discreet Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1420460154' post='2649498'] We started doing Jumping Jack Flash at least 8 months ago, he still hasn't got the lyrics correct and I suspect he now never will. [/quote] Crikey - not to make a big deal out of it or anything, but the lyrics are hardly War & Peace, are they? It's basically four two-line verses and if you don't know the chorus you must have lived on Mars for the last 47 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 He never got the last 'double' verse (starts with 'I was drowned') sorted at all and now just sings a garbled repeat of bits of the first 2 verses instead. I'm not even sure the first 2 are actually 100% correct anymore either. His other trick is to swap lines around or marry lines from different verses together if they happen to rhyme, does it with 'She's Electric' a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1420461711' post='2649527'] He never got the last 'double' verse (starts with 'I was drowned') sorted at all and now just sings a garbled repeat of bits of the first 2 verses instead. I'm not even sure the first 2 are actually 100% correct anymore either. [/quote] I'm surprised he manages to get his shoes on in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1420402541' post='2649012'] I'm in bands with people who are emotionally stable enough to play a a tune without it causing resentment! I'm not on about playing an entire setlist of songs everyone in the band hates. [/quote] We're hardly scraping for songs. And we're grown up enough that we can say why we don't want to do songs (it's very rarely because anyone actually dislikes the song). It's not as if I'm still in the old club band and playing "Red Red Whine" while smiling through the pain - that would be the wurst option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1420461711' post='2649527'] He never got the last 'double' verse (starts with 'I was drowned') sorted at all and now just sings a garbled repeat of bits of the first 2 verses instead. [/quote] Well that would certainly be enough to make me frown at the crumbs on a crust of bread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1420466198' post='2649591'] Well that would certainly be enough to make me frown at the crumbs on a crust of bread. [/quote] It's just as well there isn't a spike handy on stage, I'd be sorely tempted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1420446942' post='2649343'] Absolutely. I enjoyed the same with a Dire Straits tribute. You hear the songs so often you lose sight of how good the writing is and just how good they are to play - especially the bass parts. [/quote]that was exactly it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='vsmith1' timestamp='1420449950' post='2649361'] Nowadays it feels like that the singer has a casting vote/veto - the "if I can't sing it then we shouldn't do it" [/quote] That gets on my wick too! Just change the key! Our singer trys that a bit. We now even have detuned guitars as well just incase riffs have open E! well the guitarists do. I have the benefits of a five string! Edited January 5, 2015 by Lord Sausage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1420451816' post='2649384'] yep, our band wouldn't be nearly the same without the singer, lets face it we can all learn almost any song if we practice at it (even if we cheat a little) but if the singer can't sing it that's it, we've ditched one or two songs because we had to alter the key that much they just didn't work, Communication Breakdown and Offsprings the Kids Aren't Alright. spring to mind, both very high key, although we did pull off Slade's Merry Christmas in spite of having to lower it 5 semitones, so you never can tell [/quote] actually i can agree with that some tunes can just sound wrong in other keys. especially when songs have been written in D minor. The saddest of all keys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyellowcar Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Consensus based on what our audience will enjoy. We're lucky to have quite a specific target audience so we can think they way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Well were mainly a rock band, but I want to suggest iron lion Zion, so wish me luck. I'm sure I'll win through cos it's a great song and the bass lines easy to sing over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 We basically all pick a song each we want to do which is realistic to play with our band, try them out and drop the ones that suck. If it happens to be yours that sucks then you get to pick another one and we try again. The only difficult thing for me is finding songs that would suit a female singer and has enough going on for two guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HengistPod Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 (edited) We'll generally give anything that any of us suggests a go - we're old enough to know what stands a chance of succeeding both for us and an audience. We're also polite enough to learn suggested stuff that may not be what we'd like to play - it quickly becomes obvious when one or more of us are just not interested in it. This usually happens when it doesn't ever get suggested for the next song that needs a run-through in rehearsal - or if someone does mention it, everyone else kind of goes deaf for a few seconds until something else gets suggested. A lot comes down to the singer, though. If there's not an enthusiastic vocal after a couple of run-throughs, we might as well bin it and try something else. No matter how much some of us want to do it and have studiously learned the Randy Rhoads solo or whatever ... Edited January 6, 2015 by HengistPod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I confess to not having read all three pages so apologies if this isn't new. Our problem is indecision, people suggest loads of songs but we are all too polite to say 'that's awful' so the suggestion get's repeated forever or the awful song gets tried and sticks because we are all too polite again. Just as a bit of fun I started a selection process with an online survey, we all suggested three songs each and then individually ranked the 15 suggestions and tried the top 5. It was remarkably successful. It's anonymous so no hard feelings. To be a top five song at least three people need to love it and no-one hates it if it is to make the top three. It's quick and easy and no endless debating. We had a list of songs within a day of putting the survey up. Three of the five made the set after we jammed them out. What's interesting is how it affects band members, they think of what the rest of the band would like when making suggestions and what the audience will like when voting. Any obscure favourite songs just didn't get votes. We used https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/ We're doing a couple more rounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 [quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1420556614' post='2650588'] A lot comes down to the singer, though. If there's not an enthusiastic vocal after a couple of run-throughs, we might as well bin it and try something else. No matter how much some of us want to do it and have studiously learned the Randy Rhoads solo or whatever ... [/quote] Yeah this is a good shout, we play a few songs the singer is clearly not interested in and I wish he'd just say he doesnt want to play them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Once people start using the excuse they dont like the song and the band allow that excuses the learning of new songs grinds to a halt and eventually does the band. As a successful covers band you are not there to inflict your personalised favourites and obscurities on the audience. Once the I don't like it starts get ready for the band to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HengistPod Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Perhaps a bit drastic, spacey. There are plenty songs out there for your average covers band. Enough so that you don't have to do every one that a band member suggests. Unless, of course, you're an up-to-date pop covers band - in which case you'd expect to have to play the latest chart nonsense however much you dislike it. Which is part of the deal when you join the band, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Easy for us. We ever don't rehearse as such but 2 or 3 times a year when we haven't much on we have a get together to try new songs. There are 3 of us so we bring one each to the party having informed the others by text message what our idea is. We all sing so each initially sings his own song choice while we rearrange the song to suit us and rock it up into our style. Finally we all have a go at singing it and whoever's voice suits best ends up doing the vocal. We deliberately don't listen to the original ever again as soon as someone makes the suggestion unless it's something we don't know at all - and even then only sometimes. I've been singing a Black Keys song for ages that I've never heard , though the riff comes on BBC tv links from time to time. 2 out of 3 of these songs make the set and maybe 1 out of 4 that do get dropped after a few shows because they don't work. We rarely spend more than half an hour on a song , preferring to let it develop fully at gigs - besides , we rehearse in a pub and the bar's open! No idea why but I always seem to end up singing Rod's choices and he ends up doing mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Sorry to resurrect an old thread here but it's better than starting another one the same, and it's pertinent to my current situation. So, bass players in covers bands: is it important to you to have some influence over new additions to your setlist (in order to have your tastes reflected in what your band plays) or are you happy to play what you're told to play (whether you like the song or not) just for the pleasure of being in a band? Edited December 13, 2016 by PaulGibsonBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Some and some. Mostly we all agree, but occasionally if it's a song that only one person is not keen on they swallow. There are a couple in our set list that I'm either a bit fed up with or never really liked, and it's the same for the harmonica player. Unfortunately they're not the same songs! Final say really goes to the guitarist/singer as he has to front them. We are chucking in a couple of Stones numbers for NYE which we would not normally play, and I did put my foot down about "Brown Sugar" as I really don't like it and there's plenty of others. I got my way with that one. I think the guitarist only suggested it because he's a bit lazy and already knew it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Anyone in the band has a veto, no questions asked... Suggestions seem to come pretty much equally all of the band members... So no problems there... I've had problems in the past though and tend not to want want previous mistakes, all of which have been covered above by other folk.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 We have tried several methods. All band members retain a veto, as we all agree theres plenty of songs we can all want to play rather than have one or other of us not wanting to play something - it doesn't need to be done in a childish way. We tried the survey method, but to be honest we just ended up with loads of songs that no one really liked, its just they didn't object to them. We are now working on whoever suggests the song basically has to sell it to the rest of the band, along the lines of: will people know the song will it fit wit the setlist does it interest us as a band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 [quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1481637317' post='3193905'] We have tried several methods. All band members retain a veto, as we all agree theres plenty of songs we can all want to play rather than have one or other of us not wanting to play something - it doesn't need to be done in a childish way. We tried the survey method, but to be honest we just ended up with loads of songs that no one really liked, its just they didn't object to them. We are now working on whoever suggests the song basically has to sell it to the rest of the band, along the lines of: will people know the song will it fit wit the setlist does it interest us as a band [/quote] Very well put. It's pretty much how we work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 [quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1481631993' post='3193851'] So, bass players in covers bands: is it important to you to have some influence over new additions to your setlist (in order to have your tastes reflected in what your band plays) or are you happy to play what you're told to play (whether you like the song or not) just for the pleasure of being in a band? [/quote] I joined an established "crowd pleaser" band, knowing most of the songs already and having gigged them or wanted to gig them in previous bands meant I knew what I was getting in to. I have suggested some songs that we do now and I have suggested different arrangements and medleys, etc. I wouldn't mind if some of my suggestions weren't taken on because the band aren't d!cks about it and I don't go too far astray from our overall theme as a band. Our new criteria are, will people sing and or dance along? Even if it's a song they haven't heard since the 80s? Will we enjoy playing it? Gets rid of the obscure and keeps it on the crowd pleaser theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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