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Songs you refuse to learn...

#121
Also by some of the logic posted here, I'm obviously a rank amateur if I ever decide to turn down doing white power punk tunes or anything by Gary Glitter.

It's nauseating, this lemming approach that one must completely submit free will to ever be a professional or excel at their craft. Not everything is so black and white. Yes, there are sacrifices that one must make on the path to being a professional musician, but ones ideals, tastes or beliefs does not equate skill level or adeptness at their craft.

It could simply mean they don't want to do it.

If we all followed the "shut up and play" logic to our other sources of income, than we wouldn't be seeking out better forms of employment that suit our lives above and beyond being a roofer or driving a dump truck. Both are fine jobs that pay nicely but not everyone is willing to do either when there are other forms of work that would reap the same financial reward with less than half of the nitty gritty associated with it.
 
#122
petrus61 said:
Also by some of the logic posted here, I'm obviously a rank amateur if I ever decide to turn down doing white power punk tunes.
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You make an excellent point. I was singing "Around the World" by RHCP a while back and changed the words up a little because I refuse to utter the phrase "M%$#*r F@#$%r". Horrible! Since I'm from California I used beautiful instead and the audience loved it. Band mates didn't care at all.

I would refuse to play something against my moral compass.
 
#124
lustersilk said:
You make an excellent point. I was singing "Around the World" by RHCP a while back and changed the words up a little because I refuse to utter the phrase "M%$#*r F@#$%r". Horrible! Since I'm from California I used beautiful instead and the audience loved it. Band mates didn't care at all.

I would refuse to play something against my moral compass.
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Thinking back, I actually left a metal band after a few gigs years ago because one of the songs tiles and lyrics involved "impaling the savior in hell". I'm pretty sure nobody in the band had any firm religious reservations one way or the other, but that wasn't the point. It wasn't that it was a stab at Christianity but the fact that it was disrespectful of another religion. I would have done the same if the lyrics were "down with Allah" or something else idiotic.

Also, sometimes it isn't exactly the best career move to step out of what one excels at. There's a reason you won't be seeing Victor Wooten covering NWA or Stanley Clarke doing Slayer anytime soon. It reminds me of the story of Metallica not hiring Les Claypool...his style would have overshadowed what makes the music work for its fans. It's just simply not as cut and dry as refusing to play certain songs.
 
#125
lfmn16 said:
Only if you take it to the most ridiculous, unrealistic, made up extremes using examples that were never mentioned and would never happen.
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The most unrealistic extreme I can think of would be me playing Styx. And yes, I've been asked. If you find the "extremes" I proposed as completely out of the realm of things a musician with a snow blind attitude toward what they are willing to play, than fine. But just as was noted by the poster above, it is a reality and does happen. The popularity of Christian rock speaks to this as you have some very skilled musicians playing in that genre that wouldn't be caught dead on a Kanye West studio track. On the flip side, there are a few gospel musicians that double on rap albums.
 
#126
sm49341 said:
+1. I hate listening to originals of no name bands so do most crowds. Love b movies too? Prolly not. My satisfaction comes from a happy crowded dance floor. I'll play anything as long as we can make it sound great. I have noticed that many songs I don't care for are fun to play. I'd like to try some modern pop stuff but we simply can't get that techno sound.
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I enjoy new bands (if they're good) and B movies.

I also like mainstream Hollywood movies (if they're good) and pop/dance music.

I also like like independent films and jazz, latin, and world music.

I am a fan of classic films and classic rock.

I must be weird; no wonder nobody responds to my posts :eek:
 
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#129
I think this all depends on what your goals as a musician are. If you play music for a living, then I would agree that professionalism comes first and if you expect to get paid and want to be hired by other musicians, of course you play the music they put in front of you...like it or not. However, if you're just playing for pure enjoyment, maybe doing the occasional gig for fun, that is a horse of a different color. I'm at the stage of my life where fun is the goal and music is a hobby. I've done the hired gun thing and played crap that I wouldn't subject prisoners to, but those days are behind me and now it's all about playing music I enjoy. That happens to be classic 60s, 70s and 80s rock. While I am still willing to compromise to a point there are just some songs that I refuse to play. Call it unprofessional or immature, whatever. If the song gives me the douche chills and the prospect of covering it makes me want to hide behind my rig out of embarrasement, I won't play it. It becomes work at that point and I don't make enough money at this hobby to tolerate playing crap. The guys I play with know and understand this. If they don't appreciate my musical tastes they can find someone else and my cornflakes will taste the same tomorrow morning. No one needs to hear another band play "You Really Got Me" again...ever.
 
#130
Well, I don't wear a bra...and I play whatever I'm supposed to. :D

Haha. No, seriously. The more cringe-worthy the song is, the more I challenge myself to make it interesting somehow or I think of one of my favorite bassists and go, W.W.J.T.D? (What Would John Taylor Do?) or W.W.B.E.D.I.W.C.S.R.H.C.W.W.B.R.WA.S.D.? (What Would Bernard Edwards Do, If We Could Somehow Reanimate His Corpse, Which Would Be Really Weird And Somewhat Disrespectful?)

The Douche Chills...good band name.
 
#131
I have never refused to learn a song. I HAVE refused play songs the band learned on gigs because I know other guys have not been prepared, or were subs and weren't up to speed, though.

We have enough material that we can skip songs on the set list and get through the night OK.
 
#132
My standards are reeeal low. I learned a Toto song for a non-paying gig (Christmas party at work) that I won't even be playing at, just to help make the first rehearsal go more smoothly when the guy who's actually supposed to play bass couldn't make it. And I "hate" rock.
 
#133
I'll play anything.....for a paying gig. I've played in Rock, Country, Pop, Motown/Oldies and most of the songs mentioned here...and play it with enthusiasm (gotta sell the song, right?) This attitude has served me well because I get a lot more gigs as a bassist than some others.
 
#134
Feral Feline said:
I won't play the most over-rated over-played song in the world (well, my world), ie The Song That Shall Not Be Named (Hint: it's not allowed to be played in many guitar shops. That which was denied in "Wayne's World"). Even if it's a firing offense... fine, fire me or I'll quit.

There's a few others I'd refuse to play, but might if it risked getting fired. Childish, selfish, unprofessional or whatever. I've played a lot of stuff others aren't willing to... Wagon Wheel, Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl etc. No problemo. I play songs I don't like, I do what is asked of me, but for one song out of millions isn't too bad.
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Shouldn't be a problem. Does anyone, except maybe a tribute band, bother with that song?
 
#136
Pilgrim said:
None. Music is music.

If there's one I would argue against it's Freebird. I consider it a pretty poor tune. It has little merit. But I'd learn it if needed.
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Man, I know FreeBird is right down there with Mustang Sally, and is lame as He** at first, but you gotta admit it's pretty exciting at the end.
I was in a band once, during the day when Skynyrd was still fresh, and we used it for our last song before the "Goodnight! We Love You!!" and the obligatory encore.
Again, it was due to the era, and our southern location, but the crowd would be crazy by the time we ended it.

Just like a tootsie pop, ya have to suck for a while before you can bite.
 
#140
I have always been amazed at the number of people who request songs I hate, and who jump up enthusiastically when we start playing those groaners. You have to remember, for every song you hate, theres someone who might love it to death.
I was a country music hater for a long time. If I was at a club and a rock band played a country song even for a joke, I would be out the door.
Eventually, the imminent arrival of my daughter during a time of financial famine (when is there not?) forced me to accept the invitation of a friend of mine who was the drummer in a popular local country band, to replace their bass player who had a fight with he keyboard player during practice. At first I said, "I have sold my gear, I dont want to play anymore, and I damn sure dont want to play country music."
He showed me his planner, which was filled out every week for the next few months with weeknds and some 3 and four night bookings. He said, "Thats 50.00 every night." (This was the 80's and 100 a weekend was excellent!)
How could I refuse???
We played a lot of standards that I hated, but the band was a big draw with a well-known name, and the money was great.
I hated it, but I probably made more money in that band than any other band Ive ever been in.
 
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