Concept bands

[Downunderwonder]

I once heard a band play everything funky. It worked for a night. Bob Marley to the Beatles, everything funkified. Full commitment required.

[EssexBuccaneer]

The project I’ve always wanted to do would be a covers band, with the stipulation that none of the songs should be ‘hits’ - album tracks only. 
 

And another idea for a covers band, but only play songs that are 6-7 mins or longer (yes, I listen to a lot of Iron Maiden!)

[Dom in Dorset]

I've had a lit of silly ideas over the years including an AC/DC tribute band who dress like the Flintstones.

 

AC/BC

[Paul S]

6 minutes ago, Dom in Dorset said:

I've had a lit of silly ideas over the years including an AC/DC tribute band who dress like the Flintstones.

 

AC/BC

 

I imagine getting a Wilma outfit in larger sizes might be a problem.  

[Baloney Balderdash]

The Commercials, doing covers of various TV commercial tunes/jingles. 

 

Edited January 4, 2024 by Baloney Balderdash

[Doctor J]

Arrrr, a fine line between theme and gimmick, tharr be

 

[cetera]

I want to form a double tribute.... to Camel...... and Toto....

 

.....called CamelTo

 

"Hey buddy, what you doing Friday?"
"I'm off out to play with CamelTo!"

etc

 

Obviously it relies on you not pronouncing it as Too

 

Edited January 4, 2024 by cetera

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

8 hours ago, cetera said:

.....called CamelTo

 

I'm surprised no one's done a double tribute to Dire Straits and Chris Rea.

 

"What are your plans for the evening?"

"Dire Rea"

 

 

Edited January 4, 2024 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, EssexBuccaneer said:

The project I’ve always wanted to do would be a covers band, with the stipulation that none of the songs should be ‘hits’ - album tracks only. 

 

I'm sure you're not the only one to think this.  I know I've thought it (and even taken that thought to extremes and said "B-sides only").  Trouble with this is, you might as well be an originals band then, playing stuff hardly anyone knows.  And if your aim is to "educate" the masses on what "good" music is, then good luck with that - it's just arrogant nonsense to your average punter down the Dog and Duck, who simply wants a dance and a singalong to the hits.

[Dom in Dorset]

16 hours ago, BreadBin said:

I want to do a modern day version of Johnny Cash called Johnny Contactless

There's a Johnny Cash tribute act called Cash Converted

[Leonard Smalls]

17 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

70's punk style versions of 70s disco songs

You missed exactly this in this month's Basschat December Covers Challenge... I did Sylvester's "Do you Wanna Funk" but with a P... Unfortunately, my band don't think the lyrical content is serious enough for us to all play it. Praps if I sing it too?

 

 

 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

On a slight tangent , I have a few CDs of Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies . 
Marvellous and hilarious on first few listens , but some things are too 'American ' and may be lost on younger listeners as they may not know a lot of their catalogue . 
To describe them , I'd say they're kinda pop punk in the style of offspring , but very talented . Nice bass playing too.

If I was still into playing in bands, I wouldn't mind doing something similar .

[KK Jale]

There's a band in my neck of the woods who bill themselves as "Booker T & The MGs plays the songs of David Bowie".

 

I am extremely jealous of this concept. It is BRILLIANT.  As something of a major MGs (and Bowie) fan, I attended one of their gigs and was well hacked off that they'd seemingly done so little with it. It's basically a four-piece with keys playing the songs dead straight just with no vocals, same bass, mostly same guitar, keys taking the tune pretty much every time. Gah! Have these people never heard of McLemore Avenue? The possibilities were endless! *weeps*

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 hour ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

On a slight tangent , I have a few CDs of Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies . 
Marvellous and hilarious on first few listens , but some things are too 'American ' and may be lost on younger listeners as they may not know a lot of their catalogue . 
To describe them , I'd say they're kinda pop punk in the style of offspring , but very talented . Nice bass playing too.

If I was still into playing in bands, I wouldn't mind doing something similar .

A friend once asked me to join his cover band a few years ago. Rock versions of old pop songs, I was told, and given a CD of Me First songs to get the idea. Not really my teacup but I gave it a go anyway.

 

Turned out to be a Me First cover band, which I found sweetly ironic but not enough for me to stick around!

[tauzero]

I keep toying with the idea of a covers band doing rocked up songs from musicals.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

I keep toying with the idea of a covers band doing rocked up songs from musicals.

Me first and gimmies do good versions of Summertime , Somewhere over the rainbow  plus a couple of others I've probably forgot .

Maybe worth having a listen 

[msb]

Our little mostly instrumental Mexican band might fit here. 
We’re unique here in Nova Scotia , but I’m sure there’s similar bands in the US and Mexico.

[msb]

Oops

Edited January 4, 2024 by msb

[msb]

Oops double post

Edited January 4, 2024 by msb

[gjones]

There was a band in Aberdeen, called Union Avenue, who used to do covers in the style of Johnny Cash.

 

 

[TheRev]

6 hours ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

On a slight tangent , I have a few CDs of Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies . 
Marvellous and hilarious on first few listens , but some things are too 'American ' and may be lost on younger listeners as they may not know a lot of their catalogue . 
To describe them , I'd say they're kinda pop punk in the style of offspring , but very talented . Nice bass playing too.

 

That's Fat Mike from NOFX on bass, he's a bit good.

 

Back in the early - mid 2000's I was in a band doing rocked up versions of pop songs. The best of the bunch was a ska-punk version of Beautiful by Christine Aguileria.

Band after that was a three piece described as 'obscure pop songs played in a jazz style'

The current band is a Scrumpy'n'Western band (totally a real genre, look it up....)  doing parodies of pretty much anything in whatever style we can manage as long as we can shoehorn in  lyrics about cider, drunkeness, pasties or shagging your own cousin.

[Graham]

On 03/01/2024 at 18:30, Bassassin said:

I may have previously mentioned my notional concept band, ABBAration, which would combine the genius of Sweden's two finest musical exports by performing ABBA songs in the style of Opeth, alternating with Opeth songs in the style of ABBA.

I would love to hear Opeth songs in the style of ABBA 😁

[Kyndainverse]

I pondered the idea of The Anna and Elsa Chain. Doing covers of Disney hits in the style of The Jesus and Mary Chain. 

Have recently given more serious thought to a Tom Jones fronted indie disco floor fillers covers band. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

28 minutes ago, Kyndainverse said:

Have recently given more serious thought to a Tom Jones fronted indie disco floor fillers covers band. 

 

If you can get him onboard I'd be very impressed

[Rich]

2 hours ago, TheRev said:

lyrics about cider, drunkeness, pasties or shagging your own cousin.

Or in other words, a Friday evening in Chewton Mendip.