All three are important to me, but the truth of the matter is that very few people can write great songs (especially me). It's really that simple. I play in two bands and we throw in the odd original song, some of which are okay, but certainly not great. I'm guessing that's true for most people here. I want to play great songs - if I could write them, I'd play them; since I can't, I play songs written by those who can.
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The Official Covers vs Originals Thread
- Thread starter bassbully
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All three are important to me, but the truth of the matter is that very few people can write great songs (especially me). It's really that simple. I play in two bands and we throw in the odd original song, some of which are okay, but certainly not great. I'm guessing that's true for most people here. I want to play great songs - if I could write them, I'd play them; since I can't, I play songs written by those who can.
Hi Mark, here’s the poll - vote for the closest one. thanks.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f67/why-do-you-like-play-988242/
EDIT: Note - I also tried to go back and add "Hobby" (play only for fun) to the Poll options, but couldn’t.
LOL!!! The purpose of this thread was to give us place to slug it out! Given to us by a mod!! You're not taking that away!!!
Read the thread.
Originals suck!!
bassman314
I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process...
LOL!!! The purpose of this thread was to give us place to slug it out! Given to us by a mod!! You're not taking that away!!!
Read the thread.
Originals suck!!
All covers were originials at one point
LOL!!! The purpose of this thread was to give us place to slug it out! Given to us by a mod!! You're not taking that away!!!
Read the thread.
Originals suck!!
LOL - Ok, I read the thread, and thanks for voting.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f67/why-do-you-like-play-988242/
It's simply not worth it for some musicians to become a monkey in a jukebox band. Hopefully some small part of my post covers my ass from the other unsavory parts.
I don't know nor have I seen any monkeys in juke box bands.
Don't get me wrong I'm sure there are originals bands that work extremely hard and that work pays off big for some. I just don't see it at the local level. And that's just me, because I think there have been a few originals bands from Milwaukee that have made it on the national scene.
But couldn't we also say it's not worth it for some to rehearse 3 times a week to play to 10 people 6 times a year for no pay?
My opinion is only based on a few very talented guys I know that claim they want to be in a band again and want to gig. However before taking an opportunity where they would have to go out and actually work 4 hour gigs on weekends they would rather stay in the basement rehearsing 3 nights a week to play 6 gigs a year. And some of these guys don't have many good playing years left.
I'm not sure there is really any argument here one way or the other.
Blue
LOL. There's an Irish car bomb for ya!
I like how you threw in the disclaimer at the end so as not to offend any originals readers...
Well, I can't speak for all originals musicians or all originals bands. I can speak and make an opinion based on a few guys I know.
Blue
And Tom Brady is a talentless hack for not inventing his own sport, and running plays that have existed for decades.
I play in a cover band. I have done some originals too, they both take the same skill level to me. Is it possible to mess up an original? Think about that.
I play in a cover band. I have done some originals too, they both take the same skill level to me. Is it possible to mess up an original? Think about that.
Guy's that play in cover bands are talentless hacks who can't write a good song to save their life. Any fool can learn to play top 40 in a bar band....
Of course this is only based on people I know. Not meant to offend anyone.
My experience is a little diffrerent. I have and do play in both original and cover bands and I find the cover band guys I play with are generally better more versatile musicians with far more knowledge of their instrument. I've backed a few singer/songwriter/guitarists that write great songs and their guitar parts work for their own music but I wouldn't want to play in a cover band with them. Tell them "It's a simple I-IV-V blues progression" and they look at you like you just spoke Chinese.
Not saying any one is better....just different. I find the original musicians generally more interesting characters and fun to hang out with even though they can have rather fragile egos.
Guy's that play in cover bands are talentless hacks who can't write a good song to save their life. Any fool can learn to play top 40 in a bar band....
Of course this is only based on people I know. Not meant to offend anyone.
Understood, also you do know that I was in 2 originals bands with great material that I loved. For me playing it in the basement didn't cut it.
The guys in the originals bands were very talented, they just were not guys that could handle multiple 4 hour weekend shows. I'm not sure thats a bad thing.
Blue
It's good to cut your teeth on covers but at some point, you should move on and try to perform your own material. Writing original songs really isn't that difficult.
I dunno about "dreamers" Blue but unfortunately most of the best songwriters I know have very self-destructive lifestyles.
LOL. I love it.
C'mon, blue, stop being so danged nice! Just say it, man, ALL originals guys ARE "dreamers"!!
Chris, I think you have to be a dreamer to be successful as an originals artist or band.
And by the way, I am not here to rip on originals bands.I think my frustration is from how awful Milwaukee is for originals bands.
blue
Now yer talkin! That's what I'm screamin, let's jack this party up a notch!!
I mean, that's what I'm here for, some REAL action. Lets stop pussy-footing around and get the truth out!
(Oh, and you meant "Guys WHO play in cover bands..." Geesh, original guys have such crappy grammar!)
Remember it is in your opinion
For me its the opposite.
I have played in both but prefer originals (all) if possible or at least a mix of covers and originals like i play in now.
In the few all covers bands I was in most of those guys were fair musicians to decent. In all of my originals bands the majority of them were great musicians and I learned a ton from them.
My last originals band all the members but me and the drummer were theory trained. The multi strings player could pick up anything with strings and wail on it..an awesome player who played pro in his days. He was trained on cello, violin, slide guitar, bass whatever. The other two were also great from guitar,keys you name it. They were all good songwriters to.
My band today is a mix of covers and originals and the BL is a 40 year vet who had a national Nashville album (years ago) and again is a good player and writer.
Perhaps not, but writing great original songs is very difficult indeed, which is why most of us don't have our songs playing on the radio. I agree, everyone should try to write originals, but I know tons of great musicians who can't write great songs, but only a few who can. If I could write great songs, I'd certainly be playing them, and it's not for a lack of trying.
But writing songs that girls will like more than Sean Paul's #1 hits really is too difficult for me. And if girls aren't going to like them better than Sean Paul's #1 hits then I'd rather stick to playing Sean Paul's #1 hits.
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