Do You Hate Your Playlist?

[Nick Danger]

When I auditioned for my current band, I fully expected to have to play whatever I was told. Luckily, we hit it off right away and they've been totally open to my input. In a few months we've added 10 new songs that I suggested. So I love our playlist!

 

[Dave W]

I don't love all of the tunes we play, but the couple that I truly hate are good crowd pleasers so I suck it up.

Same here.

I wish we added more material than we do so we have a larger catalog to work from but it doesn't happen.

However, there is zero drama, we work all the time, and everybody in the music scene seems to love us.

 

[dtripoli]

my interest soon diminished to the point that the band was just another obligation, especially with the three-hour setup time and additional hour to town.

Seriously, it take 3 hours to set up? and you drive and hour to the venue.
What in the world could possibly require 3 hours just to set up a band?
Add an hour drive and you've wasted 8 hours there and back home.
Our drummer arrives about 30 - 45 minutes before downbeat, more items to assemble. My self about 15 - 20 minutes and our guitarist also takes about 20 minutes, WE will do mic checks and make sure we're all in turn and start playing 30 minutes after we've arrived at the venue.
We get it all done in half the time and leave home and return hours before you. Between our percentage of the bar and tips tells us we are doing well and something right, not to mention slowly gaining a small but devoted fan base
Am I missing something here?

 

[mrcbass]

Seriously, it take 3 hours to set up? and you drive and hour to the venue.
What in the world could possibly require 3 hours just to set up a band?
Add an hour drive and you've wasted 8 hours there and back home.
Our drummer arrives about 30 - 45 minutes before downbeat, more items to assemble. My self about 15 - 20 minutes and our guitarist also takes about 20 minutes, WE will do mic checks and make sure we're all in turn and start playing 30 minutes after we've arrived at the venue.
We get it all done in half the time and leave home and return hours before you. Between our percentage of the bar and tips tells us we are doing well and something right, not to mention slowly gaining a small but devoted fan base
Am I missing something here?

Not everybody is efficient at this stuff. My band has been doing 3 hour load ins before I arrived. We actually use 90-120 minutes to get done, but we also like some down time to change, maybe have a quick bite and a bit of stage lube before we start. A lot of it for us is our drummer who uses an ekit and has a 200 lb monster flight case for most of his kit - and it is planted right in the middle of where the rest of us are trying to do the subs and PA. And then when the talent arrives, we have 5 people scurrying about and tripping over each other.

Add to the fact that we have very small stages most of the time and have to dial in how were' going to squeeze 5 people (drums, bass, rhythm guitar, lead guitar/kb, lead vox/kb) into room for a trio takes some time. Sometime we have to get tables and chairs and patrons of our "stage" and load in paths are not always close or easy (try wrestling a 200 lb flight case up stairs into doors that are too narrow to roll it in). Just takes time.

Now that I'm in the band and adding a third hand, I'm hoping we can start aiming for 2 hour lead times, which will work for places that we've played before. Trust me, the 10-11 hour commitment for a $50 gig is not welcome and I am helping to get them streamlined, but I was honestly shocked the first time I helped with the load-in - we had about 15 minutes to spare after sound check and all three of us were consistently working at it. It'll get better, but not a lot.

 

[Nashrakh]

It’s one of unfairnesses of being the bass guitarist: little to no control over repertoire.

How many times (in Ronco guy voice) have you been solicited for song choices then provide a list, none of which will ever be used? Too many to count? Seriously, I can’t remember one instance of the band learning a song I suggested.

This post made me realize that in all the years I've been playing, none of the bands have ever played any of my suggestions either. Thanks for the depressing thoughts.

The harsh realities of just being the bass player...

 

[NZBassman]

In my last band it was like..... if the drummer doesn't like it, then we won't play it.... it was frustrating at times when me and guitarist put the effort into learning a song and drummer attempts a half arse run through before deciding 'it's not going to work'.... songs like Lenny Kravitz 'Are you gonna go my way', Foo Fighters 'Learning to fly', Blondie 'one way or another'... all these have been floor fillers with other bands, but Drummer just didn't put the effort in or couldn't bother learning it properly..... I left the band a year ago and still keep in touch with the guitarist - who said they still have the same set list and have only added 1 new song to the set list in 1 year!

 

[THUNDERGODX]

Yes, those are fun as hell, and people like them so doubly-good!

I thought the same thing, 3 hour set up? I wonder if that's because they are using "older" PA gear with seperate amps and crossovers or if it's just a huge PA? The fastest I've been forced to connect our PA and get going was 25 minutes and I didn't enjoy that. We usually schedule 2 hours just to have the time to hang out after it's all done and checked.

It was a big PA.
JBL-Crown-X32-IEMs-Lights-Banner.
Load In and hookup was the hard part. BL always wanted a "time "cushion" for gremlins, short circuits, warm up, sound check etc. It I hadnt had the hour+ drive to every gig, I cold have survived better.
Ironically, the gig I scr##ed up on was only about 5 miles from my home town. I got the time wrong, and was working up until time to get to the show, but I was off by an hour on the start time.
That was what kicked it all off.

I was surprised that I didnt care.

As the Grand Master used to say on the beginning of that KungFu show, "Time for you to leave, Grasshoppah"

 

[Dr_Benway]

I'm very happy with the tunes my band is doing. We set a priority for what we play.

1. Has to have been in the Top Forty
2. Has to be a song that the majority of cover bands don't touch

It's worked out well.

 

[oldrocker]

I'm very happy with the tunes my band is doing. We set a priority for what we play.

1. Has to have been in the Top Forty
2. Has to be a song that the majority of cover bands don't touch

It's worked out well.

This top 40?

Pop Music: Top Pop Songs Chart

 

[Dr_Benway]

This top 40?

Pop Music: Top Pop Songs Chart

I left out one or two things. Nothing after 2k. I haven't heard any of the tunes on that chart.

 

[oldrocker]

I left out one or two things. Nothing after 2k.

Ah ha, that would be a big distinction.

 

[Dr_Benway]

Ah ha, that would be a big distinction.

Damn straight! I'm talking about things like "Head over Heels" by Tears for Fears and "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order. "Good Vibrations" etc. etc. The setlist covers sixties to late 90s.

 

[Paulabass]

If the band is democratic, I agree to play some music I don't love, and expect the band to play some of my selections they don't love.
If I work with a band leader who pays me- I shut up and play what he calls, or don't take the gig.
I also have a 'just NO' list that is a make or break. These songs I won't play, and I tell the band leader that during our initial meeting.
I will play freebird. If someone shouts Freebird, we start playing it right at that second, in whatever key we were in at that time. It leaves people dumbfounded.

 

[Chango Malo]

while I don't hate the current setlist, I (and the bass player and fiddle player as well) am bored to tears with it. It's been fairly stagnant for night on 3 years. Bass god and I were at the best Chinese BBQ down in chinatown last December and were talking about some hassles he'd been having with his day job. Long story short he decided he was going to "lead from the chair he was in" meaning that while he wasn't the boss of that project, he could exert some serious positive influence towards a succesful outcome. So *light bulb* I started pushing a real rehearsal agenda with a spreadsheet and goals just like a good ol' gannt chart starting with cleaning up and polishing the more wayward aspects of the current set list. Now that the rehearsal process is starting to shape up the next target to add to the task list is new tunes. A unintended consequence is the other four ganged up on me and named me as the MD. So at least we have some hope and a map to get the sets revamped.


As far as cover bands go, vox populi means you'll be playing the 'hits' as defined by the audience. There's and escape clause that shouldn't be forgotten: Even though "Brown Eyed Girl" is a fav of most audiences, you don't have to play it. There are many many many other just as popular iconic tunes you can play instead. When someone says "we should play the tunes the audience likes, not just what we like" in the rehearsal studio they're right. But there are soooooo many iconic tunes out there you don't have to play ones someone in the band hates to play. Personally, I won't play "brown eyed girl". Or "pink cadillac". Or "margarittaville". There are thousands of equally popular tunes out there that can take their place easy peasy.
and for those foaming with rightious indignation, yes I make it clear on first contact that I'm not down for those three tunes. If it's required for the gig, it ain't my gig. Exceptions are made if I'm subbing.

 

[oldrocker]

...
I also have a 'just NO' list that is a make or break. These songs I won't play, and I tell the band leader that during our initial meeting.
...

What kind of stuff makes your Just No list?