Is originality dead?

[Dad3353]

... and a Rickenbacker bass..?

[Mykesbass]

Rag n Bone Man has created a very original take on the Blues, just like the Rolling Stones did 50 years ago and ZZ Top did 30 years ago. Sure, none of these have reinvented the wheel, but it shows that music is still evolving significantly.

[Rubbersoul]

I love writing songs. I love hearing original music. Unfortunately, a lot of what is being touted as original is really not. I've walked away from many a gig being disappointed by the lack of originality on show. My own tunes probably aren't as "original" as I like to think of them for that matter! I hate a paint by numbers cover band but one playing with energy and enthusiasm whilst adding their own twist can be a fantastic night out.

[blue]

Back in 2008 I replaced the bass player in 2MorrowEvrAfter. I liked the original material.

Nobody was even slightly interested.

https://youtu.be/35QiodVB-Ew

Blue

Edited August 3, 2017 by blue

[bazzbass]

most gigging musicians have no original bone in their body, all they can do is mimic someone else.

A cover song is interesting until I learn it, then it's boring to play it, unless it's Zeppelin. But I don't look like JPJ so no tribute band will take me.

Me, I've always preferred to play originals, to far fewer people and for far less money than a coverband would get.

Young people these days only want to hear what they've been told to like, they want a song they've heard a zillion times because they know how to dance to it lol.

we are regressing...."I don't beLIEVE it"

[blue]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1501736888' post='3346932']
most gigging musicians have no original bone in their body.[/quote]

In my neck of the woods I could make the argument that most original musicians don't have an original bone in their body.

Blue

[prowla]

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1501661366' post='3346226']
[b] Is originality dead?[/b]


[/quote]It's been said before...

[lojo]

Definition of original is also difficult , what do people expect to hear ?

Oh my , he's playing an E , not very original

Is a 12 bar blues song with new modern lyrics about social media stress original ?

I love covers and originals , I think I'm lucky to enjoy both camps , I feel some are missing out on the simple joys

Some further silly thoughts

Covers

For me most covers gigs are about the party , like a disco but with a band

Some however are like listening to an album but with a visual and live experience

Edited August 3, 2017 by lojo

[Barking Spiders]

I think it's fine doing covers, as long as your choice of covers is errm ..'original' i.e. excludes Sex On Fire, Mustang Sally etc. I used to play in a funk band but we avoided evergreens like Good Times, Play that Funky Music White Boy et al ..great as they are. instead we'd cover Flashlight, I Wanna Take You Higher, Hollywood Swinging. We had out own material but knew we'd have a snowball's chance viz getting any gigs

[stingrayPete1977]

Playing originals in a party/function gig environment is no different to playing unknown songs by well known artists, they might be great songs but they'll fall flat on their faces.

Once I'd come to terms with the fact fame and fortune as a musician wasn't going to happen it became a choice of gigging known songs to an audience that were enjoying it or playing mainly to half empty rooms full of younger people wondering why anyone over the age of 25 would try and write a song, lol.

Edited August 3, 2017 by stingrayPete1977

[Skybone]

It seems that around here, 85-90% of bands do covers, young, old, inbetween, mostly covers.

There's a few bands playing their own songs, but not many unfortunately.

Personally, I've always found doing covers a bit boring, because "you've got to play it like the original", some of the best covers I've heard have been a bands interpretation of a song, played in their style.

I remember being "berated" by the guitarist of a band I was in, because I wasn't playing the song right. "Which bit", asks I, "the pauses in the bit there are out, you aren't playing it like the original". Pretty much sums up my experience of doing covers "You're not playing it right", sorry, but I bet the band that recorded the song originally never quite play it "right" either.

[lojo]

I think some of the experiences people seem to have had in covers bands is a shame , because I've had some good times with some like minded people , but I totally get why playing with people who make comments like the guitarist mentioned in the post above ruin what might have been an enjoyable project

We had no rules in our covers band , some songs we tried play something near the record , right down to the right sounds , and other times we altered the instrumentation , structure or feel , both I found an enjoyable process and achievement

[TimR]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1501781304' post='3347347']
It seems that around here, 85-90% of bands do covers, young, old, inbetween, mostly covers.

There's a few bands playing their own songs, but not many unfortunately.

Personally, I've always found doing covers a bit boring, because "you've got to play it like the original", some of the best covers I've heard have been a bands interpretation of a song, played in their style.

I remember being "berated" by the guitarist of a band I was in, because I wasn't playing the song right. "Which bit", asks I, "the pauses in the bit there are out, you aren't playing it like the original". Pretty much sums up my experience of doing covers "You're not playing it right", sorry, but I bet the band that recorded the song originally never quite play it "right" either.
[/quote]

10 times out of 10 the bands that think they're playing it exactly like the original, aren't.

Steer clear of musicians who think that way.

[lojo]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1501853990' post='3347811']


10 times out of 10 the bands that think they're playing it exactly like the original, aren't.

Steer clear of musicians who think that way.
[/quote]

Bit over the top to stay steer clear ?

I think any band who says their goal is to play it straight is aware it won't be to the mm

[TimR]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1501866229' post='3347938']


Bit over the top to stay steer clear ?

I think any band who says their goal is to play it straight is aware it won't be to the mm
[/quote]

You'd be surprised at how controlling some musicians can be about how close everyone else in the band has to play to the original. I'm all for a Guitarist pointing out the original bass line is different to what I'm playing, but I draw the line when they try to teach it to me note for note (especially when what they're teaching isn't the original bass line either. )

As I say there's close and there's exact. Stay clear of the latter. They're often deluded.

Edited August 5, 2017 by TimR

[Dad3353]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1501927126' post='3348252']...
As I say there's close and there's exact. Stay clear of the latter. They're often deluded.
[/quote]

This 'advice' is quite close to a 'control freak' mentality, too, I'd say..!

[TimR]

Like all my posts. It's just advice.

[bazzbass]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1501666762' post='3346325']


I don't understand the snobbery associated with playing covers.
[/quote]
of course you don't, you've never written an original piece of music and thus don't understand that it takes far more talent to write a song or bassline than it does to mimic what someone else has done. You belong in cover bands for a reason. You probably also like being paid to play in front of an audience. Original bands usually do neither of these things, but I am cool with that. Music is art to me, not a money making opportunity.

[blue]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1502080773' post='3349112']

of course you don't, you've never written an original piece of music and thus don't understand that it takes far more talent to write a song or bassline than it does to mimic what someone else has done. You belong in cover bands for a reason. You probably also like being paid to play in front of an audience. Original bands usually do neither of these things, but I am cool with that. Music is art to me, not a money making opportunity.
[/quote]

" It's art when the check clears "
Andy Warhol

😁

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1501736888' post='3346932']
most gigging musicians have no original bone in their body, all they can do is mimic someone else.

A cover song is interesting until I learn it, then it's boring to play it, unless it's Zeppelin. But I don't look like JPJ so no tribute band will take me.

Me, I've always preferred to play originals, to far fewer people and for far less money than a coverband would get.

Young people these days only want to hear what they've been told to like, they want a song they've heard a zillion times because they know how to dance to it lol.

we are regressing...."I don't beLIEVE it"
[/quote]

Can you post some of your stuff, so we can decide how original it is, please?

As for me, I play originals and covers, and I don't really make any distinction.

[blue]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1501781304' post='3347347']

I remember being "berated" by the guitarist of a band I was in, because I wasn't playing the song right. [/quote]

Sounds more like a "I picked the wrong band" issue than a playing it right issue

Why would anyone join a band that berates another member for any reason?

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1502080773' post='3349112']

You probably also like being paid to play in front of an audience. [/quote]

There's certainly nothing wrong with not getting paid and not playing to an audience. Some musicians are not into that.

It's a personal preference. I prefer to play to anudience for a fee. Comerse allows us to do that.

Blue

Edited August 7, 2017 by blue

[Dad3353]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1502080773' post='3349112']
of course you don't...
[/quote]

The aggressive, rude and arrogant style of this post is unwarranted and unwelcome. Please refrain from such in future. Thanks in advance.

[dlloyd]

I find this subject fascinating.

The snobbishness about "cover bands" just didn't exist in the 1960s. The attitude was to form a band and get out there and play. Take a look at the early setlists of some of the British musicians that are typically held as innovators of that period:

Jimi Hendrix Experience:[list]
[*]Killing Floor - cover
[*]Have Mercy - cover
[*]Can you see me - original
[*]Like a Rolling Stone - cover
[*]Rock me Baby - cover
[*]Catfish Blues - cover
[*]Stone Free - original
[*]Hey Joe - cover
[*]Wild Thing - cover
[/list]
Cream[list]
[*]Spoonful - cover
[*]Crossroads blues - cover
[*]I'm So Glad - cover
[/list]
Led Zeppelin[list]
[*]Train Kept A-Rolling - cover
[*]I Can't Quit You Baby - cover
[*]As Long As I Have You - cover
[*]Dazed and Confused - cover*
[*]White Summer/Black Mountain Side - cover*
[*]How Many More Times - cover*
[/list]
The Who[list]
[*]I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying - cover
[*]You Really Got Me - cover
[*]Young Man Blues - cover
[*]Green Onions - cover
[*]Long Tall Shorty - cover
[*]Pretty Thing - cover
[*]Smokestack Lightning - cover
[*]Here 'tis - cover
[*]Ooh Poo Pah Doo - cover
[/list]

*where Led Zeppelin originally claimed they were originals

Edited August 7, 2017 by dlloyd

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1502080773' post='3349112']
of course you don't, you've never written an original piece of music and thus don't understand that it takes far more talent to write a song or bassline than it does to mimic what someone else has done.
[/quote]

I'm not so sure. In my old band 'Billy n' the Bollox' I writ most of the songs. Now I'm in a wedding functions band and I can never quite nail 'Sex On Fire'.

Edit: But now I get paid and that's the sweetest plum.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Billy Apple