Members New Trail Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Even if the band I was in was a commercial band and played all the "tired and true" songs, I've always been the guy in the band that did the more offbeat songs. It became clear to me at a recent gig that the "tired and true" songs are what get the wimmens dancin' and my slightly more obscure but maybe cooler tunes don't. So...I think it would be smart for me to learn a bunch of "tired and true" tunes and make myself more mainstream and accessible to the local girlies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 You're just figuring this out now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 I thought this is why we picked up the guitar in the first place? It wasn't to play Joan Baez tunes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Even if the band I was in was a commercial band and played all the "tired and true" songs, I've always been the guy in the band that did the more offbeat songs. It became clear to me at a recent gig that the "tired and true" songs are what get the wimmens dancin' and my slightly more obscure but maybe cooler tunes don't. So...I think it would be smart for me to learn a bunch of "tired and true" tunes and make myself more mainstream and accessible to the local girlies. N.T. I'm guessing by the years of endless musings you've posted here that you are the type of person that likes to stare and analyze your mashed potatoes a good 8 hrs before consumption. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but if you had come to this conclusion say 2 years ago you may be a bit further along in your musical endeavors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldGuitarPlayer Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 I thought this is why we picked up the guitar in the first place? It wasn't to play Joan Baez tunes... yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Even if the band I was in was a commercial band and played all the "tired and true" songs, I've always been the guy in the band that did the more offbeat songs. It became clear to me at a recent gig that the "tired and true" songs are what get the wimmens dancin' and my slightly more obscure but maybe cooler tunes don't. So...I think it would be smart for me to learn a bunch of "tired and true" tunes and make myself more mainstream and accessible to the local girlies. Hmmmm.... I thought I remember you posting a LOT in the last couple of years about how you were trying to get your bandmates to be more "mainstream". Did I have that wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sillypeoples Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Nice to see at least one other musician on this forum likes girls. (parries, ducks and rolls) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skybluegary Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Girls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted May 9, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hmmmm.... I thought I remember you posting a LOT in the last couple of years about how you were trying to get your bandmates to be more "mainstream". Did I have that wrong? No, that is correct. Good memory! The recent gig to which I was referring was not an actual band gig, it was more of a jam/benefit kind of thing with musicians from several bands playing together. Since we weren't a band we had to play the simpler things that we all sorta knew. The point is that the other guys did things like Brick House and Mustang Sally, which went over great, and I did bluesier songs like Sweet Home Chicago which didn't as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 Lowest common denominator. Play songs people like. They dance They drink They have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 Lowest common denominator. I got yelled at when I called it that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 I got yelled at when I called it that. I'll play Mustang Sally all night if it keeps the dance floor packed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'll play Mustang Sally all night if it keeps the dance floor packed. when I need to explain to my metal head pals why I'm not playing Maiden and Dio and Megadeth in my cover band I usually say I'll play jesse's girl all night if people are dancing and I'm getting paid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chadd Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'll play Mustang Sally all night if it keeps the dance floor packed. You are a sick, sick man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zon5string Posted May 10, 2012 Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 One of my band names I'm keeping in reserve: "Low Hanging Fruit" for the songs I expect us to play at gigs. We won't be rehearsing, just gigging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted May 10, 2012 Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 not every crowd needs to dance. One of our best gigs to date not a single person danced, but the crowd all staying in their seats and watched us play. I guess people really do 'go to see a band' sometimes. Turns out that people sitting and socializing drink much more than people who spend all night on the dance floor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nomadh Posted May 11, 2012 Members Share Posted May 11, 2012 Even if the band I was in was a commercial band and played all the "tired and true" songs, I've always been the guy in the band that did the more offbeat songs. It became clear to me at a recent gig that the "tired and true" songs are what get the wimmens dancin' and my slightly more obscure but maybe cooler tunes don't. So...I think it would be smart for me to learn a bunch of "tired and true" tunes and make myself more mainstream and accessible to the local girlies. Did I write this? Seriously this sounds like me. I think I might be 2 people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted May 11, 2012 Members Share Posted May 11, 2012 Even if the band I was in was a commercial band and played all the "tired and true" songs, I've always been the guy in the band that did the more offbeat songs. It became clear to me at a recent gig that the "tired and true" songs are what get the wimmens dancin' and my slightly more obscure but maybe cooler tunes don't. So...I think it would be smart for me to learn a bunch of "tired and true" tunes and make myself more mainstream and accessible to the local girlies. It does work, but I like looking for more interesting material anyway. Cupid Shuffle is so popular that they'll even dance to the jukebox on that tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roxtar40 Posted May 12, 2012 Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 This was probably THE primary reason my time in the gigging scene was a short two years compared to all the time and dedication most on this board have in (although I've been playing and singing for over 30 years - I'm 45 btw). I considered my band a hard rock/new cover covers band, but we'd toss in an occasional rocked up Rick Springfield or Honeymoon Suite tune; maybe a couple of classic rock songs. In central Ohio, there are maybe 2-3 bands that get away with that and they draw the same people show after show. No more to go around I guess. But I could never love performing enough to go the Brown-Eyed Girl route every weekend. I was hoping for the extra fun money and crowd following, but in the end, I had to enjoy what I was doing. I would not have enjoyed playing the dance floor standards, thus we failed, and thus I went solo acoustic until that became more work than my career. I applaud all of you that found the magic formula, enjoy/tolerate it, and make it fun week after week. For me, it just wouldn't have done that. Keep rockin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted May 12, 2012 Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 This was probably THE primary reason my time in the gigging scene was a short two years compared to all the time and dedication most on this board have in (although I've been playing and singing for over 30 years - I'm 45 btw). I considered my band a hard rock/new cover covers band, but we'd toss in an occasional rocked up Rick Springfield or Honeymoon Suite tune; maybe a couple of classic rock songs. In central Ohio, there are maybe 2-3 bands that get away with that and they draw the same people show after show. No more to go around I guess. But I could never love performing enough to go the Brown-Eyed Girl route every weekend. I was hoping for the extra fun money and crowd following, but in the end, I had to enjoy what I was doing. I would not have enjoyed playing the dance floor standards, thus we failed, and thus I went solo acoustic until that became more work than my career.I applaud all of you that found the magic formula, enjoy/tolerate it, and make it fun week after week. For me, it just wouldn't have done that.Keep rockin. There is definitely room for all kinds of music. It's just that, depending upon what style of music you are presenting, the percentage of audience that will come see you has changed dramatically from years past. I love a lot of the songs my band plays, but there are many that I would prefer to replace too. 20 years ago, it was the beginning of the grunge era and all the hair band music people had learned started to look and feel passe. Yet even then, there were classic rock bands that just kept on chugging along, learning a few of the newer songs to go along with their older repertoire of tunes. I just saw my bass player's former band last night. They play originals with some covers. It's heavy metal, Drop B sounding music. It was very loud for the bar, so some people were driven away by that, while others were yelling and screaming in encouragement. While it wasn't completely my cup of tea, it was refreshing to see a band play heavier music in town instead of the same ol', same ol' stuff. Most of the bands around here (including mine) play it safe with classic rock, some country, with some modern hits thrown in. It brings in the money and gets you rebooked, but I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't just play music that is closer to what we really like and see what happens. All three of us are rockers in the band, so I wouldn't mind doing some Seether or Chevelle, just to see what the reaction would be like. It would be easier on my voice than some of the 'classic' music we do too. Then again, I sometimes think it would be better to just save that kind of music for a side-project band so people don't get confused about what our group plays. However, fans of us always compliment us on our variety, so who knows? Maybe they will enjoy the heavier stuff too. Might be nice to have in our back pocket to whip out as needed. My main thing has always been as long as it is played with conviction, passion and heart, people will respond positively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roxtar40 Posted May 12, 2012 Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 Most of the bands around here (including mine) play it safe with classic rock, some country, with some modern hits thrown in. It brings in the money and gets you rebooked, but I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't just play music that is closer to what we really like and see what happens. All three of us are rockers in the band, so I wouldn't mind doing some Seether or Chevelle, just to see what the reaction would be like. Then again, I sometimes think it would be better to just save that kind of music for a side-project band so people don't get confused about what our group plays. . This is what we did (Seether, Foo Fighters, etc.). Like the thread originator (forgive my laziness to go back to the top), I had images of doing what I like combined with "rocker chicks" at the stage. Didn't work out that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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