I don't understand musicians who don't know current music and artists!

[rhat]

Exactly. But it also works the other way too: Home recording is excellent in the hands of persons that know the technology. Add that to a band of talented songwriters and players. Ive heard many unknown bands on myspace that could have been anybody on the radio or better

 

 

 

In reality ,, I dont hear too much original music on myspace that can make it past 35 seconds before I pull the plug. I did have an opportunity this winter to play original music off the third CD by a texas singer song writer. His stuff was real good ,, but then it was basically trop/country rock and he has been writing songs for years and a seasoned road band cover guy. Will he become a star ,, prolly not ,, but he could sell a song to one.

[cuffdc]

The newish stuff that I'm most familiar with (and a fan of) is stuff like The New Pornographers, Wilco, The White Stripes...great stuff but not really cover band type material. I'm very familiar with the Killers (learned a couple of their songs in another band) but I really dislike them and don't have much desire to do the stuff.

 

 

Older Wilco is a bit easier to cover, but "Heavy Metal Drummer" is pretty straightforward, too.

[Z_Zoquis]

well, its not so much the technical difficulty of covering it as the fact that ftmp you'd get alot of blank stares from the average bar crowd. Something like Casino Queen would work though I bet...hmmm

[Ender_rpm]

I've been trying to get a 80s-now band off the ground for a few months now. I get great responses from younger musicians, but they crap out when I tell them they'll be learning 50-60 new songs and playing for 4 sets/hours. Most of the places around here ae desperate for newer material to bring inthe younger crowd, but all I get back is guys over 40 who want to do classic rock. BLeh. It's been 40 years since the summer of love dood, let it go.

[Special J]

Narrow, narrow views. Just because your cover band doesn't play newer music doesn't mean it's not good. Do you only listen to the music you play? New music is not just the crap you hear on top 40 radio. I mean, I can't believe people even still listen to top 40 radio with all the other options out there. This thread was about LISTENING to new music, not about what your drunk meathead audiences like.

[rhat]

I've been trying to get a 80s-now band off the ground for a few months now. I get great responses from younger musicians, but they crap out when I tell them they'll be learning 50-60 new songs and playing for 4 sets/hours. Most of the places around here ae desperate for newer material to bring inthe younger crowd, but all I get back is guys over 40 who want to do classic rock. BLeh. It's been 40 years since the summer of love dood, let it go.

 

 

For me there are three genres i like to play. Old jazz rock/soul/blues. with live horns. Very hard to get going,, and you have to keep the horn players busy.. So there is only so much stuff with that and most of its really old.

 

country, old and old with texas heritage , trop rock/country/ beach music. Throw in some stones and eagles a few blues songs. because thats what the tourist want down on south padre, so when you play you play that stuff.

 

I have no desire to play the typical AC?DC classic rock bar band. I generally like that to listen to it but I dont wanna play it... I do sample that kind of stuff on youtube if i am music surfing. the only way i ever check out a real modern band is when someone on here raves about it. The majority of the time i pull the plug before much of it plays.

 

I think everyone kinda latches on to their own personal musical tastes pretty young. Most never give it up. the reason why there is so much classic rock, is because of the dad bands in their 40s. When you play with guys that are older you do a different set list. The key is to match the set list to the peeps you play for. My theory is to keep the 50 to 60 year olds happy. They will spend the most money at the bar on drinks and food, they have the most free time and money. Fukin kids will drink to any music,aat a big event, and typically you can pack a small bar with boomers.

[Z_Zoquis]

I don't know man, back when I was in college I spent a hell of a lot more on booze in the bars than I do now. And my folks rarely if ever even went out to the bars...

[Ender_rpm]

I agree. Ya gotta play what the people like. The problem I have is the effing boomers stranglehold in musicians circles over what teh crowd will like. I turned down 3 bands this year, for either guitar or bass positions. They pulled me into audition with promises of doing more contemporary stuff, then filled the set list with Beatles, Foreigner, and Billy effing Squire. And they though the last 2 were very cutting edge choices1!! I'll freely admit, I grew up on 80's college rock, new wave, post punk, punk, thrash, etc. AndI know that a cover of the Replacements "Hold my life" will not go over well 9.8 times/10. But I also resent being told that the only good music was made before I was born (pre-75). Boogie woogie? {censored}, that was old when my GRANDPARENTS were buying music. Playing for the 50s-60s demographic is not my bag. If I'm playing with ahorn section, it better be Bosstones

[Nijyo]

I agree. Ya gotta play what the people like. The problem I have is the effing boomers stranglehold in musicians circles over what teh crowd will like. I turned down 3 bands this year, for either guitar or bass positions. They pulled me into audition with promises of doing more contemporary stuff, then filled the set list with Beatles, Foreigner, and Billy effing Squire. And they though the last 2 were very cutting edge choices1!! I'll freely admit, I grew up on 80's college rock, new wave, post punk, punk, thrash, etc. AndI know that a cover of the Replacements "Hold my life" will not go over well 9.8 times/10. But I also resent being told that the only good music was made before I was born (pre-75). Boogie woogie? {censored}, that was old when my GRANDPARENTS were buying music. Playing for the 50s-60s demographic is not my bag. If I'm playing with ahorn section, it better be Bosstones

 

Yeh, I personally don't have much interest in playing rock that happened before 1978 or so (generally, there's some exceptions like KISS and such). I grew up on 80's rock and it's still what I like to play the most.

[cherri]

Strangely, we ran into this issue as a blues band. We did a few classic blues tunes but focused the majority of our show on new blues artists. We added tunes the same year they were released.

It went over SO well, we dropped 75% of the blues tunes this year and learned a bunch of radio hits.

[rhat]

Strangely, we ran into this issue as a blues band. We did a few classic blues tunes but focused the majority of our show on new blues artists. We added tunes the same year they were released. It went over SO well , we dropped 75% of the blues tunes this year and learned a bunch of radio hits.

 

 

 

I can see that due to the fact that blues is blues. New or old its still pretty well the same flavor of entertainment. You guys are a very popular blues band in the state of michigan. If you stick to the nitch that made you what you are ,,, it dont matter if its old or new. Its a bit like country ,, you can do johnny cash , and you can do a current top 40 hit ,,, the peeps will dig it all.

[cherri]

I can see that due to the fact that blues is blues. New or old its still pretty well the same flavor of entertainment.

Very true, and sad to say, blues has lost its popularity. Venues around here won't touch a blues band.

 

It was either drive four hours to a big city to gig, or change up our format. We opted to adapt to our environment.

 

The tricky part is to be more mainstream without becoming generic.

 

 

You guys are a very popular blues band in the state of michigan.

Thank you. *smooch*

[cuffdc]

I agree. Ya gotta play what the people like. The problem I have is the effing boomers stranglehold in musicians circles over what teh crowd will like. I turned down 3 bands this year, for either guitar or bass positions. They pulled me into audition with promises of doing more contemporary stuff, then filled the set list with Beatles, Foreigner, and Billy effing Squire. And they though the last 2 were very cutting edge choices1!! I'll freely admit, I grew up on 80's college rock, new wave, post punk, punk, thrash, etc. AndI know that a cover of the Replacements "Hold my life" will not go over well 9.8 times/10. But I also resent being told that the only good music was made before I was born (pre-75). Boogie woogie? {censored}, that was old when my GRANDPARENTS were buying music. Playing for the 50s-60s demographic is not my bag. If I'm playing with ahorn section, it better be Bosstones

Billy Squier. More power to him for succeeding, but if I'm stuck doing covers of other people's music, I don't want it to be his. I had my fill of that in a band where I had to do covers of Poison and m-f'ing Dokken.

[Ender_rpm]

Again, the CLASSIC blues albums and artists (The Kings, Guy, Waters, etc) did the bulk of their popular work on the late 50s and 60s. That's 40+ YEARS ago folks. SRV, God rest his soul, passed on almost 19 years ago, and that was really the last gasp of the art form, IMO. Yes, you had your Kenny Wayne and Johnny Lang, but really, they are conservators rather than innovators. It's like watching the Preservation Hall Jazz band. The answer is in the title.

[stinkydog]

Songs like Hella good by no doubt, I wanna cover that hot n cold song by Katy Perry too coz that could be cool,

 

 

We do both those songs as part of our 'modern' repertoire... funny thing is, Hella Good is old enough (around 95?) to be considered 'classic' by a lot of younguns.

[jeff42]

The tricky part is to be more mainstream without becoming generic. Thank you. *smooch*

 

 

Agreed.

 

As a cover band we do some very standard covers. It would be risky if we would shy away from that totally. We cover the usual Shook Me, Jenny, Jesse's Girl, on occasion the dreaded Mustang Sally...

 

But we also toss in enough curve balls (popular tunes that other area bands don't touch) to make us, I hope, stand out.

[rorylawford]

Billy Squier. More power to him for succeeding, but if I'm stuck doing covers of other people's music, I don't want it to be his. I had my fill of that in a band where I had to do covers of Poison and m-f'ing Dokken.

 

You did Dokken? Sweet!!!!

[tim_7string]

We do both those songs as part of our 'modern' repertoire... funny thing is, Hella Good is old enough (around 95?) to be considered 'classic' by a lot of younguns.

 

 

It's not that old. It's off of their 2001 Rock Steady album. Tragic Kingdom came out in 1995, though.

[tim_7string]

You did Dokken? Sweet!!!!

 

 

Did Poison back in 1989, Dokken and Ratt in 1992 (right before Nirvana started to end that era). My new group is planning on playing a lot of 80s (hair) metal, so it will be funny to revisit it as nostalgia and "classic" instead of as fairly current for the time.

[rorylawford]

My bands are both 80's metal groups and Dokken and Ratt seem to have not been as fondly remembered around here. I did Alone Again back in my very first band around 84 and it sort of died even then ha ha. My current mixed 80's metal band tried Ratt's Round and Round and it got crickets - my other metal band keeps talking about trying Dokken but our fans keep going "huh?"

 

But George Lynch and Warren Dimartini are the {censored}!!!!

[LightingPimp]

here is one to cover ...

ready ready ...




Nothing compares to you ... Snead Oconner

When the singer told me he wanted to try that i was like dude ... he popped it out in practice one night and they nastied it up on guitars real chunky. and well now hes done it three times and all three times it has brought down the house , and the women .. well just say it is like red wine they do the zombie stare when he does it ( in a good way )
Ill have that and a few others on video after Saturdays show ..

and then he will be doing some Run to the Hills from maiden .. tossed in with poison , quite riot , word up & purple rain .. and it works lol

[Nijyo]

My bands are both 80's metal groups and Dokken and Ratt seem to have not been as fondly remembered around here. I did Alone Again back in my very first band around 84 and it sort of died even then ha ha. My current mixed 80's metal band tried Ratt's Round and Round and it got crickets - my other metal band keeps talking about trying Dokken but our fans keep going "huh?" But George Lynch and Warren Dimartini are the {censored}!!!!

 

There's a good Lynch interview in the most recent issue of Guitar Player, btw.

 

And :thu: on the snoogins

[tlbonehead]

here is one to cover ... ready ready ... Nothing compares to you ... Snead Oconner When the singer told me he wanted to try that i was like dude ... he popped it out in practice one night and they nastied it up on guitars real chunky. and well now hes done it three times and all three times it has brought down the house , and the women .. well just say it is like red wine they do the zombie stare when he does it ( in a good way ) Ill have that and a few others on video after Saturdays show .. and then he will be doing some Run to the Hills from maiden .. tossed in with poison , quite riot , word up & purple rain .. and it works lol

Yes, I've often thought of doing something with that Sinead song. It is just a great song all around.

[wikwox]

The "suits" and bean counters have to a large extent killed off the music bands would play. Finding new songs is harder than ever. But really it depends on your audience. My mantra is " it's not what we want, it's what they want". Play to the crowd and you'll do well. Old songs do not "work" forever. Disco, to a large extent flops badly. No one wants to hear Cocaine ( thank ya' Jeebus!!!!). Many new songs verge on impossible to pull off without sequenced backround ( that's why there are computers running at almost all big shows on the road ). I would love to do " Gives you hell", I Do wonder how well it would go over in the clubs and restaurants we play."Crazy Bitch" would get us fired. If your band won't do new sfutt and it's what you want, maybe it's time to go.

[tim_7string]

My bands are both 80's metal groups and Dokken and Ratt seem to have not been as fondly remembered around here. I did Alone Again back in my very first band around 84 and it sort of died even then ha ha. My current mixed 80's metal band tried Ratt's Round and Round and it got crickets - my other metal band keeps talking about trying Dokken but our fans keep going "huh?" But George Lynch and Warren Dimartini are the {censored}!!!!

We did "In My Dreams," which went over pretty well. It was fun working out the parts for a twin-guitar attack, plus singing the three-part harmonies. Also did "Round And Round." Some places kind of scratched their heads when we played those songs, others went ape-{censored}.

My current band has no one who can sing harmony except me, so that's going to be challenging as far as song selection goes, especially since I'm singing lead on most of them. I'm going to be using a DigiTech Vocalist Live 2 until everyone can eventually do the harmonies. I hate to use something to "cheat" like that, but I hate listening to only one voice live too.

On the 80s rock side, we're going to be doing some live Ozzy songs, so that should be fun as hell.