i play for the love of music.. i love music that has already been written and i love music that i write.. play it all or only play part of it.. get over urself and maybe u'll get payed in the process. or play ur originals and enjoy it.. either way you win cuz u get to play bass
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I have a problem with cover/tribute bands.
- Thread starter T-Forty
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- Status
That is a stupid comparison..
Im in a band who makes our own music, and im very happy with it.. Being in a cover band, get some tabs on the internet and play, dosent appeal to me. I like to be creative.
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!
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!
That is a stupid comparison..
Im in a band who makes our own music, and im very happy with it.. Being in a cover band, get some tabs on the internet and play, dosent appeal to me. I like to be creative.
Wow your not very bright. Its not a comparison, its a JOKE! What kind of nitwit would read that and think someone is being serious??? Stupid.
i'm assuming that no ones music ever inspired him to pick up his instrument or write then either..
So Jam, Jazz and Free Style Rap are the only original musicians left ehh?
That is a stupid comparison..
Im in a band who makes our own music, and im very happy with it.. Being in a cover band, get some tabs on the internet and play, dosent appeal to me. I like to be creative.
Only if you play the covers exactly as written...Covers can be as original if not more original than originals...Like someone said "all along the watchtower" Half of all the early rock artists where just adapting old blues tunes...
T
the engine
Guest
It's not just in Nashville my friend. Pretty universal in my opinion. I hate it for the OP. In my 22 years of playing music, I've seen these guys bang their heads against the wall too many times.
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! You have TWO choices and ONLY TWO! You can get some guys together and write some originals. Then record them. Then shop your music to anyone in the industry you can get to listen. If the songs are good, you will be just fine in a few years after you bartend or work some other type of job to keep MONEY coming in. OR you can start a cover band. Write some originals. Play some ACTUAL live SHOWS and build up a FOLLOWING. THEN you can sprinkle in your originals and see who cares. Be prepared for the fact that maybe nobody cares. If the songs are good, and your band is good, you will build an even larger following and somebody important will find YOU! If I were a club owner, I wouldn't go NEAR an all-original band! For the longest time, in my market, the rule was at least 60% covers. I think nowadays it's pretty much play covers and throw in an original every now and then if you really need to. I wish you all the best. Seriously.
- Oct 7, 2000
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I'm going to treat this as a journal entry for me, so only read it if you have the patience. 
People who play covers and people who play originals are very different from each other. Some play both, but IME there's always been a priority and that's what defines them. I play both, but I grew up writing my own music and knowing that for me there's nothing quite like the rush of having a big crowd cheering you on because they like the music YOU'VE created. It feels a lot more genuine. I live for it. I've played in cover bands that suck bigtime yet play in front of hundreds of drunken college kids literally hanging from the light fixtures (got blackisted for it). It just however doesn't compare. If your originals suck there's a real slim chance you're going to draw any crowd that isn't more than just your friends and family.
I currently play in 5 different bands with roughly 20 different musicians, and do some subbing. I've played in countless original and countless cover bands. I get along with everyone, yet only get close to and really relate to the people who's priority is original music. That's not a judgement on the others, we're just from different worlds. I was going to write a whole list of differences but I think it pretty much boils down to this:
For me and the others who make original stuff a priority - music is also THE priority. It often comes before family, pretty much always comes before everything else. Dayjobs, girlfriends, cars, rent... . People who do the cover thing more often than not put priority on their day jobs, and live a little bit less on the edge. I'm pretty sure every cover band dude I know has a pension plan and health insurance.
All that being said, I love playing covers and clearly see the benefits. If anything, I pay a price for my NEED to do the orginal thing.
Covers pay. Covers open me up to lots of different styles. Covers introduces me to lots of new musicians, introduces challenges (doing a 1st time show with a band of people I never even met), gives me never ending opportunities to hone my performance and craft, allows me to play weekly in front of crowds of hundreds of appreciating people, strokes my ego, makes me lots of new friends... how could I knock it???
Doing originals is the only thing however that can satisfy the something in me that goes a lot deeper. I wish I could put my finger on it, but I can't. Sometimes it's a blessing, sometimes it's a curse. I think it's a common bond I share with the ones I get close to. I think it might very well be that thing that makes for the seperation of the 2 types.
People who play covers and people who play originals are very different from each other. Some play both, but IME there's always been a priority and that's what defines them. I play both, but I grew up writing my own music and knowing that for me there's nothing quite like the rush of having a big crowd cheering you on because they like the music YOU'VE created. It feels a lot more genuine. I live for it. I've played in cover bands that suck bigtime yet play in front of hundreds of drunken college kids literally hanging from the light fixtures (got blackisted for it). It just however doesn't compare. If your originals suck there's a real slim chance you're going to draw any crowd that isn't more than just your friends and family.
I currently play in 5 different bands with roughly 20 different musicians, and do some subbing. I've played in countless original and countless cover bands. I get along with everyone, yet only get close to and really relate to the people who's priority is original music. That's not a judgement on the others, we're just from different worlds. I was going to write a whole list of differences but I think it pretty much boils down to this:
For me and the others who make original stuff a priority - music is also THE priority. It often comes before family, pretty much always comes before everything else. Dayjobs, girlfriends, cars, rent... . People who do the cover thing more often than not put priority on their day jobs, and live a little bit less on the edge. I'm pretty sure every cover band dude I know has a pension plan and health insurance.
All that being said, I love playing covers and clearly see the benefits. If anything, I pay a price for my NEED to do the orginal thing.
Covers pay. Covers open me up to lots of different styles. Covers introduces me to lots of new musicians, introduces challenges (doing a 1st time show with a band of people I never even met), gives me never ending opportunities to hone my performance and craft, allows me to play weekly in front of crowds of hundreds of appreciating people, strokes my ego, makes me lots of new friends... how could I knock it???
Doing originals is the only thing however that can satisfy the something in me that goes a lot deeper. I wish I could put my finger on it, but I can't. Sometimes it's a blessing, sometimes it's a curse. I think it's a common bond I share with the ones I get close to. I think it might very well be that thing that makes for the seperation of the 2 types.
I have nothing more to add. I play in The Cult tribute,
it's fun as long as I have other things than just playing to do
Bass lines are simple, so I have time to chat with people, drink beer, jumping and walking around all the time.
And I have money.
I feel no "mission" in this.
Just making money with minimal effort. I'd play some covers - there's so much great songs to play out there, but I miss something creative tho.
I'd play my songs for a beer and gas anytime.
Did you ever notice that a known band that has a record deal and does real tours (as opposed to playing some crummy gigs while sleeping in a van) is never referred to as "an original band"? 
I gladly admit that I've never had an original musical thought in my life-
Original music that takes off becomes cover music. It becomes popular, people want to hear it, other bands start playing it. So......If you write an original song, would you want it to become a hit and have other bands covering it?
If some 'original' music catches on, it's because the melody, beat, etc. sounds like somthing that is familar to the audience. Original?
I salute your attempt to write original music. Please don't let it define you. And please don't try to define me with it. A competent musician can usually play a lot of different songs, styles, etc.
Original music that takes off becomes cover music. It becomes popular, people want to hear it, other bands start playing it. So......If you write an original song, would you want it to become a hit and have other bands covering it?
If some 'original' music catches on, it's because the melody, beat, etc. sounds like somthing that is familar to the audience. Original?
I salute your attempt to write original music. Please don't let it define you. And please don't try to define me with it. A competent musician can usually play a lot of different songs, styles, etc.
I'm going to treat this as a journal entry for me, so only read it if you have the patience.
People who play covers and people who play originals are very different from each other. Some play both, but IME there's always been a priority and that's what defines them. I play both, but I grew up writing my own music and knowing that for me there's nothing quite like the rush of having a big crowd cheering you on because they like the music YOU'VE created. It feels a lot more genuine. I live for it. I've played in cover bands that suck bigtime yet play in front of hundreds of drunken college kids literally hanging from the light fixtures (got blackisted for it). It just however doesn't compare. If your originals suck there's a real slim chance you're going to draw any crowd that isn't more than just your friends and family.
I currently play in 5 different bands with roughly 20 different musicians, and do some subbing. I've played in countless original and countless cover bands. I get along with everyone, yet only get close to and really relate to the people who's priority is original music. That's not a judgement on the others, we're just from different worlds. I was going to write a whole list of differences but I think it pretty much boils down to this:
For me and the others who make original stuff a priority - music is also THE priority. It often comes before family, pretty much always comes before everything else. Dayjobs, girlfriends, cars, rent... . People who do the cover thing more often than not put priority on their day jobs, and live a little bit less on the edge. I'm pretty sure every cover band dude I know has a pension plan and health insurance.
All that being said, I love playing covers and clearly see the benefits. If anything, I pay a price for my NEED to do the orginal thing.
Covers pay. Covers open me up to lots of different styles. Covers introduces me to lots of new musicians, introduces challenges (doing a 1st time show with a band of people I never even met), gives me never ending opportunities to hone my performance and craft, allows me to play weekly in front of crowds of hundreds of appreciating people, strokes my ego, makes me lots of new friends... how could I knock it???
Doing originals is the only thing however that can satisfy the something in me that goes a lot deeper. I wish I could put my finger on it, but I can't. Sometimes it's a blessing, sometimes it's a curse. I think it's a common bond I share with the ones I get close to. I think it might very well be that thing that makes for the seperation of the 2 types.
Absolutely +1
So Jam, Jazz and Free Style Rap are the only original musicians left ehh?
Not true...
I had this drummer... never played anything the same twice...
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