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Please Toss In Some Ideas...

Turtle71

Turtle71

Aug 11, 2009
1,339
1,896
Madison, WI
#1
OK, so this thread could go in several different forums, but I think it fits best here???

I'm kicking around the idea of putting together a cover band. I've done the "original" thing my entire bass playing life, and have enjoyed some local success, but nothing I'd write home about, so I want to give the cover band a try.

What I'm looking for is a list of song suggestions (maybe 10-12) that I could propose to other potential members.

Obviously easy tunes are great (and probably best for auditions?), but I'm not opposed to challenging tunes either. The most important thing is that they are tunes that will get the crowd on their feet & moving. (i.e. tunes they know :p)

What say you veteran cover players? What's been successful for you?

Any tunes to stay clear of? I'd hate to hear crickets afterwards.
 
#3
Marginal Tom said:
You need to tell us what kind(s) of music you intend to play. For a country band, I'd start with Ray Price and Merle Haggard. But those artists wouldn't fit well with a metal band.
Click to expand...

Correct you are!!!....sorry :D

Actually I'd say I'm shooting more toward "rock" but some "modern country" tossed in would work too (Just don't want to be a full time country band). Like I said before, it should be something the crowd can enjoy and dance to....

I doubt the crowds around here are looking into oldies very much, but one or two could be fun, if done right.
 
#5
JohnMCA72 said:
Do you want to play stuff that you like, that people in general like, or both?
Click to expand...

Ideally both, but I'm aware that there are bound to be songs that are crowd favorites that I won't care for, but at the end of the night we are getting paid (hopefully) to please "them" afterall.....

And I find (from doing the original band thing) that the nights that the crowd was really into it, I had a great time even playing my "less than favorite" tunes...
 
#6
Learn to like what the crowd likes. I've filled in for a couple of bands who do "Friends in Low Places." Honestly, although Garth is good, I hate this song. But the peeps love it. So "I love it."

Best thing to do is go watch a couple of bands in your circuit who draw well, and write down their song choices and the crowd reaction. Then, the ones that get all the girls (or cougars, depending on the bar) get up and dance to, put them in your set list. Take ones that are similar in genre or sound but others dont' do and use them as well. Then, one or two per set that you and the band like.

However, caution. Just because you like "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors, doesn't mean you should do it. Unless everyone in the club is on heroin, its a no no. Anything by Pink Floyd, most of Zep, prog rock, OUT!

You'd be better off playing a Flock of Seagulls then the theme song to Jonathan Livingston Seagul. Honestly.

And, when push comes to shove, "Sweet Caroline" at the proper moment always works, whether well done or cheesily done.
 
#7
I need to honestly define my target, putting aside any personal favorites that do not promote that agenda (which is getting chicks dancing.) Gigs for cover bands playing obscure killer cuts are far, few between and more often that not unprofitable.Be a rat and embrace the "cheese," ya feel me ?
 
#9
Turtle71 said:
Ideally both, but I'm aware that there are bound to be songs that are crowd favorites that I won't care for, but at the end of the night we are getting paid (hopefully) to please "them" afterall.....

And I find (from doing the original band thing) that the nights that the crowd was really into it, I had a great time even playing my "less than favorite" tunes...
Click to expand...

I have no idea what you like, but start there anyway. Start making a list of songs that you like, that you'd like to play. Go out & watch other bands, as somebody suggested, & see what works for them. Pay particular attention if some other band is playing any songs on your list. Make cold-hearted assessments of your song choices & be willing to dump something that's dance-floor poison no matter how much you personally happen to like the song.

Also, as Tom suggested, learn to like what the crowd likes! If you can do that, it'll make things so much better for you, which will be apparent to your audience so they'll like you more, which you'll like more, and they'll pick up on it, ... it's a never-ending cycle of positive feedback!

I read an article a couple of months ago, interviewing Bob Seger. He mentioned that Bruce Springsteen had told him, years before, that you've got to respect your audience. After all, they're the ones who have paid their money, given up their time, & gone out of their way to see you! You owe it to them to respect them by giving them the best show you possibly can.

Sometimes, people (especially those who aren't musicians themselves) don't know what "good" is supposed to be. But they do know when they're having a good time, & that's what it's your job to deliver.
 
#12
It also depends on what kind of crowd you expect to play for. One observation I had watching a friend's band was that old people dance to old songs, young people dance to anything. On the other hand, if you want to be really relevant and exciting to a young crowd (like in a college town) you'll need more current stuff.
 
#15
TRichardsbass said:
However, caution. Just because you like "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors, doesn't mean you should do it. Unless everyone in the club is on heroin, its a no no. Anything by Pink Floyd, most of Zep, prog rock, OUT!
Click to expand...

Listen to this guy, so many band leaders, original and cover bands fall into that playing stuff because they like it. It's always a huge mistake.

Go out and see a cover band that plays to a packed crowd. Take notice of their songs and which ones people are dancing to. Check out how many slow songs are in their set.I have been noticing a lot of bands losing the crowd with slow songs recently.

It's no secret that I am not a fan of the cover band (however I might be headed in that direction).

I saw a cover band Saturday Night and could not believe seeing all these losers flooding the dance floor for Mustang Sally. Are people stupid or is it me?
 
#16
bluewine said:
Listen to this guy, so many band leaders, original and cover bands fall into that playing stuff because they like it. It's always a huge mistake.

Go out and see a cover band that plays to a packed crowd. Take notice of their songs and which ones people are dancing to. Check out how many slow songs are in their set.I have been noticing a lot of bands losing the crowd with slow songs recently.

It's no secret that I am not a fan of the cover band (however I might be headed in that direction).

I saw a cover band Saturday Night and could not believe seeing all these losers flooding the dance floor for Mustang Sally. Are people stupid or is it me?
Click to expand...

Friday night, the drummer and I went out to check out the competition. We saw one band that played party rock, openned their set with Wooly Booly,Give Me Some Lovin' and (gasp!) Mustang Sally. For the record, we once auditioned a drummer and guitarist(they came as a set) and the deal breaker was that the drummer was upset that I refused to play Mustang Sally. Back to Friday night, the band was very tight and everyone on stage looked like they were having a ball. The dance floor was packed.
I don't think people are stupid, but they are certainly easily entertained.:bassist:
 
#18
If you happen to have a friend who is a mainstream dance club dj, he or she could also give you some insight on how BPM is your friend in structuring sets and the whole evening. My cousin used to dj at a major Cincy area club, and sitting in the booth with him was priceless knowledge about building a crowd up, giving them breaks, and taking them over the top.

If you're in Madison, then I'd think College Rock standards (What I Like About You, My Sharona, Love Shack, etc), couple of country songs (Low Places), and 80's hits would do you well.
 
#20
Depends on how you 'sell' your music..if your into it and it's genuine, it will be responded to in the like manner.
We mix about 15 originals with our sets (I know, like you really care) but we get the best response from those than our covers..maybe because our covers are mostly obscure but funky as hell...they usually include:

So Fresh So Clean
Mama, What's a Funkadelic
When You Get Back (Jon Cleary)
Night Train (Tab Benoit)
Call Simone (Tyrone, E.Badu)
Matchbox Blues (A.King)

But you HAVE to do My Buckets Got a Hole In It, Tab's version of Hank Sr.'s song....great at filling the tip bucket

Good Luck
 

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