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What Motivates You to Play In An Originals Band?

#121
bluewine said:
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.
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And I'm sure there are those here like me that can relate to him. Maybe since he has played all these years he is picky or just does not want it like he used to. Maybe like some of us covers wont cut it and he needs the creative outlet that an original band will give him but finding one, a good one, is hard to do.

If I was bandless today, right now, I would be without a band until the right one came along and I would not jump to a coverband just to be playing out. I might change my direction someday but like him for now its what I want and if it did not come along I would stay in and work on my own music..alone.
 
#122
Wow, things are getting crazy. I have found that alot of people that do not like doing covers is because they are not capable of doing so. Not everyone, but have found some. They are guys that I have seen that are gonna leave this world and never make their mark. They have been plugging away their whole life on trying to make it big on original material. Are they happy, I'm not quite so sure. If it makes you happy, that is what matters. Whatever it is, you do.
There are cover bands that I have seen that just nail the songs down to every note. There is something to be said for that. Also, cover bands that do there own interpretation of a song and there is something that has to said for that as well. There is no right or wrong. The thread is about originals and what keeps the drive going. To me, in music, what has to be said has been said, for the most part. Very rarely anymore does some new artist come along and just blow my mind with their own creativity. Usually they have duplicated something that has already been done in a different manner. I am not speaking for all genres of music. I am a classic rock, rock and blues guy. Some mentioned above, I have no idea what the heck you are talking about. I dont know much about jazz, although I think I have a couple cd's in my collection somewhere. So when it come to my flavor of music, I like to hear what someone else is doing with an old classic.
 
#123
I sort of fail to see how playing covers equates to leaving your mark on the world. There's Led Zeppelin and there's Dread Zeppelin, know what I mean? I think it's a bit different in the jazz and classical worlds than in the rock/pop world. Maybe I'm making a false distinction though.
 
#124
bassbully said:
And I'm sure there are those here like me that can relate to him. Maybe since he has played all these years he is picky or just does not want it like he used to. Maybe like some of us covers wont cut it and he needs the creative outlet that an original band will give him but finding one, a good one, is hard to do.

If I was bandless today, right now, I would be without a band until the right one came along and I would not jump to a coverband just to be playing out. I might change my direction someday but like him for now its what I want and if it did not come along I would stay in and work on my own music..alone.
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Yeah, things are different now.

I have my identity and self worth so tied to being in a band to the point that it's probably not mentally healthy.

If I were bandless, I would not be out auditioning for every nut running an ad. My approach would be very strategic:

I would only audition for established cover bands. Rock, Pop, Alternative country.

Rehearsal would have to be no more than once a week and no more than a 20 minute comute.

The band must have pro level sound and lighting.

Bookings in the 4-5 times a month range.

They must be "down to earth" good people.

So if I were bandless, I could be waiting a long time.

Oh, as a side note I only audition last and if the band is auditioning friends I'd pass on the opportunity.
 
#125
To all those cover gays who hates bands that's working their butt out without much pay to trying to be original. ****Something I will not post in fear of being banned, but something about crack whores and lowest form of scavengers*****
 
#127
NoiseNinja said:
To all those cover gays who hates bands that's working their butt out without much pay to trying to be original. ****Something I will not post in fear of being banned, but something about crack whores and lowest form of scavengers*****
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?

Nobody here, hates originals bands. I love and support local originals bands by going to the shows.

Their just not what I want at this point in my life.
 
#128
bluewine said:
?

Nobody here, hates originals bands. I love and support local originals bands by going to the shows.

Their just not what I want at this point in my life.
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Honestly I think I may have overreacted to a couple of peoples remarks. I'm not talking to you bluwine, I was just making a statement about the haters.

Isn't that ironic?
 
#129
bluewine said:
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.
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Well we agree to disagree because I won't ever pay a cover band to play music I could wait and see/hear the original.
 
#130
Definately not hating on original bands. Depending on where you are located and the flavor of music you are into, it may be interesting. There are many original acts in my area. Alot of them fall into that heavy death metal thing, cant stand it. Although, there are others that I do appreciate, but only a few. Hell, where I am at a cover band is lucky to make $400.00. Drive an hour or so, you may make double that. Original bands, make nothing here. To alot of people making music is not about making money and should not be, but you better damn well have fun doing it.
 
#131
Marial said:
I sort of fail to see how playing covers equates to leaving your mark on the world. There's Led Zeppelin and there's Dread Zeppelin, know what I mean? I think it's a bit different in the jazz and classical worlds than in the rock/pop world. Maybe I'm making a false distinction though.
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By bringing a bit of happiness to people's lives.

This is what a lot of otherwise brilliant musicians fail to understand. The audience wants to be entertained, not bear witness to someone's talent and artistic credibility. Except for maybe John Mayer fans but that is another subject.

The people who sell the most original songs understand this very well, they get it. They entertain, they aren't onstage to bask in their fans adulation. The ones who forget this are taken out behind the woodshed.

I see a lot of local artists playing to empty houses who sneer at cover bands pulling in hundreds of screaming girls. The question they need to ask themselves is "Am I here to entertain the audience or are they there to bear witness to my talent? "

My definition of a musician is the former over the latter, regardless of whether they play covers or originals.

I think the top original bands and top cover acts in the area have a lot of respect for each other because they understand they are both entertainers, one and the same.
 
#134
macheted01 said:
Definately not hating on original bands. Depending on where you are located and the flavor of music you are into, it may be interesting. There are many original acts in my area. Alot of them fall into that heavy death metal thing, cant stand it. Although, there are others that I do appreciate, but only a few. Hell, where I am at a cover band is lucky to make $400.00. Drive an hour or so, you may make double that. Original bands, make nothing here. To alot of people making music is not about making money and should not be, but you better damn well have fun doing it.
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I think a lot of them are vastly under-appreciated. In my opinion the local acts often play better all-around music than the 'mainstream' acts.

I hope my points aren't taken as saying that original acts are just strutting their egos on stage or something.

If you stop to think about it, even most musicians in original bands are plucking and singing someone else's notes most of the time. They just happen to share a stage with the songwriter. :cool:

It doesn't matter what you play or how you do it, as long as you entertain while you do it.
 
#136
The problem with these covers vs originals, playing out vs playing in, etc. threads is that it is the equivalent of trying to put the ocean into a fish bowl. It's not possible, and I don't understand why someone would try to take something so vast and beautiful as music and put it into a tiny little box. Music is first and foremost expression, plain and simple, yet vast.
 
#137
Bassbubble11 said:
I am 44 and play in an original band. My motivation is I like
writing and performing my/our own stuff. I have never played
in a cover band. I don't have time. I/we have To many of my
own Idea's to express. I have nothing against cover bands. They
are just not my thing. I like creating.
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I'm pretty much the same way.I have nothing against original bands. As a matter of fact I like going to see originals bands.

However, . I don't have the time to invest my own time as a musician to an originals band because those original ideas typically are heard by only a few people.
 
#139
Big Brother said:
I see a lot of local artists playing to empty houses who sneer at cover bands pulling in hundreds of screaming girls. The question they need to ask themselves is "Am I here to entertain the audience or are they there to bear witness to my talent? ".
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Great point. It's actually sad for many originals bands in Milwaukee.

Me and a buddy went to see a freinds original band at Frank's power plant a few weeks ago. They are a really good band.

There were only 2 people in the place, me and my buddy.
 

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