Members NeverTheMachine Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 I just started out with this new band. We've only played out twice, and we're just doing some covers, and jamming out to get a good rapport together, before we can get some original work going. The drummer just seems disinterested in doing covers, and just doesn't get the point. Lots of bands started out playing covers. Anyway, am I missing something here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 No youre not missing a thing.....Covers arent for everybody: a lot of musicians take it as an attack on their artistic soul... Theres no right or wrong here: just opposing viewpoints.. If I had to pick a side, Im on yours but, then again, I play covers for a living, to put food in my daughter's mouth, and to pay my bills........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ckcondon Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Here we go again. Release the hounds! This argument has been going on forever... Look, it's pretty simple: 1. You can play covers, get paid, play all night have a pretty good crowd. The negatives are that you have to play songs people like. Not necessarily all the cheesy stuff, but "hit" songs in general. 2. Covers with some originals thrown in. Same as above if you have "commercial" sounding songs that blend well with your covers. Death metal doesn't go over with a pop/rock crowd! 3. Go all original and follow your muse. Write your songs, play gigs at clubs with multiple band lineups for little $$ and small crowds (unless you play with well-established acts). Build a following, sell CD's, tour the country in a van until the labels can't ignore you and sign you to a lucrative deal which slingshots you to the top of the charts. OK, so it's not that simple, but you get the point. What do YOU want to get out of the band? Playing covers is a great starting point for a band to develop direction and common musical tastes. I've found that People who are adamant about not playing covers just don't have the skills to learn them. It's important to have everyone in the band share a common goal. Talk about it! Here's a thought. I'm a drummer and have been in both cover and original bands my whole life. Since I don't write much melody or lyrics every song I play was written by someone else. Everything is a cover to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Catfish Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Here we go again. Release the hounds! This argument has been going on forever... Look, it's pretty simple: 1. You can play covers, get paid, play all night have a pretty good crowd. The negatives are that you have to play songs people like. Not necessarily all the cheesy stuff, but "hit" songs in general. 2. Covers with some originals thrown in. Same as above if you have "commercial" sounding songs that blend well with your covers. Death metal doesn't go over with a pop/rock crowd! 3. Go all original and follow your muse. Write your songs, play gigs at clubs with multiple band lineups for little $$ and small crowds (unless you play with well-established acts). Build a following, sell CD's, tour the country in a van until the labels can't ignore you and sign you to a lucrative deal which slingshots you to the top of the charts. OK, so it's not that simple, but you get the point. What do YOU want to get out of the band? Playing covers is a great starting point for a band to develop direction and common musical tastes. I've found that People who are adamant about not playing covers just don't have the skills to learn them. It's important to have everyone in the band share a common goal. Talk about it! Here's a thought. I'm a drummer and have been in both cover and original bands my whole life. Since I don't write much melody or lyrics every song I play was written by someone else. Everything is a cover to me! You forgot one: "Write songs because you like writing songs and realize that everything's not about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THX1138 Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 You forgot one:"Write songs because you like writing songs and realize that everything's not about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." And I'm all for that route as well. Until I get brow-beat for not "getting" somebody's genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members coyote-1 Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 My band wavers. We do originals and just jam, and after we exhaust whatever muse was deriving that output we return to covers. It re-focuses and energizes us, gets us some new goals and restores forgotten technique. It's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 You forgot one:"Write songs because you like writing songs and realize that everything's not about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." You forgot one: "Play kick-ass tunes that you really enjoy playing and realize that not everything's about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gtrbass Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 I always love this argument! The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Van Halen, etc, all started out playing covers. They even had some pretty big hits with them. The list goes on and on... Pretty much every artist who's had longevity (measured in decades) played/plays covers at one point or another. BTW - If you are a signed artist and use outside writers, you are playing covers. (That would include most of Nashville.) Playing covers = interpreting existing songs.Being a copy band = performing existing songs absolutely note for note. I love the 'I must follow my muse' nonsense. Great! Follow your muse. Just don't pitch a fit about why no one except a few friends wants to hear your stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 You forgot one:"Play kick-ass tunes that you really enjoy playing and realize that not everything's about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." One of my four bands is following this path. We play songs (covers) that WE like to play, and for our own enjoyment, and let the gigs fall where they may. Of course, it doesn't hurt in my case since I'm in other bands that strive for commerciality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Well said!One of my four bands is following this path. We play songs (covers) that WE like to play, and for our own enjoyment, and let the gigs fall where they may. That is exactly what our band's approach is. If any one of the guys is not into a tune and speaks up about it, we drop it. Personally, my attitude is give the audience what they want to hear. But with this band, the other guys have been there done that and now it's more about playing tunes that we all enjoy. I love it too - every song we play is fun and i look forward to every rehearsal. We'll let the gigs fall where they may, as you said. And really, in a band, everyone really has to be on the same page with the song selections or you're gonna lose the energy and just be another bunch of stiff statues or phony jumping around wannabes. We're smiling up there not because we feel we need to impress the audience, but because we sincerely love the tunes on our setlist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 There's only two real reasons someone won't want to do covers. 1) Because they think they are "above" them or that they can't be creative if they play someone else's songs (not true of course). And B) Because they can't hack it at other people's songs. A good amount of original "artists" write their own stuff because they have very limited talent and cannot play anything more complicated than they write. That's right, I said it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Is your drummer 37 yrs old, been playing covers since the age 13, but writing his own material since age 16?? If so, I totally understand his ho hum attitude towards covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HuskerDude Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 It doesn't sound like this guy is talking about being a cover band. It sounds like they just want to play covers to fill the time and gel as a band before they can get a set of originals going and play gigs. Personally, I couldn't play in a cover/party band, I'd get bored quick. But playing covers at practice, and throwing ones you like into your sets is a great way to bring the band together, musically. Jamming on covers (or just jamming in general) is also an excellent way to get your "group chops" up to speed. Learning where the drummer likes to put in fills, where the bass player is going to walk the bassline or or wander around. It gives you a chance to hear your band's sense of dynamics and lets you really lock in on each other's timing so you can go past playing "tight" and start playing "loose" but still in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockerdiva Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 "Play kick-ass tunes that you really enjoy playing and realize that not everything's about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." I like that! I have zero interest in being in an all original band. Hey, maybe if I develop a genious streak and start writing hundreds of songs as good as the two I like best of the 15 or so I have written that I am proud of, maybe I'd do that as a side project. 'Till then, I'll enjoy playing things that please the crowd. And actually, I don't have to compromise in order to do that - the songs I happen to love to play are popular enough to go over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 For me, being in an "all originals" kinda band, I don't have anything against playing covers here and there, but they just have to make sense. It has to match well with our overall sound. For example, it would make sense for a ska band to do a cover tune by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Reel Big Fish, as opposed to, say, Godsmack. You know, something that won't get weird looks from the crowd followed by crickets after your god-awful rendition of the wrong cover. All you need to pick the right covers is a good ear for musical styles, and good musical taste... ...and you do have good musical taste.... right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bendafender Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Many established acts are really just cover bands anyway. Like 38 Special, Skynard, Quiet Riot etc. etc. They hire musicians that listen to the original recording and cover the songs in concert. Just because they own the name and wrote the song doesn't necessarily mean they are doing "originals". In many cases, a song existed in the studio before it was ever performed live (not in all cases obviously). Studio songs are then really covers, because they were multi-tracked originally. After such a song is recorded, the band then has to figure out how to play it live. This is why many concert goers are often dissapointed that a song doesn't sound the same in concert as it does on the radio. Also many artists simply choose to improvise solos in a live setting (a good thing imo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Many established acts are really just cover bands anyway. Like 38 Special, Skynard, Quiet Riot etc. etc. They hire musicians that listen to the original recording and cover the songs in concert.Just because they own the name and wrote the song doesn't necessarily mean they are doing "originals". In many cases, a song existed in the studio before it was ever performed live (not in all cases obviously). Studio songs are then really covers, because they were multi-tracked originally. After such a song is recorded, the band then has to figure out how to play it live.This is why many concert goers are often dissapointed that a song doesn't sound the same in concert as it does on the radio. Also many artists simply choose to improvise solos in a live setting (a good thing imo). That's what I need! Who wants to write me songs that I can claim I wrote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Catfish Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 You forgot one:"Play kick-ass tunes that you really enjoy playing and realize that not everything's about money, and materialism isn't a necessary component of music." Nope. I didn't forget anything, nor did I claim to be all inclusive. I play plenty of covers, actually. I write songs, too. Sometimes I make good money at it, sometimes not. Covers or no, though, anybody that's in music for the money is a {censored}ing idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Covers or no, though, anybody that's in music for the money is a {censored}ing idiot. That is, until they hit it big. Then they become legends. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NeverTheMachine Posted October 19, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 What do YOU want to get out of the band? Playing covers is a great starting point for a band to develop direction and common musical tastes. I've found that People who are adamant about not playing covers just don't have the skills to learn them. It's important to have everyone in the band share a common goal. Talk about it! You answered it right there. I want to play covers so we can get a feel for each other musically. We don't really pick any covers that highlight just hte singer or guitarist, it's basically stuff with structure, and jam potential. While I was driving back home last night trying to figure out this guy, I realized that ultimately he might be just lazy, and he feels that learning the drum parts for cover songs is more work than creating his own in the songwriting process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 The drummer just seems disinterested in doing covers, and just doesn't get the point. Playing covers gives both you and the audience a reference point that he can be judged by. Ask yourself what is he afraid of? Open your ears and listen to what he is doing; listen for consistency in his drum lines. One aspect that never gets mentioned here that I think is uber important is the memorization aspect; many folks just can't keep parts straight in their head from night to night. I'm not saying they are useless as musicians; but if you expect consistency then you will not get it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmylikedthing Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 This is the dumbest argument ever. Each side feels its need to exert its superiority over the other. The originals side is all "We aren't just copying someone else's stuff, man!" The covers side is all "That's because you don't have the chops to play 'Don't Stop Believin', hombre." It's stupid. I'm one of those guys who could give 2 {censored}s about the money. Any one here will tell you its a great feeling to have the crowd drown out the PA singing along to your songs. It's better when you wrote the song they're singing. If I were in it for the money, I'd suck up to the man and play nickleback covers. I'm not. I play what I enjoy and part of that is writing songs. We write songs that I believe are pretty damn good. That's enough for me. Live and let live. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 This is the dumbest argument ever.Live and let live. I hear ya but I don't think that's on topic here. The guy is basically being recalcitrant - why be an obstacle to your other bandmates and make things more difficult than they have to be? If the guys want to play something with a little structure to get in a groove, then why in the hell should a drummer play the "wet blanket" card? That - is stupid. Damn, some folks really do make this a hell of a lot harder than it has to be. I really, really really hate wet blankets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 ....The guy is basically being recalcitrant ........ Really? Recalcitrant?!? From Webster's New Riverside Desk Dictionary: "recalcitrant adj. stubbornly resistant to guidance"! Okay, that makes sense. What drummer wants "guidance" from a guitar player, anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted October 19, 2007 Members Share Posted October 19, 2007 Theres no right or wrong here: just opposing viewpoints.. Less filling! Tastes great! LESS FILLING!! TASTES GREAT!!! LESS FILLING!!!! TASTES GREAT!!!!! etc etc etc... I do both. Works for me! I play stuff I like, whether I wrote it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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