blue

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1469198602' post='3096581'] OK then - IMHO a cover band is any band who performs a song that was recorded and released by someone else first. [/quote] That's a good basic definition. Blue

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1469196972' post='3096544'] Me too . . . . although what about someone like Elton John? Are his songs 'half covers' because Bernie Taupin writes all the words? Or is 'Elton John' an original artist comprised of Reg Dwight & Bernie Taupin? Damn - I had things straight in my mind before thinking of that one! [/quote] Bernie and Elton are not a band. This discussion pertains to defining a cover band at the local level. Blue

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1469189073' post='3096446'] I don't think the 'made famous' bit is relevant when it comes to covers. There are plenty of examples of a cover version being more famous/successful than the original, e.g. Clapton's Cocaine, Lynyrd Skynrd's Call Me The Breeze are both covers of JJ Cale songs, but I'd be the majority of listeners don't know that. We're over-complicating things. A cover is simply any song not performed by the original artist. No qualifications needed really. [/quote] We're defining cover band not what a cover is. Blue

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1469143036' post='3096161'] Glad it's working out for you Blue. Nice to hear it still can be done full time without needing a day job to top things up. Respect to you. [/quote] Thanks Miles, If my band folds. I'm doomed. Finding opportunities with bands with a decent size book of business is next to impossible for outsiders like me. BTW, I'm taking side work with other bands. My goal is to have 3 sources of income from music ventures. Blue

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1469145135' post='3096168'] Not the good ones. [/quote] Thank you Blue

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1469096215' post='3095645'] Not sure if I'm reading you correctly, but why's it a shame? I sooner hear a "original" performance (in which the performer has some emotional investment) than an accurate but lifeless replication of someone else's performance. [/quote] Depends on the musician. I have an emotional investment and commitment into anything I play. Lifeless? Cover bands must be different in the UK. Blue

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1469132736' post='3096089'] The function bands are often super tight, really talented, doing it to pay bills and to live, paying tax, ni, costs, agency fees, vans etc rather than taking cash in hand on top of a full time job. [/quote] I'm a year into playing for a living. I'm in a bar band. I have a mortgage and bills and I'm making our with no help from anyone. Blue

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1469130840' post='3096061'] Nope, people can work and earn money playing their own music too. Definitive answer is a band that plays other people's songs. Surprised it's even a question! You could split cover bands into two categories, bar bands and function bands. The latter wear suits, charge 5 times as much and usually stick to weddings, corporate functions etc rather than pubs and festivals. [/quote] At the local level it is very tough to make any money in an originals band in the States. I agree with your cover band break down to functions and bar bands. My band is a bar band, however there are so many fairs and festivals in Milwaukee we get our share of that business. On average fair and festivals work pays double the bar rate and you usually are only playing for a little over an hour. Blue

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1469089592' post='3095586'] a band that plays songs made famous by someone else. a tribute band is the same but narrows down to a band, era or genre. normally in this country, such bands are set up with the intention of playing to make money from functions, weddings or pubs etc. i don't think it really matters what you call them, covers band, function band, bar band.... who cares? [/quote] Me Blue

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1469089894' post='3095587'] Blue, is the "top 40" band still a thing? [/quote] We really don't have a top 40 culture anymore. Not like in the 60s when everyone knew what was #1 ##2 on the charts across the nation. Blue

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1469091784' post='3095602'] Ok. In the UK we have a strong tradition of sing along drinking songs. From old rugby songs through to wartime Vera Lynne songs, traditional East End of London "Roll out the barrel" Chas and Dave type songs. Often around a badly tuned piano. This is what the Beatles picked up on. Traditional Irish songs and Sea shanties that were sung in the pubs around the docks in Liverpool. That's essentially why the UK crowd are always asking you to 'play something we know'. They're not after a song they've heard before, they're after a song they know the words to and can sing along to. There are a lot of what we call 'musos' on BassChat who like to think they're above that and that their job is to educate the punters and bring in alternative music to the traditional songs. All very admirable but I think they're somewhat missing the point. [/quote] This makes sense and also adds to Beatles historical knowledge. Thanks Blue

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1469042664' post='3095365'] Blue, I'm afraid we can't explain all this site's many memes to you - we simply don't have the TIM. [/quote] Cool, I'll assume this referenced a metal band that wasn't good for metal. Blue

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1469087221' post='3095565'] Just keep out there Blue doing what makes you happy and don't worry about trying to categorize it. The main band I play in have enough material to do a couple of sets of originals and enough covers (all beit our own takes on) to to do the same when required. [/quote] I think my question was reasonable. Having originals is actually nice and can be worked into our sets easily. We have 2 CDs of original material. Blue

A "Cover Band" is a band that plays versions of an original artists recording. These bands tend to run the whole spectrum in terms of talent,skill, musical ability and creativity. More times than not these bands are commercial ventures. Blue

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1469042793' post='3095368'] A band that plays cover songs only! Of course you can turn the song on it's head, but it's still just a cover. [/quote] "Just a cover" So we can also say, "just an original" ? Blue

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1469044773' post='3095394'] Alternatively, let's [i]not[/i] define cover band. Then we can all carry on falling out about playing covers, playing for free, being pro etc, because we all have different ideas in our heads as to what we are talking about. Wait... maybe Blue has the right idea after all. [/quote] Not sure if I have the right idea or not. However, I didn't start playing or taking notes on the evolution of local and regional pop bands in the 90s, I started in the mid 60s. And my perspective is quite Yankeeish. Blue

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1469046978' post='3095424'] So what do they call bands in the US that predominantly cover other peoples music then Blue? [/quote] I think there like anything else, we have different types of cover bands. Your definition would fit the traditional cover band. Blue

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1469061202' post='3095515'] My definition of a cover band? One that is working and earning. The general rule for our cover band is that any song we play has to have been a top 30 hit. We aim to play songs which the audience knows, likes a lot, can dance to, will sing with us and isn't played by every other cover band. [/quote] Can't debate this one. I like this definition. Blue

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1469044736' post='3095393'] Covers bands play music that the people in the band hate but the punters love. Originals bands play music that the people in the band love but the punters hate. [/quote] Both of your definitions are a bit narrow in nature IMO, but I get where your coming from. Personally, I can't speak for Originals bands, but we love the songs we play and hopefully our faithful punters do to. Here in the States in the Midwest we have what we call "Bar Bands" and I think that's a more appropriate category for us. Venues that book traditional cover bands won't touch us. We have just added [i]"Rain" [/i]from Buddy Guy (features Jenny on slide) , [i]"The Weight"[/i] from The Band and our version of Nancy Sinatra's [i]"Boots Are Made for Walking"[/i]. Blue

I've notice that in the UK or what I've learned from you guy guys is, you seem to take a broad stroke when defining "Cover Band" It seems like in the UK "Cover Band"means "Mustang Sally" and "Moon Dance". This has always been confusing to me because that's not the case in the US. How do you personally define cover band? Blue

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1469041354' post='3095348'][list] [*][b] [size=4]Reasons For Not Joining A Band [/size][/b] [*]Lack of gigs [*]Poor ability [*]Unreliable people [*]Egomania [*]Play too loud [*]No sense of humour [/list] [/quote] Agree 100% Blue

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1468937088' post='3094476'] They were not any good for metal. [/quote] If your a metal guy why would you audition for a band that wasn't into metal? Blue

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1468916339' post='3094214'] Other than a friend's function band I stopped bothering with being in a gigging band, playing pubs, festival etc,long ago. Replying to musician wanted ads never worked for me. For me, it's most important I'm mates with other band members. I'm also much more into electronic stuff whereby a couple of you is enough. [/quote] It sounds like your not a band person, probably the best reason for not joining a band. Blue

Here are anther two reasons; You find out the band doesn't gig as much as they said they did, Or The band gigs a lot more than they said they did. Blue

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1468935716' post='3094464'] A lot of the answers here suggest that they're actually answering the question "reasons why you left a band". For me, I once auditioned for a band who were pretty good, but I declined to join. The reason I gave was that the music they were playing was a bit bleak, and I needed something with a little bit more cheer in it. Other factors in my decision were: * the songwriter was very much one of these "instinctive" musicians, who can't even tell you what chord they're playing. That lack of vocabulary can be limiting, and his right-hand man (lead guitarist) had to "prop him up" a lot. * they were auditioning drummers at the same time, so I didn't really have all the necessary information to make a decision. * there was something a little bit "off" about them. I had this inexplicable gut feeling that they weren't entirely stable. S.P. [/quote] I think this happens a lot and the reason a lot of seasoned bass players decline offers, Blue