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It's Up to You

B

bluewine

Inactive
Sep 4, 2008
10,296
27
WI
#1
For those of you that are frustrated with the amount and quality of the giging opportunity for originals bands in your area.

First, take a hard look at what motivates you and what you want out of playing.

In some cases and for those of you who live to gig, the answer could be simple but require compromise where you might have to switch to looking for an established cover act.

All I can say is, I'm in the live to gig camp. Since I switched to a cover band:

I'm out working every weekend ( this past weekend, we were booked Fri, Sat, and Sunday.

I'm paid good money

I'm playing to packed bars, people dancing, drinking, fighting and having a good time.

Were selling and signing CDs and talking to our fans.

That's my story and I am only sharing it for those of you who are frustrated with the opportunities your originals band us bringing to you.

blue
 
#2
I'm with ya on wanting to gig. I play in three cover bands just trying to keep playing every week if possible. Got one original project going on, but it's not ready yet. And when it is, I doubt there will be many places to go play, dang it. Just the way it is.
 
#3
bluewine said:
For those of you that are frustrated with the amount and quality of the giging opportunity for originals bands in your area.

First, take a hard look at what motivates you and what you want out of playing.

In some cases and for those of you who live to gig, the answer could be simple but require compromise where you might have to switch to looking for an established cover act.

All I can say is, I'm in the live to gig camp. Since I switched to a cover band:

I'm out working every weekend ( this past weekend, we were booked Fri, Sat, and Sunday.

I'm paid good money

I'm playing to packed bars, people dancing, drinking, fighting and having a good time.

Were selling and signing CDs and talking to our fans.

That's my story and I am only sharing it for those of you who are frustrated with the opportunities your originals band us bringing to you.

blue
Click to expand...

Awesome!

Are the CD's covers or originals?
 
#6
Like I said its all subjective and depends on your market,wants and needs. My band is booked to fall and we are not even started looking for festivals yet, but will start soon. Not everyone wants to be in a bar every weekend gigging (I Don't) but a couple a month is just right. Originals bands work but have to work harder to do it.
 
#7
bassbully said:
Like I said its all subjective and depends on your market,wants and needs. My band is booked to fall and we are not even started looking for festivals yet, but will start soon. Not everyone wants to be in a bar every weekend gigging (I Don't) but a couple a month is just right. Originals bands work but have to work harder to do it.
Click to expand...

A bar, a club also relative, so is compensation. Some bars are very cool venues and some are crap.


I say, I make good money with the new band. But what does good money mean, 20, 40, 60, 80, 90 or $150.00 per man at the local level
 
#8
Geography is a huge component. Some scenes can be very conducive to a variety of genres, and thus, be friendlier to original music, as well. Here in Sand Land, it's covers, country or death metal; there does not seem to be much happening beyond those. Every middle-aged wannabe rocker with the budget to buy gear thinks that they can put together 40-50 songs and go make some money, but the reality is that they usually languish on what I call the far east side biker circuit. The indie/death metal kids all piss and whine about the lack of great players their own age, and even less gig opportunities, but always seem to forget that it is about pleasing your audience, and not yourself, first, and that practice makes perfect (including the ability to cross genres, and actually make music that people want to hear). Country is its' own thing, entirely. It's mostly covers, but there are a few original bands of note that might actually keep the PHX on the map as a western outpost of country music.

Even on the coverband scene, there's a small handful of groups and people who always seem to be working, and a host of startups and wannabe's that feel they deserve more, but don't put in the work. Everyone always seems to want to play the same tired songs, too. What distinguishes the coverbands and players who are "next level" in this market is the work ethic, flexibility, and repetoire. When the economy really made life difficult, and gigs scarce, I went on many auditions, and most of the bands were quite out of touch with what it really takes to stay viable. Now that things are starting to look up with the economy, and the gigs are back, I have a minimum of 2 every weekend, and sometimes 3, or even 4. The aforementioned lesser bands probably feel that they deserve some of the pie, but it is those who don't stop at 50, or even 100 or 150 songs that get the work.

Common to all genres mentioned is the lament of other musicians about where all of the good bassists are. The obviously simple answer is that we are working, and if you are having problems finding one, then you should consider becoming one, or be conducting exhaustive intel about when one might be available for you...and don't forget to pay 'em what they're worth, too!
 
#9
bluewine said:
A bar, a club also relative, so is compensation. Some bars are very cool venues and some are crap.


I say, I make good money with the new band. But what does good money mean, 20, 40, 60, 80, 90 or $150.00 per man at the local level
Click to expand...

I'm selective on where we play and the pay is not a factor. Music is 100% first with my people and money second. A crappy gig at a crappy bar with 100.00 in my pocket, means nothing in compare to a small music room with 30 people watching every note and no pay.
 
#10
At the risk of offending people, I find that 95% of originals bands in my part of the world either bore me to distraction or the songs are way to deep and angst-ridden. Song-writing is a true art form, and most wannabe songwriters just dont get it, IMO. Give me a good covers band any day.
 
#11
plankspanker13 said:
Common to all genres mentioned is the lament of other musicians about where all of the good bassists are. The obviously simple answer is that we are working, and if you are having problems finding one, then you should consider becoming one, or be conducting exhaustive intel about when one might be available for you...and don't forget to pay 'em what they're worth, too!
Click to expand...

Awesome! Another reason to be a bassist, especially one who is devoted and actually loves the instrument.
 
#12
"Give me a good covers band any day."

Why not just stay home and listen to the radio? I just don't understand the attraction to standing around, listening to a band play burnt up radio playlists. No flow, no risk, no fun.
 
#13
I'm a covers guy, and really never considered an original project until recently. I started working with this phenomenal guitarist that has had songs published, and worked with some known musicians. I'm playing percussion for him, and as a relative newbie to it, I'm pretty surprised he wants to work with me. But what I do know is that I really dig the songs, as they are pretty "intelligent" to me. Reminds me of Michael Hedges, John McLaughlin, Al Dimeola, and a bunch of other guitarists I really dig. With plenty of opportunities for me to play 4 chord Rock, Country, Pop, Reggae, or whatever, it's refreshing to play music that inspires and challenges me.

I'm not going to get any songwriting credits, and not sure what the level of gigging will be (even though he was busy last year). He stands to make the most from the songs and recordings, and we discussed it and I'm fine with it. If he goes on tour, he can drop me, and I'm cool with that. The main thing I'm looking to do here is grow musically, and I really feel like it's doing that. He's turning me on to great percussionists like Trilok Gurtu, and offering an opportunity to play bass as well. The great thing is that it won't cut into my work with cover bands, which is even better.

Here's some of the stuff
Invalid Link Removed
Check out Used to Be a Dervish, there's some killer bass work. I wish it were me, but it's not.
 
#14
That's a great tune jive1 !

For myself I'd much rather have a job and play the music I want to play rather than do covers. I did that routine when young and while fun is just not what I value in music.

I do agree to that YOU have to make it happen no matter what your goal is. It takes WORK in either setting!
 
#16
The Sloth said:
"Give me a good covers band any day."

Why not just stay home and listen to the radio? I just don't understand the attraction to standing around, listening to a band play burnt up radio playlists. No flow, no risk, no fun.
Click to expand...

Good point, but a good covers band is a hell of a lot more interesting and entertaining than the originals bands in my neck of the woods, with the exception of one metal band. My point is that the originals bands are all taking themselves too seriously, they play songs that make me lose the will to live after about ten minutes. My Sharona becomes infinitely preferable to some tale of man's greed causing the imminent destruction of the world......
 
#18
Marty Forrer said:
Good point, but a good covers band is a hell of a lot more interesting and entertaining than the originals bands in my neck of the woods, with the exception of one metal band. My point is that the originals bands are all taking themselves too seriously, they play songs that make me lose the will to live after about ten minutes. My Sharona becomes infinitely preferable to some tale of man's greed causing the imminent destruction of the world......
Click to expand...

Losing the will to live is always bad. I think a lot of the reason why an originals band might suck is that they have nothing to say. Rebels without a cause...
 
#19
Marty Forrer said:
At the risk of offending people, I find that 95% of originals bands in my part of the world either bore me to distraction or the songs are way to deep and angst-ridden. Song-writing is a true art form, and most wannabe songwriters just dont get it, IMO. Give me a good covers band any day.
Click to expand...

Is see it the other way in my neck of the woods. We have great originals bands with great songwriting and playing. the we have coverbands that bore the complete hell out of me. Oh yea! ..another top 40 song from 19?? :rolleyes:
 
#20
jive1 said:
I'm a covers guy, and really never considered an original project until recently. I started working with this phenomenal guitarist that has had songs published, and worked with some known musicians. I'm playing percussion for him, and as a relative newbie to it, I'm pretty surprised he wants to work with me. But what I do know is that I really dig the songs, as they are pretty "intelligent" to me. Reminds me of Michael Hedges, John McLaughlin, Al Dimeola, and a bunch of other guitarists I really dig. With plenty of opportunities for me to play 4 chord Rock, Country, Pop, Reggae, or whatever, it's refreshing to play music that inspires and challenges me.

I'm not going to get any songwriting credits, and not sure what the level of gigging will be (even though he was busy last year). He stands to make the most from the songs and recordings, and we discussed it and I'm fine with it. If he goes on tour, he can drop me, and I'm cool with that. The main thing I'm looking to do here is grow musically, and I really feel like it's doing that. He's turning me on to great percussionists like Trilok Gurtu, and offering an opportunity to play bass as well. The great thing is that it won't cut into my work with cover bands, which is even better.

Here's some of the stuff
Invalid Link Removed
Check out Used to Be a Dervish, there's some killer bass work. I wish it were me, but it's not.
Click to expand...

Good for you Jive. This was the same feeling I got when I heard the songwriting from the guy I work with. If you really enjoy the songwriting and have freedom to write basslines/drums whatever with their music and be creative, its a blast.
 

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