Yeah, I can't stand when I hear/see Dave Matthews and Warren Haynes do Cortez the Killer. What a couple of hacks. 
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I have a problem with cover/tribute bands.
- Thread starter T-Forty
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Oh, sorry, didnt get that.. Never know with a smartass like you..
well alright then!
Maybe so, but as previously mentioned there is never any real, regular, dough in it and thus you need something else to pay bills with ie, a day job, cover tunes or both.
Yes BUT ... your not giving the complete story here, 99 out of 99% of the time it's these "pay to play" you get 30 minutes deals where you get a number of tickets to sell and hawk them to your buddies and such. And all the other bands doing these multi-band shows do the same and proper etiquette is for all the bands and fans to stay for the whole show and cheer each other on.
I have nothing against new music but that's not real world, it's playing rock star for 30 minutes in a controlled environment!
Also there are covers and then there are covers ... to many times when we say cover band it means play it like the record, and although it may take good musicians to do, there is a certain lack of creativity, then there is covering a tune that becomes "yours" ... signed, sealed, delivered Hound Dog belongs to Elvis ... but it's really a Leiber and Stoller tune first done by Big Mama Thornton in 1952, my band does it differntly than any recording I've heard of it and that's where my creative side shows.
... Not a great idea to come to a forum and trash folks, makes you sound like a troll.
There's 2 kinds of people in this world: Them what do, and them what lies about it.
You got a problem with making the bald man cry or something??
By the way, Kenny, we'll be 'Pitchin' a Wand Dang Doodle' this very night! For such a simple tune, that one is strangely tons of fun to play and people really seem to dig it.
I know, I'm a rock-star wannabe who is afraid to be creative and do the hard work of the morally superior "original" musicians out there.
I know, I'm a rock-star wannabe who is afraid to be creative and do the hard work of the morally superior "original" musicians out there.
By the way, Kenny, we'll be 'Pitchin' a Wand Dang Doodle' this very night! For such a simple tune, that one is strangely tons of fun to play and people really seem to dig it.
I know, I'm a rock-star wannabe who is afraid to be creative and do the hard work of the morally superior "original" musicians out there.
Buy yourself something pretty with the money you make, it'll make you feel better. Works for me!
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.
and Playing covers for a living > working at a computer for a living
Comparing apples to oranges.
knarleybass
Commercial User
Playing in a cover band is fine and dandy, but if you have any artistic aspirations I suggest you avoid it.
LOL!!! Here's there really sick thing... I don't even really make all that much money! I joined because I liked their choice of music - off the beaten path, heavily groove-oriented, killer musicians who enjoy playing and playing for people.
So I guess that makes me the lowest of lower life forms... a musician who plays in a cover band and does it because it's fun!
Man, am I misguided or what?
As a matter of fact, the other band I'm in that does not play "covers" (by design, anyway) had it's first gig a few weeks ago. Seven musicians on stage plus a sound man (who plays guitar for the Byrds and has run sound for Crosby, Stills and Nash) - did a four-hour, three set night to a packed (small) house - and we made more money than my "cover" band every makes with less players and no sound man to pay!
Wow am I in an upside-down world or what? In a cover band for the fun of it and making money in an original band... talk about breaking the norms!
That'd be enough to make me do originals. I tried doing that for a couple of years, and we actually made really good money.......... about 4 times a year playing various festivals. I got really tired of practicing 3 times a week, and playing maybe once every other month to an audiance of friends and family. (Outside of festival season) Besides, the singer/song writer was an arrogant tool.
I love what i'm doing now!
Funny you should bring that tune up ...
A good example of what I mean, most people we play that for have never heard it, so we made it one our signature tunes. I start the song with a clean double solo riff from Hendrix "Third Stone from the Sun" and then pause and kick in a Fuzz, low octave pedal and uni-vibe, and procced to play a pattern that goes from on the beat to waaay behind it. Nothing like anyone has ever heard before on that tune.
... We have truely made it our tune and brings the house down every time!
Cover bands allowed me to work using my craft. If it wasn't for cover bands I would have had to work manual labor (possible screwing up my hands) instead of having a blast playing music. Being in a cover band also allowed me to keep my own hours and to spend time writing and recording whenever I felt like it.
I understand that you're venting but try to open your mind a little. You might find something really useful waiting for you.
I understand that you're venting but try to open your mind a little. You might find something really useful waiting for you.
In our project, we started years ago just getting together once a month (and we still only get together once a month), and we play from the heart focusing heavily on listening to each other and doing what it takes to keep things interesting and listenable.
We never really intended to take it out of the basement for many of the reasons cited here - we didn't like the idea of all that work to do what we were already doing in the basement - playing for the love of playing and enjoying playing with really great, gracious players all dedicated to the music - not the industry or the latest fad...
We'd occasionally meet other players in our other bands who 'fit the mold' and would invite them to a basement jam. They'd inevitably fall in love with it and became permanent members (we've got 9 so far...).
Our drummer and latest guitar player started saying they thought a lot of people would dig what we're doing and we should put it out there. As hesitant as we were to slide into the muck that is playing the local scene, we went for it - and they were right! People did dig it.
So we still only jam together once a month in the basement and our next gig is in May. We figure one session underground, one above and we'll progressively perfect our show - whatever that may be.
BUT - even in this strange band that just makes it up as we go along, we'll occasionally stumble across a cover in our explorations - and we'll play the hell out if it and love every minute! No restrictions - no ridiculous preconceived notions that some music is good and another is bad.
If the spirit is willing, the music is thrilling!
Funny you should bring that tune up ...
A good example of what I mean, most people we play that for have never heard it, so we made it one our signature tunes. I start the song with a clean double solo riff from Hendrix "Third Stone from the Sun" and then pause and kick in a Fuzz, low octave pedal and uni-vibe, and procced to play a pattern that goes from on the beat to waaay behind it. Nothing like anyone has ever heard before on that tune.
That's a great way to go about it, man! I'll keep that in mind tonight if/when that tune shows up on the list!
But don't you feel like a sub-par player because of it? I mean, after all, it is still a (gulp) cover tune! LOL
I don't see how it matters as long as the bassist has good tone. Humbuckers and tube amps for me. And the occassional j-bass...
Man! Unless you plant the seed and nurture it until it's a tree, and whittle your own neck and body, and mine the oar by hand, smelt and cast the hardware, you're just playing somebody elses idea for an instrument!
J bass! Sheesh! How uninspired!!
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