If playing all the classic tired and true songs is one sure fire way to have........

[New Trail]

..........a successful cover band, and another sure fire way is to do things your way but to do it with quality, passion and energy, wouldn't a band that played all the classic tired and true songs but played them with quality, passion and energy be the best of both worlds?

 

To reiterate: there seems to be two schools of thought on HC concerning cover bands and success:

 

1. Play all the cliche songs and you will be successful

2. Play what you want to play with talent, energy and showmanship and you can be successful without playing the cliches.

 

If both of these statements are true, then why not combine them? Play the cliches but play them with energy, etc.etc.....

[GCDEF]

Don't we already have enough threads on this already?

[wheresgrant3]

..........a successful cover band, and another sure fire way is to do things your way but to do it with quality, passion and energy, wouldn't a band that played all the classic tired and true songs but played them with quality, passion and energy be the best of both worlds? To reiterate: there seems to be two schools of thought on HC concerning cover bands and success: 1. Play all the cliche songs and you will be successful 2. Play what you want to play with talent, energy and showmanship and you can be successful without playing the cliches. If both of these statements are true, then why not combine them? Play the cliches but play them with energy, etc.etc.....

 

Who's saying successful bands aren't doing that already?

[New Trail]

Who's saying successful bands aren't doing that already?

 

THAT'S my point! Those are the bands that are making $15G for private parties. And I realize that not everybody wants to be that band, too!

[SpaceNorman]

 

.....Those are the bands that are making $15G for private parties. And I realize that not everybody wants to be that band, too!

 

 

I'm gonna have to call "bull{censored}" on this one.

 

Anybody that claims they wouldn't like to be making some BIG $$$$ playing isn't being honest. and anybody actually believing that there are bands out there that prefer no pay/low pay gigs to $15G private parties.... well, you get my drift.

 

I've never once heard a band that are actually in a position to choose between no pay/low pay jobs and $15G private party gigs suggest they pass up a $15G gig to play the corner dive for "C note".

[wheresgrant3]

 

THAT'S my point! Those are the bands that are making $15G for private parties. And I realize that not everybody wants to be that band, too!

 

 

I don't believe there are any real rules or formula to being a good band or not. The scene is way to competive to follow a blueprint to success. Are their shared traits, sure. Commonalities between bands that have continued successful books. But each band has to have it's own identity in the club scene and the private market. Call it the Successful Habits of Popular Working Cover Bands.

 

To me there is no "this band does 'this' or this band does 'that'. Successful bands just 'do' period.

[wardjames]

I'm gonna have to call "bull{censored}" on this one. Anybody that claims they wouldn't like to be making some BIG $$$$ playing isn't being honest. and anybody actually believing that there are bands out there that prefer no pay/low pay gigs to $15G private parties.... well, you get my drift. I've never once heard a band that are actually in a position to choose between no pay/low pay jobs and $15G private party gigs suggest they pass up a $15G gig to play the corner dive for "C note".

 

[wardjames]

Obviously great song selection with great energy and show is going to get the job done, but I'd argue that there's a diminishing return at some point where being different is going to matter. If you took the top 10 cover bands in the country, gave them the same 10 popular songs to play, and held a battle of the bands...the audience would get tired of it after awhile.

 

I guess my point is that at my level of involvement, I don't have the time to put into making the product so special that I can play obscure stuff. I use setlist and popular songs to engage the audience, just like I use superior musicianship. But if I had unlimited time and energy to put into my stage show, and the other guys in the band did as well, I think there might be more to gain from going the route of uniqueness.

[Chicken Monkey]

Anybody that claims they wouldn't like to be making some BIG $$$$ playing isn't being honest. and anybody actually believing that there are bands out there that prefer no pay/low pay gigs to $15G private parties.... well, you get my drift. I've never once heard a band that are actually in a position to choose between no pay/low pay jobs and $15G private party gigs suggest they pass up a $15G gig to play the corner dive for "C note".

 

You'll find plenty of bands who don't want to do the work necessary to be a $15G band, and would rather practice twice a month and play for a benjy at the place around the corner.

 

BTW, my band is firmly in the OP's category 2, and I can personally attest to the fact that doing your own thing expertly isn't necessarily a recipe for success .

[Vito Corleone]

 

THAT'S my point! Those are the bands that are making $15G for private parties. And I realize that not everybody wants to be that band, too!

 

 

That's right! Some of us would be perfectly happy if we only made $8K for those parties.....

[New Trail]

 

You'll find plenty of bands who don't want to do the work necessary to be a $15G band, and would rather practice twice a month and play for a benjy at the place around the corner........

 

 

I would say that MOST bands, and most individuals in bands, wouldn't do it. I know guys, good players, who seem perfectly happy to get together once a week and talk/practice/jam/drink/rehearse with no real desire to gig at all.

[wheresgrant3]

 

I would say that MOST bands, and most individuals in bands, wouldn't do it. I know guys, good players, who seem perfectly happy to get together once a week and talk/practice/jam/drink/rehearse with no real desire to gig at all.

 

 

Hmmmmm then why would scenario 1 or 2 matter at all? What would be the point. Obviously it's just a jam right? Just a get together? Scenario 1 or 2 and certainly a combo of the two still requires some sense of planning, organization, committment... work.

 

Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I feel like the scenario you are speaking about is "Let's be successful, but let's not put much effort into it, because that's a drag"? In my market there are dozens of bands the proclaim "We're not your average ordinary cover band" ... yet in execution they are exactly just that. Now all of them, given the opportunity, will represent themselves as if they are an A-list band. And most have the faces pressed up against the glass of A-list venues hoping for a Friday or Saturday slot. They say they do weddings... but really it was just one, for their guitarists uncle Frankie... and it wasn't a formal event it was a pig roast/wedding.

 

Now these bands are just 1-2 per month, maybe rehearse, sorta cover bands. In their minds maybe they believe they aren't average... but every market is full of them. To me that's pretty average.

[drumsnbeer]

 

..........a successful cover band, and another sure fire way is to do things your way but to do it with quality, passion and energy, wouldn't a band that played all the classic tired and true songs but played them with quality, passion and energy be the best of both worlds? To reiterate: there seems to be two schools of thought on HC concerning cover bands and success: 1. Play all the cliche songs and you will be successful 2. Play what you want to play with talent, energy and showmanship and you can be successful without playing the cliches. If both of these statements are true, then why not combine them? Play the cliches but play them with energy, etc.etc.....

 

 

Wouldn't the best combination be play some cliches and play some you want, both with talent and energy? Reading through these threads you would think there is only a very small list of songs to make a set list from.

[tim_7string]

 

I'm gonna have to call "bull{censored}" on this one. Anybody that claims they wouldn't like to be making some BIG $$$$ playing isn't being honest. and anybody actually believing that there are bands out there that prefer no pay/low pay gigs to $15G private parties.... well, you get my drift. I've never once heard a band that are actually in a position to choose between no pay/low pay jobs and $15G private party gigs suggest they pass up a $15G gig to play the corner dive for "C note".

 

 

I don't think that situation would ever present itself. I doubt a band that usually (only?) plays low-paying jobs would ever be offered a $15,000 gig. I also don't think bands that play those gigs would be offered that gig without having to change a LOT about how they do things.

 

The two simply exist in different worlds.

[SpaceNorman]

 

I don't think that situation would ever present itself. I doubt a band that usually (only?) plays low-paying jobs would ever be offered a $15,000 gig. I also don't think bands that play those gigs would be offered that gig without having to change a LOT about how they do things. The two simply exist in different worlds.

 

 

I agree with you completely - which is why I felt compelled to comment on the "And I realize that not everybody wants to be that band, too!" post which I read as implying that NOT playing the $15K gigs is simply a matter of choice.

[tim_7string]

I took the comment more literally. I know I don't want to sacrifice a lot in my life just to be in a band that makes $15,000 a gig. Even if we were making $5000/night, it would involve some serious travel on the road and that's something I just don't want to do anymore. So, I would be under that category of "not everybody wants to be that band." I don't want to play every weekend. I don't want to play every night. I don't want to change the style of music I play. I did a lot of that years ago and I'm happy with my current situation.

[tlbonehead]

I'm gonna have to call "bull{censored}" on this one. Anybody that claims they wouldn't like to be making some BIG $$$$ playing isn't being honest. and anybody actually believing that there are bands out there that prefer no pay/low pay gigs to $15G private parties.... well, you get my drift. I've never once heard a band that are actually in a position to choose between no pay/low pay jobs and $15G private party gigs suggest they pass up a $15G gig to play the corner dive for "C note".

with this logic, Taylor would have never quit the Stones.

[Vito Corleone]

 

I took the comment more literally. I know I don't want to sacrifice a lot in my life just to be in a band that makes $15,000 a gig. Even if we were making $5000/night, it would involve some serious travel on the road and that's something I just don't want to do anymore. So, I would be under that category of "not everybody wants to be that band." I don't want to play every weekend. I don't want to play every night. I don't want to change the style of music I play. I did a lot of that years ago and I'm happy with my current situation.

 

 

Everyone has a different ability, a different situation and a different desire. I don't think it's any secret that I'm one of the most financially ambitious 'weekend warriors' on this forum but I look at a band like Hairball making $18K a gig and I realize that A) not only do I not possess the right type of talent, am of the right age, or have the proper abilities to play in a band like that, but B) even if I did I'm neither in the right market nor have the time and desire to devote to making a band work on that level.

 

At the end of the day it comes down to: ARE YOU DOING ALL THAT YOU CAN AND WANT TO DO.

 

Making money is great and money is one of the primary tools we use to measure success in our society. So yes, there is some value in judging how well your band is doing based on what kind of money you can command. But at the end of the day, what it's about is ARE YOU DOING ALL THAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE DOING.

 

I don't have, and have never had, any argument with any musician who says "I'm playing the songs I want to play and doing the gigs I want to do"--IF THEY MEAN IT. My only argument comes with those who say that as an excuse for not being all they can be and doing all they want to do. And I've seen plenty of both. You can tell immediately just from the look in some cat's eyes when he says that to you if he truely MEANS that statement, or if he's just making an excuse to try to justify the fact that he's not happy with what he's doing.

[Vito Corleone]

 

with this logic, Taylor would have never quit the Stones.

 

 

With YOUR logic, Taylor would never have JOINED the Stones. But he did. Then made a lot of money and THEN left. It's a lot easier to turn your nose down at the high-paying gigs when you've already bought that big mansion and put your retirement money away....

[wheresgrant3]

oops wrong thread...

[tim_7string]

At the end of the day it comes down to: ARE YOU DOING ALL THAT YOU CAN AND WANT TO DO.

 

Yep. I'm very happy with my bandmates, the sound we create together and the buzz on the street we generate. Am I satisfied to the point that I'm going to sit on my laurels and act like people should be glad we showed up? No. I have always hated lethargic bands or bands filled with arrogant assholes that berated their own crowd or acted like they "coulda been somebody" and people should kiss their ass all night long. Thankfully, all three of us are on the same page. All three of us DON'T want to play every weekend. All three of us ENJOY making better money not only as a three-piece but a three-piece that gets paid well.

 

As always, there are more plans to improve the band. Getting a professionally done band banner is one of those things in the near future. We already have a dot com website, business cards, decent personal and band equipment. Getting more lights, more speakers, more power, learning more songs...these things are all part of the constant change that makes up a damn good band of three pretty good musicians.

 

I don't have, and have never had, any argument with any musician who says "I'm playing the songs I want to play and doing the gigs I want to do"--IF THEY MEAN IT. My only argument comes with those who say that as an excuse for not being all they can be and doing all they want to do. And I've seen plenty of both. You can tell immediately just from the look in some cat's eyes when he says that to you if he truely MEANS that statement, or if he's just making an excuse to try to justify the fact that he's not happy with what he's doing.

 

Well, I have never been in that category of the guy making excuses, lounging around in the trenches of the dive bar, going into autopilot mode onstage, drinking all night long and hating my f***ing life. I specifically choose to play one particular 'dive' bar because I really like the bar owner and he really likes me. He's a great guy and has done a lot for us. When we were starting out, he kept us booked when no one else was willing to take a shot on the new band yet. We're in rotation there and also in another bar out of town.

 

I just got a call from that other bar owner wanting us to play a month earlier than planned. I told him we were already booked, but thanked him for the offer. He also made a point to compliment our band, saying he really enjoyed us. He also pays us VERY well for a bar band. I was flattered. It's a win-win for both parties. We get paid well, which is an incentive to keep going back and he likes what we bring to his bar, so he continues to hire us. And we're getting calls from other places for street dances now, something I never did with my own band before. It's exciting!

 

Obviously, we are doing something right and probably will be for some time now.

[modulusman]

Yep. I'm very happy with my bandmates, the sound we create together and the buzz on the street we generate. Am I satisfied to the point that I'm going to sit on my laurels and act like people should be glad we showed up? No. I have always hated lethargic bands or bands filled with arrogant assholes that berated their own crowd or acted like they "coulda been somebody" and people should kiss their ass all night long. Thankfully, all three of us are on the same page. All three of us DON'T want to play every weekend. All three of us ENJOY making better money not only as a three-piece but a three-piece that gets paid well. As always, there are more plans to improve the band. Getting a professionally done band banner is one of those things in the near future. We already have a dot com website, business cards, decent personal and band equipment. Getting more lights, more speakers, more power, learning more songs...these things are all part of the constant change that makes up a damn good band of three pretty good musicians. Well, I have never been in that category of the guy making excuses, lounging around in the trenches of the dive bar, going into autopilot mode onstage, drinking all night long and hating my f***ing life. I specifically choose to play one particular 'dive' bar because I really like the bar owner and he really likes me. He's a great guy and has done a lot for us. When we were starting out, he kept us booked when no one else was willing to take a shot on the new band yet. We're in rotation there and also in another bar out of town. I just got a call from that other bar owner wanting us to play a month earlier than planned. I told him we were already booked, but thanked him for the offer. He also made a point to compliment our band, saying he really enjoyed us. He also pays us VERY well for a bar band. I was flattered. It's a win-win for both parties. We get paid well, which is an incentive to keep going back and he likes what we bring to his bar, so he continues to hire us. And we're getting calls from other places for street dances now , something I never did with my own band before. It's exciting! Obviously, we are doing something right and probably will be for some time now.

 

Tim, whatever happened with the street dance you posted about a few months ago. Did you get the gig?

[New Trail]

 

.....I just got a call from that other bar owner wanting us to play a month earlier than planned. I told him we were already booked, but thanked him for the offer. He also made a point to compliment our band, saying he really enjoyed us. He also pays us VERY well for a bar band. I was flattered. It's a win-win for both parties. We get paid well, which is an incentive to keep going back and he likes what we bring to his bar, so he continues to hire us......

 

 

That's great! You guys must be doing something (a lot) right for bar owners to call YOU. What's your secret?

[tim_7string]

 

Tim, whatever happened with the street dance you posted about a few months ago. Did you get the gig?

 

 

I've been trying to contact the lady, but my luck has been bad. Every time I call, she is out or just left or whatever. Hopefully they aren't "giving us the run-around." I doubt it, because she, the bar staff and the crowd all enjoyed us a lot. Maybe I'll find out today.

[tim_7string]

 

That's great! You guys must be doing something (a lot) right for bar owners to call YOU. What's your secret?

 

 

I think a big part of it is reliability and consistency. Even though we had three different lineups at the out-of-town bar that we have in a quarterly rotation, they kept hiring us because the focus on our style of entertainment was there every time. We play a decent variety of songs (including some newer stuff), we keep the party going like a DJ (going from one song to the next right away), we appeal to younger people as well as older people. We're tight. We're experienced (veteran), decent musicians. We play with energy and passion rather than just standing around, looking bored. My vocals don't suck (lol).

 

And I think other things that we do are: we are respectful to the staff (tipping well included), we hang out with the people that come to see us as well as the people that just happen to be there for a while, we play at a reasonable volume level, we don't get drunk onstage. We are thankful, friendly and kind. I think these things are more important than people realize.