I've played in Sabbath and Van Halen tribute in Canada. We tried to look and/or act the parts, and played as 'true' as we could. I auditioned for a hendrix tribute in Sweden. They didn't try to look the part, and also re-arranged the songs and played them 'their' style......what's the point?
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Tribute Bands: Appearance
- Thread starter PaulStone
- Start date
In general the more you emulate the band you are paying tribute to, the more successful you will be. This applies to both sound and appearance.
However, your market cap is still going to be limited by the laws of supply and demand. If there's not a huge demand for the original band (or if that original band is still successfully filling that demand), don't expect there to be a huge demand for your tribute band.
However, your market cap is still going to be limited by the laws of supply and demand. If there's not a huge demand for the original band (or if that original band is still successfully filling that demand), don't expect there to be a huge demand for your tribute band.
There is no one answer right or wrong on the image thing. Musically, however, I do believe the general sound of the group tributed to should be observed. If the lead singer of your Aerosmith tribute band looks exactly like Stephen Tyler, and has grit and growl and the moves, but has a bass or baritone voice, instead of Stephen's tenor, all of that other stuff isn't gonna matter. Of course, this goes too far: said tribute band auditions persons x, y, and z for positions, and turns down truly viable musicians who can make the project move ahead, while always looking for the "exact" fit that is found only in the imagination, and never in reality.
It is just me, or does anyone else think that tribute bands are just plain CREEPY?
And the more they try to look like the original band, the creepier it gets.
And the more they try to look like the original band, the creepier it gets.
If tribute band members at least have their own long hair, it's one thing. But pretty much ANY time a man puts on a cheap wig, it's creepy.
I disagree, I know a guy that is in a KISS tribute that looks like Paul Stanley every minute of his life. To me that is more creepy that putting on a wig for the theater of the show.
That said, I grew my hair out and I got rid of my wig because it's easier and looks better for my tribute band. However, I don't style my hair in a teased out 80's Duff McKagan poof for my everyday life because to me that would be creepy.
yeah I feel so creepy while I'm laughing all the way to the bank.
yeah, I will feel creepy this weekend when we are doing a 3-night festival in front of at least 1,000 people a night...and we've done this festival twice a year for 4 years.
I feel real creepy as I walk by stages at other parts of the festival and notice 'original' bands playing in front of no one but one drunk, fat redneck doing some sort of wobbling hippy dance.
Yeah, it's real creepy to have fans, money, and the most fun I've ever had playing music.
CREEPY!
LOL
Well... if it works for you... money and attention are great, to be sure, but if that's your only gig don't you get tired of always just only imitating? Playing the same thing, note for note, all the time?
I find the whole genre somewhat weird....
I find the whole genre somewhat weird....
tired of it? nah. Not at all. All of our gigs are huge, except for the odd one once in a blue moon. I'm having a BALL!!
and I'm not 22 or something. I have no illusions about "making it" in the original music world. No interest in it. I'm a lot closer to 50 than 30.
so yeah to have people ask for my autograph? To have women pawing at my legs when I'm at the edge of a stage? To walk away from a festival with hundreds of $ in my pocket? To have played in front of as many as 6,000 people?
No, I don't get tired of it.
I did the band scene for decades. THIS is more fun. I suppose if this band was not popular, I would get bored of just playing typical bar gigs. but it's not.
As long as I'm having fun, going to stick with it.
and I'm not 22 or something. I have no illusions about "making it" in the original music world. No interest in it. I'm a lot closer to 50 than 30.
so yeah to have people ask for my autograph? To have women pawing at my legs when I'm at the edge of a stage? To walk away from a festival with hundreds of $ in my pocket? To have played in front of as many as 6,000 people?
No, I don't get tired of it.
I did the band scene for decades. THIS is more fun. I suppose if this band was not popular, I would get bored of just playing typical bar gigs. but it's not.
As long as I'm having fun, going to stick with it.
Nope, we have our own following. Nobody I know of is confused as to whether we are the real band or not. People have seen us 20 or 30 times. Wear our t-shirts. Post on our page. We might be playing someone elses' music (and frankly most of you guys do too..even if you are original), but people like our stage show and the music.
I think it's creepier to be out there and play crap that no one wants to hear. Playing in front of 10 people in some skanky bar?
and pretend that ANYTHING you are doing is remotely "original" when in fact everything in rock is a derivative or direct rip-off of something that's already been done? And pretend that you're so good that you're going to be BIG BIG STARS?
That sort of delusion to me is "creepy".
I'm just playing music and having fun and making money. *shrugs*
So, you're having fun, enjoying it, and making money? More power to ya!
(Although I still stand by my earlier wig comment)
Care to disclose who you are tribbing?
(Although I still stand by my earlier wig comment)
Care to disclose who you are tribbing?
Whatever floats your boat. It's true, there is no such thing as originality. But, call me strange, I get my fun doing tunes - covers, originals, whatever - and playing them creatively and with room for improv and spontaneity - with a group of like-minded people.
To each his own... play on!
To each his own... play on!
Well, since you're asking for the ideal, here's my objective take on it:
The front person is the most critical aspect of a tribute band, just as with any band. He/she had better either LOOK a hell of a lot like the original, OR SOUND a hell of a lot like the original, ideally a little of BOTH. If it's one or the other, he/she should SOUND like the original. People will forgive you if you don't look like Steve Perry, but if you SOUND like him, you will knock most people off their stools.
There is a Queen tribute band from England, and the lead singer has got the look and the sound. He's got Freddie's wardrobe, hair, and mustache. He's got Freddie's moves. It's pretty damn impressive if you're a Queen fan.
That's the ideal.
As for the rest, wardrobe can get you down the road, but you sometimes have little control over people's physical features, so they had better try to at least dress the part and they had better nail the music.
I've seen a lot of Beatles tributes with a right-handed Paul who didn't look much like Paul. But he dressed the part, sang very close to Paul, and nailed the basslines, so I was sold.
In short, do your best, do everything in your power. If you have two candidates for a part, and one has the look AND the chops, that's your obvious winner.
I've been playing on & off with a Judas Priest Tribute Band for 10 years now www.british-steel.net We try to cop the look the best we can because we feel it's essential to have the look part down(as well as the sound!)It's getting tougher & tougher to book tribute band gigs these days, we still manage to gig 1-2 times per month.Usually in a cool venue.While the gigs usually pay decent,British Steel is more a labor of love for us.We've all known each other for over 20 years & are all good friends just having a blast doing it!
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
I just did an outdoor show over the weekend, and the band on before us was a Van Halen tribute band.
They were phenomenal. Each member copped the look and moves of who they were supposed to be. The singer did David Lee Roth better than Roth himself can do it now. Yes, this guy was wearing a wig, but so what? To do a VH tribute the right way, the look is essential. Plus, this guy could kick his leg over his head like Roth could do in his prime - I wouldn't be able to walk for a month if I tried that!
These guys were very nice guys to boot. They were called "Unchained", and apparently have been around for quite a while.
They were phenomenal. Each member copped the look and moves of who they were supposed to be. The singer did David Lee Roth better than Roth himself can do it now. Yes, this guy was wearing a wig, but so what? To do a VH tribute the right way, the look is essential. Plus, this guy could kick his leg over his head like Roth could do in his prime - I wouldn't be able to walk for a month if I tried that!
These guys were very nice guys to boot. They were called "Unchained", and apparently have been around for quite a while.
Tribute bands are not creepy they can be very popular and profitable. I dont know of any bar band that draws thousand's of people, singing and dancing just like it was the real band like some of the better Tributes have in my area.
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
You're right. He nailed Eddie's tone, chops, and look right down to the "5150" amp cab. These guys reminded me of how much fun "80's pop metal was (yeah, I'm an old guy and I remember it well!)
