BigRedX Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383227838' post='2261817'] Covers bands and tribute bands are something to aspire to if you want to and enjoy playing that music. I don't find that at all depressing myself. I certainly don't want to go see a tribute band myself , but if I got offered the chance to play the part of Geezer Butler in the Kossovo Albanian Black Sabbath or similar and they were a competent outfit then I would jump at the chance. I 've played in covers bands in the past and enjoyed it tremendously, on the whole. Playing other artist's songs presents a whole other set of challenges as a musician . There is nothing demeaning about that. I might not want to watch a classic rock covers band , but I would love to be playing in one., and probably soon will be again . Is that wrong? It's exciting and interesting for most folks to see a live band when they go out for an evening , especially compared to music from a jukebox or D.J . What could possibly be wrong with that ? There will always be a place for that , and it's a perfectly respectable creative avenue for any musician . What I can say with absolute certainty is that playing covers for an audience forced me to improve my playing in all kinds of ways , so it was great practise in that respect. I'm certainly not playing at being a rock star , exactly the opposite in fact. I'm accepting the unavoidable truth that I am in my fourties and that that chance is gone forever, but I still need to play music and so need to find a suitable outlet . Time conquers us all. And as for sad emptiness , I see plenty of that in original artists and their music , quite a lot of which gains mass acceptance and even acclaim , so I wouldn't be too hung up about that . [/quote] Regarding playing in a classic rock covers band goes, I thought pretty my the same as you. It's the music I grew up to loads of fantastic songs that 30 years on I am still enjoying. All the really hard work has been done for us so we can spend the time really working on the other aspects of being in a band. The reality wasn't quite the same and ultimately I found it to be a somewhat depressing experience. There was little of the drive that most originals bands have, and some of my favourite songs have been ruined forever to point where I can't enjoy listening to the originals any more. Maybe your experience would be different and you'd have a great time, Mine wasn't and it has made me value what I get out of being in a band where I have a major creative input all the more. Secondly why do you think your chance at being a rock star has gone forever? Is it because you have different priorities in your life now and the amount of work you need to put in to being in an originals band is simply incompatible with the other things you want to do with your life, or is it just because you are in your 40s? From what I can see these days the music business has changed so much that the small amount of opportunities that used to exist in the 60s 70s and 80s are massively diminished no matter what age you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1383227423' post='2261810'] There's no monetary gain to speak of, just lots of hard work for the pleasure of playing to often indifferent audiences. [/quote]This is why I play live, although the indifferent audiences can become wearing, but those same audiences do make the appreciative ones special. The lead singer in the only band I'm in at the moment plays in 2 additional cover bands (one a full on tribute) and she also does her own original thing which has had festive and radio exposure (all this and holds down a full time, high level job too! I reckon she's manipulating the fabric of time to fit it all in). I'd like to get me some of that originals action too; it's all grist for the mill to me, if I enjoy the music being played - bring it on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1383227423' post='2261810'] Nothing wrong with that aspect is there? [b]I just get a little fed up with cover band advocates slagging off unfamiliar originals bands because of perceived quality issues[/b]. Those of us in originals bands know how hard it can be to create a body of work and build an audience, regardless of the perceived quality of the music. There's no monetary gain to speak of, just lots of hard work for the pleasure of playing to often indifferent audiences. [/quote] And people in covers bands get fed up of people in originals bands looking down their noses at them for being unoriginal, selling out, making more money for perceived less effort/artistic value or whatever the damn beef is. At the risk of sounding like a total sap - we're all performing music here, can't we all just get along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383229034' post='2261843'] some of my favourite songs have been ruined forever to point where I can't enjoy listening to the originals any more. [/quote]Sweet Home Alabama, Mustang Sally & Alright Now have been completely ruined for me by poor covers; I used to like those songs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1383227423' post='2261810'] There's no monetary gain to speak of, just lots of hard work for the pleasure of playing to often indifferent audiences. [/quote] I'm guessing you're not in "sales" then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1383229625' post='2261854'] Sweet Home Alabama, Mustang Sally & Alright Now have been completely ruined for me by poor covers; I used to like those songs [/quote] I have a similar problem by the time I've learnt a new cover to play with my band I'm sick to death of it, mind you that's probably because It takes so long for my ageing muscle memory to kick in. Edited October 31, 2013 by PaulWarning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyKnees Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1383229482' post='2261849'] And people in covers bands get fed up of people in originals bands looking down their noses at them for being unoriginal, selling out, making more money for perceived less effort/artistic value or whatever the damn beef is. At the risk of sounding like a total sap - we're all performing music here, [b]can't we all just get along[/b]? [/quote] Where's the fun in that? I don't look down my nose at cover bands (tribute acts maybe), but I do think the preponderance of said cover/tributes acts has to some extent squeezed the market/opportunities for original stuff, at least round where I live. Perhaps it's just a geographical thing, I don't know. Perhaps it's just all the crappy unprofessional original bands out there getting what they deserve. Cover bands can be ok in a pub setting if done well, but I'd never go out of my way to watch one, which is why the whole tribute bands playing huge venues thing leaves me bemused. Still, lots of people[b] seem [/b]to like them, so what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383226255' post='2261787'] No, this was Little Feet . They sound just like Little Feat but their feet are smaller. [/quote] Awww how sweet. Clearly not big shoes to fill then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Not my kind of music or bass playing - but very good. Well done these men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383229034' post='2261843'] Regarding playing in a classic rock covers band goes, I thought pretty my the same as you. It's the music I grew up to loads of fantastic songs that 30 years on I am still enjoying. All the really hard work has been done for us so we can spend the time really working on the other aspects of being in a band. The reality wasn't quite the same and ultimately I found it to be a somewhat depressing experience. There was little of the drive that most originals bands have, and some of my favourite songs have been ruined forever to point where I can't enjoy listening to the originals any more. Maybe your experience would be different and you'd have a great time, Mine wasn't and it has made me value what I get out of being in a band where I have a major creative input all the more. Secondly why do you think your chance at being a rock star has gone forever? Is it because you have different priorities in your life now and the amount of work you need to put in to being in an originals band is simply incompatible with the other things you want to do with your life, or is it just because you are in your 40s? From what I can see these days the music business has changed so much that the small amount of opportunities that used to exist in the 60s 70s and 80s are massively diminished no matter what age you are. [/quote] I wholeheartedly agree that learning songs you love is a very good way to fall out of love with them to the extent that you never want to hear them again , but by the same token , learning songs note -for -note like the original by ear has helped me improve my skills on the bass and as a musician immeasurably , so it's a price I am prepared to pay . ( Having said that, though , one I have learned the original I often play my own version of the line , depending on how integral the original bassline is to the song) . At the same time , the last thing I want to do is be prescriptive for anybody else , and if it makes someone unhappy to play covers then , of course, don't do it. The thing about playing original music is that in most instances , the culture surrounding pop music is such that it is the domain of younger people . Not exclusively, of course, and there are plenty of older sidemen in backing bands , but in terms of new and original bands , there are not many that become established acts who are much older than their early thirties , unless they are made up mainly of musicians who have already become successful earlier in their careers. If you want to make original music then you can do that with like-minded people at any age and in any circumstances , but if your ambition for an original band includes getting a record deal, doing tours and gaining an widespread audience then age can be an insurmountable barrier . It shouldn't be that way, not least of all because rock music is an increasingly middle-aged art form ( it's actually drawing its' pension , and so is a large proportion of its' audience) , but all kind of reasons , it is still an age-obsessed industry that excludes and discriminates on that basis. It's crazy , but that's the way it is. Edited October 31, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1383229482' post='2261849'] [b]And people in covers bands get fed up of people in originals bands looking down their noses at them for being unoriginal, selling out, making more money for perceived less effort/artistic value or whatever the damn beef is. [/b] At the risk of sounding like a total sap - we're all performing music here, can't we all just get along? [/quote] Some people might have said that but I did not. I have no beef, I don't look down my nose, large though it is. But I do get a little pissed at the arguments that originals bands are often crap and not worth going out to see. Edited October 31, 2013 by xilddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykilz Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I'm in my forties and play in both an original metal band and a rock covers band, both of which , i've been told ( by people not on my payroll ) are pretty good. However getting originals gigs is like pulling your own teeth out, and you only usually get 40 mins, and theres no pay-check and usually very little audience. The covers band plays 2 plus hours to packed sweaty pubs with a good party vibe, and theres a roll of notes at the end of the night. I love both, but you can't beat playing your own riffs that you lovingly sculpted yourself. Real world though, I'm never going to play my own stuff at a major venue at my age, so yes, being in a covers band lets me enjoy a bit of rock star vibe when the crowd is really into it and singing along!! I still reckon the singer in the covers band in question here is a bit special though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 The long blonde hair and sunglasses, lame, I'll pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1383225667' post='2261776'] This seems to have regressed into a 'covers vs originals' thing again. I like both - there are good bands and bad bands. I do find the attitude of some of the guys who play in originals bands a teensy bit smug and condescending, though. No need for it, really. If you find yourself in an originals band that flicks your switch then well done you. But 99.99% of originals bands I have seen or heard fall short of the mark as far as my tastes are concerned. I'd rather watch a good covers band like that in the OP than a second rate originals. No question. [/quote]Totally agree with all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1383239074' post='2262023'] The long blonde hair and sunglasses, lame, I'll pass. [/quote] Maybe he's a visually impared Swedish transexual . There are plenty of them out there. Edited October 31, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1383238770' post='2262017'] I'm in my forties and play in both an original metal band and a rock covers band, both of which , i've been told ( by people not on my payroll ) are pretty good. However getting originals gigs is like pulling your own teeth out, and you only usually get 40 mins, and theres no pay-check and usually very little audience. The covers band plays 2 plus hours to packed sweaty pubs with a good party vibe, and theres a roll of notes at the end of the night. I love both, but you can't beat playing your own riffs that you lovingly sculpted yourself. Real world though, I'm never going to play my own stuff at a major venue at my age, so yes, being in a covers band lets me enjoy a bit of rock star vibe when the crowd is really into it and singing along!! I still reckon the singer in the covers band in question here is a bit special though. [/quote] And my experience is completely the opposite. I'm in my 50s and I had to recently quit by covers band because I'm simply too busy gigging, rehearsing and recording with my originals band. The covers band were struggling to get a gig a month while the originals band plays on average once every week - and paying gigs too. While the gig fee for the originals band isn't as consistently high yet as the covers band was when you deducted all the expenses that each band incurred actually doing the gig the originals band comes out slightly ahead! The covers band was basically plodding along playing gigs to roughly the same people - mostly mates of the guitarist and drummer while the originals band is off all over the country playing enthusiastic audiences of all ages, some who are discovering the band for the first time others who come and see us play at every opportunity. It is probably more to do with the attitudes of the members of each band towards how the bands were run rather than the choice of material, but the covers band was prepared to coast along, while the originals band is actively doing stuff - playing chasing up gigs interacting with our fans on social media. I know which one is most fun for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I've been in quite a few originals bands, but I've I've always been been in a covers band at the same time. Im only in 2 cover bands now. I loved the thrill of performing something we created, but I've also always loved playing songs I grew up with. Building up a following with an original band takes time and work but is very rewarding, but I also love turning up at a pub/club on a saturday night, blasting through some cover songs I love and the crowd knows, watching people sing along, dance, spill beer everywhere and generally have a great time. It's a different kind of rewarding but enjoyable all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383241484' post='2262068'] It is probably more to do with the attitudes of the members of each band towards how the bands were run rather than the choice of material, but the covers band was prepared to coast along, while the originals band is actively doing stuff - playing chasing up gigs interacting with our fans on social media. I know which one is most fun for me. [/quote] +1 When I'm in covers bands all I actually want to do is gig, the rehearsing, gig chasing etc I could easily do without. I do it because we have to do it to get gigs, keep set list fresh and keep going. But when I'm in an originals band it all seems part of the fun, I WANT to go out promoting ourselves, rehearsing, chasing gigs etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykilz Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383241484' post='2262068'] And my experience is completely the opposite. I'm in my 50s and I had to recently quit by covers band because I'm simply too busy gigging, rehearsing and recording with my originals band. The covers band were struggling to get a gig a month while the originals band plays on average once every week - and paying gigs too. While the gig fee for the originals band isn't as consistently high yet as the covers band was when you deducted all the expenses that each band incurred actually doing the gig the originals band comes out slightly ahead! The covers band was basically plodding along playing gigs to roughly the same people - mostly mates of the guitarist and drummer while the originals band is off all over the country playing enthusiastic audiences of all ages, some who are discovering the band for the first time others who come and see us play at every opportunity. It is probably more to do with the attitudes of the members of each band towards how the bands were run rather than the choice of material, but the covers band was prepared to coast along, while the originals band is actively doing stuff - playing chasing up gigs interacting with our fans on social media. I know which one is most fun for me. [/quote] Good for you sir, must admit the drive to push ourselves now a days in the originals band is somewhat diminished compared to the good ole days, and that, as you rightfully say, is a major factor , maybe the type of music too, who knows, I'm happy doing both and glad I still can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 [quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1383224978' post='2261766'] I'd rather see a covers band than a DJ playing the same songs. [/quote] I now have visions of a disco with the DJ playing all those old Woolworths Top Pops records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 [quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1383238770' post='2262017'] I'm in my forties and play in both an original metal band and a rock covers band, both of which , i've been told ( by people not on my payroll ) are pretty good. However getting originals gigs is like pulling your own teeth out, and you only usually get 40 mins, and theres no pay-check and usually very little audience. The covers band plays 2 plus hours to packed sweaty pubs with a good party vibe, and theres a roll of notes at the end of the night. I love both, but you can't beat playing your own riffs that you lovingly sculpted yourself. Real world though, I'm never going to play my own stuff at a major venue at my age, so yes, being in a covers band lets me enjoy a bit of rock star vibe when the crowd is really into it and singing along!! I still reckon the singer in the covers band in question here is a bit special though. [/quote] this is my experience [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383241484' post='2262068'] And my experience is completely the opposite. I'm in my 50s and I had to recently quit by covers band because I'm simply too busy gigging, rehearsing and recording with my originals band. The covers band were struggling to get a gig a month while the originals band plays on average once every week - and paying gigs too. While the gig fee for the originals band isn't as consistently high yet as the covers band was when you deducted all the expenses that each band incurred actually doing the gig the originals band comes out slightly ahead! The covers band was basically plodding along playing gigs to roughly the same people - mostly mates of the guitarist and drummer while the originals band is off all over the country playing enthusiastic audiences of all ages, some who are discovering the band for the first time others who come and see us play at every opportunity. It is probably more to do with the attitudes of the members of each band towards how the bands were run rather than the choice of material, but the covers band was prepared to coast along, while the originals band is actively doing stuff - playing chasing up gigs interacting with our fans on social media. I know which one is most fun for me. [/quote] And my experience is completely the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathy Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I think that the clips highlight what can be done when you have a great singer and a great drummer. Regarding the ongoing covers v originals debate, I see it this way: You either wrote the music you are performing or you didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted November 6, 2013 Author Share Posted November 6, 2013 But there are lots of members of originals bands that are not involved in the music writing of the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathy Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1383729252' post='2268152'] But there are lots of members of originals bands that are not involved in the music writing of the band. [/quote] That's exactly my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 (edited) If you think they're good you should listen to Van Beukenstein. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbTSYncVsTc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuRAhSR1gHA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuRAhSR1gHA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsbUZ6FmqTM Loads more on youtube. Edited March 24, 2014 by icastle Link fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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