General Music Chat

Alan,
In answer to the original question you posed some months back,"what acoustic guitar cover would keep my interest?" ....Adagio , "Concierto De Aranjuez" by Rodrigo .


I have composed my share of originals and like playing them more then I like playing covers.


however...


If I'm "out quaffing brewskis" on a Saturday night, I would rather hear a good band doing good covers then a bad band doing originals.

For most of my 30 some odd years of playing I've been involved in primarily original music. Playing with songwriters and writing my own songs. In the last few years I've found myself playing in a couple of bands that play mostly covers. You know what? It's a hell of a lot of fun. I realize that most cover bands leave out a lot of the nuance and feel. The little things. The cool things. They might cop the arrangement and the hook or maybe even nail the solo pretty close but they leave out the neat little upbeats or horn accents. Guitar playing in particular has changed and evolved over the years. I really enjoy trying to sound like someone from the 50's or 60's. In most cases I have to simplify what I would normally play and there's a beauty in that simplicity that get's lost in most cover bands I hear.

It's been a very educational experience. I've learned a lot and will continue to play in cover bands for the forseeable future. I actually find it more challenging to learn a cover. On an original you can play anything you want and who can say it's wrong? On a cover there's something there you need to do. Someone elses technique and someone elses ideas. Believe me I don't carbon copy stuff and still retain my sound and style over the course of a night but there's a great feeling when you nail a vintage sound.

I still write and play with original artists but I no longer turn my nose up at the thought of covers. Covers done well that is.

Edited for spelling because we care.

I have never cared about making money. You can play covers and make the little money, $100 - $1000 and go nowhere. Or you can play your material and be artistically satisfied, make no money, and if you get a hookup you'll make the big bucks! If you "make it" or not at least you have your credibility and satisfaction.

I play covers and I have my credibility and satisfaction.

Jon,

Covers like "Rocket 88".....AWSOME!..... (I like Ike , r.i.p. )

...........after listening to some of you people, I'm convinced i've been spending to much time on the ,puter and not enough time practicing!

HowlinJ- Thanks for the kind words and right back at ya. I love I PutA Spell On You. I used to play that with a group and we kind of mixed the Screaming Jay Hawkins version with the CCR version. i like the way you guys blues it up. Good luck.

Jon,
Everthing on your profile sounds good! Is that your mandolin in "The Hat Song"? Not to be "nosey" but are all those other players "Ashville folk",or from back in "The Windy City"?

"I Put A Spell on You" is a live (at practice) version by my old band "The Gin House Rockers". My son (the bass player) recorded it with one of those little digital recorders with one live mic.(about two years ago) The way I play it is influenced by both the original "Screamin J Hawkins" and "The Animals"versions. I hope to get some more stuff on my profile someday.

Hey thanks! Yes I play mandolin on that one and a few of the others and guitar on all of them. I play harmonica on one too but not the really good harp you hear. That's my friend Pete Conway from NY. He's played recorded with Chris Whitley and Sarah McCloughlin. Most of that was recorded in Bloomington IN, Indianapolis and NYC where I grew up. It's a mix of musicians from IN and NY. I didn't play much music in Chicago which is why I'm in Asheville now

Peace

If all you are doing is entertaining drunks in some bar somewhere you should probably play some worn crap on their level. If you want to promote your music, play your music ,build a fan base out of those who like it by making a effort to communicate on a personal level, and dont concern yourself with those who dont like your music.

Another reason to concentrate on other venues than bars.

I found an original song "Misguided Madness" in a box of cassettes. It was recorded in 1981 by my old band "Tentative Relationship" If any of you can tolerate two and a half decades of signal loss, coupled with my Bill Clinton like sax blowin',droning synth playin,and juvenile caterwaling, feel free to give a listen. Its sandwiched between to "cover songs" on my Bandmix profile. I composed and played originals exclusively for many years. Now I'm content to play covers for "drunks in bars".

I found an original song "Misguided Madness" in a box of cassettes. It was recorded in 1981 by my old band "Tentative Relationship" If any of you can tolerate two and a half decades of signal loss, coupled with my Bill Clinton like sax blowin',droning synth playin,and juvenile caterwaling, feel free to give a listen. Its sandwiched between to "cover songs" on my Bandmix profile. I composed and played originals exclusively for many years. Now I'm content to play covers for "drunks in bars".

Hey, make sure you're protected from flying bottles. I played in one of those bars once - where the band is behind cyclone fencing because the crowd is so hostile and prone to throwing things. It was a southern rock bar, and we were a punk band playing the Sex Pistols and Bad Brains.

Talk about taking your life in your hands.

I play covers and I have my credibility and satisfaction.

In my opinion bands that play mostly or exclusively covers have no credibility. They are like the crafters at a flea market selling velvet elvis or wolf paintings, while bands that play original music are the Picassos or Dalis depending on their styles and talent. I'm not trying to be rude. That's just my take on it.

Yeah...but nothing like the howl of satisfaction coming from the crowd after blowing the 2 "original" bands that went on before you away! .... In all seriouslness... I write originals, I've played in original bands and have gotten positive results from complete strangers listening to my originals...but... in the long run, we've packed more houses doing our cover thing than when we did our originals! The same cover band I was in was also my original band on other nights... we kicked ass, but I find more satisfaction at the end of the night when the crowd is screaming for more songs and all in all, just loving the covers you played.... so, yes... I personally can say I HAVE MY CREDIBILITY AND SATISFACTION!! ...oh ... and let's not forget about the "getting laid at the end of the night" factor!

Crip!

Did you not mean "getting PAID at the end of the night"?

Being in the "beer joint circuit, I can't afford the luxury of "roadies"(except for my son, who doubles on bass) This means that after lugging gear, jamin and howlin for a couple of hours, packing up and bringing it all back home, I seldom have the energy for a good "romp"! (besides, by that time, my wife is usually asleep).