It's Up to You

[mikegug]

I could get 20 people into a club to see me fart into a tin can in Saskatoon by tonight at 9pm.

You're down to 19. I'm THERE!

 

[lowendfriend]

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...

Then do the Bare Naked Ladies thing and go funny!

 

[bluewine]

This goes for any band covers or orginals you have to network. Just cuz your in a coverband does not mean you just show up and play and that the crowd is built in.
I have seen good coverbands playing to the bar staff and chairs. The places that do have a built in crowd are gold but lets face it how many people are there to see the band?

No problem with this analysis.

Here's another scenario. We know that those who patron originals clubs are there for the music.

We know that the kids that come to that cover club are just there to hang. Some of these people walk in, they see a band playing and live music is not their thing, they might and sometimes do, walk away.

So there really is no guaranteed built in crowd.

 

[ChrisB2]

I agree! It is not about the crowd how many people when you are playing your music. Go to allot of jazz clubs,folk singer/songwriter venues and count the people. I will bet the cover band bars and dance clubs have them out numbered 5to 1 but do the people or musicians care? No!

I got out last night on a weeknight (rare) to my fav club and there were two local musicians doing a bluegrass/folk duo to about 30 people and it was a blast... they were tearing it up.

If you are in music for the money and dancin chicks/people..great! More power to you, but don't make it look like those who play originals to the folks who love original live music are wasting our time or making a mistake doing it. I love playing originals, selling, siging CD's of music I produced and wrote. I love having people ask about the songs, band and how we all came up with the music and writing.
I never had anyone ask me in a coverband how we do our music since we were covering songs they already knew. I'm not knocking covers they are fine but are not for everyone.
I will say it again give me 20 people who are watching my band and every note we play over 100 people skirt chasing ,talking ,laughing ,playing pool, watching TV, making out or checking their phones and never noticing the band playing...anyday!

Here you're doing the same type of misgeneralization that you complain that blue's doing, when your list omits those who dance to cover bands, cheer for cover bands, and genuinely enjoy the music as much as your adoring fans enjoy your original music.

I'm a cover guy so I'm biased, but watching this debate, there are misgeneralizations on both sides. I'm like you; do what you want, I don't care. Play your originals to 3 people for $10, or play them to 3,000 for $10,000. Whatever. But don't make it sound like no one cares about cover bands, because the fans of ours who come out show after show to see us play, sometimes twice in one weekend, and the people we meet who are genuinely pleased and uplifted by our music, and those who watch our band and every note we play prove to me otherwise.

Have fun and keep rockin'! Or jazzin'... or countryin'... or whatever you do!!

 

[bassbully]

Some people want dancers, some want listeners. Not just bands, some clubs as well.

I'll tell you what...........it's more intimidating to have 20 people hanging on every note you play than a crowd of 200 dancers who aren't really paying much attention to you. And then do it with just a duo, or solo.. Much more intimidating, IMO. Put me in a show of 1000 people with a top notch band behind me, I won't have an ounce of stage fright. But make me sing and play guitar by myself for a dozen people a few feet away from me, the sweat will pour. When you have a loud PA and amplification, the people have no choice but to listen or leave. But without that, you really have to draw them in.

Also, not everyone's ultimate satisfaction from music is from making booties grind (although, I consider my bass a remote control for the booty), selling alcohol, or people telling you you're awesome. A while ago, I quit a relatively successful Blues band to play at church. The guys thought I was nuts. But while they were playing to crowds of 50-100, I was playing to a crowd of 300-400. While folks were dancing, drinking, watching TV, talking, etc. when we played bars, at church, everyone sang along to every song we played. And while we could tell that some people were digging us at the bar, I've never seen people break out in tears ever when we played the Blues like when I played Praise and Worship. It was a great experience overall, and a great run while it lasted. More than I could ever expect from playing covers at a bar.

I'm a total gig-whore. I love music, and I make all of my money doing covers (including originals I didn't write). But, because I love music, now and then it's good to partake in something that makes you realize how powerful and meaningful music can be. I've had a wide range of experiences from music, and thankful for most of them.

Great post Jive and I agree. Playing music is a personal thing. Some people will never charge a dime,some need to be paid others will never walk on a stage..we are all different.

This was my whole point to Blue, if you want to play covers and feel its the only way at your age, whatever to get gigs..Great! But maybe we all don't need to gig 5-6 nights a week or just need to find the right originals band if that's what we like. Even if I were suddenly without a band i would not join a coverband just to get gigs..it's not my bag. Being in a coverband is not for everyone and advising others to do it over something maybe they enjoy (originals) is wrong IMO

 

[bassbully]

Here you're doing the same type of misgeneralization that you complain that blue's doing, when your list omits those who dance to cover bands, cheer for cover bands, and genuinely enjoy the music as much as your adoring fans enjoy your original music.

I'm a cover guy so I'm biased, but watching this debate, there are misgeneralizations on both sides. I'm like you; do what you want, I don't care. Play your originals to 3 people for $10, or play them to 3,000 for $10,000. Whatever. But don't make it sound like no one cares about cover bands, because the fans of ours who come out show after show to see us play, sometimes twice in one weekend, and the people we meet who are genuinely pleased and uplifted by our music, and those who watch our band and every note we play prove to me otherwise.

Have fun and keep rockin'! Or jazzin'... or countryin'... or whatever you do!!

Good for you! In my area most coverbands are in bars etc where they are not the main focus.When I was a youngster the band was the focus of the club in my experiences today it's not.

As for originals bands in my area people go there for the music..period.

 

[jive1]

.....Being in a coverband is not for everyone and advising others to do it over something maybe they enjoy (originals) is wrong IMO

And sometimes a person's greatest talent is as a songwriter. There are guys who I have met who are great songwriters, but didn't play their instrument well, have great stage presence, etc. Doing something you're not gifted at or enjoy, while having it cost things you enjoy and do well doesn't do anyone any good.

 

[The Sloth]

That's not enough for most of us.

"I think your in the camp, where playing to a few friends and family members is acceptable.

That is not what serious gigging is about."

The position you're taking is not what serious music is about. Gaining the approval of a roomful of drunks while playing the most popular songs of the past 40-50 years isn't hard. It isn't the real thing. It doesn't make you better because it pays.

 

[bluewine]

Great post Jive and I agree. Playing music is a personal thing. Some people will never charge a dime,some need to be paid others will never walk on a stage..we are all different.

This was my whole point to Blue, if you want to play covers and feel its the only way at your age, whatever to get gigs..Great! But maybe we all don't need to gig 5-6 nights a week or just need to find the right originals band if that's what we like. Even if I were suddenly without a band i would not join a coverband just to get gigs..it's not my bag. Being in a coverband is not for everyone and advising others to do it over something maybe they enjoy (originals) is wrong IMO

Your missing my point, I contend that for those guys that are my age, and like me, want to gig 5-6 times a month, a good working cover band will fill that need better than an originals band.

 

[bluewine]

That's not enough for most of us.

"I think your in the camp, where playing to a few friends and family members is acceptable.

That is not what serious gigging is about."

The position you're taking is not what serious music is about. Gaining the approval of a roomful of drunks while playing the most popular songs of the past 40-50 years isn't hard. It isn't the real thing. It doesn't make you better because it pays.

Serious music is relative.

Playing, arranging and delivering any professional level performance whether originals or covers is hard for numerous reason.

Gaining approval from drunks? What are you talking about? If you have 50 people on the dance floor grooving to your music whether it be an original or cover your doing something right.

How long have you been in this biz, 2-3 years?

 

[bluewine]

I really don't look at this as a one is better than the other proposition. However in most regions there will be more gigging opportunities with a good, established cover band. More lucrative too.

 

[ChrisB2]

blue, talking to yourself is generally seen as a sign of mental problems...

(I should know, I do it all the time and I know I'm whack...)

 

[bluewine]

blue, talking to yourself is generally seen as a sign of mental problems...

(I should know, I do it all the time and I know I'm whack...)

I know I am be-laboring my point, you win some and you lose some. I guess I lost this one.

I do think the mind set and band culture for my generation is really a lot different than the younger generations. Oh well

 

[ChrisB2]

I know I am be-laboring my point, you win some and you lose some. I guess I lost this one.

I do think the mind set and band culture for my generation is really a lot different than the younger generations. Oh well

I don't think you lost anything. I went back and re-read the OP, and there is nothing in it that should provoke an original person into the reactions that some of them displayed. It's very well worded and not inflammatory at all... unless someone is just looking for opportunities to jump into the "originals vs. covers" ring...

If an original guy is happy with his situation and doesn't need this advice, he can just click off and read something else. No need to take exception where there is none and use it to rip on you or cover guys in general.

Granted, the debate escalated like these always do, but your original post was a good one and is something that some people should consider. Not all, but some.

You just keep on being blue, we'll keep reading!