Yes, give them what they want.
If you can't figure out what they want, then you play covers. It's the next-best thing.
If you can't figure out what they want, then you play covers. It's the next-best thing.
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I already commented on this thread, but feel like I have something still to add, so please bear with me for a post.
Not everyone gigs to make money. I and the other members of my band have well-paying careers and family already, so grinding out covers isn't an appealing use of our limited musical time. We're all songwriters to one degree or another and we find our greatest satisfaction in writing, recording and occasionally performing songs that we want to hear but that nobody else has done yet. Are we comparable to The Beatles in our songwriting in terms of everlasting impact? Of course not. But who is The Beatles beside The Beatles?
But we're also not in the game of booking multiple cover gigs a month for bragging rights about "getting paid" and "getting them on the dance floor".
There are plenty of bands who do that, and that's great for them and the people who want to hear that. But playing covers and/or being in a tribute act are not why I picked up the bass at 15 and started writing songs and lyrics.
The elitism on both sides is kind of sad. It's two different things (covers vs originals) that happen to have musical performers in common.
Not everyone gigs to make money. I and the other members of my band have well-paying careers and family already, so grinding out covers isn't an appealing use of our limited musical time. We're all songwriters to one degree or another and we find our greatest satisfaction in writing, recording and occasionally performing songs that we want to hear but that nobody else has done yet. Are we comparable to The Beatles in our songwriting in terms of everlasting impact? Of course not. But who is The Beatles beside The Beatles?
But we're also not in the game of booking multiple cover gigs a month for bragging rights about "getting paid" and "getting them on the dance floor".
There are plenty of bands who do that, and that's great for them and the people who want to hear that. But playing covers and/or being in a tribute act are not why I picked up the bass at 15 and started writing songs and lyrics.
The elitism on both sides is kind of sad. It's two different things (covers vs originals) that happen to have musical performers in common.
Is now a good time to point out that The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and many now famous bands started out playing covers?
Isn't covers of good hit songs that they like and/or can dance to exactly what they want?
I think it's even simpler than that. Hit songs can be a good guide, but the entertainment and experience that people want does not require it. A good, entertaining dance band needs a beat, and a tune that occupies about an octave and a half. The tune could be a week old, or a 1,000 years old.
I guess I'm postulating it is as much about the function , as it is the form. Maybe we spend too much time worrying about the song lists, and miss the bigger picture.
the beatles and the stones played covers as they were developing a fan base. playing known and liked songs probably helped them fill the dance floor and develop a fan base because people were having a great time when they played.
to make it, either locally or more, if you play originals you need to know what originals your audience wants to hear, not what they band wants to hear.
I would love to hear some really good original music that's not loud, rehashed head banger stuff for once. Aren't there enough of those bands already? I was in an original band once. I thought the songs were ok except for the guy singing them but he wrote them for himself. He got a few gigs paying nothing. I was the oldest guy in the band and traveled the furthest. I was NOT on the same page. I quit. Back to covers I went! Money in the pocket. Less travel. Cool.
I would say this.......to those into originals......take the time to write some GOOD songs. Create a solid show and showcase. Make sure everyone in the band is a good, solid musician. I don't mind hard rocking stuff but I've had my fill of hitting a bar to see horrible, loud, headbanging music. I know plenty of rock bassists in my area. One was in a really good cover band. They did a cover of YYZ that blew my mind with the drummer singing lead. I play R&B, Funk, Jazz and Pop, Top40 music.
I would say this.......to those into originals......take the time to write some GOOD songs. Create a solid show and showcase. Make sure everyone in the band is a good, solid musician. I don't mind hard rocking stuff but I've had my fill of hitting a bar to see horrible, loud, headbanging music. I know plenty of rock bassists in my area. One was in a really good cover band. They did a cover of YYZ that blew my mind with the drummer singing lead. I play R&B, Funk, Jazz and Pop, Top40 music.
I'm not sure how comparing one's songwriting skills to The Beatles relates to The Beatles starting out as a cover band. Can you elaborate your point?
Very few bands I know started playing originals, of course. I feel confident in saying that most musicians in popular music, either in their early bands or in their bedrooms, started with covers.
The commonality of it all is the intent behind the performance.
If the intent is income, covers are a great way to do that. If you are trying to build a following and repertoire, mixing cover/orig is a strong strategy.
But my intent is art, more so music as art, so we needed to create something different. I play in an original project, and understand that venues need to sell drinks to make money, and weekends bring the crowds. So we started booking midweek gigs for our friends to check us out, free to the bar but we asked for donations.
Now we book a monthly gig featuring artists and their works for sale, on a Friday and have 2 all original bands each play a showcase set as part of it all, and make some side cash too. Not nearly as much as some of the many talented, hard working cover bands I've seen, but that's not our intent.
If the intent is income, covers are a great way to do that. If you are trying to build a following and repertoire, mixing cover/orig is a strong strategy.
But my intent is art, more so music as art, so we needed to create something different. I play in an original project, and understand that venues need to sell drinks to make money, and weekends bring the crowds. So we started booking midweek gigs for our friends to check us out, free to the bar but we asked for donations.
Now we book a monthly gig featuring artists and their works for sale, on a Friday and have 2 all original bands each play a showcase set as part of it all, and make some side cash too. Not nearly as much as some of the many talented, hard working cover bands I've seen, but that's not our intent.
I wasn't saying that if your band starts out playing covers, like The Beatles and others did, that that would lead to the ability to write good songs, only that most bands start with covers.
Assuming you’re getting paid for the gig, you’re job is to entertain the patrons, not bore them to death..play the covers.
I’ve played original music all of my bass, drums, and guitar “career”. Beyond writing good music and performing well the trick (and I don’t claim to be good at it) is to find your audience.
Don’t waste your time playing the wrong places with the wrong bands for the wrong people. Find bookers/venues that support original music like the stuff you play. Befriend other bands who play music that pairs well with yours and that you get along with as people. Sometimes there’s a scene you can fit into and sometimes you have to make your own.
Don’t waste your time playing the wrong places with the wrong bands for the wrong people. Find bookers/venues that support original music like the stuff you play. Befriend other bands who play music that pairs well with yours and that you get along with as people. Sometimes there’s a scene you can fit into and sometimes you have to make your own.
similar situation here. We know lots of covers but can hardly bring ourselves to play them. I try to book one set festival gigs or openers for national touring bands. But, sometimes I’ll book a bar gig. I’ll tell the audience “this is an old one by Tom Petty” or “this is an unreleased ZZTop song”.
Even most of the huge bands I’ve ever seen played covers in their sets. It keeps it fun for the audience to hear stuff like Weezer cover “Africa”, or Foo Fighters to cover some Pink Floyd, or whatever. Jimi Hendrix covered the Beatles and Dylan (and lots more... even his fist hit, “Hey Joe” was a cover. Clapton plays tons of traditional blues covers. Rage Against the Machine played lots of covers. It’s cool to see a band pay a little homage to their musical heroes. Personally, I face palm at musicians who refuse to play any covers. I mean, who here didn’t start playing bass by learning the songs they love? What changed?
I agree with you completely. I’d go a step further and speculate that they also had the advantage of not having to compete with the overwhelming amount of things we now have at our disposal to occupy our time.
That being said, I still feel the biggest factor in their success was their ability to write good songs. So I get tired of hearing mediocre (or worse) songwriters acting like they are God’s gift to music and that anyone who plays a cover is an untalented hack.
There’s nothing wrong with playing covers.
What I do take issue with is:
“Nobody wants to hear your original music.”
“You’ll never write anything that good.”
“If you want to get paid you have to play covers.”
People find satisfaction playing and listening to music in different ways.
What I do take issue with is:
“Nobody wants to hear your original music.”
“You’ll never write anything that good.”
“If you want to get paid you have to play covers.”
People find satisfaction playing and listening to music in different ways.
If you live in an area where patrons are receptive to your original music and you can be paid to play it consider yourself lucky.
U2, John Fogerty, The Police, King Crimson, maybe a few others - yes, there are bands where I'd be happy to hear them play all original music, but an unknown band in a local bar? Nope. Play at least something I've heard before.
There’s that “getting paid” thing again. I consider myself lucky to be able to play out at venues that are receptive to and supportive of original music. The response my projects get from audiences varies. One of the most rewarding things is having a complete stranger come up after our set and compliment our music/playing.
It’s just funny that this discussion always seems to come back to market forces. Did CBGB’s owner decide to have punk/new wave shows on his own? Nope. A band approached him. They brought their friends and other bands they knew. Their friends brought their friends. Drinks were sold.
It’s a different world than it was in the 70’s, but I don’t think the market for original music at the local club level has completely dried up.
My feeling is if you have the desire to make original music find a way to do it. It can be a thankless task and the world is full of people who will tell you why it’s a bad idea. After I’m gone there will be recordings of music I created for people to listen to if they are so inclined.
We're strictly a cover band (70's - 80's metal and hard rock). Our issue is in choosing songs that we want to play AND the audience will want to hear.
Some in the group want to avoid the biggest hits, some want to play their personal favorites. We try to keep everyone happy as best we can.
(We're not looking to make money per se.)
Some in the group want to avoid the biggest hits, some want to play their personal favorites. We try to keep everyone happy as best we can.
(We're not looking to make money per se.)
