Covers bands - are they just parasites? (& how PRS works)

[Dad3353]

5 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

... A mate of mine was in a Who tribute and you could almost imagine him thinking he was Roger Daltrey.

 

Why, then, was he playing the drums..? 

 

...

 

 

[Richard R]

No.

Though I might be worried about a band called  "Jane Leech and The Big Ticks" 

[Gasman]

Maybe those who consider covers bands a lesser breed might instead take aim at a lower level of parasite if that’s their fun; DJs for instance, although even they can be graded by their input to what the public hear. Watching a classic House music DJ mix live on real turntables, matching music, speeds and beats to the mood on the floor, is awesome, full respect. Guys who just plug in a thumb drive of premixed material, well, we’re getting down to virus level of parasite to a purist. However, it’s all entertainment to the punters, we’re all purveyors of music who stand or fall by whether those punters and of course event promoters want to pay to have us at a gig, whatever we play and however we play it. Why do we do it? So many reasons, from ego-stroking to just getting away from the TV once in a while, all valid.

 

Now, a question that must be resolved; in a battle of the bands, would the Big Ticks prevail against a single @BigRedX?

[gafbass02]

13 hours ago, EssexBuccaneer said:

I started playing in my early-mid teens. Originals only, because that was what music was about. Making your own material and putting it out there. Hoping to make it. I put my heart and soul into a couple of bands in the hope of being the next big thing. That generally took the form of playing gigs to anywhere between a dozen and two hundred people, for barely any money, and a lot of sunk hours in writing and rehearsal, not to mention studio time and money. 
 

Now I’m a lot older (43) and accept that I’m never going to tour round the world and have platinum albums. So what can I do to enjoy my music? Play in a covers band. The crowds are bigger, the money is better, and the gigs are more fun and far less stress.

 

 

Pretty much this, except I did get lucky for a few years and my crowds were into 4 figures, and I’m now 47. But otherwise, pretty much this!

[JoeEvans]

1 hour ago, Gasman said:

Maybe those who consider covers bands a lesser breed might instead take aim at a lower level of parasite if that’s their fun; DJs for instance, although even they can be graded by their input to what the public hear. Watching a classic House music DJ mix live on real turntables, matching music, speeds and beats to the mood on the floor, is awesome, full respect. Guys who just plug in a thumb drive of premixed material, well, we’re getting down to virus level of parasite to a purist. 

DJs who just put on playlists are still doing a useful service. For weddings and parties they will have done a load of work in advance to sort out what music the client wants to hear; then they bring and set up the PA, deal with requests, read the room and keep the punters dancing - it's a lot of work but it has to be done by someone to make the party happen.

[chris_b]

The parasites in the music business used to be many of the managers and agents. Read up about the horror stories of the likes of Don Arden etc.

[Fionn]

I’ve been in covers bands in the past.

 

Yes, we were parasites.

[OliverBlackman]

How original is original music? 
 

I always had a snobbish attitude to cover bands when I was actively playing, but it was to my own detriment as I missed out on some decent gigs as a result.

[Supernaut]

 

[Barking Spiders]

I'm not much into watching covers bands anymore but there were some cracking jive outfits around the London area in the 90s that put on some great nights out. If covers bands put on an entertaining show with banter and moves then 👍. If they just shoe gaze and mumble 'thanks' after every song then 🖕

[AlexDelores]

8 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

DJs who just put on playlists are still doing a useful service. For weddings and parties they will have done a load of work in advance to sort out what music the client wants to hear; then they bring and set up the PA, deal with requests, read the room and keep the punters dancing - it's a lot of work but it has to be done by someone to make the party happen.

I’m in a covers duo that also DJ’s in-between sets.

 

We don’t mix vinyl live but we do all of the above to make sure the night’s a corker. 
 

So, I’m an ultra parasite…

 

But, I’ll take that as it means I can play music for a living rather than when I used to turn my nose up at covers bands as I worked 40 hours a week and gigged on the weekends chasing ‘the dream’ 

 

I still write a bit of music for my hobby now but my 21 year old self would be disgusted in me for selling out… But sod-im! He used to have bleached hair and wore his jeans too low. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by AlexDelores

[Al Krow]

Sorry, I was back home at 2am this morning from a function/covers gig in the Midlands last night which was a huge amount of fun and very decently paid, so I wasn't able to jump in to comment earlier.

 

Some great posts on here already!

 

Loved the phrase from @DCS222 that "You are the sound track to their well earned time off"  Wow - this thread has been worthwhile for that comment alone.

 

@Norris - yes absolutely right, it's an incendiary title. But no apologies, mate - obviously pop/rock music was never meant to ruffle any feathers or cause anyone to think about what we're actually doing, haha?!

But why raise the question at all given that I'm the BL / founder of my own pretty active covers band? Well tbh I was a little annoyed about the pomposity that we covers/function band players can sometimes have when looking down at struggling original musicians, and this post in particular: 

 

 

Did it make you laugh?

 

It made me think that the first three categories only have any work because they are effectively stealing the material of writers of original material.

Yes Elvis did covers, but I bet he paid royalties. Dolly Parton is super happy that Whitney covered her song.

But I bet none of us on BC are paying a paying a penny to make use of other people's material? Also true of most DJs I would have thought)?

Aren't we therefore being parasites of sorts?

 

@Pirellithecat Shakespeare wrote his plays to be performed and they are, in any case, maybe a year or two out of copyright by now. Similarly Bach/Beethoven/Mahler etc and classical music orchestras.

But did the Killers write Mr Brightside for others to incessantly play? Maybe they're actually cool because they are getting free air time and there is something incredibly heart warming about writing something that then gets played all around the world? I wouldn't know.

 

And maybe we should change our band name to LA Nik-Tracks or The Tapeworms.

[NancyJohnson]

I couldn't bear to be in a covers band*, I've seen a few too many and well, I find the whole experience kind of awful.  Everyone who knows me knows this is my stance.

 

*That said, detest playing covers too - but don't tell our singer.  Half our set is stuff that our he had some success with in the 1980s/90s, plus Suffragette City and Did You No Wrong.  I'd honestly prefer to do more original material.  Occasionally, I'll get a comment that something isn't right and I'll just mutter something about having no point of reference (mainly because I've not actually listened to any of it).

 

Take it as you may, if you don't like what I'm doing, then sack me; it's not like I'm making £££.  What I'm playing is a country mile better than what's on the originals.

[Richard R]

29 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I bet none of us on BC are paying a paying a penny to make use of other people's material? Also true of most DJs I would have thought)?

My understanding was that the venue should be paying their PRS fees, and asking you for the setlist for their returns, so that artists do get paid. Is that not how it works now?

Happy to be corrected,  as my experience is with copyright for churche services, cafés and livestreaming. 

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Richard R

[Tdw]

Don't have any problem with cover bands. Tribute bands I'm not keen on particularly tributes to bands who are active now.  I've seen several tribute bands who play the songs of bands I'm very familiar with and have found it extremely boring and somewhat embarrassing really. I've also seen a tribute to a band I know almost nothing about and oddly really enjoyed it , was like a new band to me, with really good songs.

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, Richard R said:

My understanding was that the venue should be paying their PRS fees, and asking you for the setlist for their returns, so that artists do get paid. Is that not how it works now?

Happy to be corrected,  as my experience is with copyright for churche services, cafés and livestreaming. 

 

 Good shout. In 10 years of doing paid covers gigs, I've never been asked once for a set list from the venue. Sounds to me that none of them are paying PRS fees. Also clearly not worthwhile for the PRS to actually enforce this either?

[Lozz196]

13 minutes ago, Richard R said:

My understanding was that the venue should be paying their PRS fees, and asking you for the setlist for their returns, so that artists do get paid. Is that not how it works now?

Happy to be corrected,  as my experience is with copyright for churche services, cafés and livestreaming. 

 

When I’ve played in Europe every venue asked for a set list for these reasons.

 

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

 Good shout. In 10 years of doing paid covers gigs, I've never been asked once for a set list from the venue. Sounds to me that none of them are paying PRS fees. Also clearly not worthwhile for the PRS to actually enforce this either?

 

Same, in UK, never been asked for any set list details.

[Russ]

I don’t think I’m ever going to be in a covers band. I’m not really wired that way. On the odd occasion that a band I’ve been in has thrown a cover into our set, I’ve never found them very satisfying to play. I’ve learnt entire albums full of songs, but I have no desire to play anyone else’s music on stage. 

 

However, I’ve enjoyed plenty of covers bands over the years, although I have very particular tastes with it - they either have to reproduce the original closely (pretty much as if they were a tribute band) or they have to do it sufficiently differently that it becomes its own thing. Can’t stand the half-arsed cover. 

[Pirellithecat]

Ah - most of this thread seems more about intellectual integrity, moral worth,  of nicking other peoples songs rather than the legality of ripping off copy-right.  The PRS point seems to put the latter to bed so we're just left with the intellectual moral worth points.    I'm sure it's been said, but, as songs are probably largely the product of one or two creatives in a band, it follows that the rest of the band are effectively "covering" the song anyway.   I guess many bands are effectively cover bands these days - Dr Feelgood still perform but have no original members.   I guess if all Covers Bands are parasitic then session musicians are equally parasitic?? 
I used to play in a band of entirely original numbers.  The vocalist would not sing any covers as it was beneath him.    However, all the songs he sang were written by the singer/songwriter of the band.    I would argue therefore he was infact singing covers!   And as for traditional music/musicians  ...............

Disappointing isn't it.      

[Pirellithecat]

And what's this "Set List" malarkey?🙄

[steve-bbb]

[Gasman]

Ive been asked for set lists precisely twice in 50 years. It is indeed the venues that have the responsibility to pay, but very few do. Our guitarist has recorded a lot of music, gets royalty cheques from PPL, Phonographic Performance Limited, another organisation that monitors the use of original recordings on radio and Tv, issues licenses and sends cheques to musicians. It’s not covers bands that are ripping off original composers. Incidentally, performing third party numbers in rehearsal is apparently not chargeable, only public performance.

[uk_lefty]

I used to hate tribute bands and be quite snobby about it. The best.musoc venue in town when I was in my late teens only did tributes on Friday and Saturday nights and on a Wednesday they'd charge anybody else to use their PA to play their venue, only £20 but still cheeky. I used to promote an acoustic night in the pub I worked in and included "No Tribute Bands" on all the posters and flyers.

 

These days I'm a lot more open minded. Hand me a Hofner and I'll be "Paul" quite happily! My band now plays only covers and we are good at it. We get gigs in pubs, rock clubs, festivals, functions and weddings. People sing along and dance along. We get paid. 

 

I miss writing songs and performing them. I'd love to do that again but right now I don't have the time for that. And, while some have seen too many covers bands (and I hugely get it, Sex on Fire played badly once more...) I've seen too many originals bands that sound and look great but I can't name a single song. Or too many acoustic singer songwriters with their self-indulgent songs about a girl from school days who wouldn't touch them by accident. 

 

Parasites? I don't consider anyone having fun performing to be a parasite for that fact alone. We are all just doing our own thing (or covering someone else's!) and not everyone will like it.

[Skybone]

No. Covers bands hopefully play music people want to hear, and venues will pay for them to perform in order to bring punters through the doors of their venues.

 

Never been a fan of playing covers personally, and it looks like I'm not alone in that respect.

 

However, if you do play covers, be prepared for the "you didn't play it like the original/my personal favourite version".

[Woodinblack]

57 minutes ago, Skybone said:

However, if you do play covers, be prepared for the "you didn't play it like the original/my personal favourite version".

 

You know I have never had that in hundreds of gigs over many years.