I have a problem with cover/tribute bands.

[Mike151]

This post seems to be like someone walking into a busy biker bar, unplugging the juke box, and screaming "Harley's Suck"! hehe...

 

[Rickett Customs]

I have a problem with cover/tribute bands.

I am in a new band who needs a guitarist to complete the line up and I feel as though we've exhausted every way to look for one. I go through online ads looking for a guitarist and for every 5 or so ads for a cover/tribute band there might be one actual musician/writer looking for a band.

This is me venting. Cover bands are worthless. Write your own music.

I've played in cover bands most of my time playing bass.
Seems to me Those "every 5" are not you or your band, that's their thing.
I do write my own music, although I don't feel that the current band i'm in, has the same spontaneity as I, which would make it sort of difficult.

Here's a suggestion (although it appears to be a question), before you take your foot out of your mouth , Why don't you guys pick up some covers, mix some of your originals? That is a good formula to getting more and more people into your tunes, as well as make it easier to transition newer members in and probably get you into more clubs alot easier. Nobody said you gotta do it forever, get a name for yourself, then switch, once you've got that "solid" following.

 

[Mike151]

Hey, this gave me an of a new post.
Post a cover tune!
I always like hearing different interpretations of cover tunes as everyone adds their own style in most cases.

 

[Buskman]

Entirely untrue....

In my market which has a huge Rock/Metal scene there are more clubs that cater to original bands than cover or tribute bands....we currently do a 10 song set and only "two" of those songs are what you would call covers as they are more or less versions of the originals

and we are only 1 of two bands in the area playing in the Stoner/Sludge/Doom genre so as a result we are in demand....

you should never over generalize....

now granted there are a few bars that require more covers than originals, but most of those are sports bars and yuppie bars and we just never play those venues....not my/our scene

So 20% of your set are "covers"? If it were me, and I was doing original music, I'd want ALL of my music to be heard in my time alloted to play. Especially in a little to no $$$ situation. IMO, of course...

And for the record, just because a bar does not cater to a Rock or Metal crowd, it doesn't necessarily make it a "yuppie" bar.

Like you said:

you should never over generalize....

 

[NickyBass]

Again, an age difference at work here. Consider:

From a 24 year old - "Yeah, I've got a part time job and I live with four other guys, but I've got to sacrifice so my band can make it big."

From a 34 year old - "Yeah, I've got a part time job and I live with four other guys, but I've got to sacrifice so my band can make it big."

I'm guessing you'd get very different responses from women.

At the risk of getting involved in this thread, I just wanted to point out that that is hilarious.


Ok, I'm officially involved anyway, so I might as well offer my opinion on the subject....

I just don't care. I really don't. If someone wants to play originals, or covers....I just can't find the time or the energy to (a) care, (b) justify my decisions or (c) belittle those who have chosen a different path than me.

 

[AndyLES]

I have a problem with cover/tribute bands.

I am in a new band who needs a guitarist to complete the line up and I feel as though we've exhausted every way to look for one. I go through online ads looking for a guitarist and for every 5 or so ads for a cover/tribute band there might be one actual musician/writer looking for a band.

This is me venting. Cover bands are worthless. Write your own music.

If tribute/cover bands are stealing "your prospects," then maybe your material ain't as good as you think it is.

No offense, but the notion that tribute/cover bands "take away" from original acts is lame.

 

[RicPlaya]

This may be true for a lot of artists..particularly top 40 artists pre-1980, but I'd say more often than not the bands that are writing great music these days started off that way...writing great music. Bands like The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, The YeahYeahYeahs, The Von Bonies...they got where they are by playing their local dive bars and punk clubs, not making sure middle aged drunk people have something to dance to. This also applies to more modern legends like Nirvana.

In addition to this the internet has become a vital tool in marketing your band. If you have a great band it is very easy to spread your music to hundreds of thousands of people in a short amount of time and little effort. There are now bands who are very successful who were signed before they had even played a show based on the music they had online and their appeal to the masses.

I think a lot of people on this thread are coming from a different place than me and a few of the others. There is much success to be had toughing it out and playing the indie rock and punk clubs with original material. The kids will let you know very quickly if they're interested in your material and aside from a one-off cover here and there just for fun...most of them would be appalled if you came out and played a bunch of covers. They are there to listen to and discover NEW music.

To end this thread for good - yeah there is a place for cover bands, but I think there is more to playing music than playing other peoples material. That is my point. Put yourself out there and see what happens. Playing bass is not my job (yet). If it is yours then good on you.

Dear Sir,

Being from Detroit I know a little something about some of these bands you mentioned. Though I am happy for the Detroit bands that made it big..I am not rushing out to try to cover their tunes. Lets be honest musically most modern music lacks something and does not interest most musicians. I don't think any of the material you mentioned is going to challenge or excite most players. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy for our local bands that made it! But if that's your goal is to "make it" sounds like you on the right path. Good luck with your endeavors. BTW I would rather play sweet covers all night, learn chops from the best bass players then try to "make it" competing with original acts like the ones you mentioned.

What the heck do "the kids" know anyway??? Kiddie music is garbage!!! If kids don't like what I play..good!!! I am happy, that means it's musical and is not 3 power chords.

My band doesn't play Brown Eye'd girl, but we do a mean version of Mustang Sally, we play a lot of fun and some very cool stuff form a lot of different genres.

I respect what original bands do, I have played in several myself and had a lot of fun. But it really sucks going to a gig and listening to 4 bands play and you don't know one song they do...and funny how most original bands sound like Tool..what's up with that? Funny thing is whenever an original band does a cool cover..the crowd ALWAYS gos nuts.

 

[AndyLES]

Cover bands are worthless

eh..not so
I work as a guitar tech for a Pink Floyd Tribute band and I'll venture to say that they make more in one show than your original act makes in a year. Heck my wage as a tech pays more than most gigs. Pollstar Dark Star Orchestra and you will see that playing to sold out crowds 200+ shows a year is definitely "worth" something. These acts are FULL time musicians make a very decent living playing music...rock music! These days, that's says a lot!

Heh! I work on the weekends as a tech for a U2 tribute here in NYC that gigs every week, and I totally have the same experience - in fact, it helps me pay my bills! Long live tribute bands.

 

[Lunchbox4u_6]

I'm reading through here and there are just too many comments to make...here we go...

I can understand this argument, but it becomes frustrating when a large percentage of musicians in your city aren't looking to be creative.

What?!?! Playing in a cover band doesn't equate to not being creative and i think it smacks of inexpierience to say something like that. A lot of times cover bands change the arrangement, key, solo breaks, solo's, intros, and outros of the songs they cover, but i guess that's not being a musician is it?

Cover bands are for people without the balls to put yourself and your creativity on display. Also, for people who want to be rock stars without all the hassle of promoting, writting, aranging, managing band members, playing a show 8 hrs away to 4 people and the other band's girlfriends, being poor, self medicating, and everything else that makes being a musician worthwhile, and not just masturbation.

This is one of the most uninformed opinions i've ever read, you don't think it takes balls to play a song that's been on the radio for all to hear and to know backwards, forwards, inside and out? It takes balls, and while i respect playing a show 8 hrs away for 4 people, it doesn't do anything for me and anyone who thinks being poor makes being a musician worthwhile is doing it wrong.

Cover bands are a whole different animal, I personally don't like playing a lot of covers and much prefer to write my own music. I find it a lot more personally satisfying, that being saiid - a good cover band can make a lot of money and potentially do it for a living.

and Playing covers for a living > working at a computer for a living

Comparing apples to oranges.

Cover bands are satisfying too, it's not always just because I make money, but that does help when i want to drop 3K on my new gear. As far as the "Playing covers > working on a computer" I do both...and they are both awesome!

Playing in a cover band is fine and dandy, but if you have any artistic aspirations I suggest you avoid it.

********. Pardon my language.

I always think it's funny when cover bands think of themselves as better than original bands.

"Who would want to be in an original band?" they say, "cover bands are where it's at." having fun, making money.

And yet... if there were no original bands... cover bands would have nothing to play! Don't you think it's ironic that all the music you play in a cover band was created by original artists? Without us, you guys would literally not exist!

Anyway, there's my standard troll in the cover bands thread. *bows out*

I've never met a cover band musician who didn't love going and seeing original bands, but i meet plenty of players who are "all original" and won't give cover bands the time of day.

i'm sure there is more to comment, but i have a day job and then it's off to practice for my next show...with my cover band...that i'm getting paid a fairly obscene amount of money for...

Call me a sell out if you want, but it finances my gear habit and allows me to play music...which i love doing

 

[Implosion]

Hell yeah! I play for the pure joy of it!! The fact that I'm making really good money at it now is just a bonus on the whole situation. For years, I did those $50 a man gigs in small places. And I had fun. lots of it.

That's why I do it. For fun. I have a real career, a mortgage, a family. I'm not delusional that I'm going "make it" or even want to.

Heck, some of the gigs I do now are so large and so wild, I would do it for gas money! Or even for free!

It's about fun. Ultimately.

It's definitely about fun. Whether one plays originals or covers, it's about fun.





There's a one weird thing in the posts in this thread. The generalization that if you want to play originals you can't have a day job and you must live at your parent's basement because you have dedicate all of your awake-time into "making it", you can't get gigs because nobody wants to hear all original bands and you probably are under 25 without any responsibilities.

You can play in an originals band and still (to quote QORC) have a real career, a mortgage, a family. You can play in an originals band without the delusion that I'm going "make it" or even want to.

To offer a constructive opinion here goes... Please pay attention! This will save you YEARS of heartache and pain. NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR/SEE YOUR ALL-ORIGINAL BAND! I don't care what market you are in!

Well I guess that the engine hasn't been at all markets. When I joined TalkBass I was amazed by the amount of people that play in classical rock / party / dance / beer selling / etc cover bands. Because in the "genres" where I'm involved covers are an exception. Some bands may play one as a last song, but the majority of bands do all originals.

 

[Lunchbox4u_6]

A question came to my mind about money because it gets mentioned in every few posts.

Those of you who play in cover bands, would you continue to play gigs if the pay would minimal? I mean that you could only break-even at most after the expenses (gas, food, etc) are taken out of the pay.

If you currently make a living by playing the answer will of course be "no way in hell", but I'm more interested in answers from the weekend warrior types that have a day jobs.

Depends on the project, if i like the people and the music...sure, and to get started you almost have to think like that. We have an inside joke that we should change our name to the "Break Even Band" because that's what we said we would take a show for when we started. As long as i'm not paying to play a show, i'm down!

 

[T-Forty]

Depends on the project, if i like the people and the music...sure, and to get started you almost have to think like that. We have an inside joke that we should change our name to the "Break Even Band" because that's what we said we would take a show for when we started. As long as i'm not paying to play a show, i'm down!

Agreed. Pay to play is BS.

 

[Doc Labyrinth]

Cover bands serve their purpose. I am not a big fan of them nor do I necessarily have all that much respect for them, but they serve their purpose. They entertain the type of people who go out to the bars every weekend with their high school friends, fighting off their thirtieth year alive kicking and screaming. At least that's the way it is around here. And that's fine, everything has it's place. Whether you agree with it or not doesn't matter. Different people will do and are into different things, that's the way it will always be, and that's part of the excitement of existence. And yes, in my opinion, most original bands suck. But most of what is on mainstream radio sucks, and a whole bunch of people thought otherwise. My point is, this is the most redundant, pointless argument we could have. A bunch of people in cover bands are getting offended, a bunch of people in original bands are getting offended, and said groups of people are offending each other. Who cares? Cover bands aren't taking anyone's gigs, I don't like them, but I don't care. My band doesn't appeal to the kind of people that are into cover bands, and the kind of people that are into my band aren't into cover bands. Welcome to existence, people have different likes and dislikes, and will do what they do no matter what. So yes, to the forty year old man paying the bills playing music, more power to you. It's not my trip but if it is what you're into, then please, enjoy.

 

[coop]

I have no idea why I'm still reading/posting in this thread. It's like a car wreck I just can't quit looking. But since I'm in it this far :

Scenario G
Cute girl: Hi
Bass Player: Hi. I'm in This Cool Original Band.
Cute girl: ...ummm yea, can you play "Mustang Sally" for me?

 

[Mike151]

Ride sally!

 

[MtManiac]

I've never met a cover band musician who didn't love going and seeing original bands, but i meet plenty of players who are "all original" and won't give cover bands the time of day.

Well, I play in a cover band and I don't go see original bands. Not that I won't, I just don't. Unless by originals you mean a band that actually has a recording contract and has airplay, in which case I *do* see original bands play as often as I can, like Ozzy, Tragically Hip (well-known Canadian band), Rolling Stones, etc. Do they count? I don't make time for bands that I've never heard tell of before, because there are so many of them and life is too short to waste a Friday night plus cover and drinks on a crappy band. If an "originals" band wants my attention, they must demand it. You younger guys with your smarmy "artistic integrity" are welcome to it, I recognize it for what it actually is because I've been there, so please don't tell me that I'm less of a musician than you are just because these days I get off on playing cover songs to 30-somethings in local bars. I certainly don't feel like a failure for it or feel like I'm any less of a bass player for it, but it sounds like some of your guys get a feeling of superiority over disdaining to play other people's songs. Just some advice, that's not a healthy or a mature point of view. However, you're welcome to what you do, and so am I.

 

[wlittle]

I live in Austin. I can't drive down the street without hitting a stinking guitarist. If you need work as a bass player, come here. There are bands playing with 2 guitarists and no bass. How ******** is that. At the very least one of them should draw the short straw and play bass.

Nothing wrong in my book with cover bands. I prefer to play originals; I play in an originals band, but it is nice to throw in a cover or 2 every once in a while to give the audience something they can identify with.

Getting payed works well too.

 

[NickyBass]

Scenerio H:

Bass Player: I told some guys that cover bands suck.
Cute Girl: Oh, you're so creative.
Bass Player: Want to come out to my gig tonight?
Cute Girl: Hmmm. Do you play any covers?
Bass Player: No, we're like a jammy, bluesy, folkicana meets ABBA with a twist of lime.
Cute Girl: Cool. So, what does that mean?
Bass Player: We play pop/rock.
Cute Girl: Oh, why didn't you say so?
Bass Player: I found my way more creative.
Cute Girl: Yeah, but it doesn't make any sense.
Bass Player: Look, I've been debating this on the internet all day, so I know what I'm talking about.
Cute Girl: Alright, I'll go. What time do you play?
Bass Player: Well, there are 15 bands before us, so we go on from 10:00 - 10:15. But if we bring out 15 people, the owner said we get an extra 10 minutes.
Cute Girl: Cool, how much did you pay to play?
Bass Player: Depends on how many tickets we have left. Do you have any friends?



Ok, Ok, this is all in jest. I play originals too.

 

[gweimer]

Scenerio H:

Bass Player: I told some guys that cover bands suck.
Cute Girl: Oh, you're so creative.
Bass Player: Want to come out to my gig tonight?
Cute Girl: Hmmm. Do you play any covers?
Bass Player: No, we're like a jammy, bluesy, folkicana meets ABBA with a twist of lime.
Cute Girl: Cool. So, what does that mean?
Bass Player: We play pop/rock.
Cute Girl: Oh, why didn't you say so?
Bass Player: I found my way more creative.
Cute Girl: Yeah, but it doesn't make any sense.
Bass Player: Look, I've been debating this on the internet all day, so I know what I'm talking about.
Cute Girl: Alright, I'll go. What time do you play?
Bass Player: Well, there are 15 bands before us, so we go on from 10:00 - 10:15. But if we bring out 15 people, the owner said we get an extra 10 minutes.
Cute Girl: Cool, how much did you pay to play?
Bass Player: Depends on how many tickets we have left. Do you have any friends?



Ok, Ok, this is all in jest. I play originals too.

Sadly, you're not too far from reality in some cases. My only real problem with the indie scene was bands that seriously only knew about 8 songs.

 

[tZer]

Scenerio H:

Bass Player: I told some guys that cover bands suck.
Cute Girl: Oh, you're so creative.
Bass Player: Want to come out to my gig tonight?
Cute Girl: Hmmm. Do you play any covers?
Bass Player: No, we're like a jammy, bluesy, folkicana meets ABBA with a twist of lime.
Cute Girl: Cool. So, what does that mean?
Bass Player: We play pop/rock.
Cute Girl: Oh, why didn't you say so?
Bass Player: I found my way more creative.
Cute Girl: Yeah, but it doesn't make any sense.
Bass Player: Look, I've been debating this on the internet all day, so I know what I'm talking about.
Cute Girl: Alright, I'll go. What time do you play?
Bass Player: Well, there are 15 bands before us, so we go on from 10:00 - 10:15. But if we bring out 15 people, the owner said we get an extra 10 minutes.
Cute Girl: Cool, how much did you pay to play?
Bass Player: Depends on how many tickets we have left. Do you have any friends?



Ok, Ok, this is all in jest. I play originals too.

I LOL'd!

-- The thing that kills me is that for many here, this debate will only cement in their minds that they are right - that "the other side" (that really doesn't exist at all) is so full of it and they are so correct...

Those thinking they're so damn creative because they write music and play with people who only play stuff they write will continue to cast those who learn other people's music and play with people who also learn other people's music as mechanical, non-artists who are sucking the art out of the scene.

Those thinking that they're so smart and pragmatic because they've learned that playing covers is a more sure way (in most cases) to earn money and fill venues will cast the other guys as just arrogant, narcissistic snobs who only want to play for other arrogant, narcissistic snobs.

They've chosen to stick a big old, "HI! I'm Bob!" label on their shirts and call all those who are wearing "HI! I'm Larry!" Labels the other side.

This will persist until the day people feel the need to like stuff more than hate stuff. The labels "cover" and "original" are as broad and subject as "creative" and "interesting".

Here's a tip: When you meet someone who starts talking about groups of people using labels, nod politely and mentally check out until they're done. If you do, you stand a chance when they're done of having a conversation that might actually be worthwhile. If you don't, your brain may actually start to atrophy on the spot which can be very painful.