All you band players:

[Toker41]

My minimal live experience? Excuse me while I laugh.


"Thread after thread"? All 2 that we've shared, Bob?

I don't understand why you get so defensive. I've said nothing that attacks you. I only stated that you shouldn't make remarks like "I've written more songs than you" when you know nothing about me. It is an assumption, and may not be a fact.

Also, I am not close minded about the cover thing. I believe I stated that many cover bands I see have outstanding musicians in them. Some of the best musicians I've ever known are in cover bands. However, that does not make them an artist. Create something original....then you are an artist.


That being said...you just said enough to end this, as you simply don't have any idea who I am, and what my experience is. Although I've been out of the game for awhile, I am (was) a "recording artist" with contracts under a major label. I've played in front of more people than can be counted, thousands at a time, and as many as 18,000 at at time.
Without dropping names (because it's just tacky), it's safe to say that I've been around the block, buddy. Sell a few (or a few hundred thousand) albums, then we can talk.


So, in respect to cover bands, I'd say I'm sorry that the truth upsets you...
...but I'm not.

BTW...most people expect to hear covers played like the original recording. A cover band will be judged how good they are by this.

[monkie]

Covers, to cover living expenses. Tried to write originals but time is important when writing good songs. You can't rush into writing great songs. Cover songs are easy if you know your instrument(s) well. In the long run, I think you are better off with originals. Fans recognizes that more than. Covers are good, too, because once you learn a cover song you have already learned a new technique.

[dogonjon]

I play in a band that is exclusively a cover band our lead singer/ rhythm guitarist is adamant about doing only covers. Last spring our drummer wrecked his ankle skiing and we had to get a temp drummer to fill in for a month. I started jamming with the temp drummer and another bass player after that and all we do is originals. A short while later our regular bass player wrecked him self mountain biking and we brought in the other bass player to fill in temporarily. Soon our regular drummer will go on vacation and we have gigs scheduled that our temp drummer and bass will play. Simultaneously we are planning an all original show in a private venue with a full light show, fire dancers and local micro-brew sponsorship.

[second skin]

i'd pretty much rather not play music than be in a cover band. at least thats the way it is for me these days. i've done lots of society type gigs playing new york new york in a tuxedo as well as the requisite bar band stuff and at this point i'd rather just work a regular job and write my own music.


i guess maybe if i could only play covers that i like but then i wouldn't get very many gigs. playing music that i don't like makes me feel kind of dirty

[Rokket]

It always amazes me how we can turn a simple question into a full-blown argument in the matter of two posts...

But to answer the question, I write my own songs, but don't perform them live. I don't sing live. I was in bands who were 100% cover bands, and one that was 50/50. The latter was my first band, which broke up because of the deaths of the lead guitarist and drummer.

[jasonbmerrill]

if you dont have the capacity to play covers and make it artistic, you are a sad excuse for a musician.

At the same time, if you just want to play cover gigs on cruise ships your whole life, well, that is the definition of medocrity to me.

I play covers to make money to fund my original projects and keep my chops up. Logically, in my position, it is the way to go. My shift is working.

[Toker41]

Nevermind.....letting it go.

[TAE]

Birds singing is music

It's all music and all art...

I was in an all original band for 5 years in the 70's and we starved but we were
"original" great time great music but we were'nt at the right place at the right time and didn't "make it"

The guitarist ( one of the best in the biz ) went on to make side money for the next 30 years in a cover band..

I know when I was in the original band,then local bands like Van Halen were doing nothing but covers and it was ego inflating to know we could pull in just as big of a crowd playing originals.. When the rubber met the road and VH went on to fame fortune I think it could be said they were pretty artistic.

I don't play live much cept church now and most of that is covers.. when I play in my back room I play both original and covers and totally agree with Bob
My not Minah bird renditions with my own style are my creations / interpretations of preexisting tunes.. nobody plays em like me cause they're from my muse not the original artist.

[LemonTree]

No ..... not anymore than Clapton didn't play Layla correctly

Hendrix played clapton better than clapton.




Does that make clapton a bad player?

[Toker41]

There is a difference between reinventing your own creation, and simply not being able to play someone else's song correctly.

Just about every cover band member says the same thing "people like when we put our own flair on it". However, given the hundreds of people I've talked to in bars they always judge a cover band on "If I can close my eyes, and not be able to tell it's not the original artist...then they are a good cover band".

It's one thing for an original band to put a twist on a cover. However, when it's a cover band....people expect to hear a reproduction of the original recording, and will judge how good a cover band is on that.

That is one reason it can cost up to $150 to see the original artist do the material, but only a $5 cover to see someone copy them.

Bob suffers delusions of grandeur. That is why he is so over sensitive about the issue, and sees my point of view as an attack, and why he became such an ass (well that and it seems to be in his nature.) If he would change his messy diaper, CAREFULLY re-read this thread, he would understand that since he has written original material...then he would be considered an artist. Instead he acted like someone took his rattle away. I can only hope he reads his music more carefully, as it might make him a better cover player.

Again, this is NOT taking anything away from the skill, and musicianship of anyone that plays in a cover band. I've seen some of the best musicians I've ever encountered playing in cover bands. However, some can not write, and have never written one original lick. Until they do.....they are not artist. They are either good, or bad copy machines.

What it really boils down to is...
...if you are happy doing what you do...why the hell do you give enough of a crap about what I think to throw a temper tantrum, attack anyone personally, flaunt your "experience" as "more than anyone", including the people you know nothing about, and stomp your feet screaming "you haven't done as much as I have!!!"?
Clearly my view stuck a nerve of truth that one does not like to face.