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So, we're a Classic Rock band....

#66
In a similar but not as "over the top" band(classics, new stuff, country, Texas music, 2 CD"s of originals).
The songs that "drive 'em out in droves" and/or kill the energy of the event get tossed.
Winfred said it all. You can play "smooth jazz", prog metal, zillion-note-per-second stuff, whatever elsewhere.
If you're in a cover gig and the event folks/venue depend on YOU to keep folks there, happy & having a great time, and spending money then running them off ain't in the playbook.

No working band could play(i.e. get gigs regularly) what I LIKE and keep a following of non-musicians. Somewhere, someday, most recovering musicians come to the realization that not everyone enjoys what they do or would pay to hear it.
 
#68
Space Pickle said:
...I'm astounded that people don't like Room 335.
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Well I suppose if I was in an elevator it'd be interesting.

But I'm willing to bet that most ladies at whatever venue you're playing won't be the least interested in it. You can't dance to it, you can't sing along with it, at best you could go outside for a smoke break.
 
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#71
Karen is still looking good . . .

karen_zpsa0282e13.jpg


:)
 
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#73
RobBottom69 said:
I asked about Steely Dan stuff, which also would be pushing our limits if it's the latter day stuff. But he didn't respond. This is about him wanting to take the band in a jazz direction even it's beyond our capabilities or if it' to the detriment of the band, because it's the right thing to do.
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Sometimes band mates really do have creative differences. It doesn't have to be some big dramatic thing; you guys can just talk about the band's direction. If he's the only one who's unhappy because of the music you guys (don't) do, then it's pretty obvious what he needs to do. If he can't accept that you do simply have creative differences and this isn't the band for him, well... get your collective trigger finger ready.
 
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#74
As a general rule I don't play musicians songs out for the public. Most in the public don't like or have any appreciation for the kind of music that we as musicians would like. In my area there are quite a number of classic rock bands around, some really good ones and some - not so much. But the point is around here it is saturated with it so my band is playing newer music that most around here are not. We do a couple of classic rock songs but were doing stuff like 311, Puddle of Mudd, Chili Peppers, some country and we even have a 10 minute rap medley that people go nuts for.

I guess the point is you have to play songs the crowd wants to hear, not what you as a musician want to hear. And it doesn't matter what type of music that is as long as it reaches the crowd. If a song isn't connecting for some reason, move on, no matter how much you may like it or enjoy playing it.

BTW. I have put songs into our set because someone in the band had strong feelings about playing it. When it doesn't connect with a crowd you can point it out and move along fairly easily ( you have to give it a fair amount of time though). Then again, you might find it works very well and remains a staple in your set. Doesn't hurt to try and no one gets bent out of shape cause they don't have input to the set list.
 
#78
Back when I was first cutting my teeth doing the cover band thing before finally getting into an originals band, I always had one rule once they made me an offer. "I never play Mustang Sally, ever." Granted, I was only in 5 different cover bands, but throwing down that ultimatum was never an issue and it seemed they were always 100% on board with it. It usually led into a discussion of equally bad songs that the BL would say we would never have to play.
Why more people don't refuse to play that garbage song when they hate it, is beyond me. "It gets girls on the dance floor." There are a multitude of songs, better songs, that will pack a dance floor. I actually walked out of an already lame party 2 weeks ago when the karaoke dj starting singing Mustang Sally. I just can't stomach that song in any capacity. I guess if you are over 45, that song strikes some type of sentimental chord. I'm sure everyone has a song they hate as passionately as I do that one.
 
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