General Music Chat

From an earlier thread discussing cover tunes, this is a good example of an outstanding cover of a very well known rock anthem.

Original artist track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoAXW30m ... re=related

Live cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GSpbuFSr2o

Notice how the cover artist makes liberal use of the big guitar hooks from the original and it is instantly recognizable, but he also puts his personal stamp all over it. No one would ever accuse this guy of copping the original version note for note. Epic!!!

There was probably a disappointed wannabe guitarist at the back of the room that night quietly counting all the original guitar solo's missed notes during the cover. We will choose to ignore him because he is totally missing the point.

Wow, excellent cover! He has feeling in his playing! Nice post

Read my reply in the other thread. You'll understand better.

When a guy like SRV covers a classic tune it is totally different than some nobody in a bar band covering it. One guy is EXPECTED to embellish the tune and put his own spin on it. The other guy is NOT.

Context. Learn what that word means. It's important to discussions like this.

Read my reply in the other thread. You'll understand better.

When a guy like SRV covers a classic tune it is totally different than some nobody in a bar band covering it. One guy is EXPECTED to embellish the tune and put his own spin on it. The other guy is NOT.

Context. Learn what that word means. It's important to discussions like this.

I understood the context ^.^ I just think he does a great cover is all

Read my reply in the other thread. You'll understand better.

When a guy like SRV covers a classic tune it is totally different than some nobody in a bar band covering it. One guy is EXPECTED to embellish the tune and put his own spin on it. The other guy is NOT.

Context. Learn what that word means. It's important to discussions like this.

Christopher,
I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. I just wanted to show an example of how to perform a great cover tune while retaining all of the original vibe and hooks but not being artificially limited to playing it note for note.

Yes context is very important. Stevie WAS that "nobody" playing guitar in a Texas bar for a very long time (15years?). That is how he learned to do it so well and why he became such an outstanding player. That is exactly my point. Stevie is letting it all hang out and expressing art within the context of a cover tune. The local guy who plays em all note for note is just doing paint by numbers.

Everyone is entitled to play a cover tune any way they want and we can agree to simply disagree on this. Different strokes for different folks.

Peace

I saw this guy (SRV) play this New years Eve 1985 He played everynight like it was his LAST!

Read my reply in the other thread. You'll understand better.

When a guy like SRV covers a classic tune it is totally different than some nobody in a bar band covering it. One guy is EXPECTED to embellish the tune and put his own spin on it. The other guy is NOT.

Context. Learn what that word means. It's important to discussions like this.

I had the very distinct privilege of having some occasional chats and beers with Stevie Ray Vaughn back before Double-Trouble had broke out with their first album (publically) . In very early 80's (Used to catch him at Rockerfellers On Washington in Houston Texas at least twice a month. ) I worked just across the street at that time)
I asked him once about his orientation toward Jimi Hendrix... His reply was pretty straight forward..He Idolized the man... His style, his musical integrity. He also had an abiding passion for the R & B music..and never felt any conflict about the two styles.

Anyway...The point here; Both artists were essentially Guitar Virtuosos, and when I see this video of Stevie, I believe the real context with his effort was impassioned tribute to his Idol. To accomplish that, one must really own the song...not through technique, but rather through pure, unadulterated spirit and love for that song...That's the context that I see in this case.

The bottom line on covers is PLAY THEM ANY WAY YOU WANT. If you perform it for an audience and you get a good reaction then you're on the right track. If not, try playing it a different way.

Christopher,
I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers.

Bah! Not even! It's just a fun conversation. Don't misread me over the internet It's all in good fun.

The local guy who plays em all note for note is just doing paint by numbers.

The only thing I want to say to that is: Have you tried to play some of those paint by number solos? Krikey... some of that sh*t is hard man

I think it's one thing to play a simple solo note-for-note. Okay, paint by numbers.

But the hard stuff? When I see guys totally copping out of the solo to "Bark at the Moon" or "Crazy Train" or "Enter Sandman" (as I have done before, especially before I had the time to really sit down and learn it) I know they're doing that not because they want to add their own flavor, but because they can't f-cking play the thing correctly! LOL. Some of it is difficult stuff man. So I don't buy the argument that a lot of times guys are just good, but adding their own twist. Nah, they just can't do it

Chris I hate to admit it but we play Sandman and I dont play it note for note, Crazy Train Im pretty close, I think on say Sandman that I get the vibe from the song and it comes across close, phonetically it that makes sense. If you were to hear me since you know it you would know that I never truelly learned that song, but i think I give it a good interpretation for a general audience, Sandman is one of those songs that I never actually listened too, I mean I heard in on the radio and one night the guys said lets do it, so I started playing that song without really learning it, LOL, just kinda off the cuff, but it seems to work, maybe I should go back and learn it.

Johnny7 and Chris you guys can agree
to disagree, but I agree with some of
what both of you are saying.

I think you can't help but sound like yourself when you do a cover no matter how close you try to come to it. I try to learn the correct chords, sing the correct lyrics and play any signature parts that are required; beyond that anything goes.

My drummer Mike and I are working on a classic-hard-prog rock side project and having a blast doing it; so far here's our list of covers:

Give A Little Bit - Supertramp
My Woman From Tokyo - Deep Purple
Comin' Into Los Angeles - Arlo Guthrie
Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
Burning Of The Midnight Lamp - Jimi Hendrix
Red - King Crimson
Synchronicity Pt II - The Police
Panic In Detroit - David Bowie

[/quote]
The only thing I want to say to that is: Have you tried to play some of those paint by number solos? Krikey... some of that sh*t is hard man
[/quote]

Yes. Hard doesn't make it art. Learning to "play it right" is an excellent goal within a student/teacher situation so that the student can learn new ideas and technique from the masters. It is a very useful tool. In a live performance I want art.

When I go to a local artist gallery I am keenly aware that there won't be any Da Vinci, Rembrandt, or Picasso original works. It will be local artists doing art and some will be better than others. If a particular painting doesn't appeal to me I don't consider the artist stupid or lazy. They are just honing their craft. There may be some still life or landscape paintings in the style of the masters but I certainly hope there will not be a paint-by-numbers version of a Van Gogh original.

When I go to a live performance whether it is a local club or major arena I also want art. This is live music people. Give me the hooks, give me the recognizable changes and lyrics, and take it somewhere we haven't been before. Some of it will be better than others and that is the nature of live music. The last thing I want to see is a knock off, paint-by-numbers version of the original track. I think in live music "playing it right" is highly overrated.

I prefer to take my cues from the masters: Jimi, EVH, Les Paul, Brian Setzer, Steve Vai, SRV, Satch, Gary Hoey, and many more. When they cover a song they never do it note for note, especially the solos. They bring you the hooks and then they take you somewhere you haven't been before. They are doing art.

Of course this is just one mans opinion. Others will surely disagree.

JimmyD

Your bass player will have fun with 'Panic in Detroit.' King Crimson?

I would want to hear that stuff in a joint.

Talbot

You mean with a joint right?

We've been working on "Red" for months now, we're just about ready to record it. Our version will be very close to KC's, I am so excited to get this done!