Covers vs Originals

[BatBasstard]

No worries, I am led to believe that scientists go through this, a lot. When they ask a question that provokes many unexpected answers, they usually consider it a good thing.. Overwhelming maybe, but generally good. It's when they ask a complex question and can't get anything but simple answers that they worry. Even here, that can get frustrating.

Just for reference.
Earlier in this thread I mentioned that I had previously worked at an extremely high level in advertising.
In that role I was responsible for commissioning and designing in excess of £20 million worth of professional research.

The phenomenon you are describing definitely does exist.
But that’s not what’s happened here.
All of this *waves arm at thread* appears to have been driven by insecurity and “chips on people’s shoulders”.

The entire experience has made me quite sad.

Thanks for having been one of the voices of reason.

 

[brianrost]

I've always been a sideman, never a bandleader, songwriter, etc. If the bandleader is a songwriter then I'm doing original material...otherwise I'm not.

 

[JRA]

I’m currently in two originals bands that each do a few covers, and in one brass band that does all covers but mashes them up together. Like, one song may include Dr. Dre, Lorde, Paul Simon, and Green Day all mashed together. It’s fun!

yeah, that's fun! nice!

 

[LBS-bass]

The majority of people on TB are older and play covers. If you are playing originals take some of the advice with a grain of salt as people here are often in a covers/hired gun bubble.

Having been in originals bands for decades prior.

This is such a weird take. So early in the thread I mentioned that many people doing covers have done and tired of the originals scene. The fact that someone is doing covers now doesn't mean they have no insight. They might have a ton of insight on that.

 

[LBS-bass]

The phenomenon you are describing definitely does exist.
But that’s not what’s happened here.
All of this *waves arm at thread* appears to have been driven by insecurity and “chips on people’s shoulders”.

I think you're just unhappy because the answer is more complex than you wanted it to be.

Most of us here have experience with both, and we use all of it to inform how we do business. It's not a simple either/or. Sorry that's making you unhappy.

 

[BatBasstard]

I think you're just unhappy because the answer is more complex than you wanted it to be.

Most of us here have experience with both, and we use all of it to inform how we do business. It's not a simple either/or. Sorry that's making you unhappy.

I’m not sure the answer to “When you’re posting about your band in this specific forum, is the specific band you’re posting about a covers band (which for the purposes of the pedantry that’s doubtless gonna follow this because oh sweet Jesus this thread is making me want to give up talking to people online I mean “a band which does not make performing there own material to their own/potential fanbase their major focus including but not limited to covers bands, tribute bands & function bands”) or is it an originals band (by which I mean a band that performs sets consisting of 90% their own music in a bid - no matter how futile - to create a market for the sale and consumption of said music”) is anything like as complex as some people would like it to be…..

 

[LBS-bass]

I mean “a band which does not make performing there own material to their own/potential fanbase their major focus including but not limited to covers bands, tribute bands & function bands”) or is it an originals band (by which I mean a band that performs sets consisting of 90% their own music in a bid - no matter how futile - to create a market for the sale and consumption of said music”) is anything like as complex as some people would like it to be…..

There's no rule about what kind of band you need to be in to post in certain forums, which seems like what you are after.

There's no quick way to know what a person's experience is, in general. There's no quick way to know whether the advice they're giving you is rooted in the sort of band they're in now or the one they were in two years ago, either.

You have to ask questions in the moment if you want answers like that.

Let me turn this around and ask you how you would like to see this information presented? How would we be able to give you what it is you want to know?

I can tell you "yes, I am in a cover band."

I can also tell you "I'm in an improvisational blues band that doesn't play anything the way it was written or recorded by anyone else, and we also play some original music."

I can also tell you "yes, I have two original CDs to my credit, and have been in several other original bands that didn't record."

I can also tell you "yes, I still write and produce and record my own music but I no longer have an interest in performing it."

Which of those answers are you looking for? Which answer helps you the most?

 

[socialleper]

Having been in originals bands for decades prior.

This is such a weird take. So early in the thread I mentioned that many people doing covers have done and tired of the originals scene. The fact that someone is doing covers now doesn't mean they have no insight. They might have a ton of insight on that.

That might theoretically be right, but my practical experience around here has been very different over the years. Asking for advice around here about being an original rock band in a major city is as fruitless as asking about current trends in music.

 

[BatBasstard]

There's no rule about what kind of band you need to be in to post in certain forums, which seems like what you are after.

There's no quick way to know what a person's experience is, in general. There's no quick way to know whether the advice they're giving you is rooted in the sort of band they're in now or the one they were in two years ago, either.

You have to ask questions in the moment if you want answers like that.

Let me turn this around and ask you how you would like to see this information presented? How would we be able to give you what it is you want to know?

I can tell you "yes, I am in a cover band."

I can also tell you "I'm in an improvisational blues band that doesn't play anything the way it was written or recorded by anyone else, and we also play some original music."

I can also tell you "yes, I have two original CDs to my credit, and have been in several other original bands that didn't record."

I can also tell you "yes, I still write and produce and record my own music but I no longer have an interest in performing it."

Which of those answers are you looking for? Which answer helps you the most?

I think I’m rapidly forming the conclusion that some people are so wilfully pedantic that any advice from them, regardless of experience, would be of little value to me.

Researcher: “Do you like breakfast cereal?”

TB User 1: “I like some breakfast cereal”

TB User 2: “No”.

TB User 3: “Yes”.

TB User 4: “Well now. That all depends on what time of day you’re calling breakfast…..”

Researcher: “That’s not really important. We just want to kn….”

TB User 4: “…..and what you mean by cereal…”

Researcher: “Just regular breakfast cereal. You know….”

TB User 4: “Shhh! I hadn’t finished!……and what you mean by the word you….”

Researcher: “I’m not sure we need your input sir….”

I wish I knew how to post a “facepalm emoji” on here.

 

[LBS-bass]

I think I’m rapidly forming the conclusion that some people are so wilfully pedantic that any advice from them, regardless of experience, would be of little value to me.

Researcher: “Do you like breakfast cereal?”

TB User 1: “I like some breakfast cereal”

TB User 2: “No”.

TB User 3: “Yes”.

TB User 4: “Well now. That all depends on what time of day you’re calling breakfast…..”

Researcher: “That’s not really important. We just want to kn….”

TB User 4: “…..and what you mean by cereal…”

Researcher: “Just regular breakfast cereal. You know….”

TB User 4: “Shhh! I hadn’t finished!……and what you mean by the word you….”

Researcher: “I’m not sure we need your input sir….”

I wish I knew how to post a “facepalm emoji” on here.

I only wish I could boil down my experience to something as simple as breakfast. Hope you figure out how to get useful info from these blockheads here. Ain’t nobody here with anything important to say.

 

[socialleper]

I think I’m rapidly forming the conclusion that some people are so wilfully pedantic that any advice from them, regardless of experience, would be of little value to me.

Researcher: “Do you like breakfast cereal?”

TB User 1: “I like some breakfast cereal”

TB User 2: “No”.

TB User 3: “Yes”.

TB User 4: “Well now. That all depends on what time of day you’re calling breakfast…..”

Researcher: “That’s not really important. We just want to kn….”

TB User 4: “…..and what you mean by cereal…”

Researcher: “Just regular breakfast cereal. You know….”

TB User 4: “Shhh! I hadn’t finished!……and what you mean by the word you….”

Researcher: “I’m not sure we need your input sir….”

I wish I knew how to post a “facepalm emoji” on here.

Welcome to the internet. It isn't specific to TB. Always ask short, simple questions, and keep your history leading up to the question out of it. Otherwise people will start focusing on the wrong thing.
Social media is both a boon and a curse.

 

[LBS-bass]

That might theoretically be right, but my practical experience around here has been very different over the years. Asking for advice around here about being an original rock band in a major city is as fruitless as asking about current trends in music.

Sorry to hear that. I’m being sincere there. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

 

[socialleper]

Sorry to hear that. I’m being sincere there. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

"Should" and "shouldn't" are mighty loaded words.

 

[51PRI]

Yeah.
A good open mic is a gift from god for aspiring originals artists.
However the reason I’d left these out of my posts is that there are vanishingly few that are both good and able to cope with complete full line up bands with a drummer.

Which brings me to reminding everyone:

All I was trying to find out when I started this thread was if that when someone makes a post here in Band Management like “
The Band that can't change..A.K.A. I've decided to just let it go.” (a recent post) Are they more likely to be talking about an Original’s Band or a Covers Band?

Not: Are Originals Bands “better” than Covers Bands (or vis versa).

Not: Is there more money in Covers bands.

Not: What’s the deal with dodgy venues?

Etc.

Your first quote was my thread. We are a blues band but, for bar gigs, do all kings of covers but we also do the BL's original blues songs, especially at festivals. I've mentioned all of this in my threads.

To answer this, I think that if you can't tell from the context, you probably have to ask them. In the case of the thread you reference here, we're pretty familiar with this poster's ongoing issues with this particular band because that's one of several threads where he has earlier described in detail what they do. It's a cover band.

Well, yes, it is a cover band that also plays the BL's originals. My stated goal was to try to get the band to go more heavily into familiar crowd pleaser type covers to ideally broaden what little fan base we have. I have decided to drop that goal.

I 'm pretty exclusive to the cover scene.

I'd suspect my gigs would fall into a "small" category - typically dive bars and a few private parties and wineries - typically 5-50 people in the crowd. Way too many closer to 5 than 50, but there have been a few with more than a hundred.

I've done a little work with originals and would again for the right situation, but doing covers is my bread and butter.

How do you keep getting bookings with such small crowds?

I only wish I could boil down my experience to something as simple as breakfast. Hope you figure out how to get useful info from these blockheads here. Ain’t nobody here with anything important to say.

???

 

[mrcbass]

How do you keep getting bookings with such small crowds?

In my world, we don't "bring" people to speak of. The venue supplies the "crowd". 50 people can be fun if they are in the mood.

But I ask myself your question a lot.

 

[mrcbass]

I wish I knew how to post a “facepalm emoji” on here.

?

 

[JRA]

I think I’m rapidly forming the conclusion that some people are so wilfully pedantic that...

dude, you're the pot calling the kettle "black." you keep referencing pedanticism while posting as a pedant!

you get to do what you want, @BatBasstard, while others have their own POV/experience. if you really wanted to know more about those experiences = listen/observe/question more, criticize/opine/whine less. for you, that's probably more work, but such is the nature of "research," as you used the term in an earlier post.

i hope you get some satisfaction/knowledge from your "research" --- whatever you do: please get back with your 'results' or your take, conclusions, whatever...good luck! also, polls are the friend of "TB researchers."

 

[King Harvest]

I pretend to be in an originals band so I can throw shade at cover band guys when they throw shade at the bedroom players.

 

[kevindahl]

Cover band here. All pubs. 100 or less patrons. One nighters 3 sets sometimes 4 sets.

 

[Lostgallifreyan]

I only wish I could boil down my experience to something as simple as breakfast. Hope you figure out how to get useful info from these blockheads here. Ain’t nobody here with anything important to say.

I resemble that remark. Ian Dury had some very perspicacious philosophy on the subject of Blockheads.