Mustang Sally Flow Chart

[TIMKEYS]

 

I just realized. Somehow I've managed to go through my entire life with only hearing the song once. I consider myself quite fortunate.

 

 

you led a very sheltered life lol

[tlbonehead]

I just realized. Somehow I've managed to go through my entire life with only hearing the song once. I consider myself quite fortunate.

I never played it live in all my years of gigging until the latter 90s. Decided to add it because it was on a new Buddy Guy CD that I had just bought.

[Vito Corleone]

 

I never played it live in all my years of gigging until the latter 90s. Decided to add it because it was on a new Buddy Guy CD that I had just bought.

 

 

I never played it until the early 00s. In the 70s and 80s and early 90s no one in the bands of my age would have been caught dead doing that song and no one in our audiences would have wanted to hear it. By the early 00s I was playing in a classic R&B band and it was cool again.

[tlbonehead]

I never played it until the early 00s. In the 70s and 80s and early 90s no one in the bands of my age would have been caught dead doing that song and no one in our audiences would have wanted to hear it. By the early 00s I was playing in a classic R&B band and it was cool again.

well, that certainly wouldn't be the case around here. Blues/Rock has always been extremely popular for listening and for young bands gigging.

[Vito Corleone]

 

well, that certainly wouldn't be the case around here. Blues/Rock has always been extremely popular for listening and for young bands gigging.

 

 

I've never gigged east of the Mississippi so I wouldn't know what was going on out there. But in the 80s it was pretty much all big-hair rock and Prince/Madonna type pop out west. No one was the least bit interested in Mustang Sally in those days. At least not in any of the venues I ever played. In the 70s it was all about the current stuff as well. Some interest in 50s stuff in a Happy Days/Retro kind of thing, but the 60s weren't popular then. By the 90s it was starting to change a bit.

[tlbonehead]

I've never gigged east of the Mississippi so I wouldn't know what was going on out there. But in the 80s it was pretty much all big-hair rock and Prince/Madonna type pop out west. No one was the least bit interested in Mustang Sally in those days. At least not in any of the venues I ever played. In the 70s it was all about the current stuff as well. Some interest in 50s stuff in a Happy Days/Retro kind of thing, but the 60s weren't popular then. By the 90s it was starting to change a bit.

I'm just glad people had a broader view and appreciation for music around here. I'd hate to be a top 40s band in any generation. Fortunately, not one wanted that anyway in these parts, other than maybe the Holiday Inn circuit and the corporate junk.

[Vito Corleone]

I'm just glad people had a broader view and appreciation for music around here. I'd hate to be a top 40s band in any generation. Fortunately, not one wanted that anyway in these parts, other than maybe the Holiday Inn circuit and the corporate junk.

 

Funny, but out here the Holiday Inn circuit was the last place any young band wanted to be. Nobody was playing top 40 or modern rock there. That's where all the old farts were playing Sinatra and Buddy Holly. "Hotel Lounge Act" was pretty much considered the bottom of the barrel. We'd go stop by the Holiday Inn after our gigs for a bit of a laugh.

 

Playing a Holiday Inn was only a joke out west? It was where the top 40 and modern rock acts found good gigs in the midwest?

[Vito Corleone]

 

I'm just glad people had a broader view and appreciation for music around here. I'd hate to be a top 40s band in any generation. Fortunately, not one wanted that anyway in these parts, other than maybe the Holiday Inn circuit and the corporate junk.

 

 

I'm a bit confused. You tell me you didn't play Mustang Sally until the late 90s but also say that classic blues/rock was always extremely popular with young bands? So why didn't you play it before then? When did you start gigging, anyway?

[wheresgrant3]

 

No denying the song doesn't have a good groove... and I'm sure we could make it work with some appeal... but I guess my point is for the type of niteclub gigs we play, setlists we play and the crowds we play to, it would sound woefully out of place in our setlist. That song can just date a band generations behind the audience you are playing to. I could see breaking it out at a private or public gig we play but at a Friday night nightclub gig??? No way. We're tried "Soul Man" by Sam and Dave as a crossover from our wedding set twice in a nightclub situation and both times the dance floor parted like the Red Sea as people went to the bathroom or bar for drinks. We play plenty of nostalgic tunes form the 50's through the 70's... Shout, Sweet Caroline, Runaround Sue even Johnny Be Goode sometime. But the caveat is we're playing those songs up for laughs... not to get people on the dance floor. The type of high energy sets we play there's no need to have a 'dance floor' tune anyway. We have them hookd from the first song in. But having our average setlist cover a little of everything every night, there's really no room for a song as distinctive as pure 60's R&B in our setlist. Maybe in a few years when we are a little greyer...

 

Remember we are also in striking distance of NYC/NJ... heavy Italian, Polish, hispanic, black, jewish cultures mixed together. I think we would get a bigger rise out of playing "That's Amore' than Mustang Sally because that's what kids grew up hearing in their households. Everytime I've seen a band in my area play Sally it's an older band playing to a much older audience... and sure, it's young people in the crowd. But it's more some 25 year old dragging Grandma on the dance floor "Come on Grandma let's go dance... rather than "Holy Shit can you believe they are playing Mustang Sally!!!"

 

And let's be honest... how many bands on this board are really playing Mustang Sally to an average age 25 year olds nightly and getting a 'rise'. Alot of bands will say they're 25 year olds in the crowd, but most will admit they are playing to an older set. Or again maybe it's a midwest thing? Do you ever get requests to play Montell Jordan, NKOTB or BoyzIIMen? Believe it or not, that is the level of R&B/pop that's tapped right into an east coast/Philly's 25 year old's childhood.

[TIMKEYS]

Funny, but out here the Holiday Inn circuit was the last place any young band wanted to be. Nobody was playing top 40 or modern rock there. That's where all the old farts were playing Sinatra and Buddy Holly. "Hotel Lounge Act" was pretty much considered the bottom of the barrel. We'd go stop by the Holiday Inn after our gigs for a bit of a laugh. Playing a Holiday Inn was only a joke out west? It was where the top 40 and modern rock acts found good gigs in the midwest?

 

I never looked down on those lounge guys though. Maybe its because i was involved with the jazz band thing at the same time i was playing in a rock band. I also saw our drummers father , who made a career at piano and organ bar. That guy sent two kids to college and supported his wife and kids with his music. That was always my idea of a working pro musican. He was full time for a whole career without a day job.

 

Great guy, good father and worked the same night club for years. I am sure he was proud of our drummer who was his daughter, she became a HS band director. We are in many ways a lounge act,of sorts,, but we also do some concert stages and some pvt parties and weddings. I like it, its an interesting deal. When you know you are playing with guys who can fill up a room 5 nights a week full of poeple who are comming in to see the band you play in. I just go with the flow ,, and this seems to be where things are flowing. Who knows maybe we will get a cruise boat gig lol. We are playing as a trio for the next 4 weeks ,,, so its gonna be lounge lizzard city as far as songs ,, its the no shirt , no shoes , no lead player tour lol.

[Vito Corleone]

 

Do you ever get requests to play Montell Jordan, NKOTB or BoyzIIMen? Believe it or not, that is the level of R&B/pop that's tapped right into an east coast/Philly's 25 year old's childhood.

 

 

I offer my point again about people requesting what they think will work. I don't doubt the young girls who request Mustang Sally actually like the song---I am CERTAIN they do---but they also aren't stupid. They aren't going to walk into a venue with a band of 50 or 60-somethings on stage and ask for NKOTB. They probably (and correctly) figure Sally will be a request that might get fulfilled. Same girls come in to a place you're playing and see your band and they know they can probably ask for and get a NKOTB song.

 

Venue and gig has a LOT to do with it as well. I've said this before here, but I had this same thought at our last gig:

 

we were playing a wedding with a heavy under-35 crowd (all out from Philly, BTW for a destination wedding). Dance floor was packed with under 35 girls (and guys) dancing and singing along and having a great time to Gaga, Britney, Katy, Ke$ha etc. (Along with "Sugar", "DSB", "Caroline" etc of course) Bride comes up after the gig and is gushing about how great we did and how she thought we were the best band EVER. Big success. Yay for us and all that....

 

...but still...part of me just KNOWS that had we been playing those EXACT SAME SONGS, in the EXACT SAME WAY for those EXACT SAME GIRLS in their favorite nightclub back home that they probably would have walked out thinking "who are THOSE old {censored}s on stage, anyway???"

[Vito Corleone]

 

I never looked down on those lounge guys though.

 

 

I don't think I ever looked DOWN on them. They were just older dudes playing an older gig. Many of them were great players and I always respect a great player. But it certainly wasn't anything I wanted to do when I was in my 20s or 30s. It certainly wasn't where the Top 40 or modern rock was being played.

[wheresgrant3]

 

I never played it live in all my years of gigging until the latter 90s. Decided to add it because it was on a new Buddy Guy CD that I had just bought.

 

 

Which was a hold over from the Blue's revival in the 90's. SRV's death, the changeover of Gary Moore and other mature guitarists (everyone had to have a Blues album then) and the rise of artists like Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Johnny Lang, Susan Tedeshi... that was over a decade ago. Those mainstream spotlights aren't so bright on blues and R&B these days (it doesn't mean that it isn't good music... I like it). But someone who is 25 this year was 15 a decade ago... scratch off another 5 years when the revival was at it's hieght 94-98 and these kids were 10. I don't think they were listening to Robert Cray or the Neville brothers back then. My bets are they were listening to The Spice Girls. Again... I can't speak for the mid-west. There is certainly a more folksy appreciation for deep rooted music whether rock, blues, motown or country. Things are much differen't here... R&B and blues of any type is relegated to private events, all aged public events and festivals.

[tlbonehead]

Funny, but out here the Holiday Inn circuit was the last place any young band wanted to be. Nobody was playing top 40 or modern rock there. That's where all the old farts were playing Sinatra and Buddy Holly. "Hotel Lounge Act" was pretty much considered the bottom of the barrel. We'd go stop by the Holiday Inn after our gigs for a bit of a laugh. Playing a Holiday Inn was only a joke out west? It was where the top 40 and modern rock acts found good gigs in the midwest?

No idea. Most bands that wanted to play rock/blues music avoided those gigs like the plague. Same with the corporate gigs.

[tlbonehead]

Which was a hold over from the Blue's revival in the 90's. SRV's death, the changeover of Gary Moore and other mature guitarists (everyone had to have a Blues album then) and the rise of artists like Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Johnny Lang, Susan Tedeshi... that was over a decade ago. Those mainstream spotlights aren't so bright on blues and R&B these days (it doesn't mean that it isn't good music... I like it). But someone who is 25 this year was 15 a decade ago... scratch off another 5 years when the revival was at it's hieght 94-98 and these kids were 10. I don't think they were listening to Robert Cray or the Neville brothers back then. My bets are they were listening to The Spice Girls. Again... I can't speak for the mid-west. There is certainly a more folksy appreciation for deep rooted music whether rock, blues, motown or country. Things are much differen't here... R&B and blues of any type is relegated to private events, all aged public events and festivals.

we play some Papa Chubby stuff that is very well received. Anyway, I don't think we can compare a "clubby" current-hits gigging band to a rootsy, bluesy/folky rock band. The ages of the crowd may be similar, but their reason for being at the gig probably isn't the same.

[TIMKEYS]

 

I don't think I ever looked DOWN on them. They were just older dudes playing an older gig. Many of them were great players and I always respect a great player. But it certainly wasn't anything I wanted to do when I was in my 20s or 30s. It certainly wasn't where the Top 40 or modern rock was being played.

 

 

ya know dave ,,, every time you get called on posting stuff that kinda makes you look like a jerk ,, you back peddle like you are doing here. How many minutes ago did you post that you laughed at those guys and called them the bottom of the barrel? You seem to be pretty confused and just cant quite keep your stories straight.

[wheresgrant3]

 

we play some Papa Chubby stuff that is very well received. Anyway, I don't think we can compare a "clubby" current-hits gigging band to a rootsy, bluesy/folky rock band. The ages of the crowd may be similar, but their reason for being at the gig probably isn't the same.

 

 

 

I can appreciate that. I'm a big Chubby fan and have seen him live several times. There's a great room close by that gets in Chubby, Coryell, Mike Stern, even Dicky Betts on a surprise occasion. And that stuff plays well in NYC to. Keb Mo, The Iguanas, Aaron Neville... But you are right... we wouldn't be playing in the same circles at all. That material does not cross over to a modern pop/party band. It doesn't translate or compute with the audience. And I'm sure if we did play a little roots rock we would maybe impress a few in the crowd not expecting it... at the expense of turning away the crowd for a song or two they didn't like or recognize.

[Vito Corleone]

 

ya know dave ,,, every time you get called on posting stuff that kinda makes you look like a jerk ,, you back peddle like you are doing here. How many minutes ago did you post that you laughed at those guys and called them the bottom of the barrel? You seem to be pretty confused and just cant quite keep your stories straight.

 

 

Not backpeddling. Just explaining myself further to those who apparently have reading comprehension issues.. You misinterpreting what I say isn't "calling me" on anything. I said I laughed at the GIGS--not the players in the bands. That was what YOU said. So yeah...when you mis-state what I say, I'm going to correct you.

[Vito Corleone]

No idea. Most bands that wanted to play rock/blues music avoided those gigs like the plague. Same with the corporate gigs.

 

In the 70s and most of the 80s rock/blues and Top 40 was the same gig. Holiday Inns and corporate stuff was the oldies circuit. At least out west. Maybe it was different where you were if Top 40 was something separate from blues/rock and was being played in at Holiday Inns.

[TIMKEYS]

 

Not backpeddling. Just explaining myself further to those who apparently have reading comprehension issues.. You misinterpreting what I say isn't "calling me" on anything. I said I laughed at the GIGS--not the players in the bands. That was what YOU said. So yeah...when you mis-state what I say, I'm going to correct you.

 

 

Yea everybody has reading comprehention. You really need to go back and re read your posts.

[Vito Corleone]

 

Yea everybody has reading comprehention. You really need to go back and re read your posts.

 

 

I don't have to go back and re-read. I know what I write. I called the guys playing at the Holiday Inns "old farts". They were. Just like I'm an old fart now playing corporate gigs and weddings. And I went to the gigs for a laugh. Just like I certain most young kids would laugh at the gigs I do.

 

That has nothing to do with respect for the old farts as players. Just as I would hope most young kids laughing at my kids would at least respect my playing ability, even if it's a gig they wouldn't want to be doing until they were too old to be doing anything else.

[TIMKEYS]

 

I don't have to go back and re-read. I know what I write. I called the guys playing at the Holiday Inns "old farts". They were. Just like I'm an old fart now playing corporate gigs and weddings. And I went to the gigs for a laugh. Just like I certain most young kids would laugh at the gigs I do. That has nothing to do with respect for the old farts as players. Just as I would hope most young kids laughing at my kids would at least respect my playing ability, even if it's a gig they wouldn't want to be doing until they were too old to be doing anything else.

 

 

No dave thats not really how you view it and you know it. You view what you do now as what the top tier band do because of the money and you wont waste your time on club gigs. Guy put the shovel down and stop digging.

[Thy God]

 

Not sure I would consider being a musician who was not familiar with major songs from other eras and genres to be "fortunate", but whatever...

 

 

Eh, it's just something that never latched me...honestly quite grated at me the one time I heard it. I mean, I've obviously heard FAR worse. But something just irks me about the song, and it was before I was even aware that essentially every cover band supposedly does it (Somehow I was lucky enough that neither my dad's cover bands nor my guitar teacher's cover band played it at any point I heard any of their sets, and none of the cover bands I've popped in on did it...unless they did it before I got there every time somehow.) There's plenty from that era I do quite enjoy...my disdain for Mustang Sally has little to do with the era from which it originates.

[TIMKEYS]

 

Eh, it's just something that never latched me...honestly quite grated at me the one time I heard it. I mean, I've obviously heard FAR worse. But something just irks me about the song, and it was before I was even aware that essentially every cover band supposedly does it (Somehow I was lucky enough that neither my dad's cover bands nor my guitar teacher's cover band played it at any point I heard any of their sets, and none of the cover bands I've popped in on did it...unless they did it before I got there every time somehow.) There's plenty from that era I do quite enjoy...my disdain for Mustang Sally has little to do with the era from which it originates.

 

 

I would guess if you ever got the chance to play stang with a really solid band that had a full brass section you would dig it. tons of bands butcher that song every weekend ,,, done right it a great song.

[twostone]

 

you led a very sheltered life lol

 

 

Guess that goes for me to