Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
You must not be familiar with Steve Gadd’s performance on Aja. Or maybe you aren’t familiar with “Celebrity Skin” by Hole. I’d argue that performing Aja correctly and with feeling is more difficult and respectable than writing/bashing out some of the grunge classics of the 90’s. For the record, I grew up on 90’s grunge. I can go in the garage right now and write something on par with Celbrity Skin. And I mean write and perform each part for each instrument. It doesn’t take much creativity to bash out power chords over tired chord progressions... covering complex pieces of music might not take much creativity either, but it certainly takes more talent. That’s why I said I find it more respectable.
Yeah I get that it’s funny on its own... what’s even funnier is that he’s the person that wrote it. Irony much?
I have written a lot of original music that I can't get other musicians to play, because it isn't easy. The chord forms are not simple. The changes are not predictable. The rhythms are sometimes challenging.
I play original music that was written by other people in bands because it's mostly what bands want to play. If you bring something non-standard in to the average group of musicians, at best they'll usually tell you it's no good and at worst they'll try to dumb it down. So I don't bring my own music in anymore. No one's interested in being challenged in a creative setting. They just want to make up something simple.
Good points. That’s why I said earlier that even when someone comes along that writes good originals (which is rare), he/she still needs to find a group of musicians that are on par and share the same vision (even more rare)... then and only then is there a good original band.
What is the definition of “original”?
Using Google Translator, I entered lyrics to a popular song, translated from English to Spanish to German to French and back to English. Would these be considered “original” lyrics?
It is not the satisfaction that I can not, I can not satisfy.
Make sure you try and try and try
Neither is it, I can not, I can not help.
As I am driving, a car and a person who comes on the radio.
And tell me, a little more useless information;
Care under fire
Using Google Translator, I entered lyrics to a popular song, translated from English to Spanish to German to French and back to English. Would these be considered “original” lyrics?
It is not the satisfaction that I can not, I can not satisfy.
Make sure you try and try and try
Neither is it, I can not, I can not help.
As I am driving, a car and a person who comes on the radio.
And tell me, a little more useless information;
Care under fire
I've got nothing to contribute other than I will continue to wear shorts on stage and nothing you can say will stop me.
Okay, that's not entirely true. I do have a few additional cents to throw into this argument. What people consider "good music" is subjective. To some, it is the story that is being told or the emotion that the music conveys, regardless of skill on the instrument. To others, it's music that they already know, that they've heard on the radio and like, or music that reminds them of a different (happier or sad) time in their life. To others, it is music that is performed well or is technically inspiring. To others, it is pretty people talking about a life that the listener wants to have some day.
All of these paths are valid, both as an audience member and as a performer.
Okay, that's not entirely true. I do have a few additional cents to throw into this argument. What people consider "good music" is subjective. To some, it is the story that is being told or the emotion that the music conveys, regardless of skill on the instrument. To others, it's music that they already know, that they've heard on the radio and like, or music that reminds them of a different (happier or sad) time in their life. To others, it is music that is performed well or is technically inspiring. To others, it is pretty people talking about a life that the listener wants to have some day.
All of these paths are valid, both as an audience member and as a performer.
Well, my tribute band last weekend sold out a small, but pro-level venue, $20 a ticket....so I guess that's not too bad for a band that lacks emotion, is only doing other people's music, blah blah blah
by the way, I would say there is almost nothing "original" in original rock or pop music these days. It's all derivative of music from the recent past. A spin on a song or style that's already been done 1,000 times if not a direct rip-off. so what's truly original? IMHO, very little.
it's just all music.
by the way, I would say there is almost nothing "original" in original rock or pop music these days. It's all derivative of music from the recent past. A spin on a song or style that's already been done 1,000 times if not a direct rip-off. so what's truly original? IMHO, very little.
it's just all music.
You should bring your own persona to everything you do, whether you wrote the material or not. That’s the hard part—as well as the essence of performing. IMO, if you’re any less engaged or committed for material you did not write, that likely speaks poorly of you as an entertainer and at least as a judge of material.
I used to want to be an all originals band. It would be great if there were enough people into listening to new music they had never heard before but I learned with time the reality is the general public has no interest in it. They’re too programmed for wanting to hear what they already know. It’s hard to break into being accepted for that and always has been without some kind of major promotion.
We used to do covers interspersed with originals. So our set would be say 10 songs, 8 being covers. As we started to get a following we just added more originals so now it's more like 3 covers, 7 originals.
It depends what the intended outcome is and where you perform, some places welcome original material and others want just covers.
These days I'm happier just being a hired gun although I play in two bands regularly, one that's all covers and one that's mostly originals.
It depends what the intended outcome is and where you perform, some places welcome original material and others want just covers.
These days I'm happier just being a hired gun although I play in two bands regularly, one that's all covers and one that's mostly originals.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,056
- 38,404
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
When a band tells me that they don't play covers my response is you will. In general original music doesn't fill clubs or dance floors, your location also plays a big part on how original music is accepted. In the mid 80's I was part of the Boston original music scene with the hard rock band EXPOSE, we owned Boston played the biggest venues, packed them in. I've never seen anything like it since.
In '86 I moved back home to the backwater of Rochester NY, tons of talented musicians in Rochester and few places to play. Original music is a tough sell here, if you play it you will be playing for the help.
I'm in 4 bands, 3 tributes and one original, the original band is mainly a recording project, the tributes get the gigs and make the $.
