citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Hey all, As a band we are in the summer blues! People away at all different times over the holidays has meant we have had 8 weeks off! Booo! However, the new gigging year (in my eyes) is beginning so it is time to have a look at the setlist and get stuck into some new numbers. We are a covers band, Foos, thin lizzy, led zep, acdc, killers, reverand and the makers, reef, green day, elvis. We definitely have a rock streak in us, the songs we play are all pop songs in the sense that they were popular in their day and therefor bridge the range of ages you get in your pub venues. Now, my quandary. The singist has suggested that maybe we do some quieter stuff, add a 'batwing' to the set. He suggested ballads. My question to you guys for a bit of help - what stuff could we do. I don't like the idea of ballads but I want to get into his frame of mind and go to our next meeting about songs with some examples. Any help greatly appreciated! CM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 there are lots of rock type ballards... what about Always by Bon Jovi as one example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Yep, Bon Jovi do great ballads, and most people know them too, which is a plus when playing a slow one. There are some fantastic rock ballads about, but bear in mind that a ballad instantly slows the set down, if you then are doing a ballad no-one knows, interest can plummet. If your guitarist doesn`t want to kill you after suggesting it, Sweet Child o` Mine by Guns N Roses is a great song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) Thunder - Love Walked In [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G-FAjzT5Fo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G-FAjzT5Fo[/url] Edited August 21, 2012 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I wanna know what love is - Foreigner I'd do anything for love (but I won't do that) - Meatloaf Don't stop believing - Journey Festering in the Crypt - Cannibal Corpse Luckily my band has a great female singer; we get to do Bonnie Tyler and Tina Turner! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Purple Rain? I want to know what love is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Cheers for the suggestions so far. I think with our 5 piece setup we have some flexibility in our arrangements of songs. Are there any quirky ballads/ slower songs that you know of that have been given the rock edge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 My band used to have a lot of fun with this one ... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQr-U410JOw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQr-U410JOw[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Maybe not all ballads, but some suggestions... Here I Go Again - Whitesnake That Was Yesterday - Foreigner While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison Still in Love with You - Thin Lizzy Parisienne Walkways - Gary Moore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Happy Jack -been a while since I've heard that song! It certainly hear us doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) I'd love it if a band had the nuts to cover this oddity, always liked the lyrics... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mATrEyksv4[/media] Edited August 21, 2012 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 How about Bowie's 'Lady Stardust', Floyd's 'Breathe' or Steppenwolf's 'The Pusher' Not so much ballads, but excellent slower rock songs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1345550448' post='1778648'] I wanna know what love is - Foreigner I'd do anything for love (but I won't do that) - Meatloaf Don't stop believing - Journey [b]Festering in the Crypt - Cannibal Corpse[/b] Luckily my band has a great female singer; we get to do Bonnie Tyler and Tina Turner! Truckstop [/quote] This is slightly out of our vocalists comfort spot haha! I played him some deftones to prove that metal wasn't all just white noise and he nearly fell off his chair! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Oh that's a shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 don't do a song that that somebody in the band doesn't like, resentment builds up and it'll end in tears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Another one not mentioned is Aerosmith, they do some damn good ballads. How about taking something that wouldn't normally be anything like that, and putting your own spin on it to make it softer. For instance, i think something like Walk by Foo Fighters would be brilliant as a stripped down, less intense version. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 'Dream on' is Aerosmith's greatest song IMHO and might fit the bill here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='pobrien_ie' timestamp='1345551476' post='1778686'] Maybe not all ballads, but some suggestions... Here I Go Again - Whitesnake That Was Yesterday - Foreigner While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison [b]Still in Love with You - Thin Lizzy[/b] Parisienne Walkways - Gary Moore [/quote] A personal favourite of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1345552418' post='1778714'] don't do a song that that somebody in the band doesn't like, resentment builds up and it'll end in tears [/quote] This has come a couple of times about the democracy of a band - if 4 out of 5 want to play it, what would you say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citymariner Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1345552568' post='1778717'] Another one not mentioned is Aerosmith, they do some damn good ballads. How about taking something that wouldn't normally be anything like that, and putting your own spin on it to make it softer. For instance, i think something like Walk by Foo Fighters would be brilliant as a stripped down, less intense version. Liam [/quote] As good as Foo Fighters are (I'm a fan from the early days) we tend to find they don't go down that well in the pub crowd. We've done: Learn to Fly Times like these These days Pretender We also work on the premise that the song must be 'known'- I partially agree with this but don't think it need apply to the whole set list as people go to live music to listen to live music and are often open to hearing a new song etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham56 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 It's not a ballad but why not Bad Company - "Bad Company" Or Free's "My Brother Jake" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='citymariner' timestamp='1345553772' post='1778738'] This has come a couple of times about the democracy of a band - if 4 out of 5 want to play it, what would you say? [/quote] Well I'm in a 4 piece and generally we reach a concensus, but if one person really doesn't want to do it we don't, there's enough other songs out there without causing resentment, having said that we've all got more a less the same musical taste which helps a lot, it's an old cliche 'musical differences' but it can cause a lot of aggro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 My band have taken to doing Monkey Wrench and Times Like These in a slower bluesy manner. Otherwise they're just too fast, loudessy for a pub covers band IMO Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Most bands can't play a slow song which is the reason why they stay away from them. If you are going to pick one..make sure you do it well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1345556271' post='1778765'] Most bands can't play a slow song which is the reason why they stay away from them. If you are going to pick one..make sure you do it well [/quote] +1 to that. and try and make it a singalong as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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