Banned Licks

[retroman]

For a while, back in the 90's, every rock/metal covers band doing the pubs, and clubs where I used to live were playing Metallica's "Enter Sandman".............I renamed the song "Enter Blandband"......

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='The_D' post='958237' date='Sep 16 2010, 12:54 PM']And there is the point. We hate playing them because they are played to death either on the radio or by other bands. The thing is though, they are over played for a reason. People like what they know and love to sing along.[/quote]

+ many.

Whenever this type of thread comes up I always sense an undercurrent of musical snobbery. Many of these songs have stood the test of time and are still popular with the audiences, so as entertainers we should have no qualms about playing them when appropriate. Instead there is almost an attitude of 'its popular so it can't be any good'. Sure, everyone is entitled to not like some songs, but please let that be based on genuine musical tastes rather than snobbery, or (dare I say it?) envy.

How many people here would not like to have written Mustang Sally, All Right Now, or Wishing Well etc. Honestly? I'd happily have written any of them, and I'd be both considerably richer, and proud of having done so!

Audiences in pubs up and down the country love to hear thes songs, and it's almost arrogant for us to think that we know better.

As it happens my current (covers) band doesn't do any of those mentioned, so I've not got an axe to grind here.

Edited September 16, 2010 by Count Bassy

[Cat Burrito]

The band I'm in at the moment seem to pretty much hate covers. We jammed some great versions of a couple of tunes by The Eagles in rehearsal early on & I got dagger looks when I suggested we might do one live. It wasn't even Hotel California.

As far as I am concerned anything is fair game, it just depends how it is done etc

[keeponehandloose]

Songs I have left bands for ,rather than play are
Stray Cat Strut & Rock This Town.Both by the Stray Cats,and Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen.
Leaving a band may be a little over the top but I would do it again.

[HeavyJay]

[quote name='JTUK' post='957955' date='Sep 16 2010, 07:27 AM']Many music shops will have a banned list up in the shop so if you demo a gtr or something, they will have a note saying no 'smoke of the water', sunshine of your love, sultans' riffs as they get them played to death..often badly, by all and sundry.
They really just don't want to hear them over and over[/quote]

Do these music shops enforce the banned songs list? Anyone been asked to leave?

[JTUK]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='959141' date='Sep 17 2010, 09:29 AM']Do these music shops enforce the banned songs list? Anyone been asked to leave?[/quote]


they should..!!!

[M-Bass-M]

Back to the subject of bass lines that might be on the banned list: Another One Bites the Dust must be there somewhere?

[Lord Sausage]

In terms of covers bands my list is:-

Living on a Prayer
Black Night
Wishing Well
Jump
You Really got me
Smoke on the water
Sweet Child o' Mine
Angels
Can't get enough

i'm currently at war with my band about not doing Superstition.

[spinynorman]

I wonder how many posters here are also to be found moaning no one comes to their gigs?

From bitter experience, I've become a musical tart. I'll play anything people want to hear.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Marvin' post='958208' date='Sep 16 2010, 12:17 PM']All of them, every single one. Can't stand any of them. I'd rather chop my head off - well maybe not.

EDIT: for the record I'm in a bad mood, sorry.[/quote]

Same here, which is why I would never:
Play in a covers band.
Go & see a covers band.

Absolutely my idea of hell.

For the record I'm not in a bad mood.

[bartelby]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='959141' date='Sep 17 2010, 09:29 AM']Do these music shops enforce the banned songs list? Anyone been asked to leave?[/quote]


[quote name='JTUK' post='959347' date='Sep 17 2010, 12:31 PM'] they should..!!![/quote]


In the late 80s/ early 90s I witnessed the crazy guitar guy in Birmingham's Musical Exchanges escort people out the guitar section, for playing Stairway To Heaven, and into the music theory books section, sit them down with a book and told them not to return until they'd learned something useful. He'd them test them if the did walk back in.

[parker_muse]

This reminds me of a story i heard about a band who went into a music shop with 10 minute intervals between each member. They all went in and were trying out some big gigging rigs. The drummer came in last and clicked 4 times and they burst into Master of Puppets at full volume. Genius!

[JTUK]

[quote name='Count Bassy' post='958954' date='Sep 16 2010, 11:30 PM']+ many.

Whenever this type of thread comes up I always sense an undercurrent of musical snobbery. Many of these songs have stood the test of time and are still popular with the audiences, so as entertainers we should have no qualms about playing them when appropriate. Instead there is almost an attitude of 'its popular so it can't be any good'. Sure, everyone is entitled to not like some songs, but please let that be based on genuine musical tastes rather than snobbery, or (dare I say it?) envy.

How many people here would not like to have written Mustang Sally, All Right Now, or Wishing Well etc. Honestly? I'd happily have written any of them, and I'd be both considerably richer, and proud of having done so!

Audiences in pubs up and down the country love to hear thes songs, and it's almost arrogant for us to think that we know better.

As it happens my current (covers) band doesn't do any of those mentioned, so I've not got an axe to grind here.[/quote]


Don't know whether it is snobbery or not.. I don't want to do the same set as every other band and his dog..nor as a punter do I want to hear it.
And if you are a rehearsed up unit, can't find any other songs bar the most popular songs because that is how you entertain people, then that tells me an awful lot about a band I will not rush to see.

Do we have trouble getting people to gigs..? I wouldn't say we have no trouble but I don't badger my friends anymore, and I suppose the least amount in the pub would have been about 20 so we aren't going to rush back there. In fact, we will not go back there, but if you asked do we enetertain people that do come..I'd say we do..for sure!! IMO.

[lee4]

[quote name='KevB' post='958046' date='Sep 16 2010, 09:45 AM']Usually followed or preceded with Alright Now [/quote]
Ah,I've actually played a Ska version of this!

[hillbilly deluxe]

Playing covers never hurt The Rolling Stones/Led Zeppeiln or any ammount of bands.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='959891' date='Sep 17 2010, 08:30 PM']Playing covers never hurt The Rolling Stones/Led Zeppeiln or any ammount of bands.[/quote]

Exactly. And, listen to any 60s blues bands live, like Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, what did they play towards the end of the set? Little Richard covers, Jerry Lee Lewis, cos that's what got them an encore. Pity Coldplay never learned that trick.

[mreriksen]

[quote name='Norris' post='958219' date='Sep 16 2010, 11:36 AM']This seems to have turned into a 'which songs do you hate playing' list ... in which case I'll add Losing My Religion (I hate that song with a passion).

Mustang Sally is so darned popular with punters. I've never met a musician (or drummer) yet that liked playing it[/quote]

Jaco Patorius loved to play Mustang Sally, as a matter of fact.

[RhysP]

[quote name='mreriksen' post='960731' date='Sep 18 2010, 08:09 PM']Jaco Pastorius loved to play Mustang Sally, as a matter of fact.[/quote]
And it's well documented that he had serious mental health problems.......

[Bidd]

I can't believe that three pages in and no one has mentioned the most overplayed (and probably banned in shops) bass lick of all time.

The bass line that is the outro to Fleetwood Mac - The Chain that is. If some of you don't recognise the song title (possibly the younger members), please refer to Youtube, go about 3 minutes into the song and then you'll know what I'm on about.

[daz]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='959141' date='Sep 17 2010, 09:29 AM']Do these music shops enforce the banned songs list? Anyone been asked to leave?[/quote]

no one gets asked to leave...... However when you do leave and that smiling asistant may well accidentally trap your fingers in the door.

[quote name='Bidd' post='960744' date='Sep 18 2010, 08:26 PM']I can't believe that three pages in and no one has mentioned the most overplayed (and probably banned in shops) bass lick of all time.

The bass line that is the outro to Fleetwood Mac - The Chain that is. If some of you don't recognise the song title (possibly the younger members), please refer to Youtube, go about 3 minutes into the song and then you'll know what I'm on about.[/quote]
better known to youngsters as the 'formula one' song

Edited September 19, 2010 by daz

[4-string-thing]

The idea of playing in a covers band used to appall me, but I joined one a while back, and to be honest I really enjoy it.

The trick is to either, do the song in a completely different way to the original, or do song that people know, but don't hear bands play very often.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='JTUK' post='957955' date='Sep 16 2010, 07:27 AM']The point being..if you go to see a band and they are pretty straight ahead covers, what makes you GROAN, and think play something not every band and their dog plays here..? rant rant..!![/quote]

Call me boring but when i see a covers band (and thats very rare) i actually look forward to hearing how they do the same songs as my band. But yes, i could do without hearing Mustang Sally, mainly as its one of those songs that has no direction and can go on for ages.

[JTUK]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='961191' date='Sep 19 2010, 02:17 PM']Call me boring but when i see a covers band (and thats very rare) i actually look forward to hearing how they do the same songs as my band. But yes, i could do without hearing Mustang Sally, mainly as its one of those songs that has no direction and can go on for ages.[/quote]


I'd want to see the band do something with the songs....if they are just going to try and rip the record..and probably do it not so well, I can go and play the record.
If the band have nothing to offer, rip off all the gtr solos and parts and then wonder why if doesn't feel so good, but they don't actually know, then there isn't much to keep you watching, IMV.

Take the song as a skeleton and I like a band to fill in the gaps.

[spinynorman]

We do The Chain. I always milk the bass riff at the end and get a huge cheer for it. It's the easiest bass riff in the world, but I don't get that reaction for anything else.

We do a couple of Stone Roses covers. If there's a Stone Roses fan in the room we get undying love, otherwise total indifference.

We play Jumping jack Flash based on a Johnny Winter live version which turns the chord sequence upside down at the end and goes into an extended guitar solo. Either goes down a storm or like a lead balloon. You never can tell.

[leschirons]

Phew, that's a relief, after reading all the posts, it would appear that there's only me, and Bryan Adams doing Summer of 69.