live Revolution (KCLR) are proud purveyors of beautiful vintage music (funk, jazz, rock), with an artistic obligation to shift all that's sacredly funky and soulful into the current phase of popular music (hip-hop, house, electronic, Drum n' Bass). Essentially an original 7-piece funk band, KCLR is well-known for its energized live performances winning the 2007 Toronto Independent Music Award for best live act. torontomusicscene.ca writes, "Their live shows are absolutely mind-blowing; the band is something entirely unique and influenced by atypical genres." Matt Bauer of Exclaim! Magazine writes, "If one needed proof of the vitality and authenticity of new Canadian funk music, they need look no further."

That is NOT a cover band; this is a thread about cover bands, per the thread TITLE.

And you're what? The Talkbass police? Let's discuss, without getting bent out of shape. The OP wanted to hear TBers bands put a spin on covers. Got something to contribute?

[monkeybass68]

Heres the youtube link for the promo of my old cover band Balloon Knot. We did a few our own way. Check especially "Kids In America" at the 2:32 mark & "Rio" at the 5:52 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA-eCD5CweY

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I don't have an argument. The OP is looking for examples of people posting THEIR COVER BAND putting their own spin on well-known songs.

Tell ya what: you feel free to ignore the postings that get you so worked up, and I'll just appreciate the inventive arrangements Pacman, KCLR, etc are sharing.

[monkeybass68]

Originally Posted by derrico1

Tell ya what: you feel free to ignore the postings that get you so worked up, and I'll just appreciate the inventive arrangements Pacman, KCLR, etc are sharing.

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by oldrocker

John Coltrane's twist on "My Favorite Things" was pretty good too.

Of course John Coltrane was not in a cover band

[soitainly]

This whole argument is silly to me. If you pride yourself on copying the record, then do it. If you like to hear bands do note for note copies, go see them. If you like to stretch out and make things your own, do it. If you are good at it you will get good gigs. I tend to favor creativity both in my playing and my listening, but can enjoy a cover band doing copies if they are REALLY good.

There are lots of cover bands out there that can't really play but they get gigs because clubs like to hire cheap bands. It's not really fair to lump them in with bands that play other's songs and chose to make them their own. Good music is good music, who cares otherwise?

[Ric5]

A different version of come together by the Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRJn4...eature=related

[mellowinman]

I'm not the least bit worked up about any of this. Capitalizing words is for EMPHASIS. It's a written medium. There is no way to discern any person's level of emotion. I am not bent out of shape at all, and I enjoyed the covers I have heard here, and have encouraged, and will continue to encourage, posters to post theirs.

The fact remains, however, that a large majority of cover bands who claim to "put their own spin" on songs are simply bands who are unable to faithfully recreate the iconic songs their audience came to hear, and this thread has done nothing to put that to rest.

I'm sorry if this fact, which I have supported with logic, and no one seems to be able to provide evidence to the contrary, upsets anyone.

I'm not sure, however, that anyone is actually arguing that point.

Are there working cover bands who put their own spin on songs? Sure.

Are there many? No, especially at the bar level. Mostly, you have rank amateurs, who can barely play at all. Their "spin" is frequently playing the wrong tempo; with sub-par vocals; and using drummers who can barely keep time.

Thanks to everyone for the great contributions!

[Ric5]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ma14...ature=youtu.be