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You can’t do that to your song!!


Mickeyboro

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On 09/04/2023 at 11:18, Waddo Soqable said:

98% of the paying punters want to hear you "play the hits".. At the end of the day It's showbiz

Agree. I read that The Ramones, even when touring a new album would only play 1 or 2 songs from it, preferring to concentrate on the hits as that’s what the audiences wanted.

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On 08/04/2023 at 12:59, Lozz196 said:

I want to hear bands do the songs like the recording, I don’t mind live adjustments but when songs go on forever, well that’s my cue for the khazi.

 

I love Hothouse Flowers but the last time I saw them at The Barrowlands they just would not get off the stage. They went into some weird trance like jam thing, at the end, that went on forever.  They looked like they were having a great time but, after about three hours, I had to leave them to it and say goodnight

 

 

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3 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

As a funny ps, I introduced ‘Tulsa Time’ at our last gig as an Eric Clapton song. Digging deeper I found it wasn’t.
 

Then I found a version by its writer…

 

 

I’ll have what Danny’s having…..

 

Clapton nicked ‘Tulsa Time’ from Don Williams, who recorded his version around the same period.

Danny was in Don’s band at the time, and Clapton was a big fan.

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I saw Lou Reed performing the "Berlin" album live. I was a bit apprehensive as he had a reputation for messing with the arrangements of his songs, but they played the whole thing straight. He even did "Satellite of Love" as an encore. It was probably the best concert I've ever been to.

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17 hours ago, casapete said:

I’ll have what Danny’s having…..

 

Clapton nicked ‘Tulsa Time’ from Don Williams, who recorded his version around the same period.

Danny was in Don’s band at the time, and Clapton was a big fan.

 

20 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

As a funny ps, I introduced ‘Tulsa Time’ at our last gig as an Eric Clapton song. Digging deeper I found it wasn’t.
 

Then I found a version by its writer…

 

 

 

John Redwood decided to join in on backing vocals, I see.

 

 

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Zappa always mixed it up. Sometimes to his bands bewilderment. He went thru a phase where he was calling all the songs in reggae. (You can make any song reggae.)

Frank considered what he did "entertainment". You pay to be entertained. 

I want novelty when I go see a group. I can listen to a studio performance at home.

Maybe the exception is Pink Floyd.

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On 08/04/2023 at 10:15, Mickeyboro said:

 

 

My point, I suppose, is: having created classic songs, do bands have an absolute right to ruin them?

 

Your question is worded in a way that suggests you think they don't.

 

"Ruin" is a bit of a loaded word too. They changed the arrangements of a couple of songs. You didn't approve. Hardly ruined.

 

And the answer to your question has to be yes, without hesitation.

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10 hours ago, StickyDBRmf said:

Zappa always mixed it up. Sometimes to his bands bewilderment. He went thru a phase where he was calling all the songs in reggae. (You can make any song reggae.)

 

 

UB40 made a career out of it. :D 

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My take on this:

 

I think it is best when a bit of both.  Obviously up and coming new bands can use their gigs to showcase new un-heard stuff and as a punter there you feel like you are getting a sneak peek of what is to come.  

 

However, I remember hearing about David Bowie refusing to do any of his back catalogue in the 90s - I think I would have been an unhappy attendee at those gigs.

 

I think if the famous song is slightly different or done in a new way, great - that is the evolution of the song after months/years on the road.  What I would still want is for it to be in the same kind of perspective/genre as the original.

 

My examples of what I would NOT want are:

 

The blues band I used to be in - the guitarist would always want everything played verbatim, including any edit/glitches on the record.  He would also get huffy if I did my own thing and funked it up a little.   My argument was that you couldn't often hear exactly what the (often double) bassist was doing in a lot of the early recordings, and surely the live band would have added their own thing on the road? 

 

I also used to do FOH sound for some 60's and 70s bands in the early 00s - by then the people in the band you would want to see had left to enjoy their solo career/money.   You would be left with mates of those that were leff not playing it as well, or you would get a young replacement bass player slapping his way through some 60s pop tunes and totally changing the sound.  Not what people want to hear on a 60's nostalgia gig I think.

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How much latitude is allowed? Would we be happy if Sabbath did reggae versions of their ‘classics’ f’rinstance?

 

Easier perhaps to not play hits that are millstones. Saw Procol Harum once and they refused to play A Whiter Shade’…

 

Better than the jazz reworking if Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort and a bizarre demolition if Sylvia by Jan Akkerman!

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12 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

How much latitude is allowed? Would we be happy if Sabbath did reggae versions of their ‘classics’ f’rinstance?

Something similar to that, Dread Zeppelin a good few years back did Led Zep songs reggae style with Elvis type vocals. Was interesting......

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2 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Something similar to that, Dread Zeppelin a good few years back did Led Zep songs reggae style with Elvis type vocals. Was interesting......

There was fad for a whole genre of that kind of stuff in the 00s.. AC-DC in banjo country hillbilly style, ABBA in heavy metal style, etc etc.. 

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12 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

How much latitude is allowed? Would we be happy if Sabbath did reggae versions of their ‘classics’ f’rinstance?

 I for one would love to hear how that would sound.

 

Quite refreshing for a song that otherwise have been played and covered to the point of death.

 

Actually I would respect Black Sabbath even more if they had the guts to do that kind of thing.

 

Surely that would be a totally unexpected surprise from them in particular.

 

Edited by Baloney Balderdash
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53 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

 I for one would love to hear how that would sound.

 

Quite refreshing for a song that otherwise have been played and covered to the point of death.

 

Actually I would respect Black Sabbath even more if they had the guts to do that kind of thing.

 

Surely that would be a totally unexpected surprise from them in particular.

 

I think one’s response might depend to some extent on the price of the ticket?

 

Has a band ever faced the wrath of the trades descriptions act? 😁

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12 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I think one’s response might depend to some extent on the price of the ticket?

 

Has a band ever faced the wrath of the trades descriptions act? 😁

My opinions about/view on music are/is not for sale, no...

 

I think it depends on one's personal attitude/perspective and view on/understanding of/opinion about music, what it is and ideally should be, in general.

 

Edited by Baloney Balderdash
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On 12/04/2023 at 21:11, StickyDBRmf said:

Zappa always mixed it up. Sometimes to his bands bewilderment. He went thru a phase where he was calling all the songs in reggae. (You can make any song reggae.)

 

You can, but it doesn't mean you should. However, if you do, please do better than UB40 :D They started out so well, and they lost the plot after 3-4 albums... 

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If I want to hear a song exactly the same as the album version,   I'll listen to the album. For me music should be art and repeating the same thing for 20 years isn't art. Sometimes the live variations work, sometimes they don't but at least it adds interest. 

I saw Smashing Pumpkins live once, they played everything exactly like the records and it was pretty dull, they looked bored as well

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