What Motivates You to Play In An Originals Band?

[Marial]

The genre was gothic-americana with a dose of klezmer, circus and Balkan gypsy music. Hows that?
I'm glad your blues band gives you a creative outlet. I personally would become bored playing blues changes all the time. I like Stravinsky and Ornette Coleman, the use of electronic loops and effects, and African/Indian polyrhythm. Bill Lazwell meets Throbbing Gristle. {snip}

I'd love to hear some of your stuff, sounds like the kind of thing I'd really enjoy. What's the name of the band?

 

[bluewine]

I never get the need of cover band ... where I live I never heard of any cover band. I feel like if I want to listen to a song, I'll just buy the CD/mp3 on Itune or go on youtube to get my fix instead of hearing a band of nobody that can't reproduce the original voice of the singer or the effect of the guitar etc. I think that what I'm trying to say is if I want to hear an old tune, I prefer the original, cover are great to learn and having fun but that is about it to me.

I totally disagree with your position on cover bands.

Your position is so narrow. It would be like me saying. " if I want to hear marginal songs and arangements poorly executed I would go see an originals band."

By the way, I would bet you haven't ever heard of one songs my band covers or find the CD.


The need of a cover band for me:

Performing music people enjoy, appreciate and want to hear.

A lot of good bookings with good pay.

Playing 4-5 a month instead of 4-5 times a year.

 

[bluewine]

The genre was gothic-americana with a dose of klezmer, circus and Balkan gypsy music. Hows that?
I'm glad your blues band gives you a creative outlet. I personally would become bored playing blues changes all the time.

We don't play traditional 12 bar blues progressions.


Klezner circus and Balkan gypsy music. How's that?

I can't comment, I never heard of the genre.

 

[Marial]

I have to admit, there are very few cover bands I've seen that I truly enjoyed. The few that I did either put an entirely unique and different spin on the songs they were covering and made them their own, or they were incredibly faithful to the originals. Most of them, however, have been pretty mediocre in execution, skill-level, and appearance.

That said, I wouldn't take my experience and generalize it to all cover bands everywhere, I don't seek out them out so my experience is limited. The only general statement I'd feel comfortable making about cover bands is that some are good, some are great, some are awful. Just like originals bands.

 

[bluewine]

Playing covers is like being parrot.

But if playing for money is your goal, then you have to do it. I am glad I have other skills to sell. If I had to play in a cover band for a living I would soon grow to hate my job. Even when just jamming for fun I don't want to play the same crap I played 30 years ago. I'd rather pick a chord progression and just improv to it.

To me, playing originals is much more satisfying than playing covers.

I never parot any of our material, never play it the same way twice.

While the compensation is good, money is not my goal.

I don't play in my band for a living and I grow to love what I'm playing more and more as we ad more material and secure more bookings.

I was playing pop rock 30 years ago, not blues.

For me at 59, playing covers is much more satisfying than playing originals.

 

[pklima]

Nothing motivates me to play in an originals band. I prefer playing music the audience actually wants to hear.

That's a bit harsh, I might play in an originals band if it made girls dance (though how many originals bands not named Maroon 5 do these days?) I'd probably need a cover band on the side, though, because there are at least 500 songs I'd like to play and it'd be a bummer to only play in a band which is willing to do exactly zero of them.

 

[bluewine]

I have to admit, The only general statement I'd feel comfortable making about cover bands is that some are good, some are great, some are awful. Just like originals bands.

Agreed

Blue

 

[Marial]

Agreed

Blue

Hey now, don't be selectively editing my quote without putting some 'snips' in there...

 

[NoiseNinja]

Nothing motivates me to play in an originals band. I prefer playing music the audience actually wants to hear.

So what bands are you covering? I mean somewhere some original band must have made those songs the audience wants to hear.

 

[Big Brother]

So many bands fall into what I see as 'Reach for the Skyler!" syndrome and forget that their job as musicians is to entertain the crowd, not themselves.

It really doesn't matter what you play, what matters is if people enjoy your performance of it. Because they came to see a performance, not someone getting high on being in front of the room. They don't stand in a pit of rude sweaty people to laud someones 'artistic integrity.'

Real artistic integrity would be focusing on entertaining the people who invested their time to come out for your show. So many musicians think the audience is there for THEM and their 'music.' They aren't, the patrons are there for themselves.

If you can entertain with originals or covers it really doesn't matter, but you better entertain if you are going to stand in front of people and call yourself a performer!

/rant!

 

[pklima]

So what bands are you covering? I mean somewhere some original band must have made those songs the audience wants to hear.

I'm making a setlist for a new coverband, and there's only three songs by bands on there. And one is a fictional cartoon band. Well, unless you want to consider the likes of Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Cindy Sanyu "originals bands"... but that's really stretching it.

 

[Big Brother]

Yes there is an "I" in music.

But it comes after "U"

 

[Mulebagger]

Started doing originals and really enjoy writing music. As I've matured in my playing and thinking, I've found the joy in playing someone else's music, but still prefer to write over learning covers.
I make music primarily for myself and my band mates, and hopefully it is as enjoyable and accessible to our fans.

 

[bluewine]

So many bands fall into what I see as 'Reach for the Skyler!" syndrome and forget that their job as musicians is to entertain the crowd, not themselves.

It really doesn't matter what you play, what matters is if people enjoy your performance of it. Because they came to see a performance, not someone getting high on being in front of the room. They don't stand in a pit of rude sweaty people to laud someones 'artistic integrity.'

Real artistic integrity would be focusing on entertaining the people who invested their time to come out for your show. So many musicians think the audience is there for THEM and their 'music.' They aren't, the patrons are there for themselves.

If you can entertain with originals or covers it really doesn't matter, but you better entertain if you are going to stand in front of people and call yourself a performer!

/rant!

Excellent spin.

When I played in originals bands the crowds were so small I never felt like I was entertaining anyone.

With the cover band playing to much larger crowds on a consistent bases I feel like I'm entertaining.

This cover opportunity has allowed me to improve my stage presence. That would have never happened for me in an originals band.

 

[Marial]

{snip}
Real artistic integrity would be focusing on entertaining the people who invested their time to come out for your show. So many musicians think the audience is there for THEM and their 'music.' They aren't, the patrons are there for themselves.

{snip}

I respectfully disagree. There is a big difference between artistic integrity with respect to art(music) and with respect to performance. I don't expect Bill Frisell shake his ass like some monkey in a crabcore band any more than I'd expect Flea, of Femi Kuti, to stand there like a sack of potatoes. Different music means different types of performance.

I find Yo Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer to be riveting performers, but they're always rooted in one spot.

Maybe I've misunderstood you, and if so my bad. Maybe the point you're making is simply that when performing you need to give it everything you've got, in which case I would agree completely.

 

[bassbully]

I respectfully disagree. There is a big difference between artistic integrity with respect to art(music) and with respect to performance. I don't expect Bill Frisell shake his ass like some monkey in a crabcore band any more than I'd expect Flea, of Femi Kuti, to stand there like a sack of potatoes. Different music means different types of performance.

I find Yo Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer to be riveting performers, but they're always rooted in one spot.

Maybe I've misunderstood you, and if so my bad. Maybe the point you're making is simply that when performing you need to give it everything you've got, in which case I would agree completely.

I agree there are plenty of artists that are focused on their performances and music first not becoming an act for the the audience. Others use both to draw attention. I don't care what they do as long as the music speaks to me. This is where the whole passion and originals music thing is with me. I don't get a feeling or emotion while playing covers as I do when playing my bands originals. I know the audience feels this as well as see's it in our shows and we are not much of a visual performace type of band for sure.

 

[Big Brother]

I respectfully disagree. There is a big difference between artistic integrity with respect to art(music) and with respect to performance. I don't expect Bill Frisell shake his ass like some monkey in a crabcore band any more than I'd expect Flea, of Femi Kuti, to stand there like a sack of potatoes. Different music means different types of performance.

I find Yo Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer to be riveting performers, but they're always rooted in one spot.

Maybe I've misunderstood you, and if so my bad. Maybe the point you're making is simply that when performing you need to give it everything you've got, in which case I would agree completely.

My point is that when standing in front of an audience, you are there for them and not vice versa. How you entertain them is totally open, but they are there to be entertained.

A lot of people lose sight of that I think, it results in a lot of empty houses.

 

[bassbully]

My point is that when standing in front of an audience, you are there for them and not vice versa. How you entertain them is totally open, but they are there to be entertained.

A lot of people lose sight of that I think, it results in a lot of empty houses.

True, I'm into allot of singer songwriters and they only have their songs. The songs have to be good and tell a story or take you someplace, maybe make you think. In between those songs the stories they share and a joke or two make the mood and night go on...for me at least. I don't need fire, smoke, dancers.... a big show, just give me a good song.

 

[Marial]

My point is that when standing in front of an audience, you are there for them and not vice versa. How you entertain them is totally open, but they are there to be entertained.

A lot of people lose sight of that I think, it results in a lot of empty houses.

I only half disagree. To me, it's a give and take. There are some audiences who will not give back no matter how much work and passion you put into your performance. In those cases, especially, you're no longer there for them. It's a symbiotic relationship that only works when both parties are engaged.

 

[bluewine]

My point is that when standing in front of an audience, you are there for them and not vice versa. How you entertain them is totally open, but they are there to be entertained.

A lot of people lose sight of that I think, it results in a lot of empty houses.

Yeah, I have a guitarist buddy coming up on a year being bandless
He will only play originals or music he likes.

I wish I could tell him that he's going to bandless for a long time.

The sad thing he's an outstanding lead guitarist, but he's one of these guys that came into music as a teen in the 80s.

His band experience has been one bad originals band after the other. He could move a classic rock or contempory country band to a new level.

But I also don't think he's like me. I have to be in band. I really don't think being in a band is that important to him.