Covers bands - what's the appeal?

[Hoppo75]

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='979981' date='Oct 6 2010, 10:23 PM']Yes, you can![/quote]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Had to be done

[HMX]

[quote name='risingson' post='979988' date='Oct 6 2010, 10:30 PM']Miles Davis, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Genesis, James Brown, Stevie Wonder.

Lady Gaga, The Killers, Tiny Tempah, Pixie Lott, Rihanna, Justin Beiber, Taylor Swift, David Guetta, the cast of Glee.

The consumer has got lazy and considerably more people are willing to put their faith in some television based competition like X-Factor for their musical pleasure as opposed to actively seeking out new music, that's what's changed. Not that they have much choice in the matter anyway.[/quote]
You get a +1 from me. However, they all have choices - some are just too narrow-minded to see it.

[chaypup]

[quote name='risingson' post='979988' date='Oct 6 2010, 10:30 PM']Miles Davis, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Genesis, James Brown, Stevie Wonder.

Lady Gaga, The Killers, Tiny Tempah, Pixie Lott, Rihanna, Justin Beiber, Taylor Swift, David Guetta, the cast of Glee.

The consumer has got lazy and considerably more people are willing to put their faith in some television based competition like X-Factor for their musical pleasure as opposed to actively seeking out new music, that's what's changed. Not that they have much choice in the matter anyway.[/quote]

You could easily make the opposite point by listing the manufactured bands from the 60's and 70's (and even previous to that) and the great bands of today - and when I've got 5 minutes - I will!

Older generations have always thought that the music of their youth was more relevant, mainly because it [b]reminds[/b] them of their youth.

There are more people playing instruments and therefore more bands now than at any time since the 60's, and I suspect that there's even more now than then. A greater percentage are also writing original music compared to then because recording it is so accessible nowadays.

True there is lazy, formulaic pap around, but there always was!

[Rich]

[quote name='risingson' post='979988' date='Oct 6 2010, 10:30 PM']Miles Davis, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Genesis, James Brown, Stevie Wonder.

Lady Gaga, The Killers, Tiny Tempah, Pixie Lott, Rihanna, Justin Beiber, Taylor Swift, David Guetta, the cast of Glee.

The consumer has got lazy and considerably more people are willing to put their faith in some television based competition like X-Factor for their musical pleasure as opposed to actively seeking out new music, that's what's changed. Not that they have much choice in the matter anyway.[/quote]
Please, [i]please[/i] tell me you aren't drawing any sort of similarity between pub/club covers bands and the bloody X-Factor...

[risingson]

[quote name='chaypup' post='981180' date='Oct 8 2010, 07:42 AM']You could easily make the opposite point by listing the manufactured bands from the 60's and 70's (and even previous to that) and the great bands of today - and when I've got 5 minutes - I will!

Older generations have always thought that the music of their youth was more relevant, mainly because it [b]reminds[/b] them of their youth.

There are more people playing instruments and therefore more bands now than at any time since the 60's, and I suspect that there's even more now than then. A greater percentage are also writing original music compared to then because recording it is so accessible nowadays.

True there is lazy, formulaic pap around, but there always was![/quote]

Even if you did list the Monkees, The Osmonds, The Jackson 5 or others, the writing of the songs was done by some of the absolute best. Now it seems like little to no effort is being made. Just look at the top 10 this week.

[quote]Please, please tell me you aren't drawing any sort of similarity between pub/club covers bands and the bloody X-Factor...[/quote]

No way, I'm IN one of those pub bands we're talking about, I wouldn't dream of it. Just picking up on an earlier point in the post I'd made

[Norris]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='974082' date='Oct 1 2010, 02:38 PM']Maybe they've been playing covers for so long that they've forgotten what it's like to play music for fun instead of for money.[/quote]
So playing covers isn't fun? I'd better give up now then - I certainly don't make any money out if it. Anybody want to buy 4 bass guitars?

Seriously, it really doesn't matter a sh*t whether you wrote the song or not, you can still enjoy playing it. Some of us just enjoy being there. Some of us seem to have their heads way too far up their own a***.

<Norris has left the building>

[chaypup]

[quote name='risingson' post='981490' date='Oct 8 2010, 12:35 PM']Even if you did list the Monkees, The Osmonds, The Jackson 5 or others, the writing of the songs was done by some of the absolute best. Now it seems like little to no effort is being made. Just look at the top 10 this week.[/quote]

You need to look past the top 10 then - The second biggest selling artist in the UK of the 1960's was Ken Dodd - quality songwriting?????

[crez5150]

[quote name='chaypup' post='981611' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:22 PM']You need to look past the top 10 then - The second biggest selling artist in the UK of the 1960's was Ken Dodd - quality songwriting?????[/quote]


Funny that..... we were thinking of putting 'Tears' into the set ;o)

[dave_bass5]

wow, what an open minded thread.
Why do people have to belittle others for liking something different?

[crez5150]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='981627' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:33 PM']wow, what an open minded thread.
Why do people have to belittle others for liking something different?[/quote]

Couldn't agree more.....

Good job we don't do any Level 42 covers in the show.....

[skankdelvar]

Say what you like about the monstrous record companies of yore but they acted as a fairly efficient sh*t filter. Now that every self-deluding spod and his mate has got garageband, the netz is an arse-flood of derivative, badly executed material with all the appeal of a nasty case of projectile leprosy.

I'd be perfectly happy to see a revival of interest in 'Originals' if the output was any good. It isn't.

Edited October 8, 2010 by skankdelvar

[risingson]

[quote name='chaypup' post='981611' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:22 PM']You need to look past the top 10 then - The second biggest selling artist in the UK of the 1960's was Ken Dodd - quality songwriting?????[/quote]

What's your source on that?

EDIT - just had a look. Fine, he was (third, not second), but look what else was in the charts that year. The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, The Temptations...

Edited October 8, 2010 by risingson

[risingson]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='981641' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:45 PM']Say what you like about the monstrous record companies of yore but they acted as a fairly efficient sh*t filter. Now that every self-deluding spod and his mate has got garageband, the netz is an arse-flood of derivative, badly executed material with all the appeal of a nasty case of projectile leprosy.

I'd be perfectly happy to see a revival of interest in 'Originals' if the output was any good. It isn't.[/quote]

I partially agree but there IS always good music out there, you just need to look a little harder for it, and approach it with an open mind. There is still talent out there.

[crez5150]

[quote name='risingson' post='981642' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:46 PM']What's your source on that?[/quote]


There's this
[url="http://www.popreport.co.uk/chart_history/sixties.php"]60's sellers[/url]

[chaypup]

[quote name='risingson' post='981642' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:46 PM']What's your source on that?[/quote]


[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10201932"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10201932[/url]

The top 2 spaces are occuppied by The Beatles.

I'm not rubbishing Ken in particular, I just don't like the myth that music was great at one time and it's not now.
If that was the case then there would be no point playing anymore - just listen to old records.

[chaypup]

[quote name='risingson' post='981645' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']I partially agree but there IS always good music out there, you just need to look a little harder for it, and approach it with an open mind. There is still talent out there.[/quote]


+1

Totally agree!

[Doddy]

[quote name='chaypup' post='981611' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:22 PM']You need to look past the top 10 then - The second biggest selling artist in the UK of the 1960's was Ken Dodd - quality songwriting?????[/quote]

You've heard the song,right?

[quote name='risingson' post='981642' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:46 PM']What's your source on that?[/quote]

'Tears' was the biggest selling single of 1965 and third biggest selling single of the '60's behind 'She loves you' and 'I want
to hold your hand'

[crez5150]

Tears is a great track...... from a different generation maybe but a great track none the less

[risingson]

[quote name='chaypup' post='981653' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:51 PM'][url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10201932"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10201932[/url]

The top 2 spaces are occuppied by The Beatles.

I'm not rubbishing Ken in particular, I just don't like the myth that music was great at one time and it's not now.
If that was the case then there would be no point playing anymore - just listen to old records.[/quote]

I never said that there wasn't good music out now... there is, but nowhere near the volume that there used to be. More attention was paid to great songwriting back in the day, conversely nowadays this simply isn't the case.

[cetera]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='981641' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:45 PM']Say what you like about the monstrous record companies of yore but they acted as a fairly efficient sh*t filter. Now that every self-deluding spod and his mate has got garageband, the netz is an arse-flood of derivative, badly executed material with all the appeal of a nasty case of projectile leprosy.

I'd be perfectly happy to see a revival of interest in 'Originals' if the output was any good. It isn't.[/quote]

+1 to all that!

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='risingson' post='981645' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']I partially agree but there IS always good music out there[/quote]
Possibly. But probably not. This sort of peppy optimism just sets you up for a life of black depression and a final, eye-catching public suicide.

[quote name='risingson' post='981645' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']you just need to look a little harder for it[/quote]
Why should I go looking for it. It should come to me. Politely ring my doorbell, announce itself and run through the number. I'll let it know if it's any good. Which it probably won't be. Then I'll kill it and bury it in the back garden with the Avon ladies, the Jehovahs and that little f***er with the skateboard from up the road.

[quote name='risingson' post='981645' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']and approach it with an open mind.[/quote]
Not a prayer. I'm staunch in my beliefs. And they're closed for business.

[quote name='risingson' post='981645' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']There is still talent out there.[/quote]
Possibly. Somewhere in the rain-lashed Shetlands. Or Guadeloupe.

[quote name='chaypup' post='981653' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:51 PM']I just don't like the myth that music was great at one time and it's not now. If that was the case then there would be no point playing anymore - just listen to old records.[/quote]
Works for me, older the better. Bands of today aren't fit to suck the dangleberries off Ken Dodd's arse, let alone Max Bygraves'.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='crez5150' post='979967' date='Oct 6 2010, 10:11 PM']This is true...... but then you find most of them smother the burger in Ketchup........[/quote]

The chain pub burger yes. Doing that in my house will get you ejected from my house. That is one of the many reasons I far prefer it.

[bassicinstinct]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='981672' date='Oct 8 2010, 03:09 PM']The chain pub burger yes. Doing that in my house will get you ejected from my house. That is one of the many reasons I far prefer it.[/quote]


Prefer what?

The chain pub burger or the ketchup?

[TimR]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='981641' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:45 PM']Say what you like about the monstrous record companies of yore but they acted as a fairly efficient sh*t filter. Now that every self-deluding spod and his mate has got garageband, the netz is an arse-flood of derivative, badly executed material with all the appeal of a nasty case of projectile leprosy.

I'd be perfectly happy to see a revival of interest in 'Originals' if the output was any good. It isn't.[/quote]

This is because the venues used to put the sh*t bands on during the week and had a bit of pride in who they would put on at the weekends. I'm wondering if now they'll just put anyone on who will draw a crowd.

Which takes me back to my post about 5 days ago about the band I was in during the 80s. People came to see us because it was the place to be and not because we were good.

Maybe it has always been the same, but we never got a big Friday or Saturday night, even though we packed out the Tuesday and Wednesday slots. Maybe even back then the clubs knew that their reputation counted on having good bands.

I do go to see originals bands both on a weekdays and on Saturday and Sunday nights and the quality is variable. I wouldn't say that the music from the Saturday night bands is a lot better than the Weekday ones (better is a subjective term) but they are (generally) more proficient at producing and performing those songs.

It's down to promotion, if a club/pub regularly promotes good quality originals and gets a good reputation for doing so they'll get good repeat business from people who would rather go and see cover band that risk a dodgy originals band.

With less and less venues doing live music and people who have less time and money to go out seeking good music this has got to be the way to go.

Why play in a covers band - audience numbers. BUT I am also happy to play on a weeknight to a half empty pub if the people are going to enjoy what I play. Playing covers will guarantee that. Orginals may not. I have and do play in originals bands but preferably to a receptive audience, which means that my filter is pretty high and I don't play just to play.

Edited October 8, 2010 by TimR

[risingson]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='981666' date='Oct 8 2010, 03:07 PM']I'm staunch in my beliefs. And they're closed for business.[/quote]

A strange attitude to take, equally I think this sort of thing can leave you jaded and pining for the old days. I'm happy to concede that music is no where near as good as it used to be, but what are you so afraid of? Actually finding out there is something within the past three years you've actually enjoyed?