pub band songs suitable for a 3 piece ?

[hamfist]

OK, my band is now currently down to one guitarist, so we're having to completely re-work our set. Trying to find a second guitarist, but it's difficult finding the right person.

Anyway ....... I need suggestions of songs that can be pretty decently done just drums, bass, one guitar and voices.

Currently we do stuff from bands like the Jam, Stereophonics, Fratellis, the Who, Killers etc, so stuff roughly in that sort of genre would be ideal. We don't do the typical classic rock, and are not interested in it TBH.

So ... hit me with some ideas ! (please)

[Happy Jack]

Erm ... about The Jam ...

The Who were a 3-piece too, only with a frontman.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Happy Jack

[Lozz196]

Wide Open Space by Manson (Mansun?) is a great song, easily done as a 3-piece.

Placebo also worth a look.

I`d also check out some Dr Feelgood songs - always seem to go down well whenever I`ve seen bands play them, especially Roxette.

[chris_b]

The keyboard player in our cover band didn't make a gig in the last lot of snow and we did the whole set as a gtr/bass/drums 3 peice.

The guitarist wasn’t happy to start with but it all worked fine.

Just play what you want to play.

[LiamPodmore]

Most stuff can be adapted to be done by a 3 piece with not that much effort. Some guys i know managed to do Walk by Foo Fighters (3 guitar parts at least) with a single guitar. It's easy to fill out that empty space where they rhythm guitar would normally be with a tonal tweak or two as well, but i'm guessing you'll already know that one.

Liam

[barkin]

I've a spare guitarist you can have. One's plenty.

[Norm]

My old covers band used to do similar stuff,
You dont love me - the kooks
Living for the weekend - hard fi
Shame about Ray - the hoosiers
Tainted love - more an uptempo soul version like the original than soft cell electro stylee
Parklife - blur
Song2 - blur
Going for gold - shed seven
Bluetonic - bluetones
Mollys Chambers - kings of Leon
Green day stuff etc

used to go down well,
Cheers,
Norm

[bremen]

Just about every one-guitarist pub band I've seen has been better than a two-guitarist. You get to hear the vocals and the bass.

But you already know that :-)

[Commando Jack]

When I was in a three piece we would do anything that was popular and to be honest, so long as it had a strong melody and good rhythm nobody seemed to care.

Basically, life is a lot easier if you do "a version of" whatever songs you want and accept that the little filler guitar parts/lead lines are just that - filler. 9 times out of 10 the punters will still be happy.

Of course, you have to be careful, because some songs are only good because of their production, and are actually terribly devoid of harmonic content. For example, Rhianna's "we found love" (not your genre but an example nonetheless) is a floorfiller in a club, but also a monotenous chorus line with very little beneath it, apart from waves of electronic instrumentation. I've seen people try this and its always poor because they don't have the instrumentation to do it.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Commando Jack

[tonyquipment]

Beatles

Kaiser chiefs

Easy pub rock

[Dr.Dave]

A lot of the stuff you do is one guitar music - just carry on with it.

I always think a 2nd guitar in a small venue like a pub muddys the sound anyway - and 90% of 2nd guitarists I see in pub bands appear to be just somebody elses mate that they couldn't leave out of the band even though they're just playing what the other guitarist is playing but slightly worse.

Passengers - f77k 'em.

[Ian Savage]

OIder Green Day stuff, The Clash can be got away with, Ash, Muse if your guitarist has the effects/chops, most Nirvana stuff, Feeder / Manics without the over-augmentation they've tended towards over the last decade - The Police maybe?

[dand666]

Hendrix? Cream?

[Bass Punk]

We lost our 2nd guitarist 2 years ago & have never looked back, more space musically & on stage. More money as well.
We do all sorts from Jam, Supergrass, The Clash, Black Keys, Greenday, well you get the idea. We've just adapted & i can't see us going back to another guitarist. Good luck

[hamfist]

Excellent suggestions from many of you.

And, yes, I am aware that a load of our songs can be done (and many were done originally) with a 3 piece. I'm doing an hour long gig tonight with what we could put together from the set. However, we can't really do a lot of the "old" stuff now, so will have to work up a load of new ones.

I get what a lot of you are saying about a single guitarist covering anything. IMO, some guitarists are better than others at that. In all honesty, our current guitarist is good, but doesn't have what I'd call a "big" sound. He has been great at fitting into a band (with our old keyboardist), but on his own, he's not the most creative at turning a 2 guitar piece into a 1 guitar piece (I sure hope he never reads this !). Maybe that will improve with necessity over the next few weeks/months. Who knows ?

I definately see the attraction of sticking wth fewer personnel. But, anyway, I know the guys in my band, and I know that we will pull off rather better songs that were not written for intertwining dual guitar parts etc.
So any more suggestions of specific songs would be great. PLease don't turn it into a discussion about the merits or not of one-guitar bands.

cheers !

Edited February 28, 2013 by hamfist

[lojo]

Try anything, I played in a covers 3 piece for a while (ok 3 + singer), but to be fair, the guitar player was good at making the songs work.

Even key heavy songs like Sweet dreams can work really well if the guitar and bass do the right parts

Edited February 28, 2013 by lojo

[discreet]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1362066036' post='1995251']
Passengers - f77k 'em.
[/quote]

You don't work for Transport for London, do you..?

[WhoNeedsYou]

Theme from Super Gran, lovely song.

[bertbass]

I've always played in a 3 piece and love it. There's very little that you can't play as 3. Be creative on the bass and don't be afraid to take some of the second guitar / keyboard parts if needed. You can also use vocals and harmonies to great effect to fill in for missing instruments. It won't be long before you wonder why you ever needed a second guitar. Good luck and enjoy.

[W11ATO]

Rush....if you're brave !!

[Commando Jack]

Specific songs:

In the morning (razorlight)
All these things I've done (Killers)
Yellow (Coldplay)
Anything by Snow Patrol

[Matt P]

i'm taking notes here, i play in a 3 piece with my 2 best friends (mainly just for the shear joy of it) we play a mix of blues/rock/indie and have found that as long as we admit that we can't play all the parts almost any song can be done in our own style (quite ofetn ends up sounding a bit reggae in the pracices for some reason) , the main exception is the soul stuff which just sounds wrong without a horn section, we're tried but we just can't get it to work.

Matt

[discreet]

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1362097294' post='1995920']
It won't be long before you wonder why you ever needed a second guitar.
[/quote]

Especially after you divvy up his gig money between you!

[oggiesnr]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1362074871' post='1995443']

I get what a lot of you are saying about a single guitarist covering anything. IMO, some guitarists are better than others at that. In all honesty, our current guitarist is good, but doesn't have what I'd call a "big" sound. He has been great at fitting into a band (with our old keyboardist), but on his own, he's not the most creative at turning a 2 guitar piece into a 1 guitar piece (I sure hope he never reads this !). Maybe that will improve with necessity over the next few weeks/months. Who knows ?

[/quote]

IMHO the bass player also has to carry more of the load in filling out the sound so tweaking your sound and basslines is going to be part of the answer.

Steve

[KevB]

Ultimately it all depends on how accurate you want to be and what you think you can get away with that is acceptible to the audience and still earn some reasonable money. I've been in 3,4, and 5 piece rock bands. One of 4 piece bands (one guitar) and 5 piece (2 guitars) did the occasional Thin Lizzy song in their set. Now the single guitarist in the 4 piece was a superb musician but I had to confess that the true twin guitar sound of the 5 piece was a step above.