General Music Chat

Okay, folks, here's the deal. I've started playing with an established band who has changed a few members and is looking to move in a little different direction. They started a few years ago as a bluegrass/gospel band, but due to personnel changes, it simply isn't the same band. That is a GOOD thing. What started as a jam session (more or less) is now the real thing. We have a full line up, rather than just three guys playing acoustic.
I'm trying to come up with a list of classic rock songs of the three or four chord variety (late 60s through early 80s). Overplayed at this point is by all means okay!
These guys have a few songs that we are definitely going to keep (They do a great a cappella version of "Amazing Grace" , and as much as it's not my thing, I can't knock it!) That being said, we still need a lot of material. I'm not looking for new stuff, I'm just trying to get them out of the 50s and into the 70's!
Any suggestions? Keep in mind that the musician level, on a scale of 1-5, is about a 2.5. It's a good start, but I don't look for our drummer or lead guitarist to be whipping off any Van Halen anytime soon!

Try some Steppenwolf (stay AWAY from Born to be Wild!), or Grand Funk. Dunno your line up. Do you have keys? There's lots of great songs to choose from. Southern rock was pretty easy to pull off, for the most part. Or go with some of the one-hit wonders. Few ppl do them.

"Drift Away," by Dobie Gray is a good one that gets ppl singing along & dancing to the slow stuff.

Animals, Monkees, Cream...any one of these band's songs can be pulled off by lesser musicians, while keeping the audience interested.

Yeah, they were played to death back in the day, but you can still fill out your song list with "Born Under a Bad Sign," or "Steppin' Stone," ya know?

Don't fear the cheese! Do "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe or "Knock Three Times" by Tony Orlando. (I can hear you groan!) Ppl will like it.

We do have keys! Those are some great suggestions, man, thanks!
At this point, I have to keep it real simple. The guitarist, for example, could easily pull of the lead for CCR's version of "Proud Mary", or probably any song that has a lead that follows the vocal melody. I think that Skynyrd may be too much of a stretch for him (although we've been messing with Gimme Three Steps-it's SLOWLY coming together).
"Drift Away"...yeah, that's a good one.
Here's a small list of some of the songs we've been working on:
Gimme Three Steps
Margaritaville
Rocky Top
Eastbound and Down (Jerry Reed-You are probably as stunned as I was)
At The Hop
Folsom Prison Blues
House of the Rising Sun
Steel Rails
Amazing Grace

I should mention that this is NOT a bar band. These guys focus on fairs and festivals...and it has worked for them so far!

How about COLD GIN, a favorite of mine, basic song is so simple.

Cool, Jo...try "Rock Me Baby" or "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf.

"I'm a Believer," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," or "Daydream Believer" by Monkees

Vanilla Fudge's version of "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

"Joy To The World" by 3 Dog Night/Hoyt Axton

"The Man Who Sold the World" - David Bowie/Nirvana

Steve Miller had some cool semi-easy stuff, too, "Swingtown," "The Stake," "Take the Money & Run," & "The Joker" come to mind.

"Heart Full of Soul" - Yardbirds

"Hang On Sloopy" - McCoys

"Spooky" - various artists

Lots of Chuck Berry stuff.

"Hellbound Train" or "Tell Mama" - Savoy Brown

Easy & fun.

Gee...I could start up an old poppy band in no time at all.

Who wants in?

Can we dip it molten metal !!!!!

I'd like nothing better than to coat it with a nice shiny metal finish...but it's not gonna happen! Great suggestions, though. I figure Chuck Berry, Steve Miller and "Hang On Sloopy" (maybe it should be "Sloppy" in our case) are about the right speed. I actually had "The Joker" on my list already.
I think I'm going to push for "Seven Bridges Road" by the Eagles. These guys have a great vocal harmony thing going, and it's basically a bluegrass song, which they've had a lot of practice in that style.

Keep 'em coming, guys!

Harmonies, eh? Okay...

"Sky Pilot" - Animals

CSNY

Eagles is good for that, too, yeah!

"Last Train to Clarksville" - Monkees again

"Ticket to Ride" could be done in 3-4 part harmonies

"Paperback Writer," "Hey Jude" - Beatles

"Can't You See" - Marshall Tucker (flute parts on keys)

"Workin' For a Livin'" - Huey Lewis & the News

"Kansas City"

Keep in mind that the musician level, on a scale of 1-5, is about a 2.5.

Then, why are you doing this to yourself????


Oh well, here's a list of some 3-chord songs apparently from a sheet music book on... well.... 3-chord songs. Maybe something useful in the bunch....


Hound Dog - Performed by: Elvis Presley - Composed by: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - ©1956

Twist And Shout - Performed by: The Beatles - Composed by: Bert Russell and Phil Medley - ©1964

All Shook Up - Performed by: Elvis Presley - Composed by: Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley - ©1957

Gloria - Performed by: The Shadows Of Night - Composed by: Van Morrison - ©1965

Blue Suede Shoes - Performed by: Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley - Composed by: Carl Lee Perkins - ©1955

Surfin' U.S.A. - Performed by: The Beach Boys - Composed by: Chuck Berry - ©1958

Bye Bye Love - Performed by: The Everyly Brothers - Composed by: Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant - ©1957

Love Me Do - Performed by: The Beatles - Composed by: John Lennon and Paul McCartney - ©1962

Dreams - Performed by: Fleetwood Mac - Composed by: Stevie Nicks - ©1977

Lay Down Sally - Performed by: Eric Clapton - Composed by: Eric Clapton, Marcy Levy, and George Terry - ©1977

Hang On Sloopy - Performed by: The McCoys - Composed by: Wes Farrell and Bert Russell - ©1964

Pride And Joy - Performed by: Stevie Ray Vaughan - Composed by: Stevie Ray Vaughan - ©1985

Wooly Bully - Performed by: Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs - Composed by: Domingo Samundio - ©1964

Long Tall Sally - Performed by: Little Richard - Composed by: Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman, and Robert Blackwell - ©1956

No Particular Place To Go - Performed by: Chuck Berry - Composed by: Chuck Berry - ©1964

Sweet Home Chicago - Performed by: Robert Johnson and The Blues Brothers - Composed by: Robert Johnson - ©1978

Statesboro Blues - Performed by: The Allman Brothers Band - Composed by: Willy McTell - ©1929

I Feel Free - Performed by: Cream - Composed by: Jack Bruce and Pete Brown - ©1967

Midnight Rider - Performed by: The Allman Brothers Band - Composed by: Gregg Allman and Robert Kim Payne - ©1970

Bang A Gong (Get It On) - Performed by: Power Station and T. Rex - Composed by: Marc Bolan - ©1971

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - Performed by: John Lee Hooker - Composed by: John Lee Hooker - ©1967

It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It) - Performed by: The Rolling Stones - Composed by: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - ©1974

Why is he doing this to himiself? Same reason many of us would, Craig; to have ppl to play with. To develop something musical & fun.

I'm having a helluva time finding ppl to play with. Now I'm going to work with that $#%#%@$#%$ guitarist for a few more gigs, even though he's an alcoholic undependable drip, just to be able to play.

It's fine for you now that you have something great going. I'm honestly happy for you & wish you all the best you can get, but many of the rest of us are truly struggling just to get a chance to play ANYTHING with anyone.

If Jo's area is anything like my own, it's tougher than you might think to get a band started. I'd gladly make compromises, & I have many times, just to keep my damned chops up.

And yes, it IS frustrating as hell when you're playing below your abilities, but there are times when some of us have to do it just to play at all.

Why is he doing this to himiself? Same reason many of us would, Craig; to have ppl to play with.

Well, I got all that Phill, and I understood his motivation already, but I am concerned he sells himself short and gets stuck with sub-par musicians that ends up burdening his career rather than helping it.

On the first go round though, I missed that the guys were really good vocalists, as in harmonies and such. Maybe that will make the difference.

To me, his situation may be different than some others. He is an excellent songwriter, a storyteller, maybe even Dylan like.

I have a strong feeling, that he hasn't even begun to write his best stuff yet, and I bet even, that he would agree with that. I think he has a chance to make it, on his writing alone, but he needs the right people around him.

But maybe this gets you out there Joe? Maybe that's good enough for now. I certainly don't want to put a damper on your project. But be cautious about making any iron clad commitments to these guys. If you get noticed, someone will want to surround you with hand picked musicians instead. You should be honest and upfront with these guys, that you may have to make that choice if the time comes, and the opportunity is presented. If, of course, that is what you would do. And it is what you should do, because if your personal career has an opportunity for advancement, you should seize it. And they should understand that, and if one of them gets a better opportunity then it should apply in reverse.

I agree with that to a point, Craig.

I only wish I lived about 20-30 miles closer to you, Jo. I'd work with you in a second on both your songs & mine if I could.

I doubt that a lil band will mess up your life, though. Heck, you could end up writing stuff for them to sing in 3-4 part harmonies that could wow the world.

In the meantime, have fun with what you have & keep your chops up. There's gotta be some influences in what you're gonna learn that will set you up for new songs, too. That usually works for me.

I have GOT to get something going soon or I'll go off the deep end!

Yeah, sometimes I wonder why I am doing this to myself!

Seriously, this band has some really good points. They have established themselves at all of the local county fairs (better paying gigs with more exposure than the average bar gig-at least around here). Every position is filled, everyone shows up, drug and alcohol free (Two of the guys are state troopers!) They have started on merch and press packet stuff. They even have a legitamite business license (which is something I've never personally experienced in a band) and pretty new equipment. I can't really knock it-up to that point...

The best part of it is that I get to work with an old friend of mine, a guy I actually played with in my first band. It's been a long time, and still, we really feed off of each other (inspiration-wise).

I haven't lost focus, though. I appreciate the kind words, Craig, and this is an excellent chance to get some exposure. Part of the deal here is that we will probably be working in some of my songs, as well as collaborating on new material. That's a big chunk of the "changes" they were wanting to make-to move into original territory.

The reason for the 2.5 rating is, to put it simply, musicianship. They have a decent foundation, but several of the members really need to focus on their instruments more. The drummer is a great vocalist, but cannot sing and play. We are in a position where we have to push him to play the drums. The same goes for the lead guitarist: The guys pretty good, but he's always trying to play rythym, lead AND do vocals at the same time. His timing suffers because of it. But, these are all things we are working on, and right now, I have a pretty positive attitude about it.

I only wish I lived about 20-30 miles closer to you, Jo. I'd work with you in a second on both your songs & mine if I could.

I hear you bro. Hell, I'm jealous of Jimmy and Paul's collaboration. How cool would it be to have an annual Bandmix Jamfest? So many talented people on here, and different styles. It would be awesome as hell to see everyone together in one venue, just lettin' loose!

I meant to say, "Thanks for the kind words, Craig AND Philbymon!"

And the suggestions...