Why are you in a covers band?

[Earbrass]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1363807649' post='2018039']
Which of course raises the question 'what's wrong with being an actor?'. One acts in one's music videos, so what is the problem with 'acting' music on stage?
[/quote]

Nothing at all against acting - some of my best friends etc... but the post I quoted referred to miming and the question of musical "worthiness" or some such. I can't see how pretending to make music can be as [i]musically[/i] worthy as actually doing it, however worthy it may be in other terms - to me it's like asking why an actor who portrays a sportsman in a film isn't as deserving of a sports award as a real sportsman. Both may be good at what they do, but they are different things.

[ZenBasses]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1363778272' post='2017345']
Have you never listened to a song and wished you were there playing it?

My old band used to do loads of Elbow, My Morning Jacket and M83; no-one knew the songs but we were up there playing awesome music.

Truckstop
[/quote]

My Morning Jacket are a Diamond in the rough.


Z is about as good as an album can get

[slumjacket]

This thread has a few pages, just shows what an interesting topic it is. I was in an originals band a couple of years ago and loved it, really got me into writing songs which I still do on a regular basis.

The band broke up due to the drummer having to move away and getting a replacement wasn't an option. So I managed to get a gig with a local covers band and I love it too. It's Southern rock, Allman brothers Skynyrd etc and we don't tend to play the obvious ones, but it still seems to get our audiences going. I still write for myself and would like to get into an originals project again but for the moment I happy entertaining the masses.

I don't miss the empty gigs we did as an originals band, it tended to be about 3 empty gigs and then a busy one but that's what you have to do to get your music out there. Central London is great for originals acts though, you can pretty much get a gig when you want it.

[Kirky]

I did the originals thing in my youth, and tbh the fame, fortune, soulless massive gigs, endless groupies, ridiculous riders etc just got boring. A few blues covers and the Dog and Duck is heaven now....

I'm with Wot on this - its all music. Unfortunately I don't play any originals at the moment, but you never know. I'm another 50 yo (later this year) and I don't discount playing with younger musicians in order to rekindle the creative spark.

[4 Strings]

I'm in two. One for the money (Motown tribute) and we have great fun doing it and have given hundreds of people a great time.

The other is a Christian band which gets used for bridge building and outreachy type events. Similar soul and Motown music, everyone loves a groove after all. and so use well known songs to attract.

That's why I play covers.

I'm looking forward to the Christian band becoming more established to give us an opportunity to generate some original material. Three of us used to be in a band for years in the 80s doing our own stuff.

[phlebas]

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1363816278' post='2018233']
I spent years gigging in original bands all around Europe. My drummer has played all over the world. We both have the same stories of great gigs great time and no money. I always played in cover bands at the same time to pay the bills.

One thing I learned is you can't eat creditability
[/quote]


Seconded!

I play in an originals band and a covers band.

The covers band play upwards of 50 gigs a year - weddings, corporate parties, etc. Always for decent money and usually to packed dance floors.

My originals band play math/post rock and are signed to an American indie label. We play gigs as and when we can, sometimes to nobody, sometimes to decent crowds (T in The Park 2011 is still a highlight). We love it and a small core following 'get' what we do but the likelihood of it ever becoming lucrative enough to make a living is remote. The function work, on other hand, constitutes more than half my income.

Personally, I've never wanted to inflict original material on a covers audience - they want The Killers and Adele, not tapping in 13/8 - but I can see that another band could blur that boundary more.

[Vinny]

I do both, so here's my two penworth, which I know you're all absolutely gagging for...

Being in an originals outfit costs an absolute fortune, and we can't get arrested gig-wise.

(I must point out that compared to places like Brizzel or That London, North Wales is akin to rural Mars.)

I am way, WAY the owdest one in the band.
I usually get given a song with no bass on it and told 'do your thing!'
I'm sometimes quietly chuffed with the bass parts I come up with.
I get to do this with some ace people who make me smile lots.*

Being in a covers band costs an absolute fortune and we can't get arrested.
I am nearly the owdest one in the band.
I get given a song which I put into some clever software that gets rid of the bass and 'do my thing.'
I am sometimes quietly chuffed with the bass parts I come up with.
I get to do this with some ace people who make me smile lots.*

Fin.





*and I'm a MISERABLE owd git.

[icastle]

...and just to prove how much of a clownwhore I am, I got asked to join an originals band tonight and, after hearing them, have agreed.

On the way out of the rehearsal studio I got collared by another band and I'm putting some double bass down on a couple of tracks they're currently recording.

So that gives me:

1x rock covers band
1x blues covers band
1x covers\originals duo
1x originals band

Life as a musical tart is good

[discreet]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1363826381' post='2018390']
So that gives me:

1x rock covers band
1x blues covers band
1x covers\originals duo
1x originals band

Life as a musical tart is good
[/quote]

Wow, all this! It must be why you're looking at that Cheapish Speaker Cable!

[icastle]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363828346' post='2018402']
Wow, all this! It must be why you're looking at that Cheapish Speaker Cable!
[/quote]

I see everything... I am the all seeing mod...






... and I wouldn't do that with it if you don't know where it's been...

[discreet]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1363828997' post='2018406']
... and I wouldn't do that with it if you don't know where it's been...
[/quote]

YOU know where it's been!

[skankdelvar]

Thinking of the various bands in which I played when a beardless youth, we played covers, or covers / originals or only originals. But we didn't think 'Oh, we're a covers band' or whatever. We just thought 'We're a band'. And I don't ever recall anyone saying 'Let's go and see X down the pub' and someone else saying 'Let's not - they're a covers band'.

I really don't recall when the distinction became so important or so imbued with 'meaning'. I must have been out of the country at the time.

[icastle]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1363830048' post='2018412']
Thinking of the various bands in which I played when a beardless youth, we played covers, or covers / originals or only originals. But we didn't think 'Oh, we're a covers band' or whatever. We just thought 'We're a band'. And I don't ever recall anyone saying 'Let's go and see X down the pub' and someone else saying 'Let's not - they're a covers band'.

I really don't recall when the distinction became so important or so imbued with 'meaning'. I must have been out of the country at the time.
[/quote]

+1

Ironically, it wasn't until I joined BC that I ever came across a major distinction between the two types - as you quite rightly point out, they were just 'bands'.

[xilddx]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1363830048' post='2018412']
Thinking of the various bands in which I played when a beardless youth, we played covers, or covers / originals or only originals. But we didn't think 'Oh, we're a covers band' or whatever. We just thought 'We're a band'. And I don't ever recall anyone saying 'Let's go and see X down the pub' and someone else saying 'Let's not - they're a covers band'.

I really don't recall when the distinction became so important or so imbued with 'meaning'. I must have been out of the country at the time.
[/quote]

It's a good point Skank, There are ClownWhore Entertainers and WhoreClown Entertainers, I think that must be the difference

[rOB]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1363781372' post='2017430']
Christ, I'm starting to feel like the exception here, there hardly seems to be anyone really enjoying being in an originals band so far.
[/quote]

I bloody love playing in my originals band.

No it doesn't pay a lot, yes its loads of hard work and audiences can be difficult.

But there's NOTHING like playing your own music live.

[KevB]

I'm not going to backtrack through pages of posts so sorry if this has already been mentioned but at one time it was pretty much the norm for bands to establish themselves playing other people's music before writing their own material, eg The Beatles.

[DorsetBlue]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1363794792' post='2017785']
But wasn't Mozart churning them out to order to get paid by the Emporer bloke who was in Beetlejuice?
[/quote]

...and when they weren't, they were producing truly awful 'Modernism' etc music that they didn't even want the man on the street to enjoy. I think most composers get pretty loose direction on what to write for films and TV, Christopher Franke certainly seemed to for Babylon 5 and I expect Mr Williams and Elfman do too.

[Marvin]

I wasn't in a covers band yesterday...but I might be today. I'm fickle and a band whore, I admit, I've no convictions...well apart from, actually less said about that the better.

[discreet]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1363863600' post='2018506']
...I'm fickle and a band whore, I admit, I've no convictions...well apart from, actually less said about that the better.
[/quote]

That's right Marv, the Bournemouth killings were a long time ago. People should be more ready to forgive and forget, imho.

[Marvin]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363863738' post='2018509']
That's right Marv, the Bournemouth killings were a long time ago. People should be more ready to forgive and forget, imho.
[/quote]

Some people just aren't as forgiving

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1363830048' post='2018412']
I really don't recall when the distinction became so important or so imbued with 'meaning'. I must have been out of the country at the time.
[/quote]

Good point.

It's all about the music isn't it?

Is there a distinction about listening to our own music or other people's stuff?

Is an 'original' air guitarist somehow different to a 'covers' air guitarist?

[Low End Bee]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1363830048' post='2018412']
I really don't recall when the distinction became so important or so imbued with 'meaning'. I must have been out of the country at the time.
[/quote]

June 3rd 2002 was when the great schism occured. You were probably with the Maharishi.

[EMG456]

Wow - some thread!

As has been hinted here before - two types of music - good and bad. Anyone involved in the creation, reproduction or consumption of said music has the right to define which it is for themselves only.

Another elder here - 54 and playing regularly since about 1974. Started off covers, then a few years of originals. Back to covers to make money. Had a spell of music full time and then back to part time/ semi pro. Got fed up doing weddings and have been involved in original music since. No difference - it's all music, mainly good!

Best to just enjoy your love for music as a creator, reproducer or listener.

Ed

[Grassie]

I'm in a covers band because I enjoy playing, I like to see people dancing and having a good time because of us, and because when it comes to doing my own stuff, I prefer working by myself (I make electronica tunes at home). This is because I'm a complete control freak and will disregard anyone else's ideas (especially if they happen to be better than mine).

[Norris]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1363802784' post='2017942']
I suspect from reading this thread that there's not much interest in new original material anyway, certainly that seems to be the case when looking in the recording thread, and the show us your vid threads.
[/quote]
Somebody ought to do a poll, but my guess is around 30% of the site members don't actually play bass or gig regularly, probably 10-20% are actively making original music and the rest (majority) are in covers bands.

There are covers bands and there are covers bands; there are originals bands and there are originals bands. My covers band is darned good (though I say so myself ) and I enjoy every minute of it. Just because we're playing someone else's music doesn't mean we can't be creative or put our own twist on things. It also means that we can cover a lot more genres (although 70's rock does feature quite highly) - our general rule of thumb is that we do stuff that punters have heard of, that other covers bands don't (or can't) do.

..and all compliments to everyone who has contributed to this thread. There have been a good varied mix of opinions expressed and it's been an enjoyable read.