Cover band set-list conflicts.

[Jebberz]

In my cover band, I play many songs that I don't really like. Turns out that most of them are fun to play, and gets good reaction from the audience, so it don't bothers me at all. In the other hand, there are songs I really like that we played that turns out to be boring to play, or gets little reaction from the audience. Those songs don't last long in our setlist.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

see that would be a blast doing a hard rock version of the chicken dance. This guy wanted to do turbo lover, round and round songs that the local radio plays to death.

Unfortunately, the majority of your audience are ignorant to appreciating musicianship... they're not there for that. They want entertained, and the crap the play on the radio is what they like. Hence, succumb to the mundane or look for "fun" elsewhere. I'm not bustin' your chops, just being realistic about the situation.

 

[brianrost]

I never expect to be happy with every song a band plays. If I like playing 75% or more of the songs, I'm satisfied.

 

[RichardW]

To paraphrase a famous saying: song selection politics are so vicious because the stakes are so low.

 

[AcridSaint]

Proceed to see the rest of the thread. I'm amazed how seriously some people take playing in a cover band.

Seems to me that the cover band scene where I am is where the steady money is, so it's not that hard to understand why some people take playing in one seriously. I personally take all of my playing that may be heard by others seriously.

I play in a cover band and we were looking for a drummer. So one guy contacts our singer and says "I really like you guys, when are you going originals? You know, the only reason to ever do covers is just to get good enough to do originals." Guess who we didn't audition?

Some people like doing originals, some people like doing covers, some like both. The attitudes on both sides I just don't get.

 

[buldog5151bass]

YOU are auditioning for THEIR band. You don't like the set list, don't audition.

It depends upon your priorities. As I told a bandleader when I joined their band, I would rather play good gigs with good musicians playing music that was not my favorite than playing my favorite music in my garage.

 

[wintremute]

I read the whole thread, but this miscommunication is still bugging me.

Seems like it's always you that has a problem with the songs.

Mmm don't know how you would know that. I haven't played in a cover band in over 7 years. Last conflict I had was with my old guitarist over a Megadeth song. We only ever played 3 gigs and I was 17 then.

You said in your 1st post:

This has been on my mind lately because it tends to happen a lot especially in cover bands.

So, you made it seem like this happens to you a lot. Also, thank you for making that two words "a lot" and not "alot".

 

[saabfender]

YOU are auditioning for THEIR band. You don't like the set list, don't audition.

This just happened to me. A band auditioning listed the bands they cover and I was very excited. The BL sent me the songlist and I lost my appetite. I gently excused myself from the proceedings, something to the effect of "I don't think I could be much help on those songs."

A band's songlist is representative of many many hours of effort. Those are the numbers where they've put their chips. They are personally invested in them. It's not the same level of involvement as if they were originals but closer than you'd imagine.

Dull/lazy/boring/stupid song choices tell me who they are as a band. Just "sucking it up" is idiotic. That's a slippery-slope argument to ending up being miserable in a band by general accepting what is unacceptable. It has not been my experience that a band that has their act together for all other facets of band-ness (and something you'd want to be a part of) also has a setlist bloated with garbage and filler.

And I’d spread the word, too.

I really hope this is only internet bravado and not indicative of real-life dickish actions taken.

 

[guy n. cognito]

I really hope this is only internet bravado and not indicative of real-life dickish actions taken.

I'd consider it saving my fellow musicians from a bad attitude.

 

[pcake]

I can actually understand where you are coming from. So what you're the new guy. How hard is it to change a few songs out?? Maybe there's a few that have special meaning to a certain member so you suck it up and play those few. Everyone should have a say......
Shoot, You stuck to your guns. I respect that!

he wasn't the new guy - he was auditioning.

Been there done that. I was briefly playing in a cover band that seemed to gravitate to the worst song every band did. For example, Queen "Tie Your Mother Down." I know for a fact that Queen has produced 20 better than songs than that, which everyone would know (and that don't rhyme with Bohemian Rhapsody). But OK. I went with it.

Cover bands don't necessarily have to sink to the lowest common denominator but most do. I didn't last long with those guys for other reasons (my choice to leave after two weeks). Conversely, my current band is 75% original. One of our covers is "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," which I normally despise because most classic rock bands just flog it badly. But we do a nice version of it.

If it ain't your band, you don't get much say. That's my experience anyway.

i've seen dance floors pack to "tie your mother down", and i think it's a fun song.

 

[buldog5151bass]

@TjMetalhead Let's turn it around. Say you were starting a band. You have a vision for what you want to do. You place an ad, and someone answers. Before he/she has even auditioned, they tell you your song choice sucks. What would be YOUR reaction?

 

[saabfender]

I'd consider it saving my fellow musicians from a bad attitude.

Not what I got from the OP. He's new and doesn't know the rules. He's also smart enough to know something was amiss and start a thread to get some perspective.

I wouldn't characterize his attitude as "bad" - just clueless. Everybody here was new once.

 

[FunkHead]

he wasn't the new guy - he was auditioning.

Right! But auditions work in both directions. Plus it was just one guy. If someone won't talk about the set list and has a my way or the highway attitude, I have no use for them. That doesn't make me right or you wrong. Just different expectations.

If you are a solid bass player and you like most of what you are seeing from a potential project, Then what's wrong with saying "Hey I like what see here but I would love to change out Rock & Roll All Night for Detroit Rock City".

The guy clearly has a "No soup for you" Seinfeld kind of attitude.

I'd say a large % of the Craigslist ads are just a waste of time. There a lot of Flakes pretending to be musicians. And there is no room for a closed minds in music.

I listen to every suggestion and evaluate it on a case by case basis. My Drummer is always pitching ideas to me and Visa Versa. I can't imagine either of us prohibiting the other from making suggestions.

 

[lfmn16]

He's new and doesn't know the rules.

New to what? Per his own posts he's been playing for more than 7 years and he's been on TB for 6 over years.

He's gotten a lot of feedback, he can take it for what it's worth.

 

[MojoPenguin]

In my band we try to vote on the songs we all agree on. And it's tough lol

 

[buldog5151bass]

Right! But auditions work in both directions. Plus it was just one guy. If someone won't talk about the set list and has a my way or the highway attitude, I have no use for them. That doesn't make me right or you wrong. Just different expectations.

If you are a solid bass player and you like most of what you are seeing from a potential project, Then what's wrong with saying "Hey I like what see here but I would love to change out Rock & Roll All Night for Detroit Rock City".

YOU are auditioning for THEM. If they ask, offer your opinion.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Not what I got from the OP. He's new and doesn't know the rules. He's also smart enough to know something was amiss and start a thread to get some perspective.

I wouldn't characterize his attitude as "bad" - just clueless. Everybody here was new once.

I wouldn’t bother to characterize it. Whether it come from niavete of just a bad attitude, it would be a problem for any band.

 

[FunkHead]

YOU are auditioning for THEM. If they ask, offer your opinion.

I have to disagree. Just like a job interview, you are both deciding if it is a proper fit.

I certainly don't guarantee you that I will take the "Job" if it is offered. Who here has not turned down offers?

 

[MtManiac]

Unfortunately, the majority of your audience are ignorant to appreciating musicianship... they're not there for that. They want entertained, and the crap the play on the radio is what they like. Hence, succumb to the mundane or look for "fun" elsewhere. I'm not bustin' your chops, just being realistic about the situation.

Well... if we are playing music for a hobby, great, we can play what we like with our mates in the garage or by ourselves in the living room. If we want paying gigs, we play what an audience wants to hear. If we can create our own audience for our own original stuff, also great, but for the most part that ain't the case - we are all paid entertainment, there isn't a higher purpose than that, and there doesn't need to be one. The whole notion of selling out is an illusion, you aren't defining your purpose as an artist, you are defining your audience, in most cases *refining* it, i.e. making it smaller, but that is all you are doing. Playing in front of an audience - even if it is Brown Eyed Girl or Mustang Sally or Sweet Home Alabama *AGAIN* ffs - we play it with a smile on our face and watch the woo-hoo girls try to not spill beer on the dance floor. Choosing to not do that doesn't make a person a better or more deserving musician or give anyone a guilt free pass to Snob Land, it just means you get to have to fewer options to fill your time with on a Friday night.

 

[FunkHead]

Some people are acting as if the OP were auditioning for Metallica or Iron Maiden. It's a friggin start up cover band. Seriously, where does this stuff come from.