What if there was only original band

[QORC]

I understand that for you your Time equal money. For me I prefer to feel happy and fulfilled

i prefer to be both. and playing tunes nobody wants to hear in front of nobody does not leave me happy or fulfilled. However, playing in front of hundreds or thousands of people doing the cover or tribute thing and they are into? Nothing has felt better. and it pays too

 

[Paulabass]

I wish the market for originals was bigger. We live in a society with a very narrow comfort zone.
If you want to play originals in Ontario you are stuck in 80 seat clubs with 11 bands on the bill. Knock em dead kid, you've got 25 minutes including moving your 23 piece drum set.

 

[40Hz]

Already been there. All seven of the bands I’ve been in were originals bands.

It can be a lonely road sometimes. But it was worth it to me. YMMV.

 

[HolmeBass]

I would be miserable. I love my favorite hits. People who go to bars live their favorite hits. People like to celebrate to music. It reminds them of good times. It tugs at their emotions in ways few other things can. I'm not opposed to originals. But I can't imagine a music scene with ONLY originals.

Call me crazy. But I LOVE playing a smash hit in a bar when the crowd is singing so loud I could stop singing and they wouldn't know it.

Of course it no one wrote and played original music you would have no hits to cover.

 

[2saddleslab]

Every band I've played with over the last 3 decades had original music as at least part of the mix. Many of our larger shows were all original whenever possible.

 

[brianrost]

It all depends on whether the music is any good. Too many people can't write good songs but play them anyway.

 

[lfmn16]

I would be miserable. I love my favorite hits. People who go to bars live their favorite hits. People like to celebrate to music. It reminds them of good times. It tugs at their emotions in ways few other things can. I'm not opposed to originals. But I can't imagine a music scene with ONLY originals.

Call me crazy. But I LOVE playing a smash hit in a bar when the crowd is singing so loud I could stop singing and they wouldn't know it.

So you prefer that to playing to an almost empty bar, or playing a "show" with 5 other bands where the audience the audience consists mostly of the other 4 bands and their girlfriends/wives/undecideds??? How odd.

 

[lfmn16]

It all depends on whether the music is any good. Too many people can't write good songs but play them anyway.

And frankly, I wouldn't want to hear a whole night of even my favorite band, let alone a band I've never heard of. The most successful original bands I've been in also played covers, and not obscure deep album cuts, but well know tunes.

 

[HardNHeavy]

Love playing covers when the whole band is on the same page....original bands are way more fulfilling when u can create and collaborate equally as a group.

 

[two fingers]

Of course it no one wrote and played original music you would have no hits to cover.

That's a different conversation. OP asked if there were ONLY originals venues....

I didn't say there should no longer be original music. I'm saying am originals ONLY music scene would be depressing to me.

 

[HolmeBass]

That's a different conversation. OP asked if there were ONLY originals venues....

I didn't say there should no longer be original music. I'm saying am originals ONLY music scene would be depressing to me.

Yes, originals only would be austere for sure.

 

[Thundertips]

I was in a band for 15 years that played mostly originals. I love writing original songs and bass lines. I would prefer being in an all original band.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

Would you play if there was only original band. Whatever the genre if you to get in front of people you can only play the music you created.

That's all I've ever done. It's a tough row to hoe.

 

[JRA]

Would you play if there was only original band.

yes.

but:

It all depends on whether the music is any good.

 

[mcnach]

Would you play if there was only original band. Whatever the genre if you to get in front of people you can only play the music you created.

My main and busiest band is originals, so... yes!

(it does take longer to get it off the ground than a covers band, but it feels much better when it works out... and nobody can tell me I play the basslines wrong )

 

[40Hz]

in Ontario you are stuck in 80 seat clubs with 11 bands on the bill.

That’s a good part of the problem with the way things are going with originals these days. You don’t get enough time to build the mood and atmosphere. If you’re doing something different enough your audience usually needs to be eased into it. My bands always sweated each set list and tried to arrange the songs so they created an overall arc. Not quite the “concept album” approach. But definitely FM rather than AM (those old enough will understand what that means ) and the antithesis of the “hit single” mindset that dominates the industry today.

I always took it as my band’s artistic validation when I’d see a new audience’s faces go from skeptical (or sometimes hostile) to reserving judgement, to intrigued, to finally enjoying and really into what we were doing. Ain’t nothing quite like the rush you get when you have a whole room of people out on the floor dancing to a set of songs they’ve never heard before and cheering the band between each song. If making that deep a connection with an audience isn’t better than sex at least it’s damn close and just as gratifying.

But you can’t do that with three songs, or the massive buzzkill that results from pauses for setups between bands and a totally unrelated musical vibe occurring before and after each band. Since multi band lineups are seldom themed or complimentary there’s no hope for getting a crowd into a shared vibe.

Doing originals is all about building a relationship with your fanbase. The Moody Blues get this better than any band I’ve ever seen Each concert opens up with the song Lovely to See You Again:

Wonderful day, for passing my way.
Knock on my door and even the score with your eyes....

Lovely to see you again my friend.
Walk along with me to the next bend…​

And as bassist John Lodge says at the end of each Moody Blues concert: Thank you for joining us on our journey. Keep the faith and take care. Till next time.

This is one reason why the Moodys now have four generations of fans attending their concerts.

You can’t get that with a hit single mindset “hookup culture” attitude towards your audience. Originals bands are effectively on a voyage of discovery. You’re inviting your listeners to sign on to your band’s personal head trip. If they do it’s just a matter of logistics after that.

Or so I think anyway.

 

[Lowbrow]

Thank goodness for all the original bands that did the hard work of creating material for the cover bands to play!

 

[40Hz]

Thank goodness for all the original bands that did the hard work of creating material for the cover bands to play!

Fender would certainly sell an awful lot less guitars and basses if there weren’t so many cover bands. So there’s that too.

 

[spantini]

Did the all originals thing for 9 years and couldn't get many club gigs other than open mikes. Outdoor festivals and colleges liked our originals very much but weren't plentiful. Had to do covers to get regular club gigs and parties. Now I'm an all original solo mainly writing and recording.

 

[Pings Bass]

If the world were all one thing and not the other I would be ok with that one thing because I wouldn't have a choice.

I've never played in a pure cover band, and wouldn't want to.