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Cover band or Original?

Cover or Original band?

  • Cover band

    Votes: 75 53.6%

  • Original Band

    Votes: 63 45.0%

  • Carrot Band

    Votes: 2 1.4%
  • Total voters
    140
#81
MatticusMania said:
Mustang Sally only works if you play in places that cater to a 40 year old + drinking crowd, and even then, only if the ladies are present. :hiding:
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I played a gig Saturday. I could safely say that about 2/3rds of the crowd were ladies aged 25-35. We played in a touristy/hip part of town, Old Town Alexandria.

They danced their butts off when we did Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Ceelo Green.
They danced their butts off when we did Journey, the Outfield, Madonna, the Romantics, and Heart.
But you know what tunes literally got EVERYONE on the dance floor?
Twist and Shout by the Beatles and Shout by the Isley Brothers. Probably the 2 oldest songs on our list.
 
#82
Phalex said:
I'm pretty sure you'll never find out.
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Don't get me wrong on covers, because some of you list some songs I would have no problem doing.

Thing is with covers just like with many originals bands, I will go to a bands site and their live execution of these covers is marginal at best.

I know there are exceptions because I have seen some cover bands that had the resources to reproduce the song just like the recording that usually is a huge production with more tracks than you can count.
 
#83
We do it differently. Real off beat, not quite reggae-ish, rests in weird places. The drummer and I try to see if we can make drunks fall over, which makes it fun for us, and the peoples still dig the hell out of it.

I just wanna keep the people entertained.
 
#84
I want to make it clear about my opinion on covers. If your executing kick Ass level covers, thats cool.

But that means;

Effin smoking guitars, it usually takes 3 guitars and keys to cover a most covers, these recordings are huge productions.

A drummer that knows where and how he fits in and understands tempo. You finish where you start.

A competent bass player that can play the parts as recorded, not some hodge podge of notes based on the way he/she hears it.

Last but not least, you have to have an incredible lead vocalist and people that can cover background vocals and sing difficult harmonies flawlessly.

Now there are a very few that understand arranging and can scale these songs back and do a cool job with them, but I rarely see this.
 
#85
bluewine said:
I want to make it clear any body executing kick Ass level covers, that means;

Effin smoking guitars, it usually takes 3 guitars and keys to cover a most covers, these recordings are huge productions.

A drummer that knows where and how he fits in and understands tempo. You finish where you start.

A competent bass player that can play the parts as recorded, not some hodge podge of notes based on the way he/she hears it.

Last but not least, you have to have an incredible lead vocalist and people that can cover background vocals and sing difficult harmonies flawlessly.

Now there are a very few that understand arranging and can scale these songs back and do a cool job with them, but I rarely see this.
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We just have one guitar player. More than one person has commented on his ability to seemingly play rhythm and lead at the same time.

Our drummy toured nationally back in the 90's. He's not too bad

The bass (That's me) really kinda sucks ass. I fit in well with the drummer musically and I haul stuff, so they keep me around.

Our singer is an amazing front man. The downside is that he tends to buy his own hype.

We do OK. We'll probably never get rich and famous, but we get free drinks, and get flashed by the women occasionally.
 
#86
I play in a classic/modern rock cover band which gigs regularly for decent cash and an all original Grateful Dead/Gvmt Mule/Traffic style jam band which will probably never ever get a paying gig. Been doing some free charity gigs like Cancer Walk-a-thons with the original jam band. The cover band members are a tough sell on doing any free gigs and the original band members are just happy to be playing anywhere besides the garage. It's all good.
 
#87
Phalex said:
We just have one guitar player. More than one person has commented on his ability to seemingly play rhythm and lead at the same time.

Our drummy toured nationally back in the 90's. He's not too bad

The bass (That's me) really kinda sucks ass. I fit in well with the drummer musically and I haul stuff, so they keep me around.

Our singer is an amazing front man. The downside is that he tends to buy his own hype.

We do OK. We'll probably never get rich and famous, but we get free drinks, and get flashed by the women occasionally.
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And all of that sounds like fun to me. Tell you the truth, since I have played in an all originals band (3rd year) the crowd is way different. Our music isnt rowdy so the crowd is not at all. Their are great looking ladies and a few dance to our songs but its not often and it is sometimes to ..you guessed it, when we do a cover :rolleyes: We never see Bewbage or really anything close :bawl: But thats Ok..We get a music listening, music loving crowd that are more there for a show.

I will admit I miss those days of girls flashing us. Making out and dancing all night long. Even had one lick the headstock of my P bass once..oh my! :eek:
 
#92
Phalex said:
Sack up and play some Mustang Sally.
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Why do people talking about sacking up or growing a sack or whatever when they want people to toughen up. Testicles are some of the most sensitive parts of the body, flick them with a finger and guys double in pain. Instead, tell people to grow a vxxxxxx. That's something that can take a pounding. :D

But, in all seriousness, there's a few reasons why folks including me hate Mustang Sally...
- Of all the great music that came from the Stax era, why is that the only one people know? There's many awesome songs from that era.
- Of all the great music that has come out since then, why is this the one people want to hear? We're talking decades worth of hit tunes, and this is the one they gravitate to.
- It's like taking candy from a baby. I mean it works, but it's like beating up a ****** for your lunch money. You still get lunch, but you don't feel good about doing it.
- After a while it gets creepy when Freebird dude and Mustang Sally girl come to every one of your shows. I feel like I've been stalked for the last 20 years, but I don't actually know who my stalker is.
 
#93
Yeah voted cover as well And Blue I could play them note for note but some of the bass lines from the 70's and 80's were just so lame I choose to change them to make them more fun to play for me. I hate laying on the root note for the entire song or playing a root 3rd 5th thing like it Hotel Ca. after playing it for the millionth time I just had to make it my own. Anyone who has heard us do Hotel Ca that is a bass player has only said good things about my reworking of the song. Some nights I will go back to the normal bass line but not often. I am 52 and playing since I was nine as you know so I become bored to tears with the one note wonder stuff!
 
#94
bluewine said:
I want to make it clear any body executing kick Ass level covers, that means;

Effin smoking guitars, it usually takes 3 guitars and keys to cover a most covers, these recordings are huge productions.

A drummer that knows where and how he fits in and understands tempo. You finish where you start.
A competent bass player that can play the parts as recorded, not some hodge podge of notes based on the way he/she hears it.

Last but not least, you have to have an incredible lead vocalist and people that can cover background vocals and sing difficult harmonies flawlessly.

Now there are a very few that understand arranging and can scale these songs back and do a cool job with them, but I rarely see this.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...guess we aren't prepared to do covers after all. I particularly like the drummer reference. When Roger kicks the tune into gear, it's more like "...hey buddy, we'll meet up at the end!"

Link Removed

Riis
 
#95
My band I'm in for the last 9 months or so is an original band. Started from the ground up by me and my guitar player. After a few months of riff brain storming we found a drummer and singer. So first ground up band for me and first time the WHOLE band is on the same page. Yea, really. I didn't think it was possible!
 
#96
rtslinger said:
Yeah voted cover as well And Blue I could play them note for note but some of the bass lines from the 70's and 80's were just so lame I choose to change them to make them more fun to play for me. I hate laying on the root note for the entire song or playing a root 3rd 5th thing like it Hotel Ca. after playing it for the millionth time I just had to make it my own. Anyone who has heard us do Hotel Ca that is a bass player has only said good things about my reworking of the song. Some nights I will go back to the normal bass line but not often. I am 52 and playing since I was nine as you know so I become bored to tears with the one note wonder stuff!
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Your 52 and you started playing at 9. Those that have read my post know that means a lot to me.

Something about starting at that age usually means your a true player in this game.
 

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