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#39341 by lanzar13
Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:09 am
what do you guys like to hear or play at a gig.. cover tunes or original music

#39342 by Hayden King
Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:32 am
STRICTLY ORIGINAL

#39344 by RyanStrain3032
Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:42 am
It's good to mix it up a little...

Always open with an original, so the crowd knows you mean business. Then maybe mix in a few covers with your originals. Then end with a remixed cover of a really good song as like a little bonus.

That's how my band's gonna do it, and it's gonna kick butt!

#39348 by jw123
Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:26 pm
It doesnt matter to me as long as the band is playing well together and having fun.

My main band is 95% cover at this time, why cause we can make money with it and I have no aspirations to be a rockstar anymore other than in my own mind. If you play strictly originals you have about a .005% of being around in 3 yrs, cause you will be playing free opening slots with whoever you can get on board. Dont have any illusions that the whole world is going to open up cause you are so magnificant, cause it probably isnt. Just browse music on myspace, there are thousands of bands that sound better than you ever will and nobody knows who they are so why are they going to listen to you. I think packaging your music as a brand is more important than the music itself. You have to make your performances an event that stand above the rest you are competing with.

I would suggest for a developing band to learn a mixture, as far as covers pick winners, the ones that fit your style and everyone is familiar with. Spread your origianls thru the set. Hopefully your originals dont all sound the same. I hear so many bands that just rewrite the same song over and over, boring.

Music in the end is a business and that means supplying a customer or fan base with something they want and making them feel good in someway about themselves. Remember that and you can be successful in any thing you do, not just music. Also constantly network with others in the business.

Good Luck, whatever you do.

#39350 by philbymon
Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:35 pm
Most often I prefer to hear covers, cuz so many originals suck that I've heard. There are quite a few exceptions, of course, but nothing offends me so much as when a band's "new" song is just a rehash of 12-bar blues or a copy of someone else's tune.

I prefer to play originals, though, cuz it gives me so much freedom to interpret on my instruments. I love to nail a new tune down & make it really work. I love that challenge, even when I don't like the song that much.

#39356 by witty user name
Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:09 pm
Originals. But I only really go to shows where the bands are top notch. I never really see a shitty original band because the venues I go to will only hire pros and semi-pros. You have to have at least played with 5 national acts before getting a show. However, I see a lot of shitty cover bands. Not because they suck, but the music selection is as vanilla as the club. I mean, do I really need to hear freebird again? Or any of the top 40 for that matter? I prefer to play and go to shows not at bars. I'm there for the music. A bar is a place they serve alcohol and there may or may not be a band. I like shows where there's bands and they may or may not serve alcohol. There is a huge difference between the two.

#39360 by Kramerguy
Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:58 pm
I love seeing 'unknown' original bands! It's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get....

My band has been doing covers and playing out for a few months, and while yes, it's 'easy money' so to speak, it's also mind-numbing in a sense that you have to stick with the program, and are expected to play them note-for-note and trying to add originality or your own spin usually ends up with people looking at you funny, like you're not playing it "right".

We decided when we landed our new singer to work on originals, mix them in, get some demos, and drop the covers one by one until they are gone entirely.

JW-
Sure there's thousands of decent myspace original bands, and sure most of them will be gone in 3 years, undoubtedly replaced by thousands of other original bands that will be gone in 3 years. But really, the bands that 'make it' are the ones who don't give up, play smart, and play out (not sit on myspace demos and expect the world to flock to them). 95% of the bands that won't make it never had the initiative or right players to make it happen.

Being a realist and skeptic is certainly a good thing, but the way you put it, nobody should even bother, and that self-defeatism in itself will certainly doom a band.

#39363 by jimmydanger
Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:49 pm
It really depends on the venue. Some places I play don't allow cover music. Others expect quality covers. Other places don't care. Remember you are there to do a job, nothing more. But I put the same amount of energy into the music regardless. As long as the audience sees you having fun and the sound is good you will do alright.

#39365 by jw123
Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:51 pm
Kramer you worded the response better than me, its still the same thing only a very very small group of people will have any success other than getting out and having a bunch of neat war stories to tell when they are older.

Whats wrong with laying it on the line, people will find that out anyway, why not cut to the chase. You and I obviously play cause we just love to do it. If a persons meant to make it and has tough enough skin to make it they probably still wont make it. I know 3 groups in Memphis that had major label deals at one point, a couple are still playing the same places I do and one is delivering pizzas. So what I said was harsh but its true and you or anyone on here cant deny it, cause I dont know of anyone on here thats had any real success or they wouldnt be here, now would they?

By the way Kramer hows the new group going? I thought I remember you saying you guys found a singer that fit in with what you guys are doing.


I find music all over the internet that blows me away, but these people will never have a real go at it cause they dont approach it as a business, its not all about the art. Its about getting your music in the right place at the right time and having a support mechnism in place to capitalize on it, so you can have a career instead of having fun.

#39368 by Hayden King
Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:27 pm
I just cant see playing someone else's songs when you have an opportunity to play your own!

#39377 by RhythmMan
Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:23 pm
Originals only, unless the song requires some fancy rhythm guitar . . .

#39380 by Kramerguy
Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:48 pm
jw123 wrote:Kramer you worded the response better than me, its still the same thing only a very very small group of people will have any success other than getting out and having a bunch of neat war stories to tell when they are older.

Whats wrong with laying it on the line, people will find that out anyway, why not cut to the chase. You and I obviously play cause we just love to do it. If a persons meant to make it and has tough enough skin to make it they probably still wont make it. I know 3 groups in Memphis that had major label deals at one point, a couple are still playing the same places I do and one is delivering pizzas. So what I said was harsh but its true and you or anyone on here cant deny it, cause I dont know of anyone on here thats had any real success or they wouldnt be here, now would they?


Yeah, fair enough.

jw123 wrote:By the way Kramer hows the new group going? I thought I remember you saying you guys found a singer that fit in with what you guys are doing.


I've refrained from mentioning 'stuff' because there's been a lot of changes, one huge one of which hasn't happened yet and I know at least one of my bandmates lurks this site, and I'd rather keep some things to myself at this point. But what I can say is that our new singer is unbelievable, literally. He's a 22 year old, never gigged or anything, no band experience that I can tell, yet he has perfect pitch and can tear up difficult vocals, like system of a down, creed, staind, you name it. He's gifted, an amazing find by every measure.


jw123 wrote:I find music all over the internet that blows me away, but these people will never have a real go at it cause they dont approach it as a business, its not all about the art. Its about getting your music in the right place at the right time and having a support mechnism in place to capitalize on it, so you can have a career instead of having fun.


I agree, it MUST absolutely be treated as a business now. Art is what you do on the stage, business is what you have to do offstage. That's what I was aiming for when I stated that most bands don't have the understanding/initiative to make it.

#39383 by jw123
Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:02 pm
Thats cool.

Its great you found a young person that kicks it.

Im in a second group, we have 2 gtrs, bass, drums, a male singer/harp, and a female singer/keys. Man its so sweet. Im so used to trios, playing with all these guys is like being on vacation. The vocal harmonys are some of the best Ive ever been involved with. Sept 27 I get to open with this band in front of the AYM band, so Im doing double duty. Its kind of like Im competeing against myself. But should be fun.

I feel very fortunate right now to be playing with the 2 groups Im involved with. Its also cool having all these clubs calling trying to get a piece of us. Ive been working on all this for over a year and it looks like all is coming into place.

I wish that I had known what I know about business now, when I was 20. I might have been bigtime myself.

Sorry I got so negative.

Whether you play covers or originals try to breath life and emotion into it, and have fun!!!!!!

#39385 by Kramerguy
Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:38 pm
Not a big deal, I guess a little of my frustration spilled over into the forum, as much as I've tried to keep it to myself.

Been getting told a lot that "at our/my age", trying to make a career in music is impossible and that I'm being unrealistic, should stick to covers, local bars, and just accept that we (the band) can't go anywhere further.

I'm fighting that attitude with every once of energy I have within my own band, so you see how I reacted like that...

Our new singer was a blessing on many levels, although he isn't without his own issues (crappy working hours, his GF just had a baby, lives at home..). given his issues, he's dedicated, almost to the point of self-destruction, so I'm trying really hard to accommodate him more than I would most other bandmates or singers. He really brings a youthful vibe, and he's one hell of a performer.

I've also been working with a singer on the side, doing acoustic projects for cafe's and open mic's in the area, have two more lined up. Mostly because of tensions within my band left me feeling like I should do some things on my own and not put all my eggs in one basket; and also to network and get to know the local scene a little better.

At this point, I'm not even sure I care to keep my mouth shut about a showboating jackoff who should have been kicked out of our band 2 months ago... but tomorrow night is a "big change" hint*hint, that will happen, and one way or another, things are going to change, and then I will fully elaborate here.

Ok, I'm done whining lol. A lot of good and bad lately, but that's the biz... always a roller coaster ride!

#39389 by gtZip
Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:16 pm
jw123 wrote:It doesnt matter to me as long as the band is playing well together and having fun.

My main band is 95% cover at this time, why cause we can make money with it and I have no aspirations to be a rockstar anymore other than in my own mind. If you play strictly originals you have about a .005% of being around in 3 yrs, cause you will be playing free opening slots with whoever you can get on board. Dont have any illusions that the whole world is going to open up cause you are so magnificant, cause it probably isnt. Just browse music on myspace, there are thousands of bands that sound better than you ever will and nobody knows who they are so why are they going to listen to you. I think packaging your music as a brand is more important than the music itself. You have to make your performances an event that stand above the rest you are competing with.

I would suggest for a developing band to learn a mixture, as far as covers pick winners, the ones that fit your style and everyone is familiar with. Spread your origianls thru the set. Hopefully your originals dont all sound the same. I hear so many bands that just rewrite the same song over and over, boring.

Music in the end is a business and that means supplying a customer or fan base with something they want and making them feel good in someway about themselves. Remember that and you can be successful in any thing you do, not just music. Also constantly network with others in the business.

Good Luck, whatever you do.


A bit surly?
Regardless, keep it going. I'd like to read more from you on this.
I personaly think that if your songs are good enough, you dont have to worry about half of all that.
Id rather play originals, and hear covers. Because, well... most of your 'local band' songs suck, america.

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