Band as juke box scenario

[skej21]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1343403802' post='1750308']


What a bizarre attitude. No wish to sound hostile or anything, but I'm genuinely astonished at that suggestion.

I have sufficient skill and musical ability to play literally thousands of songs ... which I have no intention of playing. Ever. Doesn't matter whether not I CAN play [color=#800000][i]Mary Had A Little Lamb [/i][/color]or [color=#800000][i]Ra-Ra-Rasputin[/i][/color]; what matters is that I have not the slightest interest in or intention of playing those songs.

I use my skill and musical ability to play songs that I like playing. My band doesn't have a big following or anything, but there are enough people out there who like what we play to keep us in gigs.

When we get a request, we reply "[i]We'll play any song, so long as it's on our Set List[/i]". If a punter asks "Why?" we give the same answer as Commando Jack - "[i]If it's your favourite song, why would you want it ruined by us?".[/i]
[/quote]

Suppose it just a different outlook. I see playing for money as a job. I read dots or play what the people playing want.

Id be pissed if I rang 999 for a fire and had the response 'we only do a certain types of fires, not the one you have, sorry' so why should i have that attitude with the service i provide as a musician?

Fair enough, refusing requests if it's originals group, but when you're selling your skills as a musician/ensemble that play others people's music, surely supply and demand comes first. You supply the punter with the songs they want to hear, you get more gigs.

I've never heard of any band losing gigs for trying to play the odd request, but I've heard of plenty not getting booked for having the 'we play our set and nothing more' ego/attitude and refusing to play certain songs for punters.

[flyfisher]

Surely the answer is for the band to take control?

Juke boxes only have a limited selection of songs, so if the band makes the initial selection you can safely let the punters choose whatever one they want.

I saw Elvis Costello do this at the Royal Albert Hall in the 80s. All the songs were on a big spinning wheel and wherever it stopped they'd play that particular song.

He reviived the idea many years later on his 'Spectacular Spinning Songbook' tour and got audience members to spin the wheel.
It all makes for good audience participation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFpJyb4yo1A

[gafbass02]

I get this a lot. We do a very specific set if rocked up pop covers. Britney, Bonnie Tyler, Whigfield etc all rocked up. But you still get 'play enter sandman' all night.
It's like, have you not got what we're doing here?!!? Go see one of the other hundreds of bands playing Hey Joe and enter sandman every night within five miles of here.
Had a guy ask for nirvana every song the other week (while I'm playing and singing too, very aggressive and very annoying) the crowd started to applause me the fourth or fifth time that I'd explained that we didnt know any and hadn't had time to learn any while playing the last song?!!?
Eventually he started shouting green day.
So I relented and played basket case as I happened to know it.
He overreacted, smashed a chair (he seemed a tad, um, 'Borat' )
And got chucked out before the drums had even come in.

[Mog]

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1343328499' post='1749095']
Being a band jukebox has always been a dream of mine. A book at the front of the stage with a list of all the available songs...request made...band plays track.
[/quote]

We used to do this in a band I was in. Live karaoke we called it. Took a lot of practice but it was excellent fun.

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1343336442' post='1749304']
True, it depends on the kind of audience and their alcohol levels
[/quote]

Ah this is why I insist on only playing really late in the evening.
This is to give the crowd chance to get drunk enough to think I am brilliant

I love it when a staggering soul yells out 'your beeping fantastic mate!'

[discreet]

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1343593382' post='1752538']
Ah, this is why I insist on only playing really late in the evening.
This is to give the crowd chance to get drunk enough to think I am brilliant...[/quote]

Right, I'm going out now to see if I can get drunk enough to think you're brilliant...

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343593848' post='1752548']
Right, I'm going out now to see if I can get drunk enough to think you're brilliant...
[/quote]

You will need to drink a lot in a short space of time, then turn on the spot 20 times.

If you are still standing, you won't think I am brilliant.

If you fall over, I will seem to you a Bass LEGEND......

[Gazm]

Well the singer in our band listens to their request while shaking his head then announces that he doesn't want to sleep with her/him and is in a happy relationship. They usually skulk off bright red and hide at the back of the room while everyone else chuckles.

[mrtcat]

We get it all the time. Weddings seem to be worst but its a simple case of if we know it we'll do it (but not necessarily straight away as more often than not they want one of your big closing numbers while half the people are next door watching the bride & groom cut cake) but if we don't we tell them "book us for your wedding / party / funeral and we guarantee we'll learn it".