skankdelvar Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) I was wondering when someone would come along and - in an excess of feeling - step firmly upon on the tribute band landmine. It's always fun when that happens. The thing about tribute bands is that they are merely a variation on the time-honoured practice of musicians playing other peoples' songs. Indeed, until the Rutles came along pretty much the entire industry was predicated on the idea that songwriters wrote songs and musicians performed them and seldom the twain did meet. To my uncertain recollection the greatest popular singer of all time (Frank Sinatra) wrote (and subsequently performed) only one song in his career. If it was good enough for Francis Albert, it's good enough for me. In any event, the point is moot when it comes to bass players; apart from ten or so household names nearly all bassists have to dutifully play what they're given by The Talent, even when - as in the case of most 'originals' hobby bands - The Talent is a technically incompetent dullard with an Epiphone Lester and Himmler's way with a tune. All of which is is to say that my ranked musical preferences for a local Friday night out would be: 1. A tribute band 2. A covers band 3. Red hot needles in the eyes 4. An 'originals' band Edited May 15, 2018 by skankdelvar 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxlin Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Furthermore, if you're going to transfer the analogy to 'tribute' food and 'tribute' cars, a hell of a lot of time and money, not to mention a large portion of this site, are wrapped up in 'tributes' to the trusty old Fender P and Fender J bass shapes/sounds/legacies. Not to mention the many replicas of the likes of the AC Cobra, E-Type Jag, Lotus 7 etc which while not BEING the original, often,TBH, perform better...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I was listening to a radio talk show a few months ago that brought up the subject of tribute bands. There were a few callers who were slating them saying they were cashing in on other peoples success. Then someone phoned in and made the point that there has been some fantastic music over the years from bands like Zep, The Who, Floyd etc who are being rediscovered by a younger generation. That younger generation would never be able to experience them live (the environment that said bands excelled in) and a good tribute band could get 90% of the way there if they took it seriously enough to recreate the stage show. This was the lightbulb moment for me - its keeping some great and influential music alive for a new generation to experience, and because of this its a winner for me. Ps i played a charity festival a few weeks ago along with a fabulous Bon Scott era AC/DC tribute band (PureDC). They absolutely nailed the look and attitude of the earlier ACDC and i thought they were excellent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 On 14/05/2018 at 16:19, walshy said: Just started The Saviors with a few guys from some different bands playing grunge/rock stuff and strictly no dad rock! Even though some dad rock is cool! We have just wound up our band “smells like Seattle” doing a grunge “tribute”. Some amazing songs to go at there mate! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 6 minutes ago, Damonjames said: We have just wound up our band “smells like Seattle” doing a grunge “tribute”. Some amazing songs to go at there mate! and very good you were Damo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 29 minutes ago, Damonjames said: We have just wound up our band “smells like Seattle” doing a grunge “tribute”. Some amazing songs to go at there mate! Ah cool, yeah got some great tunes to choose from👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) I play as 'Jeff Leopard' in an 80s era tribute called THAT 80S ROCK SHOW Best fun I've had since I actually did it in the 80s and had real hair ! Always well received as we cover all the classics from the era taste forgot lol <https://youtu.be/_run9Gik-aU> Edited May 15, 2018 by Adee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 6 minutes ago, Adee said: I play as 'Jeff Leopard' Outstanding work, Sir! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I wouldn't have really thought of a '80s tribute group' or a 'grunge tribute' group as tribute groups, I would just take them as 80s or 90s themed cover bands. To me a tribute is a one group thing, beatles or oasis or whatever. We have an 80s themed cover group down here, and they are pretty good at at and always fun to watch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthedog Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 4 hours ago, Dan Dare said: "Tribute" bands = sad nonsense. Don't care how good/"accurate" they are. Does anyone eat "tribute" (i.e. fake) food or drive a "tribute" car? Ridiculous. I guess that makes any current orchestra playing Mozart or Schubert etc just sad nonsense. The Caterham Seven must also fit into your banding too. Perhaps troll should also revert to being an ugly dwarf to avoid being sad nonsense 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 28 minutes ago, Bobthedog said: I guess that makes any current orchestra playing Mozart or Schubert etc just sad nonsense. How true. The Academy of Ancient Music are bad enough with their baroque re-treads (shudder) but the London Mozart Players take the absolute biscuit for nonsensical sadness. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 47 minutes ago, Bobthedog said: I guess that makes any current orchestra playing Mozart or Schubert etc just sad nonsense. Although not agreeing with the sentiment of the sad nonsense, I would say an orchestra is not a tribute band, it is much more a cover band. Unless it is one of those Mozart only orchestras in the wigs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 31 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: ... I would say an orchestra is not a tribute band, it is much more a cover band. Unless it is one of those Mozart only orchestras in the wigs! Vienna Mozart Orchestra Wig-bedecked tribute act. Will accept payment in cake, prefer Sachertorte London Mozart Players Cover band (actually look more like a function band) Barry Gosser Mozart impersonator and pervert 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxlin Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 8 hours ago, Dan Dare said: "Tribute" bands = sad nonsense. Seeing some of the Elvis impersonators that 'perform', there might be some truth in this....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 8 hours ago, skankdelvar said: Barry Gosser Mozart impersonator and pervert Wow that is creepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) It's a shame that there has been a post belittling tribute bands , music people love is heard everyday through headphones on the move and LPs in peoples homes so why would the visual and live performance recreation not be a next step for some fans. The one thing I love about the musicians I know and call friends both weekend warriors and pros is their love of life and tolerance of people just being into whatever it is they love, be it tributes , originals or running a Sonia fan club Edited May 16, 2018 by lojo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) Providing they hit it musically, I like tribute bands, especially when they try to look like the band, and play the same type of instruments. Best I ever saw on a pub-level was The Likeness, they just nailed the sound of The Darkness, best all round was Bjorn Again, just amazing. Another great band are The Ramonas, an all-girl Ramones tribute band, though they do now do their own material as well. Edited May 16, 2018 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) I certainly see the appeal of tribute bands and done well can be great fun, I'm never going to see Metallica in a tiny venue, but I've seen tribute versions in small venues. I remember going to a tribute night in Camberly a few years ago - High On Maiden, Mentallica and a Rammstein tribute The Rammstein were awful but the other two were great, particularly the Maiden tribute who used wigs to great effect Edited May 16, 2018 by Graham unable to complete a coherent...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) I was a founding member, and spent 26 years, with a KISS tribute band. We wore the full outfits and boots (custom made and VERY expensive), had custom guitars made (and existing guitars customised) and took the musical/vocal/arrangement accuracy very seriously. To me, that's what makes a 'tribute' band, rather than a 'cover' band. I even went as far as to learn firebreathing and we filled our performances with the expected pyrotechnics too.... It all paid off though... We were the first KISS tribute to perform all over Europe & Scandinavia and played numerous international fan conventions too. Over the years we played with, played for and/or appeared with almost all original and latter members of KISS as well as appearing on both of Gene Simmons worldwide TV shows. We performed for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Def Leppard, headlined festivals and launched products (Volvo etc). We also performed at music 'trade shows', played Halloween at the Cafe De Paris in Monaco and toured Japan with The Bootleg Beatles, Counterfeit Stones, T-Rextasy and Royal Family (Queen show), gaining endorsements from Washburn, Ibanez, Cort and Spector along the way.... We even discovered that KISS were keeping up date with our performances and later found that a mid song breakdown/arrangement I had created had been adopted by KISS themselves in their live show! It was very hard work, but great fun and gave me life experiences that will stay with me forever. I also spent spare time in originals bands and cover bands over the years so have seen both sides.... Tribute haters gonna hate...... usually from their bedrooms...... but I guarantee I worked 10 times harder during every 2hr tribute show than haters ever have onstage.... Edited May 17, 2018 by cetera 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksterphil Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) I'm in a Bowie Tribute band, but we're a bit different as our lead singer is female. Jane (for that is her name) does a bit of dressing up and uses the jagged metal tie on 'Man Who Sold the World. The rest of us just wear mostly normal clobber as you can see....that's me in the hat btw! We don't replicate the music note for note and have written an original tribute to Bowie song. Best part is we all take it seriously but also have a laugh, work hard on performances and audiences seem to like us. http://www.facebook.com/missbowieband Edited May 16, 2018 by ricksterphil 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 On 13/05/2018 at 17:06, ChunkyMunky said: So, how many of you play in a tribute band? Tell us all about it. Many years ago I was playing in a 'mostly originals' (for want of a better phrase) blues rock three piece. At one gig - where alongside our own songs we did play rearrangements of a Hendrix song, a Hambone Willie Newbern song, and a Robert Parker song - as we came off stage ... Punter (male, late teens): "Have you always been a tribute band?" Me (male, not late teens): "Tribute band? Why do you say that?" Punter: "You did a Hendrix song." Me: "Er....yeh. What's that got to do with being a tribute band?" Punter: "If you play someone else's song, you're a tribute band." Me: "I don't think so but whatever..." Punter (as I start packing gear): "You were really good for a tribute band." Me: "Thanks." I'm guessing that he was unfamiliar with Hambone Willie Newbern and Robert Parker or we would have been labelled a triple tribute band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 I don't actually care whether a band is tribute, covers, or so-called originals. All that matters is ... are they any good? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) My mate used to play in a tribute band, their turnover was more than 250k a year. Edited May 16, 2018 by BreadBin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 1 hour ago, BreadBin said: My mate used to play in a tribute band, their turnover was more than 250k a year. Wow, do tell us more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 On 14/05/2018 at 17:44, bigjohn said: I'm in a Neil Young tribute. https://www.facebook.com/rustforglory/ We just dress as ourselves and sometimes stick a hat on "Neil". Our drummer is a good lookalike for Billy Talbot but he ain't no bass player. Bloody good too......Close your eyes and it's like Neil is in the room! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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