Members SLScott86 Posted January 9, 2014 Members Share Posted January 9, 2014 "You're old and you need to die." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted January 9, 2014 Members Share Posted January 9, 2014 I think what Sean really means to say is that he would not like to play in a party band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted January 9, 2014 Moderators Share Posted January 9, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: "You're old and you need to die." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cjmarsicano Posted January 9, 2014 Members Share Posted January 9, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: It's also quite possible that, if it's a new band, the setlist came together because they all knew these songs from previous bands. If you can start gigging with what you've got, why wait? I'm not saying that's what happened, and I even doubt it because they often times only chose the third or fourth lowest hanging fruit from artists. I mean, the point of being creative to find less cliche songs is taken. That's a good idea. But a cliche setlist is really just a single possible symptom of a core "problem." Maybe they're mailing it in. Maybe it's not a priority. Maybe they just enjoy playing and those songs allow them to play occasionally. Sure, if you're a good band with time to work out other things, by all means do. But in all the times I've seen Mustang Sally pack the dance floor, I've never heard any of the dancers complain about how many times it's been played. Base your setlist based on what's working, not on what some guy who hasn't heard you says will work. I agree 100% with this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted January 9, 2014 Members Share Posted January 9, 2014 Grant no offense but I would **** kill myself if I had to play that song list. If that's what it's come down to to make money I'd retire. I get that your party band but damn.... Sorry dude. SLScott86 wrote: I think what Sean really means to say is that he would not like to play in a party band. And that he would not like to play in front of enthsuasitc crowds for great money. Just kidding Sean... I completely understand and take no offense at all. I pretty much hate the setlist as much as you do... but when you play with great musicians it really doesn't matter what you play. All the energy goes into performing them and getting a reaction from the crowd... which in the case of this show was largely under 30. ... But if you watch the videos I posted you'll see we deliver them with smiles. We feed of the energy of the crowd, not the songs we play. It doesn't matter what we play really... it matters how the audience reacts. That's not selling out, that's being fearless. Taking a song not in your comfort zone and selling it convincingly to an enthusiastic crowd. That setlist is a concious choice to hit all demographics. A little top 40, a little club, a little country, a little rock. It was the same strategy as the previous band. You're playing in front of a few hundred people and you need to catch their attention early and encourage them to stay late. The presentation is effortless and seemless and I'm actually proud that we are able to perform these without using any backing tracks. A club/DJ setlist with a live band feel. What a novelty. If you want to get A-list bookings in the northeast this is the type of setlist you need to shoot for to compete and trump the DJ. Sad but true. But not sad really... b/c you are being paid to entertain people. Much worse jobs to have, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 You would have to move from Nashville to really come close to make at it. Don't feel like the lone ranger. It a part time deal for the vast majority of music cos here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 The higher up the food chain you go, the more likely you are to find full time musicians who have the time to maintain an extra two or three hours of covers to fill gigs. For people with day jobs and especially families, you're lucky to have time to just write, record, and gig at the same time. If you're picking up cover material and gigs, too, then something is going to give. It's not a matter of being above it. Everyone has a few covers in the bag. It's just a sustainability issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: The higher up the food chain you go, the more likely you are to find full time musicians who have the time to maintain an extra two or three hours of covers to fill gigs. For people with day jobs and especially families, you're lucky to have time to just write, record, and gig at the same time. If you're picking up cover material and gigs, too, then something is going to give. It's not a matter of being above it. Everyone has a few covers in the bag. It's just a sustainability issue. Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen anyone manage the day job/full time cover band/full time original band thing successfully. That's just too much to do all of them well. If your focus is playing originals, I don't really see the point in doing 3-4 sets of covers unless you're able to make a living doing so. Even then, it can be a distraction from being able to write and record as much as you need to. And you can't really be two different bands at the same time. Like Tim says---sure, you can usually slip in a couple of originals during a cover gig, but you're not really selling them or the original band at that point. You're just slipping in a couple of unknown tunes under the radar. It's not going to do much for getting your stuff on the radio or selling a bunch of downloads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 The songwriter route is really a third beast. I think when people talk original artists most are referring to the performing recording artist profession and pursuit thereof more than the songwriting profession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: The songwriter route is really a third beast. I think when people talk original artists most are referring to the performing recording artist profession and pursuit thereof more than the songwriting profession. Scott ,, I play for what they call a performing songwriter. Guys who do that play live shows and write songs. Its pretty common in some genres and wearing two hats is how a lot of them go about it. Mixing covers with originals is pretty common in live shows on the lower runs of the ladder, unless its a concert or festival type deal. Its more of a lone wolf type of existance that runs on sidemen to flesh out the band. I would assume you guys are a one for all all for one type of original band which is a solid original business model. Maybe the difference is the lone wolfs tend to be full time entertainers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 The new plan functions on the assumption that players who will want to hitch their creative wagons to your songs are growing on trees where you can select the best of the best. That is a gamble. I honestly have no clue how the five original members of my band managed to be the five. But it helped that the existing core was comprised of THE musicians in our area and age range, with as good a track record as they could have in Podunk, MI USA. They then recruited the OTHER available musicians to choose from and the guy we all happened to know. That was it. A pure stroke of luck and Germanic homogeny. But most ponds have a lot more worms to bite than ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cjmarsicano Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: The new plan functions on the assumption that players who will want to hitch their creative wagons to your songs are growing on trees where you can select the best of the best. That is a gamble. I honestly have no clue how the five original members of my band managed to be the five. But it helped that the existing core was comprised of THE musicians in our area and age range, with as good a track record as they could have in Podunk, MI USA. They then recruited the OTHER available musicians to choose from and the guy we all happened to know. That was it. A pure stroke of luck and Germanic homogeny. But most ponds have a lot more worms to bite than ours. I'm willing to go through as many players as it takes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted January 10, 2014 Members Share Posted January 10, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: The new plan functions on the assumption that players who will want to hitch their creative wagons to your songs are growing on trees where you can select the best of the best. That is a gamble. I honestly have no clue how the five original members of my band managed to be the five. But it helped that the existing core was comprised of THE musicians in our area and age range, with as good a track record as they could have in Podunk, MI USA. They then recruited the OTHER available musicians to choose from and the guy we all happened to know. That was it. A pure stroke of luck and Germanic homogeny. But most ponds have a lot more worms to bite than ours. whats funny scott is thats basically how the backing band I play with formed. We not much different a location as you when you get down to it. It is a lot warmer, but its just as far or farther off the beaten path. It formed up out of willing players and along with the deal comes the freedom to pretty well come and go as we please. As for skin in the game,,, heck I no desire to have any skin in the music game. I have my own interests where I have plenty of skin in the game to keep my life exciting and challenging. Music is just somthing I do. I play with top players in my market and make a few bucks at it here and there,, and thats good enough at this stage of my life. Could the music projects i play in be run better,, I would guess so ,, because everything typically can be run better,, but its really nice to not have to worry about that stuff. Its fun to play in the original music scene and its fun to play bar gigs. From my seat its pretty much just another gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinC Posted January 11, 2014 Members Share Posted January 11, 2014 Went to see a band last night and I imagine they did nothing but covers but I'm not entirely sure because it was all Latin stuff I'm not that familiar with. As they set up there were a few technical glitches and I couldn't help thinking oh no this is going to suck. Then there was the band itself. Two rather fat women wearing Mismatched t shirts and then oh my god, music stands. Bswtb came into my mind......Then they started playing. I really couldn't see them from my vantage point but they started groovin, the bass kicked in. Must have had subs..... Then oh **** here comes the horn section, the timbales, congas, and the vocalists started harmonizing. Despite only two classes of salsa dancing years ago I was pulled onto the dance floor. They modulated as they seamlessly transitioned into a new song. I was pouring sweat on the dance floor as one of the girl singers came into the audience to do a few steps with my wife, who is a much better dancer than me, then she fell back into line with her partner and continued doing dance steps in coordination with her. The timbalero took a solo, then the trombone..... You get the picture, they didn't let up for an hour and tore the place down and there was a line outside when we left. Set list? Who the **** cares? In tamarindo, Costa Rica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted January 11, 2014 Members Share Posted January 11, 2014 MartinC wrote: Went to see a band last night and I imagine they did nothing but covers but I'm not entirely sure because it was all Latin stuff I'm not that familiar with. As they set up there were a few technical glitches and I couldn't help thinking oh no this is going to suck. Then there was the band itself. Two rather fat women wearing Mismatched t shirts and then oh my god, music stands. Bswtb came into my mind...... Then they started playing. I really couldn't see them from my vantage point but they started groovin, the bass kicked in. Must have had subs..... Then oh **** here comes the horn section, the timbales, congas, and the vocalists started harmonizing. Despite only two classes of salsa dancing years ago I was pulled onto the dance floor. They modulated as they seamlessly transitioned into a new song. I was pouring sweat on the dance floor as one of the girl singers came into the audience to do a few steps with my wife, who is a much better dancer than me, then she fell back into line with her partner and continued doing dance steps in coordination with her. The timbalero took a solo, then the trombone..... You get the picture, they didn't let up for an hour and tore the place down and there was a line outside when we left. Set list? Who the **** cares? In tamarindo, Costa Rica. Sounds like an awesome night!Yep, it's all about being able to connect with and draw in the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted January 11, 2014 Members Share Posted January 11, 2014 They do Foldom Prison Blues so that makes them a cover band? Keep moving those goal posts, Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted January 11, 2014 Members Share Posted January 11, 2014 guido61 wrote: They do Foldom Prison Blues so that makes them a cover band? Keep moving those goal posts, Tim. They do tonesof covers,, bascially a good many of the shows only have 3 or 4 original songs much like we do. How would you even know if the goal posts have been moved? You have never seen show one of this band. You are ending up where you always end up dave. You are stuck trying to defend a position that is pretty hard to defend. When the guy said he loved to get in his bothers face and say ,, 50.000 people. Dude your sauce is really weak. As for the money argument. When its the end of the trail ,, what would you rather have memories of a 500 dollar gig split at a yuppy wedding where you were the back drop to garter gag ,,, or being the focus of attention for 50 thousand screaming cranked up people at a concert? People do music for lots of different reasons. These two brothers got it going on ,, just sayin and it was all built on the foundation of a cover band and its still a big part of what they do. Joy from in all forms for some its money. ,,, I havent seen 50 thousand people at a show yet ,, but ya never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HRS Posted January 12, 2014 Members Share Posted January 12, 2014 cjmarsicano- Since I have been reading this thread the last few days, you have piqued my interest and curiousity. How about providing for us some audio of your original songs. No need to be shy about it. Seems that most folks here have some links to YouTube or whatever else. Somewhere on this board, in my short time here, I have even posted a couple of songs of The Decidedly Average White Bar Band I play with. I'm an old fart, but back in the day I played in a couple of mostly original bands. While the reaction to original tunes was generally good, the draw wasn't as good as the better cover bands I've played in for longterm. I'm the vocalist and songwriter, and back in the mid 80s, when I was better looking and had a better range, I was offered a trip to NYC to record. I didn't do it because the terms weren't great anyway, and I had a good business in Georgia, with a wife and children. Granted, the whole recording business is changing these days (much to the corporate consternation and chagrin), and I'm glad to see it happening. Kind of late for me and others like me, but good for the younger musicians. I'm rambling, and I have a habit of that. Evidently not as bad a habit as a few posters on this board (har har har), but anyway....hook us up with some audio of your original music. Let's hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted January 12, 2014 Members Share Posted January 12, 2014 I've kind of lost this thread, but I still can't shake the idea that a full time musician who plays covers with his originals is basically an originals musician whose day job is playing covers, rather than a person who includes sets full of covers as part of his originals business plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2014 SLScott86 wrote: I still can't shake the idea that a full time musician who plays covers with his originals is basically an originals musician whose day job is playing covers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cjmarsicano Posted January 12, 2014 Members Share Posted January 12, 2014 HRS - I would love to but I don't have completed recordings posted. I've literally been doing more writing than recording, and I haven't done any serious recording yet. The only recordings I have on hand are GarageBand for iPad files where I've tracked some quick riff/chord sequence ideas, and a few experimental recordings with a digital multitracker/workstation. I'm not doing any serious recording of the actual songs until I acquire a new MacBook at the end of the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted January 12, 2014 Moderators Share Posted January 12, 2014 ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted February 17, 2014 Members Share Posted February 17, 2014 My duo does what I got. The band also throws art of it into a mashup. I do Rain King solo and in the duo, although in a somewhat reggae fashion. Otherwise none of those songs. And while some of them are obviously pretty used up, there are a few that I've never heard local bands cover. I've never heard anyone cover Remedy, although I would love to if they did it justice. I've also never heard anyone cover Rain King for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted February 17, 2014 Members Share Posted February 17, 2014 MartinC wrote: I thought he blog post was lame. A writer judging a band he's never even heard who turns out to be a musician himself. I've known some incredible musicians- guys who were in name acts, guys with gold records on their walls, and guys who at the top of their respective fields. I've never heard any of those full time pros bad mouthing other musicians. To the contrary, the greatest player I've ever been around ( as his student) always found something good to say about other players no matter the fact they were not in his league. I realize writers have to write something but writers putting down other musicians then claiming superior knowledge or experience seldom come out looking good. I would ask the author of the blog post to consider how he would feel if a better more established musician blasted his work without evn doing the courtesy of listening to it. For that matter, it probably wouldn't feel much better if he did have a listen first. If you want to be a critic, fine. You want to be a critic of bands and musicians choices and also be respected as a player? Good luck. The best part is that after several pages he states that he wouldn't drive that far just to see a cover band anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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