Songs an 80's cover band should NEVER play?

[txbasschik]

Quick question- is playing Def Leppard at a bar gig cool My band wants to do this.

So far in this thread, Def Leppard is the very best thing you have expressed an interest in. DO play it! The chicks in the crowd will dance their booties off.

And anything by Def Leppard beats the holy heck out of "We Built This City".

Our tastes are evidently very, very different.

Mixing some rock like Leppard with the poppy stuff you dig will keep a wider audience for you, I think.

Cherie

 

[txbasschik]

anything by Nirvana.After all,they did"kill" the 80's.IMHO.

They should start the show with something from the Clash, late '70's, and end the show with Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Cherie

 

[Toshiro]

A friend of mine had a band that had a Thursday night residency at a local club. The first half of the first set, the band played whatever they wanted to play that week. Not particularly dancing material, etc. etc.

But as soon as the crowd started showing up, they switch to an all request format. No set lists, just whatever people asked for. A lot of the songs in people mention as "don't play" were requested by people, some of them requested every week.

Why? Because the people coming to see the band -like- those songs and would dance to them. And the guys in the bands were good at their jobs of selling those songs as if they were their all time favorites.

If you're in a cover band, it's not generally about what -you- like, it's about what the audience likes, in particular what the -women- like, because where the women go, the men follow.

 

[the_ruckus]

Make sure to include anything from Stryper or Wasp!

 

[kraigo]

I'm also a big fan of Blondie, The Pretenders, and Prince.

The Pretenders are here tonight playing at First Avenue (see "Purple Rain"). I don't have a ticket.

*sigh*

KO

 

[txbasschik]

The Pretenders are here tonight playing at First Avenue (see "Purple Rain"). I don't have a ticket.

*sigh*

KO

As Charlie Brown cried when he got a rock for trick-or-treat...

"AAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!"

I feel for ya.

Cherie

 

[Skarekrough]

There was alot of great music made in the 80's.

Unfortunately it's the drivel that defined the decade.

 

[Beyer160]

I guess its a good thing for Phil Collins that everyone doesn't enjoy the same things.

Although I definitely consider Phil Collins to be one of the top 10 things wrong about the '80s, he (with Genesis) did provide me with one of my favorite songs from that era- 1983's "Illegal Alien".

It's horrendous and borderline offensive, like a bad car wreck that you can't stop staring at- and the video is even better (er, worse):


How can you not love Phil Collins mocking hispanics? No wonder you don't hear this one on the radio anymore, although it got radio play at the time.


So the OP definitely wants to include this one in his set...

 

[headonastick]

Almost every song mentioned in this thread is on my iPod.

Same, and the one's that aren't I'm getting from iTunes just now! I love my cheese!

Only song I genuinely hate playing is Flip, Flop, Fly. I can't stand that tune.

 

[Dfinch]

Don't forget to throw in some Air Supply!

 

[Blueszilla]

C'mon, Cherie, tell us how you really feel!

I understand HL & News isn't for everyone (not even me, I don't own any), but Def Leppard? Ack..Ackitty Ack...IAck (assembler anyone?), Iacks, Iacked. Did I mention ACK?

No offense to any DL fans, just not (unbelievably NOT) my cup of...anything!

Someone mentioned 'come on Irene'. Dexys Midnight Runners 'Irene'?

No offense, I'm sure they are fine folks, and if it has brought you success covering it, that's great, but, pour moi, this was an early foreshadowing of the END OF THE WORLD!





Where is the puking emoticon?

Ignore me while I reboot my corrupted mind, proceed as usual.

 

[Beyer160]

C'mon, Cherie, tell us how you really feel!

I understand HL & News isn't for everyone (not even me, I don't own any), but Def Leppard? Ack..Ackitty Ack...IAck (assembler anyone?), Iacks, Iacked. Did I mention ACK?

The great contribution Def Leppard has made to music is the tradition of drummers putting one arm inside their shirts and banging away with the other, while yelling "DEF LEPPARD DRUM SOLO!!!" Every drummer does it, even jazzers.

 

[TRCat]

C'mon, Cherie, tell us how you really feel!

I understand HL & News isn't for everyone (not even me, I don't own any), but Def Leppard? Ack..Ackitty Ack...IAck (assembler anyone?), Iacks, Iacked. Did I mention ACK?

No offense to any DL fans, just not (unbelievably NOT) my cup of...anything!

Someone mentioned 'come on Irene'. Dexys Midnight Runners 'Irene'?

No offense, I'm sure they are fine folks, and if it has brought you success covering it, that's great, but, pour moi, this was an early foreshadowing of the END OF THE WORLD!





Where is the puking emoticon?

Ignore me while I reboot my corrupted mind, proceed as usual.

Yo Blue, that was me:

"Come on Eileen - maybe cheese, but one of the very best there is. When you absolutely, positively, have to fill the dance floor with every single MFer in the room; accept no substitutes.

Sad maybe, but "I know this much is true."

...and it may be the end of the world, as you know it, "but I feel fine!"

TRCat

 

[TRCat]

We used to call them A Schlock Of Fleagulls.

When going to that genre, I'd rather listen to "I'd Stop The World". 's a better song. Modern English, wasn't it?

Cherie

Cherie, Modern English it was indeed.

My post was designed to point out the sheer variety of music in the 80's, some of which I enjoyed, some I didn't - case in point having to "ear bleed" over Wham's "Wake Me Up!" during summer '84 in Brighton...heard it everywhere, and all the girls were wearing the "Choose Life" and "Frankie Says" oversized t-shirts!"

Speaking of "I'll melt the World" - featured in "Valley Girl"... Just think about all those Brat Pack/John Hughes films/ soundtracks, I'm sure the OP could "cherry pick" a few tasty nuggets to add to a set list eh?!

Thx for the compliment tho!

 

[butchblack]

Interesting

Come on Irene was a song I could always take or leave. A good friend of mine, a wedding photographer I used to assist, absolutely loved the song and every time we did a wedding with a DJ, not a band he would request it.

Now I cover Flip, Flop, and Fly including doing the vocals and love the song although I do it with a bit more swing feel then the Blues Bros.

 

[Volt]

I have to admit...Men At Work was always a guilty pleasure of mine. But they have better tunes than Who Can It Be, they do.

Cherie

Yep, I agree 100% Not slamming the band, just the tune.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

So far in this thread, Def Leppard is the very best thing you have expressed an interest in. DO play it! The chicks in the crowd will dance their booties off.

And anything by Def Leppard beats the holy heck out of "We Built This City".

Our tastes are evidently very, very different.

Mixing some rock like Leppard with the poppy stuff you dig will keep a wider audience for you, I think.

Cherie

I think I love you.

Leppard's on both our acoustic and normal lists now.

 

[xgator4u]

The great contribution Def Leppard has made to music is the tradition of drummers putting one arm inside their shirts and banging away with the other, while yelling "DEF LEPPARD DRUM SOLO!!!" Every drummer does it, even jazzers.

LMAO

 

[Obe]

We used to call them A Schlock Of Fleagulls.

SNIP

Cherie

Heh, there is an '80s tribute band in my area called The Flock of... ummm, link is here to cover (mild) profanity

 

[txbasschik]

Although I definitely consider Phil Collins to be one of the top 10 things wrong about the '80s, he (with Genesis) did provide me with one of my favorite songs from that era- 1983's "Illegal Alien".

It's horrendous and borderline offensive, like a bad car wreck that you can't stop staring at- and the video is even better (er, worse):


How can you not love Phil Collins mocking hispanics? No wonder you don't hear this one on the radio anymore, although it got radio play at the time.


So the OP definitely wants to include this one in his set...

I remember when the video came out on MTV. It *was* funny! But...oi!!! No, it sure doesn't get played anymore.

I loved "In The Air Tonight". Out of all his songs, that is the very best. Beautiful thing.

Cherie