Orignals Bands vs Cover Bands, Open Discussion

[Vic Winters]

I enjoy both. It's all about having fun for me.

 

[bluewine]

It is entirely plausible that some musicians play in cover bands because they lack the skillsets and creativity necessary to make a "successful" originals band. This does not mean they aren't great players. I know an amazing flautist who couldn't improvise to save her life but could play any music you put in front of her. By most standards she would not be considered a lesser musician for that. Since money is tipped in favor of cover bands originals guys can get bitter about that, myself included. I am certainly disheartened by the fact that a mediocre cover band can get a good gig faster than an excellent original band. I knew that going in though so I try not to complain too much.

Interesting take, I think there could be very skilled players in both. However from what I have seen in my part if the world is the exact opposite.

Most originals bands here feature a lot of young musicians that haven't been out there long enough to be concidered seasoned players yet.

 

[LiamPodmore]

Over here in the UK bands (Including my own) tend to play both covers and originals. To me this seems like the perfect compromise. I get to play good music, i get to play my own unique basslines, and i get paid.

Liam

 

[randysmojo]

I have seen some original bandsc that are very successful that started as a coverband and threw in originals here and there until the following grew enough for them to move more into just originals. One in particular, the Randy Rogers Band. A couple of years ago they where one of the top ten grossing tours, but my buddy remembers seeing them a long time ago doing the cover songs that everyone around here does.

 

[bluewine]

I enjoy both. It's all about having fun for me.

Most of us have fun doing this. But at the same time we understand it's a business and treat it that way.

 

[bluewine]

I don't care - I just don't like bands that work for chump change.

I don't like seeing musicians that have invested in some cases years into honing their craft playing for next to nothing to nothing. Whether their doing originals or covers

Money for gear, rehearsal time and gas are not to be forgotten about.

 

[Phineas]

This has probably been said, but I am new to the board.

I hate most cover bands. WHY? Because of the juke box effect. If I am going to pay money to see an act, I want to see some pizzaz! not a bunch of music natzis trying to play like the record/CD note for note. This is just not musical or artistic to me. Also, there is a lack of variety as well. if I hear another cover band in a bar playing a Jimmy Buffet tune...LOL

Original bands can be just as bad. How many ways can you mess up blues, rock or folk(or anything for that matter)! Every time I think I have seen it all, I see something worse. Thank goodness for youtube where I an hit the stop button, and save the cover charge.

Musicianship, and showmanship are the real issues. They are all but lost. You can make anything sound good, and entertaining. Often, groups expect to put almost no effort nor practice into their act, and in shows on stage. Why should I pay a cover charge to go see a band that sounds like a jam session.

Lastly this whole blues movement. I like blues. Often, musicians who really suck hide behind how simple it is to play as an excuse to call themselves BLUES PLAYERS! But that is another thread!

For the most part, I will refuse to play in cover bands regularly. They are for the most part not fun to play in for me.

 

[ksandvik]

I'm always wondered why not more bands play lesser known covers as there's so much good music out there and BrownEyedGirl/SweetHomeAlabama/MustangSally has been played to death thousands of times by now.

For example Metallica in their early days got a big following playing song like Am I Evil? (by Diamond Head.) As a bonus the band learns how songs are put together and they could start cranking out originals in the same style.

I love to play in cover bands where the song selection is unique and refreshing. I play (for big bucks) Mustang Sally but that's it.

Another option is to take good songs and have a specific style applied to them, a little bit what Rush did with their Feedback album, has me thinks the best Crossroads version ever played. Or what Cream did long time ago, or Led Zeppelin.

 

[bassbully]

I don't see much of a diff from musicians who play covers and those who play originals or both. My last 3 bands including the band I am in now did cover and originals and all were great players or I would not of played with them. To say some play only originals cuz they can't play covers is foolish..oh wait..forgot about U2.

I think there are some who just know covers will get them paid and giging more so they stick to them, they might want to do their own thing but need or want the money. Originals also take allot more legwork and some folks are not that motivated to put in the time. In originals you have to promote all the time and always hussle, allot of times you will not get great pay or big crowds. You also have to find satisfaction in more than the pay and find it in doing your own thing. I'm cool with it and will stay this way...it's me.

 

[Oneirogenic]

Interesting take, I think there could be very skilled players in both. However from what I have seen in my part if the world is the exact opposite.

Most originals bands here feature a lot of young musicians that haven't been out there long enough to be concidered seasoned players yet.

My band (originals) plays in Northern Idaho/Eastern Washington and this area is just starving for good originals oddly. There are lots of bands with young unprofessional players but they do not get very many gigs. Most of the bands are cookie cutters of whats hot with the younger kids and they inevitably fail when their audience loses interest quickly. My band started on the premise that there was a need to be filled in our area, a fresh originals band that is playing catchy, danceable, headbangable, rock music for the bar aged demographic. We've had enough success in the shortly over a year we've been together to play the hot venues that all the bands want to play, opened for a national touring band, and funded our first album entirely from gig money. In a lot of ways you could say we got lucky but when we started we intended to make music the people around would want to pay for and it seems to be working. There are few other original bands doing well in our area and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that they are seasoned players who are filling a demand in our area for quality original music. I think this demand comes from the afformentioned less seasoned bands and an over saturation of cover bands playing the same songs.

 

[bluewine]

I'm not taking sides, just a question.

For those if you in originals bands that are doing shows for free.

You're perfectly fine loading up you car with gear, driving home at 2 in the morning without a dime of compensation in your pocket?

 

[ChrisB2]

Covers all the way for me.

I'm only interested in two things: playing music with others, and performing music for others. That's it. Period.

So I play in a cover band because I love playing good music and giving people something they want to listen to.

 

[Oneirogenic]

Played for free 2 times ever. Both times it was very little cost for us to get there and we got tips and free beer/food anyways. Turned down a national band opening slot because the venue wanted to us to play for free and expected us to hustle a bunch of tickets. No thanks.

 

[bluewine]

My band (originals) plays in Northern Idaho/Eastern Washington and this area is just starving for good originals oddly. There are lots of bands with young unprofessional players but they do not get very many gigs. Most of the bands are cookie cutters of whats hot with the younger kids and they inevitably fail when their audience loses interest quickly. My band started on the premise that there was a need to be filled in our area, a fresh originals band that is playing catchy, danceable, headbangable, rock music for the bar aged demographic. We've had enough success in the shortly over a year we've been together to play the hot venues that all the bands want to play, opened for a national touring band, and funded our first album entirely from gig money. In a lot of ways you could say we got lucky but when we started we intended to make music the people around would want to pay for and it seems to be working. There are few other original bands doing well in our area and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that they are seasoned players who are filling a demand in our area for quality original music. I think this demand comes from the afformentioned less seasoned bands and an over saturation of cover bands playing the same songs.

Doesn't sound like you got lucky to me. Sounds like you did some research and had a business plan in place before you started the band.

Impressive!

 

[bluewine]

Covers all the way for me.

I'm only interested in two things: playing music with others, and performing music for others. That's it. Period.

So I play in a cover band because I love playing good music and giving people something they want to listen to.

Took me a long time to figure it out.

But my way of looking at it now, is playing music the people want to hear. I might not like Mustang Sally, but if that's what the people want I will play it.

 

[Marial]

The only thing in the OP that perked my interest was that originals bands aren't for folks in their forties... I'd say that really depends on the genre and geographical location of the band, and I think it also depends on what the intent of the band is. If it's to get signed/tour/conquer the world? Yes, more likely the game of younger folks. If it's to be a great, original, local band that can be tapped to open for national touring acts? Different story altogether.

 

[clutebass]

I'm not taking sides, just a question.

For those if you in originals bands that are doing shows for free.

You're perfectly fine loading up you car with gear, driving home at 2 in the morning without a dime of compensation in your pocket?

The way I see it is that my pay comes from getting to play my original material to the, so far, small fan base we have and knowing that they enjoy what we do. Now I may be a rare example since I also play in a cover band and rely on getting paid through that project. So it balances itself out for me. I get payed to play music that I may not enjoy as much as my originals, and then I get payed very little, sometimes nothing, to unleash the passion for the music that myself and bandmates have spent so long working on in my original band. Musically I am fully satisfied by being in two bands that offer me much different experiences and rewards.

 

[soulman969]

I'll play for free, that part is fun, but I like to get paid for all the gear I have to buy in order to do it competently and the time I spend setting up and tearing it all down. It seems to me that unless you have a CD and a huge following originals bands don't gig often and get paid next to nothing when they do.

In order to have a great originals band you need at least two good song writers working alone or in partnership constantly bringing new material and fresh approaches. Some days it's tough enough to find good musicians let alone good song writers. Right now several of the guys I've worked with in the past are working on an originals thing and I've opted out because it seldom gets out of the basement or the studio and I enjoy live performing.

There is so much great material out there from great song writers that isn't being covered by every Tom, Dick, and Harry cover band out that you can make entire sets out of one off material. The last couple of bands I led were very eclectic and mixed a lot of AOR material from great writers and bands in with more traditional bar tunes.

You still have to appeal to the masses when you're a dance band and even though Frankie Miller's "Heartbreak Radio" is virtually the same song as Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" it's the Seger tune they're always looking to hear and to a certain extent that's what you're getting paid for. There's always a certain amount of sacrifices to be made and there are a lot more and better Van Morrison tunes to do than "Brown Eyed Girl" and I've done a lot of them.

 

[Phalex]

I've seen some great original bands, and I've seen a lot of piss poor original bands too. We may be opening for an original band that we used to share the stage with years ago by the name of Pop Evil. We were nobodies at the same time, and now they have a record deal, and I'm still playing the local cover scene.

I've played with some amazing musicians in cover bands, but I've also seen some pretty bad musicians in cover bands too.

Personally, I would much rather be in a great cover band than be in a great original band. I've done both, and I really don't like the original scene at all.

 

[stflbn]

IMHO and Experience... less talented musicians very often play their 'own' music because they can't interpret, translate and execute others music. While many cover band musicians are fully capable of, and most often do write their own music.