Members SteinbergerHack Posted December 20, 2009 Members Share Posted December 20, 2009 Personally, I disagree with the premise of the question.What is this "just really good at copying songs"? As if playing a song someone else wrote is not great musicianship? Good point. I think that Joshua Bell and/or Christopher Parkening would agree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MusicalSchizo Posted December 20, 2009 Members Share Posted December 20, 2009 What everyone is saying is that you're considered 'good' if you can do a cover song as close as possible to the original recording, and this is coming from a forum of musicians. Musicians play music. The pinnacle of musicianship is playing a piece well. Composers write music. Covering a song accurately, which includes capturing and delivering the proper emotion for a song, is not something most musicians do, and definitely not entire bands of musicians (there's usually at least one guy who's not really carrying his weight). That's what makes this special. Just imagine what it would be like as a 'civilian' hearing them. Now if you pay attention there are really no stand-out musicians in that band. In other words they're not awesome players playing originals at a high level, they're doing covers pretty darn close to the originals. Writing and performing are two completely separate skills. Ask George Strait and Whitney Houston. And doing them well, and WE'RE all saying they're great. Are they really 'great' are just really really good at copying songs? I won't belabor the point, but great musicianship involves great delivery of the music, whether you wrote it or not. This band is very effective...and they don't sound exactly like the original songs - they have their own personality that comes through (like cooterbrown said). Just my take. I'd rather hear a cover band that has never written a song (which is not this band, since apparently they are writing) play this well than "amazing musicians" in an original band that writes their own music I think is weak.Brian V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted December 20, 2009 Moderators Share Posted December 20, 2009 Interesting discussion. The guys were great. What being a musician is all about if you ask me. The relaxed way the singer answers in Help From My Friends... ...I need someone to love. Copying? I've heard guys copying that played note for note and are still hacks in my book. These guys aren't hacks. ChordGirl's got it right. They get how to bring a piece of music across. As far as standouts? The guitarist. I know all the guitarists will disagree but... the guy gets it. He digs in when needed, he lays back when it's right. He's in the pocket. His tone fits each song. All the things most guitarists don't do. As they're too busy jacking off. Most guys started paying guitar for the wrong reasons. ME! Except nobody cares about YOU! These guys hear the music. Good band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SteinbergerHack Posted December 20, 2009 Members Share Posted December 20, 2009 I know all the guitarists will disagree but... the guy gets it. He digs in when needed, he lays back when it's right. He's in the pocket. His tone fits each song. Nope - I'm a guitarist and I absolutely agree. He isn't playing everything note-perfect, but he's putting in what needs to be there and copping the sound and vibe just as it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babalugats85 Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Personally, I disagree with the premise of the question.What is this "just really good at copying songs"? As if playing a song someone else wrote is not great musicianship?Pfff...GaJ Agreed and rarely does this issue even come up in music other than rock or jazz. A great concert pianist is one who can accurately play what the composer originally wrote. They rarely improvise and in most circumstances, would offend their crowd if they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vanlatte Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Wow, what a great find! And they do one of my favorite and in my opinion most underrated Zep songs, Night Flight.Kick arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Not to belabor the point too much but: Is a good forger of a well known painting a great artist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted December 21, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Not to belabor the point too much but: Is a good forger of a well known painting a great artist? Sure he is... It takes talent and technique to be able to perform at that level. That talent with a particular skill isn't discounted just because he didn't originate the idea. BTW... I've seen great tribute bands in my area that draw large crowds. I've also seen cover bands that play barely recognizable covers to large crowds. Is neither a 'good band'? Not sure I see where you are going with this point. Maybe some vague... original artist vs cover debate. Ironic since this band covered "Whole Lotta Love" pretty well... which Led Zepplin had ripped off of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. Circle complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marko Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Is there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChordGirl Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Not to belabor the point too much but: Is a good forger of a well known painting a great artist? Let's turn this around. Is someone with an idea and no ablity to communicate it clearly due to lack of talent/skill a great artist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marko Posted December 21, 2009 Members Share Posted December 21, 2009 Let's turn this around. Is someone with an idea and no ablity to communicate it clearly due to lack of talent/skill a great artist? Good point. I played some original stuff I had recorded minus lead guitar (just my lame rhythm and bass) my new guitarist who never played anything but covers laid out a spectacular lead that knocked my socks off. Having done some (not a lot of either) originals, and now learning covers, I gained even more respect for those who do covers. It's really harder in a lot of ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nomadh Posted December 22, 2009 Members Share Posted December 22, 2009 They were'nt playing it the way they thought Zep played it. They are playing it as Zep would have played it. They play it as zep plays it. Or maybe they play it exactly as they want to play it and that just happens to be like zep. Anyway whats special here is the feeling. Lots of people play it right. They feel it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted December 22, 2009 Moderators Share Posted December 22, 2009 Not to belabor the point too much but: Is a good forger of a well known painting a great artist? I'm the first to choose originality over copying. But here... you are completely missing the point. You really are. I've been in Tokyo where the cover bands are phenomenal and they didn't do what these guys are doing. As the post above says, they are feeling it right. Not just playing it right. To dismiss these guys as just good mimics does them a disservice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted December 22, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 22, 2009 One of the original points of this thread was also taking into account these guys are playing in a former Soviet Bloc nation. We all take it for granted with gear and music in the US. We have a number of clubs we want to play in (depending on how far we want to travel)... access to almost any gear we want through numerous retailers. I've never been to Serbia.. I don't know what the club scene is like in the Baltic region, but from conversing with others on forums like this I can't imagine it's easy to put together a great band cover or original then set out to make money but performing regularly. They didn't have the latest of gear to perfom with. They didn't have a huge backdrop or light show. It looks like someone's basement to be honest. The effort seemed pure to me... regardless of the output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChordGirl Posted December 22, 2009 Members Share Posted December 22, 2009 Anyway whats special here is the feeling. Lots of people play it right. They feel it right. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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