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My band doesn't do covers

#341
marqueemoon said:
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.
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If making money is taken out of the equation then playing all originals makes more. Just FYI one of my bands is an originals band so I do have that experience. OTOH if I was only in one band, and it was the originals band, I would pretty quickly become unhappy that we weren't getting paying gigs.
Omega Monkey said:
YYZ is an instrumental.
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The drummer didn't know that it was an instrumental.
 
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#344
And now for a reality check: the most creative and talented musicians are jazz musicians anyway, and for the most part they always play covers. Country music is broken down into two camps: songwriters and performing artists. Hip-hop artists constantly sample music and even quote older rappers with their lyrics. So basically it’s just rock musicians that place such importance on writing and performing original music… Which is funny because rock music is the easiest style of music to both write and perform. There I said it, sorry not sorry.
 
#345
arbiterusa said:
COVER BANDS ARE MINDLESS ROBOTS WHOSE JOBS CAN AND SHOULD BE TAKEN BY A DJ OR BETTER YET A JUKEBOX

ORIGINALS BANDS ARE MIND BOGGLINGLY SELF INDULGENT AND MAKE A VIRTUE OUT OF BEING SO BORING THAT NO ONE WILL PAY THEM

There, I think I’ve covered both sides of the “argument”
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So, no playing music, then?
 
#347
Texican said:
Here is original music that I had never heard before.



I’m extremely happy to have found it and I love it despite not “knowing it” since my teens. Even in my late 30’s I’m on the hunt for good music.
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So I posted this as a bit of a social experiment about a week ago. Just like I figured, no one gave a crap lol. I’m guessing half the “original musicians” that cry in these type of threads don’t really care about original music to begin with... unless it’s their own.
 
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#348
Frankly, I rarely click on random music links unless something about it intrigues me, unless there's at least a decent description of what it is and how it's relevant, and what it might be similar to. "Here's new music" doesn't do it for me, because frankly most new music these days sucks, and most people have horrible taste.

Now, if you said "I just discovered this recently, it sounds like a combination of Earth Wind and Fire, King Crimson, and 70s Neil Young", I would probably be compelled to check it out. But I'm particularly NOT interested in "sensitive pony tail man" music, or earnest bearded dudes, or the usual things like that.

Anyway, that doesn't mean original music isn't a noble aim, it is. The problem is that there's no quality control any more. So for myself whose tastes are more discerning than most, I have to be a bit more measured in how I find music, and random posts on message boards rarely turn up good results, unless accompnaied by a compelling backstory/description, like I said above.

So I wouldn't read too much into people not commenting on your link. It's also possible people did listen and liked it and just didn't have a comment on it that would add to the discussion. Or they put it aside to check out later (I do that a lot because I'm often already listening to something, but then don't always get rick back to the thing I was going to check out).
 
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#349
Omega Monkey said:
Frankly, I rarely click on random music links unless something about it intrigues me, unless there's at least a decent description of what it is and how it's relevant, and what it might be similar to. "Here's new music" doesn't do it for me, because frankly most new music these days sucks, and most people have horrible taste.

Now, if you said "I just discovered this recently, it sounds like a combination of Earth Wind and Fire, King Crimson, and 70s Neil Young", I would probably be compelled to check it out. But I'm particularly NOT interested in "sensitive pony tail man" music, or earnest bearded dudes, or the usual things like that.

Anyway, that doesn't mean original music isn't a noble aim, it is. The problem is that there's no quality control any more. So for myself whose tastes are more discerning than most, I have to be a bit more measured in how I find music, and random posts on message boards rarely turn up good results, unless accompnaied by a compelling backstory/description, like I said above.

So I wouldn't read too much into people not commenting on your link. It's also possible people did listen and liked it and just didn't have a comment on it that would add to the discussion. Or they put it aside to check out later (I do that a lot because I'm often already listening to something, but then don't always get rick back to the thing I was going to check out).
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There are a LOT of different ways to find music these days. You don't even have to put stock in the opinions of humans anymore. Algorithms have gotten pretty good. Just listen to Earth Wind and Fire, King Crimson, and 70s Neil Young for a while on Spotify and leave autoplay on.

Compelling backstories are written by publicists. Musicians make music.
 
#350
51PRI said:
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.
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I think lots of people have missed certain aspects to this comment.

They also used this to learn STAGE CRAFT - any idiot can turn up, any musician can cover the list, it takes a real time served apprentice to put on "A SHOW".

If you all look at yourselves you will remember your first gig (probably as there are always exceptions to any rule) with horror. But you have learned to control nerves, your equipment and your play list. How many times have you had the floor full and think the next song will keep them there only to empty the floor.

WOW won't do that again, mark that down to EXPERIENCE.

Play the covers, LEARN what the audience likes and maybe slip in one of your originals that has something similar. Hopefully a member of the audience asks about it and will be impressed when you say NO MAN THAT WAS ONE OF OURS!!!! OK so one fan on board now for the other 249!!!

Another way to look at it is;

If you have to play your stuff and it doesn't go down well is it the song? Is it the crowd that evening or maybe it is the VENUE. Go look for the right venue.
 
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#351
Omega Monkey said:
frankly most new music these days sucks, and most people have horrible taste.

Now, if you said "I just discovered this recently, it sounds like a combination of Earth Wind and Fire, King Crimson, and 70s Neil Young", I would probably be compelled to check it out.

So for myself whose tastes are more discerning than most...
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1.) So basically you prefer original bands over cover bands, but only if they sound like 70s cover bands?!

2.) I’d like to congratulate you on having such superior taste and discerning ears compared to the rest of us. Kudos to youdos!

3.) I do agree with what you said about there not being any “quality control“ in terms of who gets to put their original music out in front of people nowadays. As I stated earlier in this thread, that’s part of the reason that audiences don’t want to hear original bands. They have a 99 out of 100 chance of coming across a crappy band, and no one wants those odds.
 
#352
Texican said:
1.) So basically you prefer original bands over cover bands, but only if they sound like 70s cover bands?!

2.) I’d like to congratulate you on having such superior taste and discerning ears compared to the rest of us. Kudos to youdos!

3.) I do agree with what you said about there not being any “quality control“ in terms of who gets to put their original music out in front of people nowadays. As I stated earlier in this thread, that’s part of the reason that audiences don’t want to hear original bands. They have a 99 out of 100 chance of coming across a crappy band, and no one wants those odds.
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Albums I purchased in 2019:

Overkill - "The Wings of War" (2019)
Moon Tooth - "Crux" (2019)
Opeth - "In Caudu Venenum" (2019)
Leprous - "Pitfalls" (2019)
Masvidal - "Mythical" (2019)
Daniel Tompkins - "Castles" (2019)
Cloudkicker - "Unending" (2019)
Black Passage - "The Veil" (2019)
Azam Ali - "Phantoms" (2019)
Artificial Language - "Now We Sleep" (2019)
Anthem - "Nucleus" (2019)
Borknagar - "True North" (2019)
Last Crack - "The Up Rising" (2019)
KXM - "Circle of Dolls" (2019)
Insomnium - "Heart Like a Grave" (2019)
Hyvmine - "Retaliation" (2019)
Ghosts of Glaciers - "The Greatest Burden" (2019)
Flotsam and Jetsam - "The End of Chaos" (2019)
Dream Theater - "Distance Over Time" (2019)
Steve Hackett - "At the Edge of Light" (2019)
Driving Slow Motion - "Arda" (2019)
Arch/Matheos - "Winter Ethereal" (2019)
Sifting - "The Infinite Loop" (2019)
Pelican - "Nighttime Stories" (2019)
Voyager - "Colours in the Sun" (2019)
Uneven Structure - "Paragon" (2019)
The Contortionist - "Our Bones" (2019)
Tool - "Fear Inoculum" (2019)
Tides from Nebula - "From Voodoo to Zen" (2019)
Ray Alder - "What the Water Wants" (2019)
Sweet Oblivion - "Sweet Oblivion" (2019)
Spirits of Fire - "Spirits of Fire" (2019)
Robert Rich - "Tactile Ground" (2019)
Richard Henshall - "The Cocoon" (2019)
Periphery - "Periphery IV: Hail Stan" (2019)

So... this musician in an original band (age 54, for the record) is still listening to original music and actively seeking it out. But I guess because I didn't click on a random link in a post that I care more about my own music than anyone else's? And I guess because there's "no quality control" any more that all of these artists are crappy?

I am keenly aware of the state of live music today; audiences for the most part only want to hear what they are already familiar with. Covers, tributes, nostalgia acts: very few actually seek out new music. I know I don't go see bands without already knowing their material. This is mainly because i can't find shows for the types of music I like at venues I like and also because, with a knee replacement, I can't stand for hours in a venue to take a gamble on music I might like.

But for me (and I suspect a lot of people), playing live isn't the point. I write and record and make videos with my band and that is satisfying enough. Live shows are to me almost beside the point. Build your audience through online streaming and YouTube and social media and then play select shows that actually do something to expand your fan base (as opposed ot Thursday night, 4th on the bill at a pay-to-play venue).

People on TB often forget that playing live is not the be-all, end-all. And for the record, I have played maybe a hundred gigs or so over the last 35 years, so I'm not exactly coming from a place of ignorance here. I just don't enjoy the drive, the haul, the set-up, the wait, the one short set, the tear down and the drive home as much as I enjoy recording at our studio or writing and practicing at home.
 
#353
Charlzm said:
Albums I purchased in 2019:

Overkill - "The Wings of War" (2019)
Moon Tooth - "Crux" (2019)
Opeth - "In Caudu Venenum" (2019)
Leprous - "Pitfalls" (2019)
Masvidal - "Mythical" (2019)
Daniel Tompkins - "Castles" (2019)
Cloudkicker - "Unending" (2019)
Black Passage - "The Veil" (2019)
Azam Ali - "Phantoms" (2019)
Artificial Language - "Now We Sleep" (2019)
Anthem - "Nucleus" (2019)
Borknagar - "True North" (2019)
Last Crack - "The Up Rising" (2019)
KXM - "Circle of Dolls" (2019)
Insomnium - "Heart Like a Grave" (2019)
Hyvmine - "Retaliation" (2019)
Ghosts of Glaciers - "The Greatest Burden" (2019)
Flotsam and Jetsam - "The End of Chaos" (2019)
Dream Theater - "Distance Over Time" (2019)
Steve Hackett - "At the Edge of Light" (2019)
Driving Slow Motion - "Arda" (2019)
Arch/Matheos - "Winter Ethereal" (2019)
Sifting - "The Infinite Loop" (2019)
Pelican - "Nighttime Stories" (2019)
Voyager - "Colours in the Sun" (2019)
Uneven Structure - "Paragon" (2019)
The Contortionist - "Our Bones" (2019)
Tool - "Fear Inoculum" (2019)
Tides from Nebula - "From Voodoo to Zen" (2019)
Ray Alder - "What the Water Wants" (2019)
Sweet Oblivion - "Sweet Oblivion" (2019)
Spirits of Fire - "Spirits of Fire" (2019)
Robert Rich - "Tactile Ground" (2019)
Richard Henshall - "The Cocoon" (2019)
Periphery - "Periphery IV: Hail Stan" (2019)

So... this musician in an original band (age 54, for the record) is still listening to original music and actively seeking it out. But I guess because I didn't click on a random link in a post that I care more about my own music than anyone else's? And I guess because there's "no quality control" any more that all of these artists are crappy?

I am keenly aware of the state of live music today; audiences for the most part only want to hear what they are already familiar with. Covers, tributes, nostalgia acts: very few actually seek out new music. I know I don't go see bands without already knowing their material. This is mainly because i can't find shows for the types of music I like at venues I like and also because, with a knee replacement, I can't stand for hours in a venue to take a gamble on music I might like.

But for me (and I suspect a lot of people), playing live isn't the point. I write and record and make videos with my band and that is satisfying enough. Live shows are to me almost beside the point. Build your audience through online streaming and YouTube and social media and then play select shows that actually do something to expand your fan base (as opposed ot Thursday night, 4th on the bill at a pay-to-play venue).

People on TB often forget that playing live is not the be-all, end-all. And for the record, I have played maybe a hundred gigs or so over the last 35 years, so I'm not exactly coming from a place of ignorance here. I just don't enjoy the drive, the haul, the set-up, the wait, the one short set, the tear down and the drive home as much as I enjoy recording at our studio or writing and practicing at home.
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TLDR, but I get the feeling you don’t realize I was replying specifically to what someone said. That “someone” wasn’t you. Calm down.
 
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#358
oZZma said:
I dont get why should the audience be excited after something they already know, anyways:
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Then you don't understand audiences, or people in general, at all. Virtually every industry around you is specifically designed to slowly introduce new concepts all the while maintaining what's familiar to potential customers. It's why new Camaro cars look like late 60s Camaros. It's why remakes of movies KILL at the box office almost every time they're tried (the lady Ghostbusters movie notwithstanding). It's why fast food chains even exist (because you can get the exact same burger in Austin TX, Seattle WA, and Raleigh NC.... the burger you are already familiar with). It's why the '59 style P bass (no matter what brand it is) outsells all other basses by a lot. And it's why the Doobie Brothers and BonJovi and Kenny Chesney and a hundred other artists who have been famous for decades still draw huge crowds.

Without and audience, you are a tree falling in the woods. Sure, you have made a sound. But with nobody there to hear it, does it even matter that you made the sound?

Music is NOT just for musicians. It's something to be SHARED. To share it you need an audience. To attract an audience, you have to give then something guaranteed to please. Familiar songs are guaranteed to please.

Do you not have a favorite food? Restaurant? Video game? Movie? If you do, your whole theory is blown to bits. Because nothing should interest you unless it's unfamiliar. And we all know that simply isn't the case. Some of your favorite things are the most familiar things to you, just like everybody else. Otherwise, they wouldn't be your favorites. Otherwise you would wear new shoes every day, never eat at a restaurant twice, never watch a movie twice, never listen to YOUR favorite bands twice, etc.

So, if you prefer to play all originals, so be it. That does not make you stupid, or even "wrong". But to blame the audience for liking familiar things (and all audiences do) is to strike a ridiculous tone. It's snobbery. It's like saying "My music is awesome but they're too stupid to get it." We ALL love familiar things. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Rant over. Carry on.
 
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