Is originality dead?

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1501664314' post='3346286']
No, that was the Beatles.
[/quote]

Word

[mikel]

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1501667857' post='3346349']
Word
[/quote]

Nah, It was called The Word.

[oldbass]

Id be tempted to change the thread title to the more pertinent "...dont hear much original melody anymore"

[markstuk]

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1501661366' post='3346226']
[color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Looking at Norfolk Band Network on FB there seem to be an awful lot of bands who ID themselves as 'cover bands' or 'influenced by...' So where's all the originality gone? [/font][/color][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Did the seminal 60s and 70s groups do covers? " We're called The Who and we're going to be doing Chuck Berry numbers..." [/font][/color]

[color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]By way of balance I am impressed at the number of young bands who [u]are[/u] inventive, either in versioning or coming up with originals. Last Sunday I saw the awesome Dove and Boweevil do Stormy Monday so differently I didn't recognise it until half way through. [/font][/color]

[color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Am I being a Victor Meldrew here? Is being a covers band a cop out? And how to make playing covers fresh and standout? Not wanting to wind anyone up or upset them, being fairly new to the band world just wanting to learn something. [/font][/color]

[color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]EDITED [/font][/color]
[/quote]

Twas always so...

[Dad3353]

Originality can only work if there's someone (or more...) in the band capable and willing to write songs..! In our band, that's not the case, so our options are either to: 1 - play covers or 2 - play nothing. We choose the songs we want to play (and we're capable of playing...) and do that. Simple. There's really nothing special or magical in playing original material, especially if it's not very good in the first place.

[tonyquipment]

Be a jam band. You can't get more original than that?

What happens when you copy a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy?

Isn't that music for the last umpteen hundred years??

[Dad3353]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1501678788' post='3346492']
Be a jam band...
[/quote]

I tried that, but it didn't work. It was always 'jam tomorrow'; never 'jam today'.

[dave_bass5]

All the good songs have already been written. Now its all dross, has been for years.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1501672128' post='3346407']
Originality can only work if there's someone (or more...) in the band capable and willing to write songs..! In our band, that's not the case, so our options are either to: 1 - play covers or 2 - play nothing. We choose the songs we want to play (and we're capable of playing...) and do that. Simple. There's really nothing special or magical in playing original material, especially if it's not very good in the first place.
[/quote]

Why is no-one in your band capable or willing to write songs?

Songwriting is a skill just like learning to play your instrument(s). You get better by practicing doing it. Everyone in your band has learnt to be able to play at least one instrument (and AFAICS Dad3353 can play at least 2) so why don't you want to spend a little time working on songwriting?

Because if you were songwriters you would know that there is very little more special or magical than someone coming up to you after a gig and saying how much they enjoyed the songs that you have written.

Edited August 2, 2017 by BigRedX

[keving]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1501666762' post='3346325'] ... no one wants to go to a pub and hear Sex On Fire or All right Now every week. [/quote]

Actually, yes they do. It's us that don't want to play it every week in every band we play in and hear it again when we have a night off and go to see a band

[steantval]

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1501661366' post='3346226']
[size=4][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Looking at Norfolk Band Network on FB I was struck that there seem to be an awful lot of bands who ID themselves as 'cover bands' or 'influenced by...' So where's all the originality gone? [/font][/color][/size][size=4][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Did the seminal 60s and 70s groups do covers? " We're called The Who and we're going to be doing Chuck Berry numbers..." [/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]By way of balance I am impressed at the number of young bands who [u]are[/u] inventive, either in versioning or coming up with originals. Last Sunday I saw the awesome Dove and Boweevil do Stormy Monday so differently I didn't recognise it until half way through. [/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Am I being a Victor Meldrew here? Is being a covers band a cop out? And how to make playing covers fresh and standout? Not wanting to wind anyone up or upset them, being fairly new to the band world just wanting to learn something. [/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]EDITED [/font][/color][/size]
[/quote]

The Who - Summertime Blues comes to mind.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1501682691' post='3346537']
Why is no-one in your band capable or willing to write songs?

Songwriting is a skill just like learning to play your instrument(s). You get better by practicing doing it. Everyone in your band has learnt to be able to play at least one instrument (and AFAICS Dad3353 can play at least 2) so why don't you want to spend a little time working on songwriting?

Because if you were songwriters you would know that there is very little more special or magical than someone coming up to you after a gig and saying how much they enjoyed the songs that you have written.
[/quote]

Our eldest writes and records stuff; we've quite a decent mini-studio here. It's more in the vein of 'Pierre Boulez meets NIN', though, and not much use for the modest five-piece that we are. In my entire life, I've written three or four 'songs', and re-written a couple from memory of bands I played with in the UK, long defunct. These, too, are not the material that our formation would be interested in playing (I've tried; [i]peine perdue[/i]..! ), being in a pseudo 'jazz-bossa' vein that brings our lads out in spots (they've heard me playing 'em ever since they were born; maybe before..! ) If you want a taste of my own compositional 'skills', I would refer you to my entries in the Basschat Composition Challenge most months; I've a Soundcloud where they (and more...) are free for anyone to listen to, including several especially created for integrating into RPG video games I have done which pleased some. You'll maybe understand better exactly why we play covers for lack of adequate home-grown repertoire suitable for pubs, clubs and/or concerts..!

[Skol303]

Is originality dead? For pub-band players of a certain age and disposition, quite possibly yes.

For everyone else, no it's not.

Next question...

Edited August 2, 2017 by Skol303

[skankdelvar]

Asking bass players to opine about covers vs originals is often a fruitless exercise, seeing as they are mostly playing other peoples' songs either way.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1501671749' post='3346400']
Nah, It was called The Word.
[/quote]

That was one strange show.

[TimR]

The problems I hear with many originals bands is they're trying too hard to be original and many of them don't understand song structure.

Playing covers gives you a base to build from and learn.

If a lot more originals bands didn't have the "We're an originals band, we don't do covers" attitude, they'd get a lot further.

We play a few originals in our cover band, its the way to test them in front of an audience. If you play a two hour set of covers and pop in 8 originals you can play the normal pub circuit and get your songs tested and out there, have fun and get paid.

It's easier and more rewarding than trying to sell yourself to a bunch of people only there to see their mates band who disappear once they've finished playing.

Edited August 2, 2017 by TimR

[mikel]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1501693145' post='3346645']
Asking bass players to opine about covers vs originals is often a fruitless exercise, seeing as they are mostly playing other peoples' songs either way.
[/quote]

Unless your name is Sting, Paul McCartney, Mark King, Phil Lynott or Lemmy.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1501699481' post='3346761']


Unless your name is Sting, Paul McCartney, Mark King, Phil Lynott or Lemmy.
[/quote]

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

http://teamrock.com/news/2017-07-25/motorhead-covers-album-due-out-in-september

Edited August 2, 2017 by dave_bass5

[Roger2611]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1501680699' post='3346516']
All the good songs have already been written. Now its all dross, has been for years.
[/quote]

Sorry Dave, I have to disagree, there is some fantastic new music out there if you look for it, The Temples, Mystry Jets, Ghostpoet to name but a few, of the older more established bands The Charletons are writing some of their best ever stuff at the moment, they may not be doing a style of music you really like but there is still some great new music coming through

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1501699481' post='3346761']
Unless your name is Sting, Paul McCartney, Mark King, Phil Lynott or Lemmy.
[/quote]

Or - indeed - Steve Harris, Gene Simmons, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, Dee Dee Ramone or Roger Waters.

But I think you know what I mean

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1501700113' post='3346768']


Sorry Dave, I have to disagree, there is some fantastic new music out there if you look for it, The Temples, Mystry Jets, Ghostpoet to name but a few, of the older more established bands The Charletons are writing some of their best ever stuff at the moment, they may not be doing a style of music you really like but there is still some great new music coming through
[/quote]

That’s a subjective list that you obicvlsy like, but to me bands likes the Charletons, Ghostpoet, and Mystry Jedi are awful IMO. I could never listen to that drivel.

Edited August 2, 2017 by dave_bass5

[stingrayPete1977]

It was all fields around here........

[ahpook]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1501699133' post='3346756']
The problems I hear with many originals bands is they're trying too hard to be original and many of them don't understand song structure.
[/quote]

Huzzah !

[BigRedX]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1501700120' post='3346769']
Or - indeed - Steve Harris, Gene Simmons, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, Dee Dee Ramone or Roger Waters.

But I think you know what I mean
[/quote]

The bass play is no more or less likely to be the main songwriter in the band than any other member including the drummer.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1501662699' post='3346257']
Both the Beatles and The Stones essentially started out as cover bands, I'd be amazed if the Who didnt do some covers in thier early years too but I'm less familiar with their history.
[/quote]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU5-syKM910[/media]

Two songs... one by Wilson Pickett, one by the Miracles. Cover band? Check.