I'd play "Room 335" all day long if I didn't have to play any Tom Petty or Skynard *ever again* !!!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
So, we're a Classic Rock band....
- Thread starter RobBottom69
- Start date
Oh boy, now we have a band meeting on Saturday. My first dysfunctional band moment you all talk about. 
I hope I didn't over step my boundries by being up front about saying I wasn't comfortable trying to figure something like that out. But they did want to have an open and honest discussion. I hope I don't lose the gig because the guitarist is being whiney.
It's just so cliche when people start going off about wanting to have a sonic orgasms when they play and they'll play the easy stuff, but it somehow it stiffles them musically to be relegated to that stuff so we should be doing this jazz stuff so we can show we're serious musicians or something. And this came after some angst of him needing 3 amps at gigs with an elaborate setup that often causes technical difficulties. He's great player though, and generally has a great attitude, but it sounds like he has other things going on maybe.
I think he feels like his song suggestions aren't taken seriously, although I like I Shot The Sherriff and Tore Down and think we do good versions of them. The drummer has made it known to me he doesn't like Europa and the Santana songs and we do struggle with that ending jam. Reality though is that it doesn't get much of a reaction when we do it live.
His other suggestions were some song by Daft Punk, My Father's Eyes by Eric Clapton and Sharp Dressed Man. We tried Tush but let's face it, it requires to be played with some cajones, and if we can't do it with Tush we're not going to do with Sharp Dressed Man. Although we did play around with La Grange once and it was good for a one timer.
I hope I didn't over step my boundries by being up front about saying I wasn't comfortable trying to figure something like that out. But they did want to have an open and honest discussion. I hope I don't lose the gig because the guitarist is being whiney. It's just so cliche when people start going off about wanting to have a sonic orgasms when they play and they'll play the easy stuff, but it somehow it stiffles them musically to be relegated to that stuff so we should be doing this jazz stuff so we can show we're serious musicians or something. And this came after some angst of him needing 3 amps at gigs with an elaborate setup that often causes technical difficulties. He's great player though, and generally has a great attitude, but it sounds like he has other things going on maybe.
I think he feels like his song suggestions aren't taken seriously, although I like I Shot The Sherriff and Tore Down and think we do good versions of them. The drummer has made it known to me he doesn't like Europa and the Santana songs and we do struggle with that ending jam. Reality though is that it doesn't get much of a reaction when we do it live.
His other suggestions were some song by Daft Punk, My Father's Eyes by Eric Clapton and Sharp Dressed Man. We tried Tush but let's face it, it requires to be played with some cajones, and if we can't do it with Tush we're not going to do with Sharp Dressed Man. Although we did play around with La Grange once and it was good for a one timer.
Edited for clarity.
If you lose the gig because techno gizmo dumbo wants to be a brat, good riddance.
Know this.
It is not, never was
and never will be
about what songs YOU think are cool, and make you look way cool, and super awesome.
What it is, and has been
and always will be about
is what songs do
YOUR AUDIENCE want to hear.
Now which of those songs CAN you pull of well enough to NOT look like idiots, while
Giving the customer what they have paid to see.
What they most certainly have not paid for
is some ridiculous non working array of
unnecessary amps and floor warts,
being fiddled with by some cry baby spoiled brat.
AND after he finally gets his pile of sh!t actually working,
be treated to his douchebag version of some crappy
shred fest song played poorly to HIS self edification.
Best of luck on that "open and honest discussion".
I think also it's because when I suggest tunes it's generally because it's what I think audiences want to hear. I was doing Truck Drivin Man with the hippies, but the same people who love Folsom County Blues love Truck Drivin' Man, generally positive crowd reaction. Didn't see that one coming. I also brought up You're Momma Don't Dance (well technically partial credit goes to the wifey). We've been trying to work up the Weight, which the BL's wife says we do a great job of even though we haven't broken it out because of the tricky chorus part.
Then this morning BL sent the added wedding songs, and I flashed on You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry, the keyboardist/musical director liked the idea, 2 chords, popular song, fits the wedding theme. I thnk the guitarist kind of felt like my suggestions get taken seriously, his doesn't. But I'm picking stuff in the context of the band, and what I think the drummer can sing well, if he wants to sing it.
I said that in email, except the stuff about his feelings, but that we're a good tight cover band that plays old rock and R&B well. Let's celebrate our strengths and choose material around that. Then he said we didn't put effort into his stuff, and that he didn't feel like putting in the effort to learn the other tunes, but he said he wasn't quitting, then BL sent an email about the band meeting and our COMMITTMENTS for Nov 1 and 15th.
Then this morning BL sent the added wedding songs, and I flashed on You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry, the keyboardist/musical director liked the idea, 2 chords, popular song, fits the wedding theme. I thnk the guitarist kind of felt like my suggestions get taken seriously, his doesn't. But I'm picking stuff in the context of the band, and what I think the drummer can sing well, if he wants to sing it.
I said that in email, except the stuff about his feelings, but that we're a good tight cover band that plays old rock and R&B well. Let's celebrate our strengths and choose material around that. Then he said we didn't put effort into his stuff, and that he didn't feel like putting in the effort to learn the other tunes, but he said he wasn't quitting, then BL sent an email about the band meeting and our COMMITTMENTS for Nov 1 and 15th.
Last edited:
I didn't think I had ever heard of Room 335 till I clicked on the Youtube track - then I thought, "Oh yeah, THAT song..." I'd say, if you have an ending jam that isn't getting much reaction, go ahead and learn Room 335 and use IT for your ending jam. It has a beat you could dance to, people will probably actually recognize it, and by that time most crowds are pretty drunk anyway. Might be a success, and then the guitarist owes you one.
Just my two cents, but if the average gig is about 35-40 tunes, I don't get the angst about playing a song or two somewhat out of genre to appease a band member. I'm not talking about playing Pantera in a rockabilly band, but a little flexibility wouldn't hurt.
I don't see "Europa" working in a cover band. It's a great song, but...
Learn this guy's song; play it well; let it fall flat enough times, and you can lose it.
Keep up with those popular songs, though!
Learn this guy's song; play it well; let it fall flat enough times, and you can lose it.
Keep up with those popular songs, though!
I myself have a hard time putting forth the time and effort to learn, and rehearse a turd.
Again it ain't about what I like, It IS what the audience will like.
If the song is a turd, it's a turd, it does not matter if whiny boy guitard likes it or not.
however IF he is B.L. and rules supreme, AND you are being well paid, go ahead and let
HIM stink up the joint.
I did a part in a play where I end up in an Elvis costume because the guy who was suspossed to be the Elvis impersonator gets sick from the pancake breakfast and I have to fill in. The audience would go crazy when I came out. And afterwards, the cast would have to do a meet and greet in the lobby. Every night, multiple women of all ages wanted to have their picture taken with me. What made it even crazier was the costume was designed to look cheap and sleezy.
Well, the thing about being a musician is we often want to push ourselves to be better. Maybe this guy wants to be challenged to improve. There is nothing wrong with playing easy songs, but it sounds like the guitar player might be a stronger musician than the others in the group.
Anyway, 335 is a great tune. Not sure what the big deal is about playing it.
To the OP - There's your answer. It actually solves every problem that comes up in dance bands when some member wants to play an obscure song. And yes, it's obscure if dancing milfs don't know it.
The audience is always right.
You can funk up Room 335 and make it danceable, but if no one in the crowd knows the song, it's gonna flop. Maybe, if you really funk the #### out of it, maybe you get some dancers.
I'm gonna go with mellowinman and Winfred and say: Learn it and play it live.
I had a similar situation with my old band: I'd pick songs based on our band's "concept" and he'd pick songs he liked. My suggestions were ALWAYS picked up immediately - and put to use, except for one or two which bombed live so we dropped 'em. At one point he said: I gave up on suggesting songs cos you guys never pick 'em anyway. So the next song we picked was one of his suggestions. I believe it was "One Bad Thought" by Tony Joe White. Guess what? It worked! Great addition to our live set, even though we did not expect it.
So try it! It may work. Throw 'em a bone every now and then, you know ...
I had a similar situation with my old band: I'd pick songs based on our band's "concept" and he'd pick songs he liked. My suggestions were ALWAYS picked up immediately - and put to use, except for one or two which bombed live so we dropped 'em. At one point he said: I gave up on suggesting songs cos you guys never pick 'em anyway. So the next song we picked was one of his suggestions. I believe it was "One Bad Thought" by Tony Joe White. Guess what? It worked! Great addition to our live set, even though we did not expect it.
So try it! It may work. Throw 'em a bone every now and then, you know ...
Exactly! There is something *very* odd about the old Elvis thing. Do you think that there is anyone comparable to the under 30 set? I don't think so...
We're also a dance and party band that does Mustang Sally and Brown-Eyed Girl, and the dance floor is always full. Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" is in our repertoire (a live version is even on our website), and it always, always gets a good response.
Problem comes in when letting the guitarist pick songs is that they generally pick things that they hope will impress their girlfriend, friends, other guitarists, feed their ego, and not songs that the average female customer want to hear.
For the most part ladies want to hear songs they know, songs from the radio, songs they can dance to, songs they know the words to. What they don't want, instrumentals, maybe a couple per night that are well known and danceable, long solos, yeah I know letting the guitarist go on wanking himself for five minutes or so gives him something to talk about to friends during breaks, but if the ladies aren't dancing they're leaving. Keep the solos short and sweet, just a couple bars and relevant to the song. Songs with many timing changes. One or two might be ok, but once again it isn't conducive to dancing.
You're only playing a gig to get customers in the building. You have to get the ladies in. They bring in the guys. This in turn sells the alcohol that pays your fee.
No chicks=no guys=no alcohol sold=no job. It's the same as it's ever been.
People always ask "How did the Beatles get so popular". Well look at it from the start. They were a good looking band, they were very personable. They wrote or did songs that were highly rhythmic, easy to dance to. Wrote words that were easy to remember and easy to be sung along with. Kept most of the in the 2:30 to 3:30 mark at least at first. All the solos were one or two bars long, no wankery, the dancing could continue.
Well, sorry for this long winded rant, but there are just so many cover and original bands that don't understand or bother with their customers it's no wonder most turn out to be abject failures.
For the most part ladies want to hear songs they know, songs from the radio, songs they can dance to, songs they know the words to. What they don't want, instrumentals, maybe a couple per night that are well known and danceable, long solos, yeah I know letting the guitarist go on wanking himself for five minutes or so gives him something to talk about to friends during breaks, but if the ladies aren't dancing they're leaving. Keep the solos short and sweet, just a couple bars and relevant to the song. Songs with many timing changes. One or two might be ok, but once again it isn't conducive to dancing.
You're only playing a gig to get customers in the building. You have to get the ladies in. They bring in the guys. This in turn sells the alcohol that pays your fee.
No chicks=no guys=no alcohol sold=no job. It's the same as it's ever been.
People always ask "How did the Beatles get so popular". Well look at it from the start. They were a good looking band, they were very personable. They wrote or did songs that were highly rhythmic, easy to dance to. Wrote words that were easy to remember and easy to be sung along with. Kept most of the in the 2:30 to 3:30 mark at least at first. All the solos were one or two bars long, no wankery, the dancing could continue.
Well, sorry for this long winded rant, but there are just so many cover and original bands that don't understand or bother with their customers it's no wonder most turn out to be abject failures.
I think there are several constituencies to keep happy, and good band management means keeping them all in view. One is the venue management, who need to know that you're good for business. One is the crowd, who need to enjoy the show and have a good time. But the members of the band are a constituency to keep happy too. A band will tank if they are the ONLY constituency, if you say "we wanna play what we wanna play and screw what the crowd wants to hear." But once in a while my BL will call out "here's one for the band" and we'll play something that's on the list simply because we like playing it. If someone in the band is getting frustrated because they never get to play anything they really want to play, you might lose a good player. Give them something now and again. Just don't let that dictate the whole setlist.
The funny thing about solos is that, to my understanding, the original point to a solo was to keep the dancers going. Old jazz and blues tunes only had about ten words worth of lyrics so they ran out of verses pretty fast. So if people were dancing, the rhythm section would keep grooving and the others would make stuff up. It was only later that it became this spotlight-for-the-soloist thing. You can solo till you're blue in the face over Mustang Sally's groove and people love it.
The funny thing about solos is that, to my understanding, the original point to a solo was to keep the dancers going. Old jazz and blues tunes only had about ten words worth of lyrics so they ran out of verses pretty fast. So if people were dancing, the rhythm section would keep grooving and the others would make stuff up. It was only later that it became this spotlight-for-the-soloist thing. You can solo till you're blue in the face over Mustang Sally's groove and people love it.
Ah yes, Tom Jones.
Now there is a perfect example of some SH!T I can't stand. I hate it.
BUT
who cares, the chicks dig it....
So I play it, smile my @$$ off and pretend that it's my favorite song of all time.
It's what we do.
