cover bands....depressing?

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distortedrumble

distortedrumble

all up in yo grill!
do you ever go out to bars and find that every coverband seems to be just like the one before it? sometimes the only thing that tells them apart is stage presence.. I've been asked to come in on a cover band and even though I'll do it since the lead singer is a buddy.....this is going to be about as fun as a 3 hour family trip to see the worlds largest ball of yarn for the 10th time. anyone else feel this way? i think this is what happens to people who are emersed in original music.
 
I agree with you. I don't mind acts that play some covers (my set has a few covers, actually), but I don't like hearing the "same old" classic rock, radio hits, or stuff that sounds "just like the record." I think if you are going to do a cover, you should put yourself into it and make something different of it. Otherwise, why not just listen to the record?

Bands that play nothing but covers and worry more about sounding "just like the record" are almost as annoying to me as the folk singers who's explanation/introduction to a song is twice as long as the song itself!
 
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It's ironic isn't it? people will pay to see a band who will play the same stuff they hear on the radio day in and day out, but they won't pay or even go for free to see original music. Granted, a large chunk of that music stinks, but still...even when it's good, people would rather hear stuff from 20 years ago.
 
Yeah, it's taken me many years to finally understand that people simply want to hear what they are familiar with. You can play a very difficult or complex original song and people will say "that's nice..." But if you play some simple cover song they like they say "wow! you are awesome, dude! Where'd you learn to play like that?!"
Same goes for songwriting...if you write some tune in 7/8 that starts with a bridge, ends with a bridge, and has nothing but 4 verses between them, people won't dig it. They're not interested in taking the time to understand profound lyrics either. If you write original material that is simple and follows the old verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus format, you will find that people respond to your original stuff much better. Using the IV, V, I doesnt' hurt either... everybody gets it without having to try too hard.

A
www.aaroncheney.com
 
Incedentallly, I don't find it depressing at all - it's just how people are. YOu can fight it in the name or artistic intergrity or whatever. Lots of hungy artists do. I prefer to give people what they want, entertain them, and make a little $.
I think it takes just as much artistry to write a song "within the rules" as without, or to create an exiting stage show of covers as originals. The world needs both kinds of artists.

A
www.aaroncheney.com
 
There was a movie many years ago called Ishtar with Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty. They played two guyswho had a lounge act. There were awful, which was the basis of part of the movie.

At one point they audition for someone, and do awful on an original tune. The reviewer suggests that they play known songs, so at least the audience can applaude the song.

To some extent, that's what happens in a club with cover bands. The people are relating to the song they recognize from their past, and have fond memories of. It sometimes matters little how well/bad the band covers it. As a result, it you play too many selections that fall outside this area of comfort, your list of future scheduled dates may dry up quickly.

Whether this is good or bad, it seems to be somewhat common in a range of small clubs.

Ed
 
Aaron Cheney said:
Incedentallly, I don't find it depressing at all - it's just how people are. YOu can fight it in the name or artistic intergrity or whatever. Lots of hungy artists do. I prefer to give people what they want, entertain them, and make a little $.
I think it takes just as much artistry to write a song "within the rules" as without, or to create an exiting stage show of covers as originals. The world needs both kinds of artists.

A
www.aaroncheney.com
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Funny,
Some of my heroes are these "hungry disgruntled types."

The Eels used to refuse to play "Novocaine for the Soul," their biggest hit. Warren Zevon used to growl when people yelled "Werewolves of London."

I like the "artistic integrity" idea, but pepper my live performances with some cover tunes just to keep the attention of Joe Public. Usually, though, I make significant changes to the song (while leaving it recognizable) so that it's still sort-of "mine."
 
Aaron Cheney said:
Yeah, it's taken me many years to finally understand that people simply want to hear what they are familiar with. You can play a very difficult or complex original song and people will say "that's nice..." But if you play some simple cover song they like they say "wow! you are awesome, dude! Where'd you learn to play like that?!"
Same goes for songwriting...if you write some tune in 7/8 that starts with a bridge, ends with a bridge, and has nothing but 4 verses between them, people won't dig it. They're not interested in taking the time to understand profound lyrics either. If you write original material that is simple and follows the old verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus format, you will find that people respond to your original stuff much better. Using the IV, V, I doesnt' hurt either... everybody gets it without having to try too hard.

A
www.aaroncheney.com
Click to expand...


There's a lot of middle ground there, though. After all, we're not talking about complex, progressive music vs pop, we're talking about original music vs covers. It's just sad to me that people don't consider music worth their time unless it's being pumped out of radio stations across the country.
 
Aaron Cheney said:
Incedentallly, I don't find it depressing at all - it's just how people are. YOu can fight it in the name or artistic intergrity or whatever. Lots of hungy artists do. I prefer to give people what they want, entertain them, and make a little $.
I think it takes just as much artistry to write a song "within the rules" as without, or to create an exiting stage show of covers as originals. The world needs both kinds of artists.

A
www.aaroncheney.com
Click to expand...

I have to agree. I've played in a classic rock cover band for a few years and there are so many ways to percieve what we do. It really just depends on the mood that day. We play many songs "like the record" and sometimes that's the challenge. There's something about nailing a Bad Co or Allman Bros song that makes it fun. Other times it's boring.

We also add our own twist to some songs, especially if they've been overdone by every other bar band. Our play list also includes what I call "forgotten gems" - songs that are rarely covered, if ever.

We enjoy what we do and so do most of the folks we play to. I refuse to become annoyed by what others' think we oughtta do. If ya think something ought to be done a certain way, git yer own and band do it yer own self.

In contrast, I have a lot of original stuff - most of it without lyrics. I play bass in the cover band but I'm basically a nylon string guitarist. Nobody in the band can cover the bass lines and no one else can play the guitar parts so it's a little frustrating. The best I can do is play and record all the parts myself. Except for playing a CD of my songs, I've never performed them in public. If that ever changes, I don't expect my attitude about the cover band to change, but y'never know.
 
lykwydchykyn said:
It's just sad to me that people don't consider music worth their time unless it's being pumped out of radio stations across the country.
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The cool thing though, is that there are getting to be so many people living on this planet that if you can tap into the right group you often you don't need a mass-market to make a living. For example, Joe Satriani ain't exactly a house-hold name. Neither is Steve Vai or EJ or John Petrucci, but there is a large enough "guitar-virtuoso" community out there that they can survive without o ton of airplay.

In the world of cover bands, seems to me the ones that do it best are those that bring "added value" to their shows. A perfect example is the Beatles tribute band Rain. I'm taking my whole family to see them tomorrow night. This will be my second time seeing them, and they put on one heck of an entertaining show. Besides just listening to the great Beatles tunes, they change costumes throught the show to signify the different stages, they have period TV commercials and news clips on the big screen to signify the state of the world at that time, etc... The take it beyond the boring cover tunes by adding their own elements.

On the other hand, ever see Creedance Clearwater Revisited? Yawn....

A
www.aaroncheney.com
 
LOL!!! i swear if i play sweet home alabama or all along the watchtower....or the worst of all Fly by lenny kravitz again..I'm going to break my guitar over someones head. but chances are I'll be paid for doing it so I'll do it. as for original music...its slowly picking up....but the thing i think that kills more people going to see original music is some really god awful bands....alot of these teen garage bands somehow get a show somewhere and if you go see the show...you're looking around for the candid camera. or your saying to yourself..."they can't be serious" I know everyone has to start somewhere but the least these kids can do is start in church where people say stuff like "their getting better...they dont sound good but they are making a joyful noise for the lord". theres a club where i live that has some really good original music bands that come through there...most are national but some are local. the bands are worth seeing again and in some cases I actually remember the band name which in my book is a major accomplishment. but when it comes to getting paid for it.....those poor bands get shafted big time. alot of times..their best bet is to sell their cd for 5 - 10 dollars and hope there are some people willing to buy it.
 
I like the idea of "renditions" as opposed to covers. My Band, The BLUE Humours, do versions of "Cymbaline" by Pink Floyd and "Rocket U.S.A." by Suicide in our set and we are just beginning work on"Tell Her No" by the Zombies
 
lol and see i dont know any of those songs so if i heard them...i might think they were yours
 
distortedrumble said:
lol and see i dont know any of those songs so if i heard them...i might think they were yours
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What always made me laugh, when my band was touring back around 2000, we were covering EMF's "unbelievable" and Jesus Jone's "Right here right now" (this was before it started getting used in car commercials), and kids would come up after the set and ask which of our CD's had one of those songs on it because they really thought it was awesome. I guess our originals needed some work!
 
ChristopherM said:
The Eels used to refuse to play "Novocaine for the Soul," their biggest hit. Warren Zevon used to growl when people yelled "Werewolves of London."
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This is the kind of thing that drives me nuts when I hear about artists that do it, but then again I found myself feeling that same way back when I was playing in my old original band.

If people are yelling for a song of yours, that should be taken as a huge compliment that they really really dig it, and the artist should play it happily. It is after all their creation, so why shouldn't they be proud to play it?

However, back when I was in my old band, we had a couple of favorites that people would request, and I was always thinking "Jeeez...that one again? You guys should hear some of the NEW stuff we've been working on!"

So, I can see both sides of the coin.
 
lykwydchykyn said:
What always made me laugh, when my band was touring back around 2000, we were covering EMF's "unbelievable" and Jesus Jone's "Right here right now" (this was before it started getting used in car commercials), and kids would come up after the set and ask which of our CD's had one of those songs on it because they really thought it was awesome. I guess our originals needed some work!
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doesnt that make you feel old though? it broke my heart when i heard smells like teen spirit and bush's Little things on the oldies rock station here where i live
 
Covers - why?

I play in a classic rock covers band. We do play some 'standards' but we also throw in the odd cover that few other bands do. I don't find it depressing, and judging from the audience reaction neither do they. It's not what you play, but the way that you play it. We are a world away from a 'house band' style of act where they think its enough to sound like the record, we try to put our own take on each song and play it in our own style. For example, despite having no keyboard player we play Deep Purple songs and 'Born To Run' by Springsteen, and we them well. We have a full gig sheet up till the end of the year.

Originals acts shouldn't get angry about covers acts. We target different audiences. It is wrong to assume that the people who come to see us in a bar would come along to the same bar if they knew there was a band on playing 'dificult' original music all night, most of them just wouldn't. They like to have a beer or two, get drunk and hear songs they know and can sing along with. We supply that. Being entertained by a good covers band is much better than just listening to the record, if the band are GOOD entertainers, the live performance brings an extra dimension.

I know personaly I never like stuff the first time I hear it, I always need to listen to a CD three times at least before it gets me. So going to see a band who i know nothing of their material would be wasted on me. Not everyone gets things straight off. This is another reason to play at lkeast some covers in your set.

For the record, I also write original songs, but they are not in a style that would fit the rock covers band so we don't do them live.

I have seen a covers band who boasted that they never do the 'run of the mill' covers only unusual ones. The didn't do too well because a large section of the audience had never heard the songs the band were covering. I thought at the time these guys may as well be playing their own stuff!!

I don't know about the States, but here in the UK the 'covers' bars and the 'indie' clubs are very differenrt scenes with different clientele.

Now tribute bands who wears wigs and try to look like other people, we can all agree suck!! And they make more money!!
LOL
 
glynb said:
.

Originals acts shouldn't get angry about covers acts. We target different audiences.

I know personaly I never like stuff the first time I hear it, I always need to listen to a CD three times at least before it gets me. So going to see a band who i know nothing of their material would be wasted on me. Not everyone gets things straight off. This is another reason to play at lkeast some covers in your set.

I don't know about the States, but here in the UK the 'covers' bars and the 'indie' clubs are very differenrt scenes with different clientele.

LOL
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I played in cover bands for quite a few years, and I have to agree with you on this point. Original bands tend to play in "showcase" clubs, or on "showcase nights". It's a usually a different audience. Cover bands tend to draw a slightly older crowd who are more in touch with classic rock radio, or 70's disco, etc, and don't seem to be that interested in hearing new bands unless it's a friend that they know, etc. They go out to hear songs they know. I personally got tired of playing in cover bands years ago, and wanted to focus instead on original music, but if a musician wants to make a living playing live music, the cover circuit is still a viable option - in some cities anyway. My 2 cents.
 
futurestar said:
I played in cover bands for quite a few years, and I have to agree with you on this point. Original bands tend to play in "showcase" clubs, or on "showcase nights". It's a usually a different audience. Cover bands tend to draw a slightly older crowd who are more in touch with classic rock radio, or 70's disco, etc,
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its hard to teach an old dog new tricks. i wonder what they have to say about these new "old style" bands like Kings of Leon.
 
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