Covers band - change of direction

[OzMike]

I'm about to start playing with a covers band - the songs range in style from blues to rock to 'classic' Estonian tunes from the 60s through 90s. The band gigs pretty regularly (several times per month) and each member is paid pretty decently (for this part of the world). In fact, I've joined it mainly to make some extra dosh - 4 gigs a month equates to about an extra 200 EUR here, not bad (IMHO) at all. The average salary is about 500 - 550EUR month, so a couple hundred EUR (tax free) is very handy.

However... today the band leader called me. As this band has been around for a while a few members are feeling quite jaded, and want to do some different songs. The problem is that no-one can really agree on what songs to play. In previous cover bands it was generally accepted it was necessary to play some songs you didn't like, and to my way of thinking this is a good compromise. Also, once you actually start playing the songs you 'hate' often they become more or less ok.

Back to the band leader; his idea to solve all the problems regarding song selection was to play medleys - grab the 1 minute (or so) of each song that is familiar to people, and then beat / key match this 1 minute with a bunch of other 1 minute chunks. His idea is to play 50% or more of medleys in the set.

My natural instinct is that this is a crazy idea; people want to hear the whole song, and chopping and changing so much will frustrate the audience. It's also, dare I say it, just lame. His reasoning also included the classic "no-one else has done this, so it's a good idea". I refrained from pointing out that no other bands had done it because it's likely a crap idea but anyway....

Maybe my thinking is off here. Can so many medleys work? Does anyone else's cover band do this sort of thing?

[BottomEndian]

If you can do it like this, I'd be glad to watch:

[crez5150]

My band does this alot. Most of our set is made up of medly's though we play predominantly Disco (yes I said Disco.....) tunes so the idea is that it keeps people on the dance floor all night. Works well and it definitely builds your playing stamina up!!

[algmusic]

I have mixed feelings on medleys.. I think I prefer segue, as then just clip some of the song maybe at the beginning or end. The key in functions is to really keep the audience moving and dance, the minute the music stops, people are usually think about sitting down or getting a pint. If you do a few segues (3 or 4 songs), you have the audience their feet for 20minutes and it's high impact

Most the bands I'm in do about 2 or 3 in the set which keeps the energy up

[crez5150]

[quote name='algmusic' post='1320215' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:12 AM']I have mixed feelings on medleys.. I think I prefer segue, as then just clip some of the song maybe at the beginning or end. The key in functions is to really keep the audience moving and dance, the minute the music stops, people are usually think about sitting down or getting a pint. If you do a few segues (3 or 4 songs), you have the audience their feet for 20minutes and it's high impact

Most the bands I'm in do about 2 or 3 in the set which keeps the energy up[/quote]


This is what I meant.... ^

[Truckstop]

Medleys are good if you want to play lots of songs by the same artist. Really, IMO, you shouldnt play more than 2 songs by the same artist unless you're a tribute group so a way to get around that is to pick 4 or 5 songs you want to play and mash them together.
My pub band does this with The Who (it's handy for skipping the synth parts aswell!), Elton John and Free.

I don't think it'd work if half of your set was medleys. It'd get very boring! It's clever the first couple of times, but after? A bit naff!

Truckstop

[KevB]

Quo started doing this a lot a few years back as they have a huge back catalog. It does start getting a bit 'clubland' though if you're not careful. As mentioned it works better if you stick to medleys by the same band and preferably bands with plenty of hits like the Beatles. Maybe you could work up a medley of the existing classic Estonian tunes to free up more time for new stuff?

[wateroftyne]

I generally hate medleys... they just scream [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JU8dvQ4wvI"]Jive Bunny[/url].

They cheapen the song, IMO.

As an aside.. would you mind posting some youtube clips to the classic Estonian tunes you mention? I'm genuinely intrigued to hear them. Thanks!

[crez5150]

I have to say that the medleys/segue what ever you want to call it really work for us. We do a couple by the same artist but more of them are by various, we use it as more of a way of building up pace/tension on the dancefloor. Then again I guess it depends on what music you play. Our remit is keeping people on the dance floor all the time which is exactly what it does.

[algmusic]

[quote name='Truckstop' post='1320221' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:16 AM']Medleys are good if you want to play lots of songs by the same artist. Really, IMO, you shouldnt play more than 2 songs by the same artist unless you're a tribute group so a way to get around that is to pick 4 or 5 songs you want to play and mash them together.
My pub band does this with The Who (it's handy for skipping the synth parts aswell!), Elton John and Free.

I don't think it'd work if half of your set was medleys. It'd get very boring! It's clever the first couple of times, but after? A bit naff!

Truckstop[/quote]


I have to disagree, you don't have to stick to the same artist, you just have to make sure it works.. Either simluar tempo or feel or groove, and same or complementing key.. One of my bands does Valerie (Mark Ronson Version)/Walking on Sunshine/Can't hurry love/Footloose because they have the same vibe swing style vibe, it works and we play about 3/4 of each song. We play that in the second set and people never stop dancing. It's always beena winner, then we keep it up till the end of the show bar one slowish song for the audience to catch their breath

[algmusic]

[quote name='crez5150' post='1320275' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:47 AM']I have to say that the medleys/segue what ever you want to call it really work for us. We do a couple by the same artist but more of them are by various, we use it as more of a way of building up pace/tension on the dancefloor. Then again I guess it depends on what music you play. Our remit is keeping people on the dance floor all the time which is exactly what it does.[/quote]

+1

P.s. if you ever need a dep bassist or dep drummer, i'm not far SE london. Your bands look like fun (shameless plug :-))

Edited July 29, 2011 by algmusic

[crez5150]

Here's one of our medleys -

Ladies Night - Kool & the Gang >
Last night a DJ saved my wife - Indeep >
Groove Is in the Heart - Deelite >

Groovy

[MB1]

[quote name='algmusic' post='1320215' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:12 AM']I have mixed feelings on medleys.. I think I prefer segue, as then just clip some of the song maybe at the beginning or end. The key in functions is to really keep the audience moving and dance, the minute the music stops, people are usually think about sitting down or getting a pint. If you do a few segues (3 or 4 songs), you have the audience their feet for 20minutes and it's high impact

Most the bands I'm in do about 2 or 3 in the set which keeps the energy up[/quote]

MB1.
When the music stops you sit on a chair? then somebody hands you a parcel covered in newspaper and your only allowed to tear one piece off?
all to the music of Stars on 45.

Edited July 29, 2011 by MB1

[crez5150]

[quote name='algmusic' post='1320284' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:51 AM']+1

P.s. if you ever need a dep bassist or dep drummer, i'm not far SE london. Your bands look like fun (shameless plug :-))[/quote]


Cheers man, keep you in mind

[Truckstop]

[quote name='algmusic' post='1320282' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:50 AM']I have to disagree, you don't have to stick to the same artist, you just have to make sure it works.. Either simluar tempo or feel or groove, and same or complementing key.. One of my bands does Valerie (Mark Ronson Version)/Walking on Sunshine/Can't hurry love/Footloose because they have the same vibe swing style vibe, it works and we play about 3/4 of each song. We play that in the second set and people never stop dancing. It's always beena winner, then we keep it up till the end of the show bar one slowish song for the audience to catch their breath[/quote]

Oh, I agree with that totally! If the aim of your band is to keep people on the floor, then yeah, you need to/should shoehorn similar songs together to keep the vibe going and a medley is the way to do that because sometimes disco songs kind of wind down at the end (Walking on Sunshine being a prime example).
But it's different if you're not a disco/party band and you want to play 3 or 4 songs by the same artist down the pub without people getting fed up.

Truckstop

[algmusic]

[quote name='Truckstop' post='1320292' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:58 AM']Oh, I agree with that totally! If the aim of your band is to keep people on the floor, then yeah, you need to/should shoehorn similar songs together to keep the vibe going and a medley is the way to do that because sometimes disco songs kind of wind down at the end (Walking on Sunshine being a prime example).
But it's different if you're not a disco/party band and you want to play 3 or 4 songs by the same artist down the pub without people getting fed up.

Truckstop[/quote]


Yeah, when I do a pub gig and we have a few songs by the same artist we actually keep them separate.. So might play a some Foos one in the 1st and one in the 2nd/3rd set the same with kings of leona ;-) or killers.. The pub can be slightly different animal at times, as some are happy to site and watch others wanna boogie.. I think you have to read them more than the wedding crowd at times, as I think the party crowd are usually always up for a party, just just gotta convince them ;-)

[matski]

[quote name='MB1' post='1320290' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:58 AM']When the music stops you sit on a chair? then somebody hands you a parcel covered in newspaper and your only allowed to tear one piece off?
all to the music of Stars on 45.[/quote]


Well, I thought it was funny...

[SteveK]

Medleys? Cheeseville, Gorgonzola.

[gerryc]

[quote name='MB1' post='1320290' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:58 AM']MB1.
When the music stops you sit on a chair? then somebody hands you a parcel covered in newspaper and your only allowed to tear one piece off?
all to the music of Stars on 45.[/quote]


[quote name='matski' post='1320679' date='Jul 29 2011, 05:37 PM']
Well, I thought it was funny...[/quote]


As did I..

[nick]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1320271' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:44 AM']I generally hate medleys... they just scream [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JU8dvQ4wvI"]Jive Bunny[/url].

They cheapen the song, IMO.[/quote]

Think the same for the same reason, remind me of Jive Bunny too.
As much as I loathe them (particularly Motown medleys), still done them in some bands (against my will), as I guess they do at least keep the punters on the dancefloor.

Edited July 29, 2011 by nick

[el borracho]

[quote name='KevB' post='1320260' date='Jul 29 2011, 11:39 AM']Quo started doing this a lot a few years back as they have a huge back catalog. It does start getting a bit 'clubland' though if you're not careful. As mentioned it works better if you stick to medleys by the same band and preferably bands with plenty of hits like the Beatles. Maybe you could work up a medley of the existing classic Estonian tunes to free up more time for new stuff?[/quote]

I saw them do this and hated it - never been to see them since.

I think one or two medleys in a set is ok but imo you can overdo it.

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='el borracho' post='1320921' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:39 PM']I think one or two medleys in a set is ok but imo you can overdo it.[/quote]

^ This

There are better ways than 1 minute parts of songs mashed together.

One medly is enough

[OzMike]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1320271' date='Jul 29 2011, 01:44 PM']I generally hate medleys... they just scream [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JU8dvQ4wvI"]Jive Bunny[/url].

They cheapen the song, IMO.

As an aside.. would you mind posting some youtube clips to the classic Estonian tunes you mention? I'm genuinely intrigued to hear them. Thanks![/quote]

Sure! Here's a selection, but you'll have to excuse the imagery. A lot of the original video clips get taken down for copyright reasons, leaving just 'private' youtube videos.

Aeg ei peatu - Apelsin:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAfsYN64V3s"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAfsYN64V3s[/url]

Tühjad Pihud - Gunnar Kraps:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnLvnqkulsE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnLvnqkulsE[/url]

Imelik masin - Mikronid:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSoFdbrikGw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSoFdbrikGw[/url]

Insener Garini hüperboloid - Vennaskond:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYYP5eRyMVM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYYP5eRyMVM[/url]

Mis värvi on armastus:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYwKFIdEdrc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYwKFIdEdrc[/url]

Linda, Linda - Vitamiin:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjh6rtb5BJg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjh6rtb5BJg[/url]

This is a fair range; a number of tunes popular with the older crowd (40+).

[OzMike]

[quote name='SteveK' post='1320785' date='Jul 29 2011, 10:00 PM']Medleys? Cheeseville, Gorgonzola.[/quote]

Exactly my thoughts. However, although being half Estonian, I don't know at a cultural level what works in the market here. And, as I'm slowly beginning to learn, 'cheese' seems to sell. Partially because of being shut up inside the USSR for so long, the music culture in Estonia is sometimes a bit strange and dated.

I appreciate all the feedback. Perhaps this is a situation where commercial considerations trump matters of taste? For 50+ EUR a gig, and within a band that is well organised with gigs planned months ahead, I'd be willing to play almost anything!

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='OzMike' post='1321049' date='Jul 30 2011, 05:21 AM']Exactly my thoughts. However, although being half Estonian, I don't know at a cultural level what works in the market here. And, as I'm slowly beginning to learn, 'cheese' seems to sell. Partially because of being shut up inside the USSR for so long, the music culture in Estonia is sometimes a bit strange and dated.

I appreciate all the feedback. Perhaps this is a situation where commercial considerations trump matters of taste? For 50+ EUR a gig, and within a band that is well organised with gigs planned months ahead, I'd be willing to play almost anything! [/quote]

When you put it that way, it's cheese all the way