hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='vsmith1' timestamp='1422348608' post='2671343'] Hmm...Gail Ann Dorsey lays down some mean bass for Bowie - I hope it goes well for you. [/quote] She sure does. Absolutely love her playing. I swapped from playing my Jazz, which I used at the 1st rehearsal, to my Stingray which I used last night and it's going to have to be the Stingray from now on. It's just got that sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1422349567' post='2671359'] Certainly while you are building up a following, you'll need to play things that the non-Bowie fans will be familiar with. That probably means including stuff like Dancing In The Street. How good are your vocalists? I'd love to have a crack at Under Pressure, but we don't have anyone who can sing the Bowie part. [/quote] I refuse to play Dancing In The Street as I'm completely sick of it. I think it's been in the set of just about every band I've been in. Just can't do it anymore. We did Under Pressure at the aforementioned charity gig, so that will make an appearance at some point. We had other vocalists in to assist when we did it, so it may take some re-jigging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Does anyone kno wwhat happened to George Murray, by the way? He disappeared after Scary Monsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1422354733' post='2671437'] Unless your singer is actually David Bowie.... Of course if you really want to be eclectic in your choices you need to play at least one Tin Machine track! [/quote] Well, funny you should mention that, 'cos here he is back in the day.... [url="http://youtu.be/jp7ZqJg3NWM"]http://youtu.be/jp7ZqJg3NWM[/url] We WILL be doing Under The God at some point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1422355247' post='2671446'] Here's the set list of the band that Roland Rock used to be in; [url="http://www.rebelrebelband.co.uk/Set%20List%20&%20Tracks.htm"]http://www.rebelrebe...0&%20Tracks.htm[/url] And since it came up on google here's the list from a USA based tribute of the same name!; [url="http://www.rebelrebeltribute.com/set-list.php"]http://www.rebelrebe...om/set-list.php[/url] Might give you some idea of what's doable and is accepted by the public in a working band. [/quote] Thanks for that. I'll have a look later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1422356769' post='2671469'] How about a leftfield choice, "All the Young Dudes"? [/quote] Er, that's in the first ten already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I play lots of Bowie in various bands, but the one personal favourite I haven't yet gigged is Blue Jean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Arkadin Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1422322920' post='2671250'] I almost don't want to do Heroes (the song) as it's just too obvious. Is that wrong? There is some great stuff on Lodger and that will come soon enough. [/quote] Yeah I'd avoid "Heroes", although that means nothing from that album except Beauty and the Beast or Joe the Lion which I love but not sure how well known they are outside of Bowie crowd. Might be nice to throw in the occasional curve ball amongst the more obvious tracks. I love Lodger, Repitition is fantastic but not well known, plus Red Sails, Red Money (You could do the Iggy Pop version Sister Midnight) and the fantastic Fantastic Voyage. Probably Look Back in Anger would be the track to do to avoid the obvious single. If you can pull off Five Years it's an amazingly powerful track. Edited January 27, 2015 by Mr Arkadin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1422358354' post='2671495'] Er, that's in the first ten already. [/quote] Doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) [quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1422356769' post='2671469'] How about a leftfield choice, "All the Young Dudes"? [/quote] [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1422358354' post='2671495'] Er, that's in the first ten already. [/quote] Shouldn't that really be in the Mott The Hoople set, anyway? Edited January 27, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1422360283' post='2671526'] Shouldn't that really be in the Mott The Hoople set, anyway? [/quote] Probably, but since he wrote it and did it live, I think we can get away with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1422360569' post='2671533'] Probably, but since he wrote it and did it live, I think we can get away with it [/quote] D'oh! Now I want to hear 'All The Way From Memphis'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 So, after a call this morning, we're now up to fifteen.... 1. China Girl 2. Let's Dance 3. The Jean Genie 4. Rebel Rebel 5. Starman 6. Changes 7. Suffragette City 8. Rock & Roll Suicide 9. All The Young Dudes 10. The Stars (Are Out Tonight) 11. The Man Who Sold The World 12. I'm Afraid of Americans 13. Ziggy Stardust 14. Sound and Vision 15. Ashes to Ashes Best I get off the computer and learn some songs then.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1422360728' post='2671536'] Best I get off the computer and learn some songs then... [/quote] Yes, get on with it - we'll need to see a video of you covering those fifteen songs by 2pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliusmonk Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) I'd drop I'm afraid of Americans and include Space Oddity. I'd personally play Seven days or Wild is the wind or Life on Mars (heck I'd play all 3) if you have a good singer. Edited January 27, 2015 by juliusmonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnythenotes Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 If your doing a Bowie tribute, I think you must reflect the fact he has a presence in music for six decades......60's to present. Easy just to focus on, for example, the 70's and and or eighties, but that is only a small percentage of both his career and his catalogue. Also, if you are show casing him, don't forget his involvement with dozens of other artists...... Mott The Hoople and All The Young Dudes to name but one. If you look at his time with us, and his total portfolio of songs, you could start a dozen Bowie tribute bands, and still not repeat each others material.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 From a commercial aspect, I would suggest you learn everything off his Greatest Hits album, whether it is going to be a permanent feature of the set or not. Last thing you want is a crowd of people calling for a well known tune that, erm, you don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1422365982' post='2671657'] If your doing a Bowie tribute, I think you must reflect the fact he has a presence in music for six decades......60's to present. Easy just to focus on, for example, the 70's and and or eighties, but that is only a small percentage of both his career and his catalogue. Also, if you are show casing him, don't forget his involvement with dozens of other artists...... Mott The Hoople and All The Young Dudes to name but one. If you look at his time with us, and his total portfolio of songs, you could start a dozen Bowie tribute bands, and still not repeat each others material.. [/quote] But also bear in mind that from an audience PoV a tribute band tends to reflect the more popular moments of the artist that they are covering which in the case of Bowie means the majority of the set should be material from the 70s and 80s, and that is borne out by the set lists of the two bands listed earlier in this thread. I'd consider myself to be a Bowie Fan, but my record collection goes from Hunky Dory to Scary Monsters only, and I'd be perfectly happy to see a tribute band play the set from the Ziggy Startdust film minus some of the extended soloing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I'm with the Space Oddity vote - it was the song that did it for him (puts on tin hat) and, way out on the left field (& not that easy to sing properly) - London Boys.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnythenotes Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Hiya Big Red......I am not suggesting have a similar number of songs from the 6 decades, just maybe one or two songs to show recognition of the fact he has been around for as long as he has. If I was to buy a ' best of Soul ' album, I would end up with the 40 most commercial and overplayed songs ever.....Midnight Hour, Mustang Sally, Dock of the bay, Hard to handle etc. These are not bad songs, they have just been overdone over the last 40 years, although play them in front of a completely bladdered crowd at a wedding, and they will think you are better than The Beatles. A good Bowie tribute band could pull in a crowd with an age ranging from teenagers up to folks well into their sixties....(as the man himself is,) and this may require a good knowledge of his songs other than his 70's and 80's period. For me,learn his biggest sellers in terms of sales, and use these in set one and two, and then learn a further 10 or so of his less 'Top of the Pops' type songs for requests, or a more targeted Bowie crowd...... Chuck one or two of these in occasionally, and the bands credibility goes way up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Arkadin Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) Yeah just the usual tracks for me would be 'meh'. I would look at his recent "Nothing has changed." compilation for some different tracks. I would drop China Girl in favour of Cat People (there's a great 12" remix I seem to remember, maybe check out that version) and something like New Killer Star and Heart's Filthy Lesson are still rocking and might mix things up a bit, even if they aren't particularly well known outside of Bowie freaks like me. I for one am glad you're throwing in some less obvious material. Edited January 27, 2015 by Mr Arkadin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merello Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Disagree about Heroes - just do it differently with the slow build up and smashing end as he tends to do in more modern gigs. Look on YT for him live at the BBC or a modern gig. Excellent song. TBH - a lot of Bowie tracks being suggested I don't know and I would suggest many attending a gig would feel the same. Like Cat People too and This is not America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1422320972' post='2671240'] There's nothing from Station to Station, Low, Heroes or Lodger - that's quite a big ommission. [/quote] That was my first thought too. I suspect Bowie fans would like some of the newer stuff in their too. I would by probably miss out tin machine or the Tonight album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) And Drive in Saturday would be a fave for me too ! Edited January 27, 2015 by lonestar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Little Wonder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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