Choosing Songs In A Covers Band

[Woodinblack]

3 minutes ago, diskwave said:

Goodness your brave. If the game starts going the wrong way get yourselves and the gear outta there asap.

 

Luckily, we are the warm up act, we will be packed up and out of there before the game starts.

[steantval]

12 hours ago, SuperSeagull said:

If the singer were saying I can't do that stuff I'd be more sympathetic but this is the guitarist saying I don't want to do anything by Fleetwood Mac or Oasis but I would like to do some Joanne Shaw Taylor 🤔

JST is pretty well known within the blues circuit, but otherwise an unknown to folks who aren’t into blues.

[Mykesbass]

44 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

We are also playing at a Euro Screening pub on sunday, before some game that is apparently happening (I am not someone know knows or cares about football*) so the keyboard player decided on wednesday to suggest we played that three lions song. I do detest it, but he is probably right that it would go down a storm, but somewhat annoyed about playing a song with no rehursal live, because it will be a car crash, we are not the sort of group that can do that sort of thing

 

 

* actually not true, I care in a very negative way.

Do this one instead (just seen it was written by Northern Irishman, Phil Coulter - a way better association than that dreadful Baddiel)!

 

[SuperSeagull]

2 hours ago, uncle psychosis said:

I'd respectfully suggest that if the collective view is that covers bands should avoid "songs that bore the shit out of the audience" then your guitarist is 100% bang on in their veto on anything to do with Fleetwood Mac. 😇

But I guarantee we will be asked every other gig to play some Fleetwood Mac.

[SuperSeagull]

50 minutes ago, steantval said:

JST is pretty well known within the blues circuit, but otherwise an unknown to folks who aren’t into blues.

Which is my point - I love a bit of JST but your average pub punter will never have heard of her. They will know the words to the Oasis hits which is why I think its a better call.

[Woodinblack]

47 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

Do this one instead (just seen it was written by Northern Irishman, Phil Coulter - a way better association than that dreadful Baddiel)!

 

Honestly exactly 0 football related songs would be my ideal amount. And I said I didn't mind doing it for this gig, but it is a one off (I guess it can be trotted out again if they have one of these competitions again, I guess they must).

[paul_5]

Ultimately your setlist is dictated by your audience/venues. If folks like what you do you’ll always have bookings. Everyone has to play songs that they don’t like, it comes with the territory.

[Mickeyboro]

My gig is a postponed one from last Saturday. I shamelessly intend to change into my 1966 World Cup shirt for the encore, and alter change the chorus of Mustang Sally to Win England win… 😂

Sadly, I think Y Viva Espana would be more accurate. 

Edited July 13 by Mickeyboro

[casapete]

4 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

If it's a hobby then you should be playing things you enjoy, otherwise what's the point? 

I think the point is that if the audience(s) don't like it then the gigs will soon dry up? *

If that's the case them maybe stick to rehearsing for your own enjoyment etc?

 

* Of course if they do like it then everyone's happy .......  😄

 

[casapete]

18 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

My gig is a postponed one from last Saturday. I shamelessly intend to change into my 1966 World Cup shirt for the encore, and alter change the chorus of Mustang Sally to Win England win… 😂

Sadly, I think Y Viva Espana would be more accurate. 

I'm playing at our regular gig in Scarborough. Normally finish at 8pm, but bringing our last set forward

so those who want to can scurry off home to catch the kick-off. And no, I won't be listening to the match

on the drive home.

[Mickeyboro]

6 minutes ago, casapete said:

I'm playing at our regular gig in Scarborough. Normally finish at 8pm, but bringing our last set forward

so those who want to can scurry off home to catch the kick-off. And no, I won't be listening to the match

on the drive home.

Do you know, noted football fan Jeff Lynne should consider a celebratory version of Mr Blue Sky re-titled Gareth Southgate. 
Or maybe not… 😂⚽️

[Woodinblack]

28 minutes ago, casapete said:

I think the point is that if the audience(s) don't like it then the gigs will soon dry up? *

If that's the case them maybe stick to rehearsing for your own enjoyment etc?

 

Yes, but there are enough songs that people will still like that mean you don't have to do every cliche. I am doing it for fun. Obviously you are going to have songs you are not keen on, but if the balance of enjoyment goes down too much, what is the point - I have a day job.

[casapete]

12 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Yes, but there are enough songs that people will still like that mean you don't have to do every cliche. I am doing it for fun. Obviously you are going to have songs you are not keen on, but if the balance of enjoyment goes down too much, what is the point - I have a day job.

Exactly this. It’s just finding the right balance of band choices / audience pleasers.

The two aren’t mutually exclusive of course. 😊

[Rosie C]

On 12/07/2024 at 10:06, Greg Edwards69 said:

Another piece of advice we were given by an agent, from feedback they had received for all of their artists from a number of venues was skip the slow songs. Whilst the singer may love to belt out a power ballad, or the guitarist to get lost in a lengthy pink floyd solo, the audience will get bored.  Get them up dancing and keep the energy level up.

 

Sound advice! I play in a completely different genre, but it still stands. I'm typing this on a break from decorating a corner of our practice room ready to make videos of the slow numbers that we love but which don't go down well live. 

[lozkerr]

6 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

Be less predictable, choose something different. I must have heard dozens of bands play Hey Jude, Freebird, Purple Haze (badly) and God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols. 

That's what we did when building up the punk band set. We picked covers that were less well-known but good bangers in their own right. As time's gone on, we've eased some of them out as we've got more originals good to go. We'll probably keep the likes of Sacrifice and I Like F*cking in the repertoire, though. 

[SteveXFR]

14 minutes ago, lozkerr said:

That's what we did when building up the punk band set. We picked covers that were less well-known but good bangers in their own right. As time's gone on, we've eased some of them out as we've got more originals good to go. We'll probably keep the likes of Sacrifice and I Like F*cking in the repertoire, though. 

 

One of my mates wanted to start a 70's punk covers band but wanted to just do the big hits (god save the queen, anarchy in the UK, rock the kasbah etc). I think it would have been much more fun to do the less obvious ones. Submission by the Pistols, Anti Pope by The Damned and Dirt by Stooges plus some GBH, UK Subs and Angelic Upstarts

[Lozz196]

There’s a good few bands on the punk/Oi scene that do that sort of thing Steve, always  go down well.

[SteveXFR]

I guess if you're in a punk covers band, you'll mostly be playing to punk fans who know a lot of the more interesting stuff whilst in a party covers band, you'll mostly be playing to drunk people who wouldn't notice if you only played Mustang Sally & Wonderwall alternating all night

[Lozz196]

Yeah if you stick to the punk scene and play 30/40 min sets on a three band bill there’s a huge catalogue of great songs that would be well received, rather than playing two hours worth of those to a general pub audience who might know one or two at best. Plus less gear to cart about as those gigs always have in-house PA and most often gear shares.

[Leonard Smalls]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

There’s a good few bands on the punk/Oi scene that do that sort of thing

The Spontanes who supported us the other night basically did  only 50s and 60s rock'n'soul classics in a punked up style. Worked very well!

 

 

[jezzaboy]

4 hours ago, paul_5 said:

Ultimately your setlist is dictated by your audience/venues. If folks like what you do you’ll always have bookings. Everyone has to play songs that they don’t like, it comes with the territory.

This exactly.

 

If you want to be in a covers band that actually does gigs (some like the idea but end up being a rehearsal band) and gets asked back then you have to compromise over song choices. I was in a band and a guitarist left with the severe hump as we wouldn`t do a version of One by U2 as it died on it`s derriere every time we played it. Likewise I didn`t join a band after the drummer said that he hated Oasis and refused to play any of their songs. 

 

It`s the entertainment business and if you want to make a go of it, give your audience what it wants to hear not what you like.

[lozkerr]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

 

One of my mates wanted to start a 70's punk covers band but wanted to just do the big hits (god save the queen, anarchy in the UK, rock the kasbah etc). I think it would have been much more fun to do the less obvious ones. Submission by the Pistols, Anti Pope by The Damned and Dirt by Stooges plus some GBH, UK Subs and Angelic Upstarts

Agreed. We have a Rubella Ballet song in the set, and there are a lot of songs that still hold up well. Great British Mistake by the Adverts, Young Savage by Ultravox, Oh Bondage Up Yours by X-Ray Spex - plenty of options.

[TimR]

It's called the Entertainment Business. 

 

While it's very romantic to think you can have fun amd make money playing only songs you like, if you don't treat it like entertainment and business, then you won't be either entertaining or making money.

 

That means you have to put on an act and look like you're enjoying every number you play, even if you're not. 

 

As far as our band goes, and I've said it before, if the audience at every gig are asking you to play something they know, then you've chosen the wrong songs.

 

 

Edited July 13 by TimR

[Dad3353]

32 minutes ago, TimR said:

It's called the Entertainment Business. 

 

While it's very romantic to think you can have fun amd make money playing only songs you like, if you don't treat it like entertainment and business, then you won't be either entertaining or making money.

 

That means you have to put on an act and look like you're enjoying every number you play, even if you're not. 

 

As far as our band goes, and I've said it before, if the audience at every gig are asking you to play something they know, then you've chosen the wrong songs.

 

It's discutable, but only if the intention is to make money. It's not ours (we play for free, and only when invited...). Not all bands are in the Entertainment Business, nor want to be. Some are happy doing things a different way, and so are their audiences. 

[Jackroadkill]

We don't do much at all in the way of standards.  We could, and we'd get more gigs, but there are countless other bands out there who can take care of that.  We always get complimented on our song choice, but behind the scenes a lot of hard work and argument goes into choosing what we're going to play, because you have to give the audience something, even if the venue/promoter knows that they're booking a band who isn't going to play Hi Ho Silver Lining, Dakota and Proud Mary (nothing wrong with the bands who do, by the way - it's just not our thing).  So, what to do?  We tend to do songs that were big one hit wonders, songs by big artists that weren't their biggest hits, alternative versions (or covers of covers), or songs that people might not expect us to play.

 

One recent set went as followed:

 

1.   I Fought the Law

2.   Everything About You

3.   Whiskey in the Jar

4.   Breaking the Law

5.   No-one Knows

6.   Die, Die My Darling

7.   Kick Out The Jams (Monster Magnet's version)

8.   Fight For Your Right

9.   Crazy Horses (Blackstar Riders version)

10.  Immigrant Song

11.   Word Up (Gun's version)

12.   Pet Semetary

13.   Electric Worry

14.   Inside

15.   Holiday in Cambodia

16.   We Will Rock You (the 1977? "fast" version)

17.    Fortunate Son (Clutch's version)

18.    For Whom the Bell Tolls

19.    Los Angeles is Burning

20.    Rocking In the Free World

 

Much argument, reasoning and blackmail goes into choosing the songs and each member has a veto; this can be infuriating, but it tends to mean that the songs that make it to the set work, and punters often say it's refreshing to hear some different songs from a band.  Admittedly, we do get that pissed guy shouting for Wonderwall, and requests from groups of post-bingo hen partiers for Mustang Sally, but we knew that would be the case.

 

If choosing covers to play was easy....  Well, let's just say the short version is that it's not!