General Music Chat

The best & busiest band I ever played in did no Skynrd, no disco, no classics that weren't seriously altered, no pop stuff. We did an obscure Hendrix, a few G Dead's, some Phish (all of which were done in our own fashion) & a LOT of originals. It ain't necessarilly necessary to do the same old to get a following, or to get gigs, or to get paid. We did a Keb Mo, a Cyndi Lawper, & lots of other stuff, too, but we played 'em all in our own style as well. Our version of "Crossroads" was barely recognizeable, yet ppl loved us for what we were. (I'm almost ashamed to say that we even fit in a Limp Bizkit rap thing for awhile.)

There are audiences for just about anything, so there's no reason to try to fit anyone else's mold of the "perfect" band.

Keep looking, CF. If only I were closer. I bet we'd fit together rather nicely.

I feel your pain. Seems every act I come across wants to do that stuff, too. I worked on some of it, but to be honest, my heart just isn't in it, & I'd much rather stray as far from it as I can, genre-lly-speaking.

Flamingo Road does a lot of rather simple stuff, but it gives me lots of license to move around & make it more interesting, so I'm happy when we DO get to work, but it's far too rare for me, so I'm still looking, too.

fisherman bob's method of politely refusing requests: I tell the customer that I won't play the song requested because that artist won't play any of my tunes. I tell the customer it's called musical reciprocity. They usually laugh at this and request another song. IF a Hell's Angel requests a song I make an exception and play it. Then I tell the customer it's called musical necessity...

Colors,

I just noticed how old you are... but I also noticed how many gigs you have played.. I can assume that you already have a job, mortgage kids etc.. etc.. this gig thing, break out do what you want to deal is kind of a young mans game.. it can be done, but just now getting serious doing modern music is going to increase your level of frustration... the demographic issue could be a HUGE factor in what your trying to do...

You can do it, if you are commited, but it's going to be frustrating for sure.

X!

But we're not looking to get "discovered" or become some huge band or anything. I mean, we're not looking to get rich or famous off this (obviously, cover band). We just want to play out and have fun doing it.

Yes, we've got jobs, families, bills, lives, etc. We all have jobs or stable income/lives. I'm a white-collar professional. I make good money; I don't need music to supplement my income with a band or use gigs to make a living.

Music is our outlet. It's our passion.

We live to play; we don't play to live.

Our mindset is this: play what we love and play it well. We believe if we play what we love then our heart will always be in the band and the music and that will make it last. If we play it well then people will like it. If we play with passion people will see that; they'll feel that and they'll get into it.

As for gigs: We're perfectly happy driving to get a gig.

Colors,

but just now getting serious doing modern music is going to increase your level of frustration... the demographic issue could be a HUGE factor in what your trying to do...

What do you mean exactly? I don't quite understand this comment. Do you mean we'll be frustrated because we're not going to find people our age who want to do this music?Or that audiences won't want to see a 37-year-old guy rocking out to modern music?

Colors, Im 46, Ive played 42 gigs since last July. I notice that you have less than 10 gigs on your profile. When you get a few under your belt your point of veiw may change.

Younger audiences arent going to be good to you, you cant overcome the age thing. We dont do the college area gigs anymore, simply cause the dont pay well, and the frat gigs are fickle flavor of the month. We got paid $2500 in 1992 for a frat gig. Thought we were going to set the world on fire, the people there loved us worshipped us like we were rock stars. Never got another gig like that. At the time we just happend to be the baddest thing in the neighborhood.

Anyway, I like your songlist, go with it, but once you start playing gigs listen to what the people that come again and again ask for. Give them a little of what they want and they will support you.

Good Luck and Rock On

JW's right about that.
Playing only what the crowd wants = band not having fun
Playing only what band likes = crowd not having fun
Playing what band and crowd like = Woo hoo!
Listen and maybe write down the crowds requests listing only the band names and not the same ol' same ol' songs. Then do a bit of research and I'll bet you can find some songs by that band that you could do your own version of. Then, next time you play and someone hollers out, "Sweet Home Alabama!" just go into a different Skynyrd song that you enjoy and they'll be just as pleased. To me, Skynyrd was a great band, with lots of great songs, but people usually only call out for the ones that got radio play. I think that's why bands shudder when someone calls out for Skynyrd. Immediately the band thinks they want Sweet Home or Freebird or Three Steps. Whenever somebody wants to hear some Skynyrd, we used to do "Needle and the Spoon" just because it wasn't one of the big airplay songs. I'm just using Skynyrd as an example, probably because they are one of the most asked for bands in my area. Same thing applies to any band. Haven't you said at some time, "Man, this band has lots better songs than what they play on the radio."?

Anyway, I like your songlist, go with it,

Where is that songlist?

http://dayofrain.net/?page_id=3

Oh, great! Day of Rain. Just what I needed. We're on, like, our 3rd week in a row of rain almost daily.
Cool name for a band though. And cool songlist too. You could get away with playing that around here in most clubs in Fort Smith and Little Rock. Actually Arkansas is more open to newer music and original bands than most people think. It's been coming around pretty well for awhile now, but I've been out of the loop over the past few years. It's my own fault though. When rock n roll was dying out around here for a while, most bands disbanded and did other things with their lives while I just plodded on trying to save rock n roll. I burned myself out playing late nights to small crowds and now that it's picking back up, those bands are refreshed and ready to go and I'm ready for a break. Bad timing on my part.

You already have some classic rock on your list, whaddya bitchin about?

AC/DC, Bryan Adams....

OK Seriously, I'm in agreement with JW and Rat here, listen to what the audience wants and give them some of that too. Play what you like, sure, but if the crowd's not happy you won't get booked again, so pick up a few oldies along the way. When someone asks for Skynyrd, you need to be able to deliver. ZZ Top, it's ready to go. A dozen tunes on the back burner can make a huge difference.

I'm not saying turn into a classic rock band, just be able to cover a few tunes in that style so the audiences don't walk out on you. But JW and Rat are right, you play what the audiences want or you don't play much. .That's exactly why I've been playing country for the past 30 years, and I hate country. Despise it...but in the places I've lived, you played country or you didn't play, so I played it.

Needle and the Spoon...old favorite there, band I was in learned it just to stay away from the dreaded SHA that was always requested. We did that one and Saturday Night Special, and a couple of others but refused to do Sweet Home or Freebird. We got by with it because we did do some other good tunes. Ditto for ZZ Top, we did several of their tunes, but not LaGrange. We were a classic rock band playing in country music land, so we did some Eagles and America tunes to keep the country folks happy, plus a few other tings, and they kept coming back for more even though we played primarily rock.

OK seriously now, you do already have classic rock tunes on your list, Summer of 69, Run to You, You Shook Me, Shot Down in Flames...all good tunes, and they would work well if you have some classic rock fans in your audience. Put about a half dozen others together and keep them available but not necessarily on the list, so when someone wants Skynyrd you have it. ZZ Top has done a bunch of great heavy songs that are not difficult to play, you're still playing heavy rock stuff and keeping the classic rock guys happy too. Add a couple more AC/DC songs. Aerosmith and REO Speedwagon might be possible, and I'd be willing to bet you could find a Zeppelin tune or two you could get along with.

Then go out and do your regular stuff, and when someone asks for that kind of thing, you have it ready. No reason you have to turn into a classic rock band, but some good reasons to have some on hand when needed...The dollar bills you lose when you don't get booked again because half the audience left when you didn't play any Skynyrd.

I've played as long as JW, longer actually, not sure how long Rat has been at it, a long time I know, but I've played bunches of songs I didn't want to, especially playing fill in gigs in the 80's in south Louisiana. Mostly country and cajun down there, it was usually variety bands, but almost always more country than anything else. I was rehired by the same bands a lot because I could cover anything they wanted, and a lot of the time I had never even heard the songs I played. I just recently heard a country tune, riding around with my sister, that I played 25 years ago and had still never heard until a few weeks ago. Point is, I was playing. If I didn't do country I didn't play, period. So I played it. Didn't like it, but nobody knew it, and usually the bands asked me to come back and do it again.

Nobody is asking you to restructure your band, just cover your a$$. when you get out playing clubs, I guarantee you'll have someone out there yelling "SKYNYRD" all night. Better have something ready to shut him up...and I don't mean a snappy comment between songs...

A good idea might be to go out and listen to some other bands and find out what people are requesting, so you can have a few things ready to go. And I think what was already suggested is very good, pay attention to what people ask for when you play, write band names down and get some tunes together to make them happy. thing is, no matter what you like to play, the only way you'll get good gigs is make the audience happy. that only takes a few songs here and there, they'll listen to your usual list, IF...and that's a big if...you play something they know and like now and then. Been there, done that...

You already have some classic rock on your list, whaddya bitchin about?

Bitching about having to play Skynard:)

We're not totally against playing classic rock tunes. We just don't want to BE a classic rock band. Our band was formed on the idea that we're a democracy - we all have to want to do a song in order for it to make the list. Nothing sucks more than practicing a song you hate.

The way we run things, if someone in the group is adamantly against a particular song, we don't do it. There's so many more songs to choose from that it doesn't make much sense to dedicate time to a song that people aren't happy performing... We don't want to have band members who are unhappy because they're playing music they hate. So first and foremost we have to enjoy the songs.

Personally, there's a lot of "older" rock I like, such as Boston, Van Halen, Tesla... But I don't know if you call that "classic" rock. It doesn't seem like it fits in the same vein as Skynard. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to doing some "older" stuff, but as a band we have to agree on it. And I can tell you right now, "Sweet Home Alabama"... that just ain't gonna happen.

Colors if you are going to be a "cover band" then you better get some songs that will "cover" your ass.

Your profile says youve done less than 10 gigs. You need to get out and do some and you will see what we are talking about.

I think youve got a pretty good songlist to start with, but when you get out, just ask people what they want to hear. In order to keep doing it you will need to accomodate them most of the time.

You need to open your ears to some experienced people that are making suggestions. I thought from some of the post youve made over time that you were a little more experienced than you are.

Once again good luck!

I've been playing playing for over 15 years, so maybe that's the experience you're feeling in my previous posts. But I haven't gigged much. Played a few open mike nights, that sort of thing, but that was a long time ago.

I certainly appreciate the feedback from those of you who are experienced.

Classic rock songs have proven the test of time...New songs while we do both, has a shelf life. Older folks like'm and youngin's just discovering some of those time tested jewels also provide a market. And like the song says "When did Motley Crue become classic rock"? There is much more to classic rock than Lynard Skynard, AC/DC/ and CCR.... By the way, if you live in MD and like to sing Classic Rawk....Hit me up.

Colors... JW picked me up on the demographic thing... youngins will not be drawn to "dad's" band.... so if you like the modern stuff by all means play it... but don't be surprised if it doesn't get you booked... being 37, it is the 37's that will identify with you, so if you have a bunch of late 30's peeps in your area that like modern rock, your set.... otherwise "Gimme back my Bullets" is a great tune..... So is "Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings"...

And somehow when I wasn't looking Priest, Skid Row and Whitesnake became classic rock.. WTF???

Sorry but your in serious cougar country my friend..

LOL

About 10 years ago, I called my son and told him I had coined a new phrase. I told him he wouldn't hear it for a while but, someday he would. He asked me what it was and I said, "Classic Alternative." He just laughed about it. Well, about 3 years ago, he was living in San Francisco and he called me up and said, "Dad, I was listening to the radio and the DJ just said he was going to be playing some Classic Alternative next". It's not easy being a true visionary.