You do know those fees are payed by the venue & not the band right? Unless something's changed & I missed it.
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Serious question on 'Tribute Bands'
- Thread starter ThudThudThud
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You do know those fees are payed by the venue & not the band right? Unless something's changed & I missed it.
I'm not really into this kind of thing, but I've seen Rain a few times, and those guys really bring it. Sometimes it seems a little schmaltzy, but if you're gonna do it, why not DO it?
Tribute bands around here get paid a whole lot more than a typical cover band. Around 3-4 times as much. A lot of prep goes into the shows though so I'd say its worth it. If I was still doing the live band thing again I'd love to have a tribute band for a side gig. So much easier to get gigs too.
I've been seriously playing bass for 43 years but it ain't my day job. I have two tribute bands: one playing Supertamp's music and the other Peter Gabriel's, doing around 30 gigs a year. I've spent close to 30 years playing original music and still have an original band going but it's nearly impossible to get gigs (evidently, our music does not appeal to a large audience but we love it.)
Supertramp was the first show I ever saw at twelve years old (forty years ago), and I jumped on the occasion when I saw the audition to play those basslines. I've fond memories of that music and it's a blast sharing those with large audiences.
I founded the second band cause I love Peter Gabriel's music and Tony Levin's bass (and Stick) playing. I bought a Music Man, a Chapman Stick, funk fingers and numerous pedals. It's loads of fun to experiment and dig in the playing of a bass player like Tony Levin.
I'm in Montreal, Canada. Venues for bands are just disappearing; comics and DJs have kinda killed live music. It's nearly impossible for a "blue collar musician" to play in a bar anymore. The only way to play in decent conditions is to have a "concept", a way to get across the noise for people to spent 25/30$ on a show. That's what a tribute band is, an easier way to get people to come to the show. Something my original band cannot do...
One last thing, I've played with lots of "artists" boasting playing original music. As a bass player, too often, there was nothing original about the music we were playing...
Supertramp was the first show I ever saw at twelve years old (forty years ago), and I jumped on the occasion when I saw the audition to play those basslines. I've fond memories of that music and it's a blast sharing those with large audiences.
I founded the second band cause I love Peter Gabriel's music and Tony Levin's bass (and Stick) playing. I bought a Music Man, a Chapman Stick, funk fingers and numerous pedals. It's loads of fun to experiment and dig in the playing of a bass player like Tony Levin.
I'm in Montreal, Canada. Venues for bands are just disappearing; comics and DJs have kinda killed live music. It's nearly impossible for a "blue collar musician" to play in a bar anymore. The only way to play in decent conditions is to have a "concept", a way to get across the noise for people to spent 25/30$ on a show. That's what a tribute band is, an easier way to get people to come to the show. Something my original band cannot do...
One last thing, I've played with lots of "artists" boasting playing original music. As a bass player, too often, there was nothing original about the music we were playing...
I've really enjoyed seeing The Musical Box shows when they are in my area. They fully reproduce every detail of Peter Gabriel era Genesis live shows from the early to mid 70's. I was way too young to attend those concerts back then and their shows are fully approved/endorsed by the actual members of Genesis. Genesis even gave them copies of the slides projected for the Lamb Lies Down On Broadway show to use when they are performing that particular concert.
I think, with some bands that get covered, if the music is played well enough and the sound and vibe are on-target, then that's what is crucial. There are some well-known bands where the music itself is truly "the thing", and lights, visuals and wardrobe/appearance are secondary or even inconsequential...so if a band is covering one of those "it's all about the music" bands, I think it's really only their sound and vibe that matter. Don't try to dress like the band or talk like the band in that situation.
I've always looked at covers one of two ways... either it should be a faithful reproduction of the original, or it should be a take the offers something new (The Cult's "Born to be Wild" is a great example). Tribute bands seem to take that first part a step further. Not really my thing, but hey, the world is a difficult place enough as it is without having to dump all over someone else's art. If someone has figured out a way to make a living playing music that doesn't hurt someone else, then rock on, brutha.
I am not entirely sure what makes a tribute band different from any cover band. It's just a cover band by a specific original band. Just like the Elvis or Beatles impersonators. Mostly of bands that aren't around anymore. I went to see that Swedish P-Floyd tribute band the other year. Free concert, well attended. However, while they sure could play the parts, sometimes - and more often than not - I couldn't helpt but notice a certain "hack" mentality or "orchestra-pit-band-backing-up-someone-else" flair to it. You know, an orchestral band in a pit can back up Frank Sinatra, and the audience couldn't give a ***** about it, as long as they play it to a tee. Some kind of Swedish "dance-foxtrot-restaurant-" music. A certain amount of anonymity crept in, at all times.
I thought that some kind of progressive music, say, like Genesis "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" are supposed to be something like of a musical. Albeit rock. And musicals they run for a long time, with different lead singers in the lead role, and way different orchestral bands. To the same success to the audience.
But when I saw that Canadian tribute act "Musical Box" perform that one in Hamburg some 10-12 years ago, I thought that it would be - basically - the same thing, as a regular musical. But it wasn't. Regardless of that "Musical Box" has been granted license and copyright to use original color slides as backdrop, and even costumes from Genesis management. They were sort of a "period" band. While I did think they cut it very well, there's something lacking in this "hungry" sound or "charged emotional vocals" that where present with the original artist. Peter Gabriels voice always had some gravitas, that even Phil Collins couldn't cover up later on. It just hadn't the same deep impact. And that deep impact can be lacking in the other instruments too, not just vocals.
To me, it's just like some kind of acting. While you can pull off anything convincingly enough, it's not... you. You speak another language with "accent" that can be detected.
I DO think it's ok though, that these bands are around and exists, because there are enough people who likes this stuff as an audience. These kinds of threads has been brought up before, when we start to speak of original bands, that has become tribute or cover bands of themselves, due to that no original members are part of it any more, but they're "original" in name only. Like Foreigner being the most striking example at the moment. I know that late Chris Squire of Yes, and even Gene Simmons worked/works a way out, with lawyers, to make Kiss / Yes I kind of franchise deal, that the bands, and names can continues long after any of the original members has gone. I mean gone, as in passed on, and not around us anymore. Not just leaving the band.
I think this "tribute" industry has been a valid force to be reckon with, since it a few decades ago, all of a sudden, was more accepted for musicians to start to sound like someone else and that has been regarded as a highly sought after trait. That one beats me, really. In jazz, Jaco was the most blatant thing to copy.
But still to me, which p*sses some of these bands off, I tell them up front "Just a cover band, anyway".
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EDIT: Those Pink Floyd tributes bands, seems to come here ever as often. Brit Floyd, Australian Pink Floyd Show, etc, that swedish P-Floyd (uncanny name since the first letter really has to be pronounced "Pee...!") and there's a cartoonish novelty act that used to be around to mock that pretentiousness and make punk parody version of Floyd tunes, of course, called Punk Floyd.
I thought that some kind of progressive music, say, like Genesis "Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" are supposed to be something like of a musical. Albeit rock. And musicals they run for a long time, with different lead singers in the lead role, and way different orchestral bands. To the same success to the audience.
But when I saw that Canadian tribute act "Musical Box" perform that one in Hamburg some 10-12 years ago, I thought that it would be - basically - the same thing, as a regular musical. But it wasn't. Regardless of that "Musical Box" has been granted license and copyright to use original color slides as backdrop, and even costumes from Genesis management. They were sort of a "period" band. While I did think they cut it very well, there's something lacking in this "hungry" sound or "charged emotional vocals" that where present with the original artist. Peter Gabriels voice always had some gravitas, that even Phil Collins couldn't cover up later on. It just hadn't the same deep impact. And that deep impact can be lacking in the other instruments too, not just vocals.
To me, it's just like some kind of acting. While you can pull off anything convincingly enough, it's not... you. You speak another language with "accent" that can be detected.
I DO think it's ok though, that these bands are around and exists, because there are enough people who likes this stuff as an audience. These kinds of threads has been brought up before, when we start to speak of original bands, that has become tribute or cover bands of themselves, due to that no original members are part of it any more, but they're "original" in name only. Like Foreigner being the most striking example at the moment. I know that late Chris Squire of Yes, and even Gene Simmons worked/works a way out, with lawyers, to make Kiss / Yes I kind of franchise deal, that the bands, and names can continues long after any of the original members has gone. I mean gone, as in passed on, and not around us anymore. Not just leaving the band.
I think this "tribute" industry has been a valid force to be reckon with, since it a few decades ago, all of a sudden, was more accepted for musicians to start to sound like someone else and that has been regarded as a highly sought after trait. That one beats me, really. In jazz, Jaco was the most blatant thing to copy.
But still to me, which p*sses some of these bands off, I tell them up front "Just a cover band, anyway".
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EDIT: Those Pink Floyd tributes bands, seems to come here ever as often. Brit Floyd, Australian Pink Floyd Show, etc, that swedish P-Floyd (uncanny name since the first letter really has to be pronounced "Pee...!") and there's a cartoonish novelty act that used to be around to mock that pretentiousness and make punk parody version of Floyd tunes, of course, called Punk Floyd.
FWIW, so far, when I've seen tribute acts that puts on the same stage show, dress up the same, even lookalikes, they can use the props, lightning rigs, and stage antics to COVER UP (hah!) their lacking in sound, or truthful reinditons of the original. It's very rare to see both, as it was with the Canadian Musical Box. I don't know, but as with any cover band, it's - to me - "music by numbers" and just the look on stage.
It's a good laugh, let me tell you.
We only do the odd gig here and there, it's not exactly a career because we're all off doing other projects most of the time. Just a fun challenge to approach an entire set of music from one band we all enjoy, and the costumes and props are garnish on top of that.
Goes down like hot cakes too; we always sell a bunch of tickets before we even open doors. Think we managed to hit a band where they're legendary enough to have a rabid fan-base but not so legendary there are multiple bands competing in the area. We got a complimentary mention on the official facebook page the other day too. That cranked our viewing stats up for a few days!
We only do the odd gig here and there, it's not exactly a career because we're all off doing other projects most of the time. Just a fun challenge to approach an entire set of music from one band we all enjoy, and the costumes and props are garnish on top of that.
Goes down like hot cakes too; we always sell a bunch of tickets before we even open doors. Think we managed to hit a band where they're legendary enough to have a rabid fan-base but not so legendary there are multiple bands competing in the area. We got a complimentary mention on the official facebook page the other day too. That cranked our viewing stats up for a few days!
Bjorn Again? What is that? Are they singing (I doubt it)? They certainly aren't playing anything, that isn't a tribute band, that is some kind of entertainment. Those aren't working musicians, some sort of a circus act it looks like to me. It would't make much difference even if they were playing and singing now that I think about it, maybe that is the point.
Exactly what I was thinkin. I saw a tribute band years ago that (as far as I could tell from the balcony) dressed the part. As close as I was gonna get to seeing the real thing. But then again, I was almost in a tribute band myself and would have dressed up if I was asked.. Probably.. but at some point I would quit doing the accent and tell the crowd "if you dig this, come check out my 'other' band!" There's a lot of bands I REALLY dig, but I can't see any tribute band ever being my only musical outlet.
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One of our guitarists came from a Judas Priest tribute. The singer didn't know any English other than JP lyrics.
The answer to every point brought up so far is yes. No. And it depends. Depends on the band being tributed, depends on the band doing it, depends on the scene, the level of gig, the intent of the band, the age of the band, a million factors.
I'm in two: a Beatles, where we DON'T do full on dress up, talk funny, etc. We do try to dress "60s funky/cool," but certainly not exact. And we're all in our 30s, 40s, 50s. We're more like Fab Faux, where it's all some of the best players in town having the time of our lives playing music we truly love. And our following love it too. No way COULD we try to compete with the lookalikes, so we don't try.
Other one is a Clapton band, we play casino, festival level stuff. Our Eric even looks a lot like him. But for that band, he's the only one that has to "do" the look. The rest of us just dress nice, classy, and are really good musicians. With EC, he used so many different players over the years that you can't really copy a "band" per se. Now, I have been complimented by other musicians that I sound like Nathan East, but, well, I can't BE him. First of all, I'm a white guy!
But that band is a WHOLE different kind of fun for me. And good money. And we don't feel cheesy cuz we're not copying anything.
I'm in two: a Beatles, where we DON'T do full on dress up, talk funny, etc. We do try to dress "60s funky/cool," but certainly not exact. And we're all in our 30s, 40s, 50s. We're more like Fab Faux, where it's all some of the best players in town having the time of our lives playing music we truly love. And our following love it too. No way COULD we try to compete with the lookalikes, so we don't try.
Other one is a Clapton band, we play casino, festival level stuff. Our Eric even looks a lot like him. But for that band, he's the only one that has to "do" the look. The rest of us just dress nice, classy, and are really good musicians. With EC, he used so many different players over the years that you can't really copy a "band" per se. Now, I have been complimented by other musicians that I sound like Nathan East, but, well, I can't BE him. First of all, I'm a white guy!
But that band is a WHOLE different kind of fun for me. And good money. And we don't feel cheesy cuz we're not copying anything.
It's pretty much the only kind of band I'd want to be in. That way, I'd be playing music I like, not music that every stinking cover band plays to the same un-interested bar patrons that aren't necessarily there to see the band anyway.
I'm a stickler for accuracy in covering music and rarely find other musicians that don't say, "it's good enough" and "just do it your way" type of comments. They all mean "I cannot take the time to learn this piece of music the correct way because (I'm not good enough to do it)"
Only problem for me is there are never any tribute bands (or not many at all that play what I'm interested in) in the Chicago area looking for a bass player. So I sit.
I'm a stickler for accuracy in covering music and rarely find other musicians that don't say, "it's good enough" and "just do it your way" type of comments. They all mean "I cannot take the time to learn this piece of music the correct way because (I'm not good enough to do it)"
Only problem for me is there are never any tribute bands (or not many at all that play what I'm interested in) in the Chicago area looking for a bass player. So I sit.
Wasn't one of the first tribute bands those Experience Hendrix? With that fellow who actually hired Mitch and Noel Redding to back him up? Not Randy California.. Randy something else...!?, He even recorded studio albums with Hendrix covers ad verbatim. Sounded "the same". What THAT was all about I don't know, since the original records where two bins away. Didn't really get that. Forgot his name...
See my follow up post on pg2. I am aware that it is either the promoter or the venue who pays the fees.
