pietruszka Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 HI! I've just played through some Madness stuff, and it got me thinking. I was in a covers band that was around briefly that did the usual load of covers, but as the band was put together by 3 of the members who were brothers, for the purpose of playing their parents 25th wedding anniversary the tracks were chosen by them. And this is the bit I'm getting at; We did a few tracks that were some of the best sounding I've ever done in a band. The line up was bass, kit, guitar 1 w/lead vox, guitar 2 w/bvox, trombone and sax (he played both tenor and alto). We did House Of Fun and Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, and they sounded incredible! Especially House Of Fun. Christ, even Mustang Sally Sounded great and we even pulled off You Can Call Me Al. That band was so satisfying, even though we played just covers. Has anyone else been in a band that was satisfying just from being in 'that' band? Which tracks no matter the mundanity got you smiling? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 My current band..... no matter what or where we play it's always a complete joy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperbob 2002 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Got a few good musicians in my band- but still as I am a grumpy old man I am never satisfied- never happy with the sound- cant stand our audience- or indeed other band members. Love playing my bass though- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I can't ever get past the fact that a great cover is only a cover. There is a simple buzz to be got from a job well done but it has always remained a shallow victory for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) Drums, bass, 2 guitars and vocals. Best sounding ones, to my ears, as well as the most fun were pop/punk versions: Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepson Friday/Baby - Rebecca Black/Justin Beiber Tik Tok - Ke$ha (An acoustic version of this is on our youtube account) Those are the stand outs to me, but there's other stuff like Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, Breakfast at Tiffanys, Country Roads, Pokemon Theme, etc... that have all been thrown out there before which were fun. Also, Bilbo, does it make a difference to you if it's covered in a totally different way to the original (Me First And The Gimme Gimmes are a good example of that), and not just a straight out tribute style cover? Liam Edited October 10, 2012 by LiamPodmore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 I see what you mean Bilbo, I suppose the point I was making was that it didn't matter on the cover in itself, it was how it sounded with those musicians in that band. Like when you find a great amp, you're happy to just play notes through it, just because it sounds good. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Must have been great playing Norman's bassline on 'Rhythm Stick'! Or did you do your own take on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Yeah, I get that. I remember doing a version of the hateful 'Ain't Nobody' by Chaka Kahn that was so in the pocket it cmae out covered in fluff and stuck to a mint humbug. There have been others; a couple of versions of Canteloupe Island (but the hit rate over 30 years or so is appalling) and even Moondance has scored once or twice(no more as I refuse play it now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest McBass Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Nu Po...Donny Hathaway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I love it when I get to play for a singer who really knows how to work a song. Recently I played in a trio (Bass, Cajon and acoustic guitar) backing a female singer who did, amongst other things, three Bill Withers' songs back-to-back. Lovely Day, Grandma's Hands and Ain't No Sunshine. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stick up (and they're not many). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanbrook Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 My current covers band, we have way too much fun and get very well paid and looked after. I find the attitude that cover are beneath some people funny, but the bottom line is if their original music was any good I would be covering it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 For me it's the line up, and when it's right everything just clicks. Like the example I gave, we were able to do some great tracks, House Of Fun managed to capture that nutty sound brilliantly, yet we managed to make Mustang Sally sound good to. I miss playing for that lot! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 In my current band, our 2 singer/guitarists do the Cantrell/Staley close harmonies SO well, I don't think that they realise it themselves - the overall sound can be chillingly authentic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davehux Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 We do the Leona Lewis version of Snow Patrol's 'Run' - it's right bang in our female singer's range, she loves it and gives it her all, and there's that wonderful 2 second pause of astonishment from the audience before they start clapping their little hands off Gets me everytime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 [quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1349880743' post='1831728'] In my current band, our 2 singer/guitarists do the Cantrell/Staley close harmonies SO well, I don't think that they realise it themselves - the overall sound can be chillingly authentic. [/quote] Have you looked at any B52's material then? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Some of the most enjoyable songs we cover for me just have pretty simple stuff going on ,like rain by the cult , I always enjoy playing this and it's all root notes really , it's just driven along by this and all I have to do is enjoy and get to move around more as I don't have to concentrate much ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 We do an awesome version of the Human League's Being Boiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Having played original material and covers for over 20 years, I've learned this about myself: I literally couldn't care who wrote the song I'm playing. If it's a good song, it's a good song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 In my current band i love it when we play anything by Led Zep. But my favourites are a Heavy version of Groovejet By Spiller ( Sophie ellis bextor) and We do ready to go by Republica. It's so much fun and just kills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I've played some great covers with Kit, but they are very different to the originals. Aamong others .. Private Universe by Crowded House Chop Suey by System of a Down No-one Knows by QOTSA Kit's great at arranging interesting covers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) In my punk covers band, The Daves, we play many of my fave songs from when I was a kid (76 - 79), Pistols, Clash, SLF, Ramones etc. But if I had to name my fave from the set to play, it would be The KKK took My Baby Away, by The Ramones. Edited October 10, 2012 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 One song thats getting a bit of love from me at the moment is Michael Jackson PYT. When it was suggested for the set i secretly didn't want it to work but actually it sounded great. Something about it that gels with our lineup and just works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1349896111' post='1832013'] One song thats getting a bit of love from me at the moment is Michael Jackson PYT. When it was suggested for the set i secretly didn't want it to work but actually it sounded great. Something about it that gels with our lineup and just works. [/quote] That's an awesome track! We do that in my current function band, but it's not the line up I spoke of at the start of this thread. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 A dub cover of Sabbath's 'Iron Man' with the vocal melody played on trumpet and trombone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1349896111' post='1832013'] One song thats getting a bit of love from me at the moment is Michael Jackson PYT. When it was suggested for the set i secretly didn't want it to work but actually it sounded great. Something about it that gels with our lineup and just works. [/quote] Just revisited this and what a great song it is ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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