Choosing a cover for your originals band.

[hugbot]

Im talking about the situation where you are a band that mostly plays original material, but just to break it up a litte, or pad out the setlist you throw in a cover occasionally.

 

What are some good guidelines for choosing a suitable cover? I was thinking that anything by a band that you're heavily influenced by is probably a bad idea, as you dont need the comparison pointed out. But "ironic" or whacky covers get old fast, especially as they have a habit of becoming the most requested part of the show.

[MartinC]

The ones you can do the best at that also will be familiar to your audience. If you can do it in a new way, or just flat out do it as good or better than the original, and the tune is popular with your crowd, that's a winner IMO. Also, ones that people really like but aren't played by other bands in your area.

[Vito Corleone]

Take an old song everybody knows but do it in the style of your band. Don't be 'whacky', just be good.

[maxnew40]

I saw Paul Westerburg do a great rock/punk version of the Monkees song Daydream Believer. It was a great version and really rocked!

 

Max

[BATCAT]

My guidelines are that it should be something recognizable to a good number of people but not something really obvious. I also don't see the point in doing one you don't at least put something of your own stamp on, even if it's fairly subtle.

 

As for doing songs that are from bands that are obviously a big influence, I think it depends. It can sound a little hokey when you do it with a more current band, but something older, I think that's fine.

[Lee Flier]

I don't think it's a problem at all to do a cover by a band that influenced you - I guess as long as you're not a young band doing a song that's a relatively recent hit.

 

In general, just pick a really good song that the band can perform well. We've found that our audiences love it when we do that semi-obscure album cut that not everyone knows. Just make it a song that people will dig even if they've never heard it before, and the people who do know it will think you're that much cooler for knowing that song.

[BATCAT]

 

I don't think it's a problem at all to do a cover by a band that influenced you - I guess as long as you're not a young band doing a song that's a relatively recent hit.

 

 

Yes, exactly. For an original band, doing something that's really popular right now is going to come off bad, unless what you're doing with it is somehow truly brilliant.

 

My band has done a Velvet Underground cover and a Joy Division one, both really influential bands for us, and those two covers in particular got a very good response.

[troyguitar]

Go for something that's in an influence of an influence. Like my band plays power metal a la Stratovarius or Symphony X, but we're talking about doing a cover of something like Rainbow or Deep Purple. Most of your audience will know it, but you'll still have to put your own spin on it to bring it into your style.

[chadd]

Do a song you enjoy playing. Seems obvious, but that should be the most important thing.

 

People are there to see you play, so it doesn't have to be a "hit". If some people don't know the tune, they will just think it's another original.

 

Don't try too hard to sound like the original artist. You should sound like you do for your original songs.

 

Rotate a couple different songs through the cover spot in the set list. It will keep them each a bit more fresh.

[Scafeets]

Don't go for the obscure non-hit. This is a chance to bring your own band's personality and style to a great song that most everyone knows and likes.

When I played in an original band (with female lead singer and horns) we often covered stuff that wasn't "horn band" or "girl singer" tunes -- just good songs.

Original bands should be original even when they do a cover.

[Dancebass]

For me this is all about finding the perfect match. Ok before anyone laughs I'll just throw this out there but first say I'm not exactly a fan, but when I was younger my wife certainly was.

 

The most successful match I've ever seen with original/cover was when Marilyn Manson knocked the Eurhythmics song out of the f*cking park! It was an absolutely perfect choice. The song was a huge hit 25 years prior, the younger generation still recognized it because it had always stayed loosely in radio rotation.

 

The original version was actually very dark lyrically and musically lent itself to an even darker interpretation. Basically Manson was able to take an older song that contained hidden themes of sexual deviancy and put it back out there in a flagrant "in your face" way.

 

I saw them play it live to about 200 people in a club before they really took off and the crowd went ape-{censored}! When they capped it with a brilliant video it was all over at that point. Dude was huge!!!