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Why so many cover bands?
- Thread starter Bushfire
- Start date
The keyboardist and I were discussing this very thing just a couple of weeks ago... and came to the conclusion that being in a cover band nowadays isn't all that bad.
In fact, being in a cover band is the perfect "basic training" for bigger and better things.
For example: look at all the new "artists" that are having songs written for them by "behind the scenes" songwriters... score a gig backing one of these "American Idles", and it's basically just like being in a cover band, but with a twist. You're still learning someone else's tune... you've just gotta pull it off like you really mean it!
And when you think about it, isn't that the way it's supposed to be anyway, no matter what kind of band you're in?
In fact, being in a cover band is the perfect "basic training" for bigger and better things.
For example: look at all the new "artists" that are having songs written for them by "behind the scenes" songwriters... score a gig backing one of these "American Idles", and it's basically just like being in a cover band, but with a twist. You're still learning someone else's tune... you've just gotta pull it off like you really mean it!
And when you think about it, isn't that the way it's supposed to be anyway, no matter what kind of band you're in?
Well, in this part of the world, Dj's are at the top of the food chain in entertainment venues.
Covers bands are a poor cousin
Originals bands are either hardcore thrash or non-existant.
Go figure.
Covers bands are a poor cousin
Originals bands are either hardcore thrash or non-existant.
Go figure.
I've been in both originals and cover bands, and there are rewards to both--I think any seasoned musician who's done both will tell you that. It's cool to write your own music and totally do your own thing, but the reality is that there aren't that many opportunities to play it in most areas (unless you're a 17-22 year old doing emo or rap metal and willing to play with 5 bands a night on the bill without getting paid...at least, that's how it is in Omaha). Playing really cool stuff in the basement gets old after a while. Plus, it takes a *long* time to write enough originals to do 3-4 hour-long sets...
Cover bands simply have a lot more chances to play. Also, there are a lot of great songs out there that I *like* playing, plus there's always new stuff coming out to learn so you can keep things fresh if you work at it...and while there are a few we play that I don't particularly like, the audience likes them, and watching people getting into and enjoying what you're doing is pretty d*mn cool, too. The best of all is when you can take a cover that folks know, but also apply your own creativity to do something new with it to make it your own. The money doesn't hurt, either, but it's not really the point--as my bandmates will tell you, we'd gladly play for free, and what we really get paid for is setting up and tearing down all the gear at the end of the night!
Mike
Cover bands simply have a lot more chances to play. Also, there are a lot of great songs out there that I *like* playing, plus there's always new stuff coming out to learn so you can keep things fresh if you work at it...and while there are a few we play that I don't particularly like, the audience likes them, and watching people getting into and enjoying what you're doing is pretty d*mn cool, too. The best of all is when you can take a cover that folks know, but also apply your own creativity to do something new with it to make it your own. The money doesn't hurt, either, but it's not really the point--as my bandmates will tell you, we'd gladly play for free, and what we really get paid for is setting up and tearing down all the gear at the end of the night!
Mike
Dood... if that's the case, can I be yer roadie?
I get to keep the cash... you guys get to keep the artistic satisfaction!
Besides the money, cover bands work A LOT MORE than original bands. After years of being in original bands that came close to "making it" I realized I was getting older and that I needed to make money AND play a lot more and with a lot more people.
While I got a lot of satisfaction from originals, and still play them, covers have a built in recognition factor and I think of them as musical currency. You learn 55 originals and they are most likely only going to be called by the author. You learn 55 standards and they will be called and you will be paid over and over and over.
While I got a lot of satisfaction from originals, and still play them, covers have a built in recognition factor and I think of them as musical currency. You learn 55 originals and they are most likely only going to be called by the author. You learn 55 standards and they will be called and you will be paid over and over and over.
In my experience, the only way you are going to play all originals and get paid as much and play as much as if you played all covers, is if you have an album deal or some similar kind of profile and exposure.
My band from the early 1990s (pretentious little metal outfit called Creepmime) was lucky enough to get a brief-lived cd-deal, which allowed us to play sell-out shows for good money all across Europe. The scene at the time was full of similar bands of comparable ability all struggling to get that elusive deal and the accompaning exposure. Without it, you were stuck and doomed to obscurity.
My most recent band (which, actually, I quit last week after one rhythm guitarist hissy fit too many, heh heh heh) was all covers, by comparison. We didn't get paid half as well as the signed band, but could still play two or three times per week if desired. It's like the man said: people like what they know, and Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird and Whole Lotta Rosie are gonna get the folks going much more than some musically more accomplished piece that nobody in the place knows, except for you and your buddies.
My band from the early 1990s (pretentious little metal outfit called Creepmime) was lucky enough to get a brief-lived cd-deal, which allowed us to play sell-out shows for good money all across Europe. The scene at the time was full of similar bands of comparable ability all struggling to get that elusive deal and the accompaning exposure. Without it, you were stuck and doomed to obscurity.
My most recent band (which, actually, I quit last week after one rhythm guitarist hissy fit too many, heh heh heh) was all covers, by comparison. We didn't get paid half as well as the signed band, but could still play two or three times per week if desired. It's like the man said: people like what they know, and Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird and Whole Lotta Rosie are gonna get the folks going much more than some musically more accomplished piece that nobody in the place knows, except for you and your buddies.
bigbajo60 said:Dood... if that's the case, can I be yer roadie?
I get to keep the cash... you guys get to keep the artistic satisfaction!
Ok, it's a slight exaggeration, but that's certainly what we joke about when we're tearing down the PA at 2am!Mike
As sad as it may be - club owners much of the time only consider a band to be a live jukebox that plays music his customers 1) want to hear , and 2) that will encourage them to buy more alcohol. People in general want to hear music they already know. A sad state, but that's my impression.
Playing covers may not be as exciting as playing new original music, but playing covers well is a challenge all in itself - especially if you're doing 4 sets a night.
Playing covers may not be as exciting as playing new original music, but playing covers well is a challenge all in itself - especially if you're doing 4 sets a night.
Cover band musicians are usually much better technically and they could write and be original if they want to. No doubt.
But then if the "C.R.E.A.M." is good, they do not ever play originals...
Problem is then: is music then JUST 100% BUSINESS? NOT ART?
Wow. Somebody call Webster's...
So fine art painters should just stick to doing copies of DaVincis, Van Goghs, Goyas, Picassos and such??????
Wow.
Yep, it's a truly sad state then... NOT because of the cover bands (they have to do it to get any coin)... people are just non-thinking, non-anything these days. Big Business has succeded in dumbing out the masses.
Anyway, my point is: if music loses its expression value, its artistic value... becuase it's somebody's elses... where is the feeling?
I just cannot play covers like a robot.
Then again music is a hobby and therapy to me. My money comes from another type of work.
Oh yeah, fortunately there are still places where you can play original stuff without paying to play.
But then if the "C.R.E.A.M." is good, they do not ever play originals...
Problem is then: is music then JUST 100% BUSINESS? NOT ART?
Wow. Somebody call Webster's...
So fine art painters should just stick to doing copies of DaVincis, Van Goghs, Goyas, Picassos and such??????
Wow.
Yep, it's a truly sad state then... NOT because of the cover bands (they have to do it to get any coin)... people are just non-thinking, non-anything these days. Big Business has succeded in dumbing out the masses.
Anyway, my point is: if music loses its expression value, its artistic value... becuase it's somebody's elses... where is the feeling?
I just cannot play covers like a robot.
Then again music is a hobby and therapy to me. My money comes from another type of work.
Oh yeah, fortunately there are still places where you can play original stuff without paying to play.
NewWaveBasser said:
Relax. It's a sloppy analogy to begin with. Music, as an artform, uses time. It's more analogous to film (if recorded) or theatre and performance art (live). Either way, there is art in the interpretation of preexisting material because is has to be performed. The New York Philharmonic does covers all the time. So did Miles Davis. So did countless musical artists.
I've found that often cover band musicians are extremely more talented than original artists.
Also, I play a lot of jazz. Am I in a cover band?
Also, I play a lot of jazz. Am I in a cover band?
xshawnxearthx said:
ROTFL
Every time I hear people say this kind of thing it makes me wonder how the human race has survived this long
jazzbo said:
Yup, you are!!! You must suck!!
seriously, though. There's different types of skills musically.
You can be a great songwriter and a crappy musician (see Bob Dylan, who I LOVE).
You can be a gifted musician but not much of a songwriter.
Some people can do both.
They are different skills and to do either well is definitely an art.
NewWaveBasser said:
I haven't really seen this brought up yet, but I consider performing to be an art form unto itself. To me, there is great artistic value in bringing a song to a patron in a way that makes them believe in the integrity of a song they are familiar with, and in the presentation by which they receive it.
I would LOVE to write some original stuff, but I have two bands to go along with a family, a job and a home-based business. I don't have time to write enough music for a whole set, and also.... what I like as much as getting paid, is actually PLAYING FOR AUDIENCES. If you play covers (and play them well) you get more gigs, and you play for more people - which in turn, feeds our massive artistic egos.
Artistic Integrity is great, but I sure have heard a lot of CRAP that passes for "original material" played by guys in front of bored crowds of up to 12 people. Obviously, there are exceptions.
Mainly I don't want to overanalyze why I play music. I just want to rock. If I need to express myself further, I'll post on an internet message board.
I write and record original music but I also play in a cover band which pays really well. I don't see how playing in a cover band is "settling" for anything. Either you want to make money playing or you don't.
To XstraightedgeX, I don't see how covers vs. originals has much of anything to do with talent. I'm sure you've played with enough crappy original acts to know that it doesn't take much talent to "write" music.
To XstraightedgeX, I don't see how covers vs. originals has much of anything to do with talent. I'm sure you've played with enough crappy original acts to know that it doesn't take much talent to "write" music.
NewWaveBasser said:
Then play with a twist. Use your own sound. Throw in some extra licks. Change a bit. Evolve it. Hell, only use the lyrics and rewrite it. Change parts, add parts.
Try playing walking basslines on songs that one use simple rootnotes or the other way around. Slap rootnotes. Use only 1 string to play a walking bassline.
Make a blues song out of a heavy fast punkrock song. Make a ballad out of it.. or make some heavy metal version of a ballad.
Just because they are covers doesn't mean there is a solid set of rules to follow. If it remains recognisable people will still love it. Heck, maybe they'll even love it more that the original.
I love all the talk about "art" because very little of the music we hear is art, it's just CRAFT. Most of us here at TB will never truly be artists, we will only be talented craftspersons. That is OK but it's good to keep in mind before you start ego-tripping about the music you write. The reason so many bands doing their own music suck is because they have not mastered their craft yet.
Next time you hear a song and say to yourself "I could write a song better than that", go off and try to do so. Let us know you make out
Next time you hear a song and say to yourself "I could write a song better than that", go off and try to do so. Let us know you make out
I think you're all forgetting one fact - Music is supposed to be fun. Yeah, there's the artistic aspect of it for sure, but at it's core music is fun - fun for the listener, fun for the performer.
The reason cover bands are popular is because they play songs that evoke strong memories in the audience. That's why 80's bands are so popular right now. The folks my age and a bit older get taken back to when they were kids or teenagers. It's pure fun! Roll your eyes all you want, but if a band fires up "867-5309" - love it or hate it you remember something in your life about that song. So when the audience reacts to a song like that, have a good time! Don't internally cuss out the inbred masses who just want the same stuff over and over
As far as robotically playing a cover song - I don't think I've ever followed a bass line to the original song. Just give me the progression and I'll make something up. Heck, half the time the friggin' guitarist forgets the progression anyway and I have to follow him and guess what key he's in
my 2 cents.
Coby
The reason cover bands are popular is because they play songs that evoke strong memories in the audience. That's why 80's bands are so popular right now. The folks my age and a bit older get taken back to when they were kids or teenagers. It's pure fun! Roll your eyes all you want, but if a band fires up "867-5309" - love it or hate it you remember something in your life about that song. So when the audience reacts to a song like that, have a good time! Don't internally cuss out the inbred masses who just want the same stuff over and over
As far as robotically playing a cover song - I don't think I've ever followed a bass line to the original song. Just give me the progression and I'll make something up. Heck, half the time the friggin' guitarist forgets the progression anyway and I have to follow him and guess what key he's in
my 2 cents.
Coby
