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So it's time to pick some ballads for our classic rock cover band that does mostly 60s-70s era tunes. I came up with "Angel" by Hendrix, and "Out Of The Blue" by the band. BUZZZZZ! "Sorry, too obscure". So instead I get to play frigging "Wonderful Tonight" for the fifty billionth time

Better than UNDERCOVER ANGEL

Things can always get worse.

Nothing like working with closed-minded musicians...

Funny thing is - ballads are for folks who want to dance close together. They're way more interested in dancing close together than exactly which song they're dancing to. When it comes to ballads, really, any will do...

Ooooooh Dance music !


Back, back ye beast !!

NOOOOO Dance music ARRRRGGGGGUUUHHHHH

KLUGMO wrote:I have to disagree colors. Ballads are what get those with frozen butts up and out of their seats. Once you have them then destroy them with up tempos. 3 songs away they'll come right back up for another ballad because they sit there waiting for a song they wont im bare ass themselves with their dancing. Plus its another chance to put their hands on a girl.

Bingo!

.

Dajax wrote:So it's time to pick some ballads for our classic rock cover band that does mostly 60s-70s era tunes. I came up with "Angel" by Hendrix, and "Out Of The Blue" by the band. BUZZZZZ! "Sorry, too obscure". So instead I get to play frigging "Wonderful Tonight" for the fifty billionth time

Well Dax, It is, after all a "Classic Rock Cover Band" Wonderful Tonight certainly fits the bill.
anyways,
I'm sure you can play it as well as anybody and , if I was listening to you , a Guinness in hand, I would probably enjoy it!
If the new bandmates prove to be uncompromising in doing at least some songs that you like, it may be that they just wont (or worst, can't)
work out unfamiliar material.
In that case, consider forming your own band, and run it the way you wanna!
Howlin'

There's a handful of songs I will NEVER play (again) on a stage, and Wonderful tonight tops the list.

House of the Rising Sun is 2nd lol.

Just way too buzzkill for most crowds. I'd watched both those songs clear a bar- more often than not. I counted myself lucky when we only got crickets and kept the ppl from leaving. heh.

It might not be a favorite of mine anymore but its in the top five requested songs at most of our gigs lately. Just because you can't stand the song anymore doesn't mean everyone else doesn't love it. Your being paid to please the crowd , and that means playing what they want to hear and dance to.

But its another day in Paradise !!!

This is an age old issue; if you're in a cover band are you there to "do a job"? Are you there to please yourself? Is there some middle ground? I believe there is; there are songs that audiences will love that you won't hate playing, you just need to do some research. "Angel" is a great song, not really that obscure (Rod Stewart covered it) but it's still one that would be better suited for a Hendrix tribute, not an everyday cover band. If you really detest doing those worn out standards then I would suggest avoiding the cover band scene. Instead play original music and you'll be able to slip in obscure covers; in fact you will get a better reaction.

I hear that the CIA included in its torturing of suspected Islamic terrorists the forced listening of the song Wonderful Tonight. It was reported many of the terrorists on hearing the first few bars of Wonderful Tonight confessed to many future terror attacks which were thwarted. When newly elected President Obama issued his no terror policy one of his very first secret directives was the immediated cessation of playing the song Wonderful Tonight. It was considered so highly culturally offensive by the Islamic terrorists they would immediately go into convulsions and reveal all future terror activities.

haha, you guys take what I say way too seriously.

I won't play it not because I hate it, but becuase it's been a failure for us. If I refused to play songs I hated, I'd never play sweet home alabama ever again.

I'm not so dumb I don't recognize what works. I talk to bands all the time who say they succeed in playing those sappy and depressing songs, but maybe it's their songs leading up to it, or the overall "tone" of the band, but those songs tend to drive business out the door when I've played them in the past. Compare that to SWA or brown eyed girl, it's a different world - I detest playing those songs, but there's no denying that the songs WORK every time. THey get more butts off chairs than mexican tap water. SO I play them. In the end, it IS about pleasing the crowd. If a musician wants to please him or her self, that's what garages are for .

Eh...I've nearly always had luck with my material, & I've never played that tripe. I guess it's more in how you present yourself, & what the audience learns to expect from you, that matters more than anything else.

Kramerguy wrote:There's a handful of songs I will NEVER play (again) on a stage, and Wonderful tonight tops the list.

House of the Rising Sun is 2nd lol.

Just way too buzzkill for most crowds. I'd watched both those songs clear a bar- more often than not. I counted myself lucky when we only got crickets and kept the ppl from leaving. heh.

Thank God there's somebody else who doesn't like Wonderful Tonight. It's easily my number one hated song of all time. And of all people to do that song, Clapton is one of my favorite guitarists. How could anybody that great play something so lame?

Yes it sucks. Not so freakin wonderful tonight.



If I had my way I'd never ever ever play a cover ever.