Jackroadkill

Yeah, that's a bugger, too.

As much as I love the music he made with Pantera, Superjoint Ritual and Down, I can't listen to anything by Phil Anselmo any more. It breaks my heart, but the White Power stain can't be rinsed out.

I would have one if I could get away with it. The problem is the different tunings we use in the band. I use one for standard and drop D and a second for a half-step down and drop C#. I hate drop tunings but some of the songs we play demand them. I then have my backup bass should there be a problem. I could keep detuning and re-tuning, but that doesn't sit particularly well with me form a set-up point of view, and it's one less thing to remember to do between songs when onstage. As it is I have to tune to my drop tunings between songs and getting that right can be harder than it sounds, for some reason. It seems that two stage basses plus a spear is about where it's at for me.

I've not been here long and even I know that wouldn't happen in a month of Sundays. @TheGreek, you are the keeper of the flame!

Precisions suck. *I'd like to point out that this, obviously, is total verbal bumwee.

I'd say do what you all feel is right for your band. Years ago when I was in an originals band (you know, the one that made me hugely famous, stinking rich and dripping with laydeez) we had a rule that we'd play anywhere, for anyone and for any reason. We did some fabulous gigs and some real shockers. I learned a lot, drove a lot, fought a lot and acted like a complete knob a lot. However, as a proper grown-up in a covers band I like to think I'm a bit more discerning. We've done freebies (for the right reasons, of course) and turned down a couple of gigs which we felt wouldn't do us too many favours. The one thing I would say is that if you don't stand to gain what you want from a gig, be that payment, fun, exposure or whatever, then don't play it.

I did a related boo-boo once, when I'd just gone to uni. I was deep in my Goth phase (well, I still am, a bit...) and was walking through the town centre one night when I walked slap bang into someone I hadn't seen because I was wearing my sunglasses. Hastily I apologised, but got no response. I apologised again and removed my sunglasses, only to find out that I was apologising to a lamp-post.

When I was born we lived in High Wycombe, so if that's a Wal, it and I happened at the same time in the same place.

I hear that. We're so lucky to get that feeling from these four strings.

I'm a '79er, so I don't want a YOB bass, really.

You don't buy a Thunderbird to not hold it aloft like an offering to the gods, do you?! There's no right or wrong, so just let it rip and have fun. Or stand still and have fun. I like the former, because let's face it, this: ..is cool.

I'm not buying any more.

Well, I put my big boy pants on and said that I really didn't want to play Rain When I Die. Following some discussion, during which the drummer and one guitarist were apathetic about it at best we decided to sack it in. I don't think we're all particularly happy with it, but I said that we can replace it with something all of us like. We've got a big list of songs that are more or less agreed on, so we'll take one off that. Songs we will be working on, however, are: Worker's Song - Dropkick Murphys' version Rebel Yell - Billy Idol Orange Crush - REM Word Up - Gun version Poison - Alice

That version's better, but I still find it a turgind yawn-fest, I'm afraid.

Well I've managed to force myself to play the main riff..... So, so dull.

I agree 100% there. We like to play interesting covers rather than the same old shite that one can hear anywhere.

That's more or less how we do it; I'm just not sure why this obscure and not very interesting song has become a hill to die on!

That's my feeling, and also my worry. If it kills the mood and we then have to build back up to a previous energy level I feel it's just wasted time to play it. Anything out of the mainstream, really. We make it very clear that if you want standards there other bands who cater to that. Our set has a 1990s theme running through it but it's not restricted to material from that decade. Decent rock music from any era is up for consideration, and most of it has an alternative flavour of some sort. That's the thing; we're a cover band and as a result of that I feel we have to give the audience something. Nobody in the band wants to trot out the Dakota, for example, but if we only played obscure album tracks and B-sides from fringe bands we may as well just play originals. Thanks very much, everyone, your insights and comments are most helpful and welcome. JRK

Yes, one guitarist in particular, and the singer to a lesser degree.

It's reasonably varied, and includes songs like Pet Semetary, the fast version of We Will Rock You, Fortunate Son, Everything About You, No Class, Breaking The Law etc. The only other similar song we do is If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, and that's done as a subtle protest about the war in Ukraine.

I may well have to do that, if my facial expression doesn't do it for me! We've not played it live yet, but it's not what I'd call a foot-tapper, a headbanger or a get-up-and-run-arounder, so unless somebody in the audience is an AIC nerd I can't see it doing much for anyone except a couple of the band members. The band is just getting to that point. Out of the five gigs we've done, the last two have been paid. We're definitely not a standards act, so no Sweet Caroline, Summer of '69 or Mustang Sally, so the promoters know what they're getting. However, if I were a promoter I'd still want a dynamic and exciting set (which I believe we do). Putting RWID in there would seem to be a mood-killer, at least to me, and if I were a promoter I wouldn't feel chuffed about forking out for that. Does the outro count?! This could be my only option.... That's the very antithesis of what we are. We're in this primarily for fun rather than as a job. Thanks for all the comments, everyone. It's good to see the differing opinions and to hear varying takes on the subject. Much appreciated, JRK

Hi all, I'm after a bit of advice. I play in a covers band and have done for about 12 months now. Song choices are always by consent, with the understanding that there will be some that an individual loves to play, some that they're happy to play and some that they may not like as much as the others. I've been lucky so far in that most of them so far I really enjoy playing and the few that I haven't initially been keen on have grown on me after a while for the most part. However, I've just hit the immoveable object of a song I just can't like. I've tried my best and I find it a very boring (heaven knows what an audience would think of it) and needlessly fiddly dirge, bereft of hooks, groove or anything I find attractive. I'm aware that some of the other guys in the band absolutely love it and it would be a personal high point in the set for them, and also that they've played songs that have held the same joy for me even though they don't particularly like them. I've no problem with the abstract that sometimes I might have to play a song I'm not keen on (this is a covers band after all), but the reality seems to be different. It would be better perhaps if I thought it would go down well with an audience - this happened with PUSA's "Peaches", which I think is rubbish but I can see why the audience might like it, and when we've played it live the reaction has been very positive. The problem I have is that I dislike the song we're supposed to be learning for practise on Sunday so much that when I sit down to learn it, it turns me off so much that I just can't focus on it or even stomach hearing it played enough to follow the tabs. "Don't play it, then"-type answers aside, how do you old sweats deal with this? Thanks very much, JRK

This.

I used to case all of my instruments, but these days a decent padded gig bag is all that I use. I'm not touring in the back of a knackered Transit or owt like that, so my basses aren't exposed to the rigours of life on the road. I'm careful with them when at gigs but so fat the gig bags (Fender 20mm padded jobs) have been fine; this is a good thing, because they cost an arm and a leg.

My stage clothes tend to be stuff that's now too knackered to wear on the farm and slightly sweary t-shirts. My mum says I'm cool.