The Official Covers vs Originals Thread

[Passinwind]

Cover bands and original bands can exist side by side without competing against each other in the real world, and I don't see why they need to in the virtual world.

Word.

 

[MatticusMania]

I think most of the grown-ups on this board know doing original music usually won't make them money. But, they enjoy doing it. It's pretty obvious that they aren't in it for the money. If they were, there would be other avenues they can take to do so. But they don't, because they don't care about the money. I don't get why it's hard to understand, since there are thousands of activities in the world that exist as both a hobby and profession.

Some folks have professions that make them enough money to pay the bills, but between family and work there's only so much time left. If they had to choose between something they love for no money or something they are tepid about for little money, I can understand why they would pursue the thing they love since they don't need the income from it. Of course, who wouldn't like to get rich doing what they love? But, there's lots of people who do what they love without getting rich from it and living happy lives.

The problem is that due to our nature to seek self validation, and at times seeking it through invalidating others, we create a false dichotomy. As a cover band musician, I'm not competing with original bands other than for musicians. I'm not in the market of doing a 45 minute set with 1-9 other bands on the bill for a share of the door. I'm not in the business of recording and promoting the recording. I don't play in venues that feature original music. On the flip-side, these original bands don't typically play weddings and corporates. They aren't typically doing 4 hour gigs at places that feature cover bands. They usually aren't working with agencies that deal only with cover bands. Crowds who want to hear the next big thing aren't listening to cover bands, and those who want to hear another version of "Don't Stop Believing" aren't going to shows featuring original music. Cover bands and original bands can exist side by side without competing against each other in the real world, and I don't see why they need to in the virtual world.

Well said. This isnt a really a "vs" situation.

We all do what we do for various reasons and I cant fault anyone for that.

 

[pklima]

whodat? spill dem beans

I don't think anybody outside from Poland has heard of them, but they were called Maanam. Maybe a bit like the Police with a big-voiced female singer, not bad music by any stretch of the imagination.

So, a girl who could be my daughter (if I was a really bad boy in high school) was making me play music my mom likes, but life's funny sometimes.

 

[bluewine]

If you're at an open mic night at some bar that pushes tables aside for the band then yeah... I can see where this is the case, but if you're at a bar or a theater that is known to cater to original bands where people come to see/hear original music then this statement is false.

On the money thing... You're right. I've not made much money playing original music but I'd rather make nothing writing and playing music I love than make walk-around money playing music I hate.

I don't hate any kind of music. This sounds like another case that originals are better than covers.

Blue

 

[bluewine]

I suspect most people saying this really mean "The money isn't an important factor to me," rather than that they have plenty of money and believe cover musicians truly "need the money" in the sense of not being able to survive without it.

Anyway, my guess is that lots of original musicians can't understand why someone would play in a cover band instead of an original band unless it was because of the money, so they tend to assume that is the reason why most cover musicians do so (not saying that is accurate, but something I can easily imagine folks thinking). It doesn't help that plenty of cover musicians around here do raise the money issue as one reason to play covers instead of originals. If someone tells you that they don't like to play originals in part because of money, then "I don't need the money" or "I don't care about the money" seems to be a reasonable response.

"I don't need the money" is a little different than "The money isn't an important factor to me,"

"I don't need the money" always sounds like, you have to play in a cover band because you need the money.

Most guys I know in cover bands have day jobs/careers outside of music and truly don't need the money. As a matter of fact, a lot of heavily booked cover bands won't even audition guys that don't have a days job, great gear, transportation or some other source for income.

Most originals guys I know struggle with gear, transportation, issues with the law and truly need money from where ever they can get it..

But this is only what I have observed.

Blue

 

[bluewine]

Played in an originals band for about 2 years. We did really well, we were playing shows in the bar scene like 3 nights a week. It was too much for me at the time so I quit and started a "casual" cover band. We made more in our first paying gig than I did in 2 years playing 2-3 shows a week with my originals band.

I know I'll never make a living playing music, but I love it when random ppl you don't know are belting out the lyrics with you. Thats why I love playing covers.

Make sense, and yes I'm biased because I'm a cover guy.

Just remember most of the originals camp says and defends with "I Don't Need The Money"

I think what they are really saying is "I Know I'm not Going To Get Any Money."

Blue

 

[bluewine]

Here's a question,

Take a guy, an originals guy in his 30s. A guy who maybe played 4 gigs in the last 6 months (not uncommon for originals bands).

Say he's a financially struggling too and has never been paid more than 20.00 for a gig. That's all he knows, that's all he's ever tasted, 20 bucks.

Something comes up and he's asked to sub and play 4 gigs (a long weekend) with a cover band and ends up with $800.00 cash in his wallet at the end of the 4 gigs. And the experience of playing to large crowds.

I wonder if a guy like that's perspective would change in anyway. The " I don't Need The Money" and the "Why Would Anyone Play Someone Else's Music instead of Creating Their Own" perspective.

What do you think?

Blue

 

[SactoBass]

Most guys I know in cover bands have day jobs/careers outside of music and truly don't need the money.

That would be me.

I have a full time career as a civil engineer with a six figure income. Playing bass in a cover band is just a fun thing for me to do, and I couldn't care less whether I get paid for it or not. If I get paid, fine. If I don't, fine. It makes absolutely no difference to me because I don't play music to earn money, I play music for the sheer enjoyment of playing. No other reason.

I know that my situation may be quite different than others' situations, and I'm cool with that. All of our lives are different, and we all have different situations.

I am only interested in playing covers. Zero originals. But again, that's just me. Different strokes for different folks. I also love shrimp and spaghetti, but I don't go around expecting others to like what I like. I am actually very thankful that I live in a world where people have different preferences and interests.

My philosophy is, life is short, so do whatever makes you happy in life! And whatever you do, don't spend any time worrying about what others think! (Unless of course, that's what makes you happy in life, in which case, please worry about what others think, and do it often!)

 

[Lobomov]

Take a guy, an originals guy in his 30s. A guy who maybe played 4 gigs in the last 6 months (not uncommon for originals bands).

Say he's a financially struggling too and has never been paid more than 20.00 for a gig. That's all he knows, that's all he's ever tasted, 20 bucks.

Something comes up and his asked to work as a 'insert whatever job is plausible' four shifts during the weekend.

I wonder if a guy like that's perspective would change in anyway. Will he say screw music, I'm getting a second job.

What do you think? ... would a financially struggling guy in his 30s appreciate getting a job?



That is your question .. and it has nothing to do with original music vs covers. You're asking if someone in financial trouble would appreciate taking a second job.

 

[grinx]

Most originals guys I know struggle with gear, transportation, issues with the law and truly need money from where ever they can get it..

But this is only what I have observed.

Blue

1) check. i can't afford everything i want
2) check. i can't afford the $250,000 band RV
3) check. i got a speeding ticket in '84
4) check. can't afford to retire to Cabo yet

pegged!

 

[MCS4]

Here's a question,

Take a guy, an originals guy in his 30s. A guy who maybe played 4 gigs in the last 6 months (not uncommon for originals bands).

Say he's a financially struggling too and has never been paid more than 20.00 for a gig. That's all he knows, that's all he's ever tasted, 20 bucks.

Something comes up and he's asked to sub and play 4 gigs (a long weekend) with a cover band and ends up with $800.00 cash in his wallet at the end of the 4 gigs. And the experience of playing to large crowds.

I wonder if a guy like that's perspective would change in anyway. The " I don't Need The Money" and the "Why Would Anyone Play Someone Else's Music instead of Creating Their Own" perspective.

What do you think?

Blue

So what you're saying is that an originals musician might find the wisdom in joining a cover band if it helped him to get some quick cash when he was "financially struggling" -- i.e. he needed the money.

 

[Bob Palmer]

Bingo. The hypothetical situation illustrated by Blue is just a straw man. I've seen no correlation between originals v. covers as compared to the income, gear quality, or quantity of wristband bling of said musicians.

I have seen more of a correlation between age and income/gear more than anything else, which kinda makes sense, since guys in their 40's are at their working prime, and some have just finished kicking the kids out the door and turned their basement into a studio.

Nice straw man, but it doesn't fly. B- for effort though.

Take a guy, an originals guy in his 30s. A guy who maybe played 4 gigs in the last 6 months (not uncommon for originals bands).

Say he's a financially struggling too and has never been paid more than 20.00 for a gig. That's all he knows, that's all he's ever tasted, 20 bucks.

Something comes up and his asked to work as a 'insert whatever job is plausible' four shifts during the weekend.

I wonder if a guy like that's perspective would change in anyway. Will he say screw music, I'm getting a second job.

What do you think? ... would a financially struggling guy in his 30s appreciate getting a job?



That is your question .. and it has nothing to do with original music vs covers. You're asking if someone in financial trouble would appreciate taking a second job.

 

[Bob Palmer]

Funny, the originals bands I have worked with have zero issues with gear, transportation, or run ins with the law. And generally have the same stipulation about reliability/etc. - And each one that I have worked with, they all had day jobs (sometimes some surprisingly high paying ones).

And given your obvious brotherly love here for bands that do not share your worldview, your previous comments about how you do not 'hang', I can only imagine what a bundle of joy you are, and how much incredible real world experience you have actually dealing with other musicians.

Yeah, Just another straw man.

"I don't need the money" is a little different than "The money isn't an important factor to me,"

"I don't need the money" always sounds like, you have to play in a cover band because you need the money.

Most guys I know in cover bands have day jobs/careers outside of music and truly don't need the money. As a matter of fact, a lot of heavily booked cover bands won't even audition guys that don't have a days job, great gear, transportation or some other source for income.

Most originals guys I know struggle with gear, transportation, issues with the law and truly need money from where ever they can get it..

But this is only what I have observed.

Blue

 

[Bob Palmer]

What a sad, bigoted worldview you have.

Make sense, and yes I'm biased because I'm a cover guy.

Just remember most of the originals camp says and defends with "I Don't Need The Money"

I think what they are really saying is "I Know I'm not Going To Get Any Money."

Blue

 

[bluewine]

I'm thinking the struggling originals guy might think;

" Maybe there's a side to this cover business I should re-think. I had fun, played to more people and made more money than I ever have."

Blue

 

[fastplant]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I've gotten the gyst of it from skimming. Around my parts the pendulum is swinging the other way and original bands are becoming more popular. Case in point, I play in one of the more popular cover bands in my area that makes really good money. I also play in a couple original bands and I've been making more from some of the original band gigs than the cover gigs because the people are starting to come out more to hear original music. I think the cover scene is starting to get tired around here.

That said, I have fun playing covers and have nothing against playing other people's music. But I do get a bigger rush seeing a dance floor packed and dancing to music I wrote.

 

[Bob Palmer]

Problem is that you're a bigoted covers-only dude trying to project your own opinions into a fictitious straw man to prop up your own (pretty much) irrelevant argument.

Sad thing is, I think you're the only one left in this thread trying to argue that your point of view is superior. You must be one hell of a band mate...

I'm thinking the struggling originals guy might think;

" Maybe there's a side to this cover business I should re-think. I had fun, played to more people and made more money than I ever have."

Blue

 

[bluewine]

Problem is that you're a bigoted covers-only dude trying to project your own opinions into a fictitious straw man to prop up your own (pretty much) irrelevant argument.

Sad thing is, I think you're the only one left in this thread trying to argue that your point of view is superior. You must be one hell of a band mate...

I would say realistic more than superior.

I am a good band mate, I have fun, help everyone in the band and I don't sweat the small stuff.

Blue

 

[SactoBass]

I would say realistic more than superior.

I am a good band mate, I have fun, help everyone in the band and I don't sweat the small stuff.

Blue

Cool pic, Blue!

 

[gard0300]

Maybe original artists can Segway a cover band into an original band. Get out there get some stage experience playing some covers, buy some road worthy gear with the pay. Introduce a few originals in the cover band and after you've developed a following..... BAM!!! Go original on everyone. Go Steel Panther on everyone!!!