Leaderboard

I was a founding member, and spent 26 years, with a KISS tribute band. We wore the full outfits and boots (custom made and VERY expensive), had custom guitars made (and existing guitars customised) and took the musical/vocal/arrangement accuracy very seriously. To me, that's what makes a 'tribute' band, rather than a 'cover' band. I even went as far as to learn firebreathing and we filled our performances with the expected pyrotechnics too.... It all paid off though... We were the first KISS tribute to perform all over Europe & Scandinavia and played numerous international fan conventions too. Over the years we played with, played for and/or appeared with almost all original and latter members of KISS as well as appearing on both of Gene Simmons worldwide TV shows. We performed for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Def Leppard, headlined festivals and launched products (Volvo etc). We also performed at music 'trade shows', played Halloween at the Cafe De Paris in Monaco and toured Japan with The Bootleg Beatles, Counterfeit Stones, T-Rextasy and Royal Family (Queen show), gaining endorsements from Washburn, Ibanez, Cort and Spector along the way.... We even discovered that KISS were keeping up date with our performances and later found that a mid song breakdown/arrangement I had created had been adopted by KISS themselves in their live show! It was very hard work, but great fun and gave me life experiences that will stay with me forever. I also spent spare time in originals bands and cover bands over the years so have seen both sides.... Tribute haters gonna hate...... usually from their bedrooms...... but I guarantee I worked 10 times harder during every 2hr tribute show than haters ever have onstage....

I don't actually care whether a band is tribute, covers, or so-called originals. All that matters is ... are they any good?

But why? If you have a particular enthusiasm for the output of one artist/band, who is to say it is unhealthy or a bit silly to concentrate on playing that material? I listen to a very limited range of music, and am happiest when playing the music from that range. As it is increasingly unlikely that I will ever be invited to join the original band, playing with people who share that enthusiasm, to audiences who also share it, is the next best thing.

A House In The Boonies / S13 Ep4 / Wales Final Broadcast Transcript Run Time 29’:22” Pre Creds: Presenter (Wendy) to camera “This week we’re in Wales helping Ron and Marjorie to find … A House In The Boonies” Opening Creds – Theme Music: ‘Plinketty Plonk’ Scene 1 – Establishing segment Wendy to camera: "Ron and Marjorie Blart currently live in a poky, condemned one bedroom flat in London but hope to exchange it for a gigantic mansion in Wales possibly with turrets. Ron’s a retired astrophysicist and Marjorie’s a lion-tamer so they need some land for Ron’s collection of radio telescopes and an enclosure for Marjorie’s pride of lions” Shot of lions ripping zebra to shreds – Incidental Music: ‘Banjo Breakdown’ Wendy smarming to camera: "So how did you two love-birds come to be married?" Ron and Marjorie to camera, holding hands: Incidental music: ‘Disco Love Theme for Ukulele” Ron: “We met when Marjorie’s circus came to perform at Jodrell Bank. It was love at first sight” Marjorie: “I’d never seen a little man with such a huge telescope” Music stab: ‘Trombone Wah-wah-wah descending’ Wendy: So what’s the most important feature you’re looking for in your new House In The Boonies? Marjorie: The master bedchamber must have have lots of light. And I want a snug little room somewhere to do colonic irrigation. It's a hobby of mine. Ron: I’d need an absolutely stable gravitational environment with no electro-magnetic eddies… Wendy: Right… Ron: … but it’s not a big issue as long as Marjorie’s lions are happy. Particularly Rex… Marjorie: Yes, Rex. Rex is a bit picky. Wendy: (simpers) Well, we’ll be looking at three luvlay generous properties after the break Break Bumper Music: ‘Pizzicato Plonketty Plink Plinketty Plinketty Plonk’

I watch Later. Actually, I record it and ff through the stuff I don't like. I sometimes see a band that I like. I've no idea why people like the stuff I don't, but they seem to, so why should I call their music crap and slag off one of the only music programs on TV? I'm in favour of the TV companies filling their schedules with live music. We need more. Later is a good program and TV would be the poorer if it was cancelled.

PRECISELY!

Doesn't make sense to me either, probably because that's not what I'm saying. Download a 30Hz test tone and play it through your bass amp or over headphones. Does it sound musical? Can you even hear much at all? 30-40Hz can certainly add a lot of weight to a bass instrument, but it doesn't add much to the 'musicality' of it. If you play that low 31Hz B-string then it sounds fat because the lowest fundamental is helping to underpin the overall sound, but much of what you're hearing is the harmonics above that. And you can roll of a lot of that 31Hz fundamental without affecting the overall tone or 'fatness'. Try it. Maybe with a compressor In a live gig setting, I'd be very wary of doing anything around 30-40Hz other than dialing it back due to the chaotic acoustics in most venues. If you're recording DI in a studio, it's a very different kettle of fish because the room is taken out of the picture and you can tweak to taste post-recording.

I'm in a Bowie Tribute band, but we're a bit different as our lead singer is female. Jane (for that is her name) does a bit of dressing up and uses the jagged metal tie on 'Man Who Sold the World. The rest of us just wear mostly normal clobber as you can see....that's me in the hat btw! We don't replicate the music note for note and have written an original tribute to Bowie song. Best part is we all take it seriously but also have a laugh, work hard on performances and audiences seem to like us. http://www.facebook.com/missbowieband

The 'buyer' refused the eBay refund I sent and insisted that I send the bass, so I have refunded him directly through PayPal (and have an acknowledgment from eBay that he has now received it). I'm guessing from his tone that he'd already sold it (eBay listing closed early), had seen a nice £600 pay-day coming his way, and is now rather miffed. What goes around comes around eh

Bedroom: Lovely, bass-rich, slightly mid-scooped tone with a hint of top-end 'air' (sniffs cork, quaffs, spits) Live band: Mids-boosted clank, leave everything under 100hz to the kick drum

Usual YT rumbling led me to these guys and I dig it, jazz bass with chromes through an B15 - bliss!

Anyone notice this trend? The BBC seem to be major offenders. Anything that's not serious drama, such as a programme about shopping, or a fluff-doc about some family business in Kettering, always has a constant moronic soundtrack throughout - usually featuring plinky pizzicato strings for a 'lighthearted' feel, or possibly an aphasic idiot whistling a merry tune accompanied by some jolly ukulele chords... and it's always too bloody loud! I get the impression this drek is to keep the population calm and sedate... much like the sort of easy-listening prevalent in the nation's secure units, loony bins and associated banana cabanas. Crime drama and other 'serious' programming is even worse. It's got to the stage where I cant even tell if something horrible is about to happen without the obligatory 'low synth drone', presumably intended to instil a sense of foreboding in the viewer... Any other feckless time-wasting, square-eyed, slack-jawed quinquagenarians agree..?

Here's mine.

I was in a Stereophonics "tribute" band ...we didn't look like them ..though weirdly I played in an originals band at the same time whos's singer was the spitting image of Kelly jones ( great singer but didn't sound anything like Mr Jones) We did mess with arrangements a bit and I didn't stick to the root note bass lines that Kelly jones insisted were played on "his" songs. I don't care if you like the idea of tribute bands or about anyone's idea of what constitutes a tribute band ...I had a fantastic time made decent money and played main stage rock city to 2000 (ish) people, all singing along to every song , three times....I'll die a happy man.

What really gets on my tits is with most things the music is always around blow your head off volume and you can hardly hear the talking

I'd noted on a few visits to my Dad's house, he's started watching TV with the sound off. No subtitles, no sound, nothing. It's quite nice once you get used to it. Much easier to make up you're own plot lines and game show rules.

I would phone you and talk you through this... but I suspect you wouldn't be able to hear me over your tinnitus.

Cheating? Don't be silly. Writing the answers up your arm when taking exams is cheating. Having the words etc to hand is being prepared.

My contempt for the facile, simpering jauntiness of daytime TV incidental music is utter and complete. Were it possible to enact without risk of penal servitude a savage, physical retribution on the gurning halfwits who manufacture these odious 'programmes' I should proceed accordingly and with gusto. Faugh!

I got the Sire V3 that was up last month and as far as I can see there is nothing wrong with it 🤔

Absolutely. And sustain too... A common misconception on here and elsewhere is: "What on earth would I want my bass to have good sustain, I don't play any long notes?" When in fact sustain is more about how the instrument generates harmonics, which are fundamental to a good tone.

I don’t actually have much personal experience of Rays first hand so as far as the tone of the Solo’d MM pickup I don’t have a particular frame of reference. What I will say though is that it isn’t only useful as a blending option with the P - it’s actually an incredibly useful sound in its own right. I’ve found myself playing along to tracks with a dense mix of instruments and soloing the MM has given me the perfect starting tone that cuts through the mix better than any other pup setting.

Well, you seem to have got an accurate picture of them then!

I’ve just realised, @mcnach, part of the reason for my purple wood grain bass GAS was seeing your Maruszczyk “JazzJake” custom. To be fair I was already GASing for that colour/wood combo but you added fuel to the flames

Ok mate no need to shout, I heard you this time. Maybe you EQ’d those out of the bottom end......

It's a shame that there has been a post belittling tribute bands , music people love is heard everyday through headphones on the move and LPs in peoples homes so why would the visual and live performance recreation not be a next step for some fans. The one thing I love about the musicians I know and call friends both weekend warriors and pros is their love of life and tolerance of people just being into whatever it is they love, be it tributes , originals or running a Sonia fan club

How about posting a live video of your band and let the ridiculous tribute band bass players see what makes you so much better.

Dear Dan Dare, The word 'tribute' has nothing to do with 'fake'. A 'tribute' is actually what is correctly known as a 'paean' - meaning 'a creative work expressing enthusiastic praise' or ' an expression of praise or exultation' (Wikipedia) This may all sound a bit nancy noo, but that's the way it is. By the way, I personally am not a huge fan of tribute bands, but, hey..........................

I don't think I particularly looked like one, but the smoke machine definitely helped!

Anything by King's of Leon just awful

This poem was in the order of service at a memorial service for a young Bass player I knew, taken too young. I appreciate that not everyone shares the poems view on bassists "place" in a band, but the sentiment was definitely shared by the young lad.🙂 Thought I'd share it.

Was 1979 really 39 years ago??? Thanks....I'm now feeling so much older...

We play all over. Based in nottingham/leicester but regularly play in birmingham. Playing wv1 fest in Wolverhampton in the coming months and Route 44 in birmingham in June. Check us out on facebook https://m.facebook.com/Cultfictionuk/

@Jus Lukin can speak for himself of course… but his post is simply explaining how low frequency sounds and harmonics are perceived by us humans. It’s a good explanation of how and why those super low notes will still be ‘heard’ by the audience, even when they’re not actually ‘hearing’ much of 31Hz (or whatever) but the multiple harmonics above it. This is a good thing for you and anyone else who play a 5-string bass, surely? Gives you some confidence to dial-back the very low end if need be - for instance, if the room acoustics are bad - without compromising your overall sound. No cleft in your heft, eh. So I think it’s perfectly relevant to this discussion. Your misunderstanding of the point being made is evident in your comment about "dialling back the tone on my passive BB 1025 doesn't result into a rapid descent into "mush and scary rumbles", but produces something lush", which has nothing to do with what Jus Lukin is talking about. Jus saying

Played a small gig on Saturday, crowd was great and bouncing. In all fairness it was my own wedding and the band I had booked gladly allowed me to practise and play a couple of songs with them throughout the night. My newly wife and I are massive Stevie Ray Vaughan fans so the band was happy to learn a couple of hits and let me play with them during the evening. All I can say is that no one was surprised when I got up to play. But, what was surprising was when my band and my dad (who also plays bass) booted the other band off and played some songs them self. Was a great wedding!

No sign of it yet but I’ll let you know as soon as it arrives and we can sort out a meet.

I have to say that your bass is much more to my liking. As you may remember, I mis-specced the colours on mine (ended up with a redder purple than intended because of a mistake I made, and I specced the 'vintage tint' when I had in mind the 'yellow tint')... so while yours wasn't either exactly the combination I was after, I think it looks fantastic. If it plays just a fraction of how good it looks, it must be amazing

14.8 if you sucked really hard!! :-)

Rehearsed last week without our rhythm g/keyboardist, so we weren’t trying too seriously. Jammed Brown Eyed Girl as we know he hates that song, but it worked very well. Texted him to say we wanted to work on it at today’s session, his reply? "I think I will have a migraine come on this afternoon". Hope he was joking.

Welcome! and don't sell yourself short! Nice basses :-)

I was wondering when someone would come along and - in an excess of feeling - step firmly upon on the tribute band landmine. It's always fun when that happens. The thing about tribute bands is that they are merely a variation on the time-honoured practice of musicians playing other peoples' songs. Indeed, until the Rutles came along pretty much the entire industry was predicated on the idea that songwriters wrote songs and musicians performed them and seldom the twain did meet. To my uncertain recollection the greatest popular singer of all time (Frank Sinatra) wrote (and subsequently performed) only one song in his career. If it was good enough for Francis Albert, it's good enough for me. In any event, the point is moot when it comes to bass players; apart from ten or so household names nearly all bassists have to dutifully play what they're given by The Talent, even when - as in the case of most 'originals' hobby bands - The Talent is a technically incompetent dullard with an Epiphone Lester and Himmler's way with a tune. All of which is is to say that my ranked musical preferences for a local Friday night out would be: 1. A tribute band 2. A covers band 3. Red hot needles in the eyes 4. An 'originals' band

OK, lets have a go at uploading some piccies Seems to have worked, old pictures sorry and forgive the album cover it was something daft I was posting on Talkbass

I'm in a Police tribute. We take the whole thing seriously. I look quite a bit like Sting, I try and copy how he moves on stage and play replicas of his basses, matched with the outfit he mainly wore with whatever bass I'm using. Guitarist has a Telecaster that has been 'Andy Summers' by 'The Painted Player' guitar company Drummer has old Tama kit, in one of the colours that Stewart used, octobans too. Live, we play the studio versions but sometimes make them longer, depending on the length of the show. One of our first gigs was at a festival in Crete. Matala. We played to thousands of people with a back drop of caves. I've included a few pics, it was THE most amazing gig of my life. We went on at 1.30am just after some big Greek star. Obviously the guitarist is playing the Red Strat (like Andy's) but not the Tele.

I don't currently, but have a strong desire to start an Ian Dury tribute - as the vocalist

I have a tung oil finish in an instrument and wondered what’s best to clean it with? Any ideas? Seems like a damp cloth is good but perhaps there’s some nice product I can waste money on?

This and their new singer is just fantastic too!