The Same Old Songs

[risingson]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1188351' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:20 PM']I don't know what your creative input has been in these songs, but in all my previous bands where the majority of the music had been written my me I could quite easily have the enthusiasm to play all the songs in the set at least once a day if not more often.[/quote]

Say I wrote 'Yesterday', and 80-90% of the people that came to see me live were waiting to hear this every night on an 8-9 month tour. I prefer 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer', another tune I wrote, but only 5-10% of the audience that have come to see me want to hear that. Hypothetical, but still I can fully understand the monotony of repetition in this context. There are a lot of considerable writers that became very tired of playing the same stuff over and over.

[Happy Jack]

And that's why we have Tribute Bands ...

[flyfisher]

@ risingson . . . Yes, that's pretty much the scenario I was envisaging.

But my current frustration is not that I'm personally bored playing the same old songs. My own feeling is that we should play them more often because I don't feel we're performing to our full ability, but clearly some of the other band members are happy with our current level. I appreciate such issues probably arise in all bands (and I also accept that I might also get bored with repetition after a certain point), but I was just curious how professional touring musicians deal with the same issue - especially as I can't envisage myself ever having first-hand experience in a touring band!

Edited April 4, 2011 by flyfisher

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1188399' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:53 PM']And that's why we have Tribute Bands ...[/quote]

. . . an interesting point. I reckon more people must have seen The Bootleg Beatles during their 30 years of touring than saw the original fab four during their entire performing career. Heck, I'd hazard a guess that Macca alone has played Beatles songs to more people than The Beatles ever did.

[okusman]

The band I play in, plays about 30 gigs a year. We very rarely rehearse at volume with all the right kit, which means we have to work very hard when we play. The biggest reason why we sound good is because we LISTEN to each other. You've gotta switch on to your own playing, and I assume that we are not playing gigs with 100s of bum notes, but more importantly does your contribution marry up with the rest of the band. The best gigs are, more often than not, after we've not played together for a few weeks, because we aren't complacent. I've played in the same band for 11 years and I know EXACTLY what the rest of the boys do, are likely do, and what their tricks are. Result..I don't get caught out.. LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN. Only bass players are listening out for what your doing...everyone else in the audience has come to listen to the band.

[risingson]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1188404' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:58 PM']@ risingson . . . Yes, that's pretty much the scenario I was envisaging.

But my current frustration is not that I'm personally bored playing the same old songs. My own feeling is that we should play them more often because I don't feel we're performing to our full ability, but clearly some of the other band members are happy with our current level. I appreciate such issues probably arise in all bands (and I also accept that I might also get bored with repetition after a certain point), but I was just curious how professional touring musicians deal with the same issue - especially as I can't envisage myself ever having first-hand experience in a touring band![/quote]

Do you take any sort of leadership role in the band, i.e. do you call practices, get the gigs etc.? Because if you do then maybe it's worth galvanising your band by organising more rehearsals, if that's what you feel like you're lacking. Bands are made at gigs though, their ability to be as tight as possible comes from being in at the deep end too, so maybe it's worth filling your gig calendar up a little more.

[flyfisher]

Yes, I push for rehearsals all the time, but mutual availability of everyone makes it difficult to manage much one than one per week. I also host them as well, so I think I'm doing my bit. Gig-wise, we've got six in the diary between May and the end of august, which might mean 10 for me across both bands, so not too bad really. Perhaps I'd feel better if I could be confident that the set lists would remain over that period of time - we'll see.
Still, better playing something than nothing I guess.

[chris_b]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1188404' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:58 PM']....I might also get bored with repetition after a certain point), but I was just curious how professional touring musicians deal with the same issue....[/quote]
How do actors perform in the same play for months and stand ups do the same routine hundreds of times? How did BB King and his band keep sane doing 300 gigs a year for over 30 years?

It doesn't matter if you are playing the same song, saying the same lines or telling the same joke what makes every time worth doing is the thing called "the performance." That is the real job you are doing and trying to do well. The variety comes from every audience and every performance being different.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1187468' date='Apr 4 2011, 10:02 AM']I dont know if this is any help,but i listen to songs that im learning until im bored to tears with it.Only then do i pick up a bass and learn it,then it comes a lot easier to me.[/quote]

+1000 to this. When i joined my current band I would listen to the tracks all throughout my night shifts, then every time I sat down to actually learn the songs I'd have them down in record time