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I've been playing in blues cover bands for 30 years. I think I may have overdosed on them. I would like to get into originals much more. Mine are defintiely bluesy having been doing the blues thing as long as I have. I can't seem to find any guitarists in K.C. who want to create some of their own blues songs. Seems like nearly 100% of them want instant gratification, gig as soon as possible and earn their meager gas money doing the same tunes they've been playing forever. Has anybody else overdosed on covers, any genre?

Yeah Bob every gig I play I overdose on covers. Sadly thats all I seem to be able to get paid doing so I just suck it up and do it.

Ive done original music at different times in my life and still write songs all the time, but last year when I was doing an acoustic act I would try to play my songs, get no response at all even the ones that I think are clever and funny. Then when I get done someone yells freebird or brown eyed gurl. Guess my song arent for mass appeal or maybe no appeal at all.

Good Luck in your search.

Nope.
But doing more than one cover per set would probably do the trick.

I say bravo to you Fishbob!

fisherman bob wrote:I've been playing in blues cover bands for 30 years. I think I may have overdosed on them. I would like to get into originals much more. Mine are defintiely bluesy having been doing the blues thing as long as I have. I can't seem to find any guitarists in K.C. who want to create some of their own blues songs. Seems like nearly 100% of them want instant gratification, gig as soon as possible and earn their meager gas money doing the same tunes they've been playing forever. Has anybody else overdosed on covers, any genre?

Why not do both? Just do the originals as a side project.

jw123 wrote:Yeah Bob every gig I play I overdose on covers. Sadly thats all I seem to be able to get paid doing so I just suck it up and do it.

Ive done original music at different times in my life and still write songs all the time, but last year when I was doing an acoustic act I would try to play my songs, get no response at all even the ones that I think are clever and funny. Then when I get done someone yells freebird or brown eyed gurl. Guess my song arent for mass appeal or maybe no appeal at all.

Good Luck in your search.

That's the most honest thing I ever heard you say JW and I feel your pain.

I've been there as well. Sucks when they love the stupidity and sleep through the genius part of the show.

Make you wish you could give the crowd a little electric shock when they get too stupid to be there.

PS: When they ask for BROWN EYED GIRL, give them GREEN EYED LADY. That f**k with their heads a little. lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_DydKnpDsk

I write a lot of songs. And I like recording them and playing them when we jam.

BUT I also like to play my favorite cover songs from way back when. There are so many great songs to choose from when you look back. I do not think they should be discarded, but rather try to make them your own by putting a new twist on the ones you really like.

I don't dis a song just because it is a cover song. There are so many really inspired good songs with killer lyrics out there that have been written through the years, mixed amongst billions of crap songs. Just don't do the crap pop songs. But why reject the songs you really like just because you didn't write it?

It doesn't have to be all or nothing as far as I'm concerned. .

Slacker G wrote:I do not think they should be discarded, but rather try to make them your own by putting a new twist on the ones you really like.

I don't dis a song just because it is a cover song. There are so many really inspired good songs with killer lyrics out there that have been written through the years, mixed amongst billions of crap songs. Just don't do the crap pop songs. But why reject the songs you really like just because you didn't write it?

It doesn't have to be all or nothing as far as I'm concerned. .

100% correct sir.

Not a popular concept here at BMIX, but certainly true IMO.

Depends on the venue. If it's an original music club, then people are there to hear original stuff. If it's most bars, different story.


People go to bars to get drunk, meet people or dance. They don't go to experience "art".

I agree with all your answers. There's a number of problems IMO with doing the cover deal any more. I understand it's easier to get paid doing covers. Problem is that there's fewer and fewer venues paying a fair wage for the covers, and some that aren't paying anything. Unfortunately there's people so desperate to perform in front of an audience they are willing to do it for free. And some of these people are very good musicians. There's also more places that are doing jam sessions and/or you have to play for the door. So as poor as the income is it's actually getting poorer. I do like a lot of the covers we do, but if I can't get paid anything decent to play them I'd rather get paid a little to do my own songs. We've been performing about 25% originals for years. That seems to be the right ratio to continue to get gigs. Another problem is I'm not getting any younger and I've got nothing to show for my many years at this. I simply want to put together a legitimate CD, something I can be proud of. Whether we are able to market and sell enough of them to make a profit is irrelevant to me. I want to be able to say to everybody I've got a CD. I guess we could record a CD of nothing but covers but it wouldn't give me the satisfaction of recording my own material. The originals we do live get the same reaction as the covers. People don't even know they are ours since we do so many obscure covers anyway. ANd some of the covers we do so differently than the originals that we may as well change the words and make them our own. Anyway it's just frustrating the way the music scene is headed. Cover gigs were much easier to get years ago that paid anything, usually MORE than we make today. The attendance was better, there were more places to gig. With all the frustration the only thing right now I have an interest in is originals. Just gotta find the right people to collaborate with...

lol did someone say the word "art".

Wow, now I am scared..

Put away that raspberry beret..lol

fisherman bob wrote:I agree with all your answers. There's a number of problems IMO with doing the cover deal any more. I understand it's easier to get paid doing covers. Problem is that there's fewer and fewer venues paying a fair wage for the covers, and some that aren't paying anything. Unfortunately there's people so desperate to perform in front of an audience they are willing to do it for free. And some of these people are very good musicians. There's also more places that are doing jam sessions and/or you have to play for the door. So as poor as the income is it's actually getting poorer. I do like a lot of the covers we do, but if I can't get paid anything decent to play them I'd rather get paid a little to do my own songs. We've been performing about 25% originals for years. That seems to be the right ratio to continue to get gigs. Another problem is I'm not getting any younger and I've got nothing to show for my many years at this. I simply want to put together a legitimate CD, something I can be proud of. Whether we are able to market and sell enough of them to make a profit is irrelevant to me. I want to be able to say to everybody I've got a CD. I guess we could record a CD of nothing but covers but it wouldn't give me the satisfaction of recording my own material. The originals we do live get the same reaction as the covers. People don't even know they are ours since we do so many obscure covers anyway. ANd some of the covers we do so differently than the originals that we may as well change the words and make them our own. Anyway it's just frustrating the way the music scene is headed. Cover gigs were much easier to get years ago that paid anything, usually MORE than we make today. The attendance was better, there were more places to gig. With all the frustration the only thing right now I have an interest in is originals. Just gotta find the right people to collaborate with...

You should put a CD together and market it in Europe. They're crazy for Blues over there. I have a friend who can hardly make a living in the US playing blues, but he plays to sold-out stadiums in Europe.



You might even be able to get some bookings over there and have a nice European vacation.

I heard that the Europeans go nuts over blues. There's a big shot lawyer in K.C. who's a guitarist and a while back wanted me to join him so he could tour Europe. I thought he was full of sh*t but I guess he wasn't. The lawyer wasn't my cup of tea as far as a musician. I wouldn't want to perform with him at a dive in town let alone tour Europe. Because I have to take care of an autistic son I wouldn't go on any tour, but certainly I'd be interested in selling CD's in Europe or anywhere else for that matter.

You might not have to do a long "tour". You might be able to book a few dates and only be away for a week or so.If you have a CD to push, you could at least make some inroads with the blues people over there.