Genre Bender

[Nicko]

I'm becoming a little bit bored with the setlist.

I like a lot of the songs on the our list to listen to and despise a few. Theres a few classic tracks too that are really not what I want to play but the punters seem to like them. I'm not sure whether I'm just bored with the list because I've been playing it a while now or whether I really want to try something new.

We started off as a "post punk" band, quickly descended into indie and alternative due to lack of recognisable material. I think the drummer is a hard rock fan, the guittard is a blues player who has little musical knowledge outside that genre (except that he doesn't like britpop).

Choosing new songs is a real chore because someone either hates the suggestions or most of the band have no idea what is being suggested. Surely the 90s and later indie and alternative that the audience is likely to recognise is a wide enough genre?

Is this a mid life crisis, or do we really need to expand the list to keep it fresh?

ps this is not a euphamism - it really is about the set list.

[Happy Jack]

Surely that should be [i]genre bendre[/i]?

[colgraff]

Last year I auditioned for a band who were solely 90s Britpop. Before looking at the set I would have said that I really disliked Britpop, but when I saw the songs, it was a brilliant set and they got loads of business off the back of it.

[discreet]

The trouble with covers is you have to play what the punters want to hear, or you end up with no work. How busy are you? You could stay in this band and join another playing songs you prefer... or join an originals band. Or form your own band...

It's probably not a mid-life crisis unless you've already woken up naked in a skip.

Edited December 15, 2015 by discreet

[Nicko]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1450191682' post='2930414']
The trouble with covers is you have to play what the punters want to hear, or you end up with no work. How busy are you? You could stay in this band and join another playing songs you prefer... or join an originals band. Or form your own band...

It's probably not a mid-life crisis unless you've already woken up naked in a skip.
[/quote]

I agree you have to play what the punters will like, but there must be something better than Rocks (Primal Scream), How You Remind Me (Nickleback) or Are you Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz) to fill a set list..

I don't really have the time for another band. I never woke up naked in a skip, but I did once wake up with my head in a KFC Bargain bucket.

[Mattpt85]

I went to watch a band on Saturday, they played 'Are you gonna go my way'
I haven't heard that song for a good while so enjoyed hearing it

[Mattpt85]

There's never a good time for Nickelback.

[colgraff]

'Monster' by The Automatic always goes down a storm and I find it great fun to play. Not musically sophisticated but is less clichéd than many.

Edited December 15, 2015 by colgraff

[discreet]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1450196913' post='2930458']
...I did once wake up with my head in a KFC Bargain bucket.
[/quote]

There you go, the only way is up from now on.

[Roger2611]

As others have said I don't think a good covers band can be tied to one style, the band I used to play with started as a pop punk / indie band but brought in songs way outside of that limited genre, some that I really didn't care for but you have to give them a go and if they are well received by landlords and their punters they are the right songs to be playing, in a night we would end up playing stuff from the 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's and however you write the decades that came afterwards!

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1450188111' post='2930372']

We started off as a "post punk" band, quickly descended into indie and alternative due to lack of recognisable material. I think the drummer is a hard rock fan, the guittard is a blues player who has little musical knowledge outside that genre (except that he doesn't like britpop).

[/quote]

I'm struggling to see how you got to where you are now from this. Did you form the band together? Are there just the three of you?

I'd start with the market - what do the local pubs want - and then build a set list around this, avoiding anything that any of the members really can't stand. Forget genres, as has often been said, there are only two types of music...

[Rich]

Another alternative -- take songs from an entirely different genre and make punk/indie/alt versions of them. Yootoob is full of great examples of genre mashings, they can work brilliantly well and are a load of fun. It's a good way of getting punter-pleasing songs that everyone knows into your set whilst still fitting in with the rest of your stuff.

[Nicko]

Ah, take the Me First and The Gimme Gimmes approach? It has been considered

[SICbass]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1450205396' post='2930556']
there are only two types of music...
[/quote]

County AND Western

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1450208970' post='2930602']
Another alternative -- take songs from an entirely different genre and make punk/indie/alt versions of them. Yootoob is full of great examples of genre mashings, they can work brilliantly well and are a load of fun. It's a good way of getting punter-pleasing songs that everyone knows into your set whilst still fitting in with the rest of your stuff.
[/quote]

+1
This can be bags of fun. We did it with our gradually fading Disco band.

[Maude]

We change the style of a lot of our covers. Pretty Vacant in a swing style, Groove is in the Heart starts off swing and then at the 1,2,3 bit changes to a fast bluegrass, I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor as a rockabilly song, etc.
The punters seem to really love recognising the song but not really twigging exactly what it is for a little bit, usually when the chorus comes in.
Great fun for all involved and if you get bored playing a crowd pleaser you can keep it in the set but change the style to keep it interesting.

Oh yeah and believe it or not I have woken up in a skip, but I wasn't naked so probably doesn't count, ah alcohol, my dear friend

Edited December 16, 2015 by Maude

[blue]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1450188111' post='2930372']
I'm becoming a little bit bored with the setlist.

I like a lot of the songs on the our list to listen to and despise a few. Theres a few classic tracks too that are really not what I want to play but the punters seem to like them. [/quote]

If your a real working band at the pub level it's always about what the punters get into. Were there to provide a service to them.

I never bring songs that I like to my band. Only songs that fit the band and what I think will go over well with the punters.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1450191682' post='2930414']
The trouble with covers is you have to play what the punters want to hear, or you end up with no work. How busy are you? You could stay in this band and join another playing songs you prefer... or join an originals band. Or form your own band...

It's probably not a mid-life crisis unless you've already woken up naked in a skip.
[/quote]

Agreed 100%.

Thing is,it seems like a lot of guys don't want a lot of work. I see more often then not." We only want to gig once or twice a month"

Blue

[Nicko]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1450229666' post='2930841']
Agreed 100%.

Thing is,it seems like a lot of guys don't want a lot of work. I see more often then not." We only want to gig once or twice a month"

Blue
[/quote]

As you say, we only want maybe one gig a month - there's nothing wrong with that. We are amateurs holding down proper day jobs that sometimes involve long hours so we are playing for fun. The gigs are only really there because it adds a bit of direction and variety. I think we all enjoy gigging but really wouldn't want to gig every week.

[alyctes]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1450199277' post='2930479']
There you go, the only way is up from now on.
[/quote]

Question is, up what...

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1450199277' post='2930479']
There you go, the only way is up from now on.
[/quote]

I've yet to hear cover band play anything by Yazz.

[Bassjon]

If I hear another band cover the same goddamn songs I'm going to lose my m ind! There's tons of great songs out there, why o why do bands keep playing Basket Case and Freebird at every gig??

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Toon! Sex on fire !

Edited December 18, 2015 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE