Riffmaster
New member
So I take it we're all gonna post covers now??
R
RAMI
Guest
Maybe that's your problem. You're hung up on proving how great you are. The obvious resulting failure in that has produced a huge chip on your shoulder.
This has got to be the most ignorant thread ever started in the Clinic.
AMcB
Why you gotta be so mean?
Why don't you just not listen to them. Seriously get a life and don't listen to them, I think they should have the right to post them just pike you have to not listen to them.
apl
Stand Up Comity
LOL! That's hilarious! started because nobody laughed at my joke so I had to do it myself.
apl
Stand Up Comity
Maybe it's something about getting older, but if I have a notion that involves, "So-and-so will be really impressed..." I stop and look for the real value.
R
reklus
New member
I ran into something similar to this in my local craigslist.
I was complaining that every time we booked a gig we'd end up with two cover bands as bookends. The venues all advertised that they supported the "local scene" but only booked cover bands and stuck an original act in for appearance sake.
My argument was simply that cover bands don't promote or create a new scene (the RI music scene was turned into high priced condominiums) and that they should stick to their own venues and nights. They serve a purpose but they're not their to help shape what sound a town has.
I got death threats and people attempting to sabatoge our gigging. I got people telling me that our music was basically Doors covers. I got people saying our music was basically Stooges covers. I got people telling us our music was basically noise band stuff.
Obviously all of that can't be true simultaneously. I never had a problem with bands DOING covers but I always heard that argument "x band did covers and they were great, so we're great by extension"
The Beatles did covers and did them well, but their original stuff didn't sound like the bands they were covering's B material. Same with Zeppelin and the rest. To do a cover well in your own style is a godly art. To do a cover to sound like the original band and do that well is a craft and an important one for lots of people.
To do a cover that sounds like you want to sound like whoever you're covering but you can't quite get it because you're more worried about getting the exact instrument and cab combo (or whatever) instead of getting the groove and learning how to play with eachother is an abomination.
I think most people that have problems with covers have a problem with the third. There's a stagnation that comes from watching people think that they're just as good and important as the original band because they can play a Whitesnake song nearly perfectly. A cover band is a portable jukebox and people respond so well because they know what to expect.
There's nothing wrong with covers or cover bands, but it is sad that in so many towns the only thing to go out to see is angsty teenagers doing emo-pop or depressed 40 year olds doing a crappy cover of "Sultans of Swing"
I think that this may be a reason for the parent poster's frustration. If you live in an area where you don't have a good local scene you might come to sites like this looking for good original music. When denied, you might lash out in a drunken fury for all the web to see.
I was complaining that every time we booked a gig we'd end up with two cover bands as bookends. The venues all advertised that they supported the "local scene" but only booked cover bands and stuck an original act in for appearance sake.
My argument was simply that cover bands don't promote or create a new scene (the RI music scene was turned into high priced condominiums) and that they should stick to their own venues and nights. They serve a purpose but they're not their to help shape what sound a town has.
I got death threats and people attempting to sabatoge our gigging. I got people telling me that our music was basically Doors covers. I got people saying our music was basically Stooges covers. I got people telling us our music was basically noise band stuff.
Obviously all of that can't be true simultaneously. I never had a problem with bands DOING covers but I always heard that argument "x band did covers and they were great, so we're great by extension"
The Beatles did covers and did them well, but their original stuff didn't sound like the bands they were covering's B material. Same with Zeppelin and the rest. To do a cover well in your own style is a godly art. To do a cover to sound like the original band and do that well is a craft and an important one for lots of people.
To do a cover that sounds like you want to sound like whoever you're covering but you can't quite get it because you're more worried about getting the exact instrument and cab combo (or whatever) instead of getting the groove and learning how to play with eachother is an abomination.
I think most people that have problems with covers have a problem with the third. There's a stagnation that comes from watching people think that they're just as good and important as the original band because they can play a Whitesnake song nearly perfectly. A cover band is a portable jukebox and people respond so well because they know what to expect.
There's nothing wrong with covers or cover bands, but it is sad that in so many towns the only thing to go out to see is angsty teenagers doing emo-pop or depressed 40 year olds doing a crappy cover of "Sultans of Swing"
I think that this may be a reason for the parent poster's frustration. If you live in an area where you don't have a good local scene you might come to sites like this looking for good original music. When denied, you might lash out in a drunken fury for all the web to see.
R
RAMI
Guest
Another thing about doing covers is that it's great for learning and/or improving your songwriting.
I write my ass off. But for about every 10 originals I do, I like to get away from it and record a song I've always loved. And I always come out of it having learned something new about writing, arranging and recording/producing.
I write my ass off. But for about every 10 originals I do, I like to get away from it and record a song I've always loved. And I always come out of it having learned something new about writing, arranging and recording/producing.
Riffmaster
New member
Good point, besides sometimes I just can't come up with originals for a period of time and covers keeps your chops up.
B
blkdog7
What Pro Tools *****?
You hit the nail on the head for me. I think I resent cover bands cause we always had to play with them when I gigged a lot in the burbs of Chicago! I just really really despised cover bands. It cheapened what we were doing. And most of these bands were getting paid way more than we were cause they were playing the latest songs that were huge on the radio.
I know my post is pretty stupid and mean. And I probably shouldn't have made it. But really, I think it's a resentment I have always had against covers. We occasionally play a cover in our sets but we always make it unrecognizable or change it so its ours. I just love the creative process.
TelePaul
J to the R O C
Maybe they were just better than you.
G
Greg_L
Banned
Word. I used bunches of covers to get my skills up a little and learn the recording process. I write more now that I'm comfy with my abilities and recording techniques. I still suck but covers are still fun.
Yonce N Mild
Voice of Sanity
Absolutely!
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
And my experience is that the vast majority of those who slam covers lack the basic skill required to actually perform them.
I agree - it's ignorant. Since when was songwriting a prerequisite for becoming a recording engineer anyways? ? In fact, by the time the music makes its way to the engineer it's already effectively a cover.
I agree - it's ignorant. Since when was songwriting a prerequisite for becoming a recording engineer anyways? ? In fact, by the time the music makes its way to the engineer it's already effectively a cover.
B
blkdog7
What Pro Tools *****?
I still stand behind what I said. I just should have gone about it differently. My original post was less than tactful.
And my opinion does not make me ignorant. It's my opinion. I am entitled to it. And I will never be in a cover band ever. I have been in original bands for about 17 years and I just don't see the point or the need. I'd rather play and record my own stuff, thank you.
I'm not a recording engineer. Maybe that's the disconnect here.
And my opinion does not make me ignorant. It's my opinion. I am entitled to it. And I will never be in a cover band ever. I have been in original bands for about 17 years and I just don't see the point or the need. I'd rather play and record my own stuff, thank you.
I'm not a recording engineer. Maybe that's the disconnect here.
G
Greg_L
Banned
But that Pumpkins cover wasn't you, right?
B
blkdog7
What Pro Tools *****?
We recorded that for a Pumpkin's Tribute CD. We were asked to do it.
I posted that as a joke, really. That's OLD.
G
Greg_L
Banned
We recorded that for a Pumpkin's Tribute CD. We were asked to do it.
I posted that as a joke, really. That's OLD.
Doesn't matter. You're a fake and hypocrite. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
B
blkdog7
What Pro Tools *****?
No I am not. If you look earlier I stated that we have always had a cover in our set but we always made it our own. We totally changed the song.
And with that one song that was recorded about 10 years ago, my recorded ratio of cover to original is about 1,000 to 1.