tribute

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Friday Jun 29, 2012

Victor Synn wrote:Not sure if I should answer to this thread, since I'm in a tribute band.

You being in a tribute band (and a really good one at that) have an absolute right to give your feedback on this subject.

StumbleFingers · Post by **StumbleFingers** » Friday Jun 29, 2012

I can't speak for Vic, but having played alongside him for many years here's my two cents: A lot of people get a lot of enjoyment from Hair Force One shows. And if I can use whatever musical talent I have to make someone else's life happier in some way... well, don't expect any apologies for that any time soon.

Victor Synn · Post by **Victor Synn** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

I took some time to think about what I had posted before and realized that I was also being unfair in what I said before, so I will just edit my previous post and say this:
The people that are in tribute bands work very hard to make their respective bands as good as they can be. It is a lot of time and dedication to pull off a good tribute. However, cutting on tribute bands is not the answer to why the scene is failing. Bands like HF1 also feel the hit of the dying scene. Nobody is imune to it. It effects us all. So lets try and stop the negativity and try to take things in a more positive direction.

The Shadow · Post by **The Shadow** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

The wealth of ignorance in this thread, save for a few posts, is truly astounding.

GoneForever · Post by **GoneForever** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

StumbleFingers wrote: And if I can use whatever musical talent I have to make someone else's life happier in some way... well, don't expect any apologies for that any time soon.

Well said

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

EVERYBODY changes something about themselves in order to perform. Unless you sing in your conversational voice. Or maybe you've stopped speaking and sing EVERYTHING. It's just a question of how far you're willing to go to maintain the illusion. I see no difference between styling your hair and wearing a wig. Well, putting on a wig will save you a lot of time and product. Plus you can take it off for a job interview.

5stringlowb · Post by **5stringlowb** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

let me define tribute band first
tribute band - a band made to look sound and exactly
match an original band and do only thier music , peace frog
(the doors) im not talking about a band that does all one genre or era of music.
im not saying its wrong but you have to admit the railroad shows are
only having one original band this year the clarks , the
rest are tributes.
is this a good thing ?
im veclemnt talk amoungst yoursevels
heres a topic tribute bands !!!!

Victor Synn · Post by **Victor Synn** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

The people that do a band specific tribute may not be an artist in your eyes, but it is in its own way. Those people take a lot of time and money to recreate what they look like, sound like, or even what instruments they play. I guess it really comes down to those that are doing it or have done it and those that haven't. Those that have know how much work it takes. Those that haven't think it's lazy musicianship. It's just another way of repackaging the covers vs. originals threads into different wording anyway.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Saturday Jun 30, 2012

I was peripherally involved with the Led Zeppelin Tribute that preformed at the Oriental Ballroom 2 years ago at the Everybody Fest. Those 13 musicians worked VERY HARD to get those guitar tones, bass tones, rhythm changes, guitar harmonies, drum harmonies, and vocals just right. If you know anything about how Jimmy Page recorded, trying to play what he recorded on those records is NOT easy. He was reputed to have as many as 9 or more guitar tracks on just a single part of a song.

Plant's vocal style is beyond description and John Paul Jones did things on bass and keyboard that were not at all easily replicated. And then there is the little matter of playing like John Henry Bonham on drums.

Ask anyone who played in that tribute band and ask anyone who was there. It was a mind blowing experience. I would love to see something like that again, any time around here.

When you are able to have the skill to pay tribute to such masters, I consider that a feather in one's hat. I guess those thousands of musicians still playing Mozart and Beethoven would agree.

Klamachpin · Post by **Klamachpin** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

I don't see anything wrong or "less than" playing in a tribute band. If that's your thing, then go for it with all you've got. I've never had the chance to do it but playing in a cover band most of my life, aren't we paying "tribute" to each national act every time the band plays a cover song? Band members choose those songs to play so I think so. I've been in several bands where we played 6 or 7 songs by one artist, that's the closest I've come to being in a "real" tribute band. That's not even close at all, I know. Originals can be a great thing but I agree with the person above that it definitely does take a certain amount of talent to come close to duplicating alot of these break-through rock stars material, all the while adding your own style to the mix. It is what it is.

5stringlowb · Post by **5stringlowb** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

ok im not saying that tribute bands are
not talented musicians, or thats its easy to
replicate a certain bands music or anything of the sort.
what im saying is there are bands that who are writing songs and performing live shows to
promote thier music.
why do we only have tribute bands play at the museum gigs?
is it that bands like Halestorm , three days grace, or many others
arent available ? these bands would draw just as well or maybe even better.
the tribute band will always be around i just wonder why locally there isnt more support for up and coming bands that are original.

sunsetbass · Post by **sunsetbass** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Victor Synn wrote:I took some time to think about what I had posted before and realized that I was also being unfair in what I said before, so I will just edit my previous post and say this:
The people that are in tribute bands work very hard to make their respective bands as good as they can be. It is a lot of time and dedication to pull off a good tribute. However, cutting on tribute bands is not the answer to why the scene is failing. Bands like HF1 also feel the hit of the dying scene. Nobody is imune to it. It effects us all. So lets try and stop the negativity and try to take things in a more positive direction.

Very well put Victor. I also play in a tribute band. and it is hard work learning all my parts and trying to sing at the same time. I don't wear a wig, i have grown my own head of hair and you certainly won't find my fat ass in spandex. (ugly thought) but my brothers playing 80's hair metal may have to due to the dreaded day job. what ever the situation, you do what you gotta do to play what you wanna play. i love playing 80's hair metal because thats what i grew up on. i can play other genres but my heart just isn't in it. sunset strip has felt the pinch also with the dying crowds but thats a combination of the econemy and plcb. we still pull a good crowd where ever we go (and thats not friends and family) but the numbers are down. and technically if your band only plays covers you would be considered a tribute band of some sort.

i do agree why all of the tribute bands at the railroaders. there should be bands doing originals. that would be a good place to do and all local all originals show. anyway you look at it boils down to covers vs originals. and im for both!

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Do you remember when the RR museum had the nationals? Well that scumbag promoter burnt the museum and alot of people out of alot of money. This is why there's tributes now.

Peacefrog was a great tribute and not alot of musicians could pull off Morrison and the Doors, big crowd and they loved it. So it was win/win for everybody involved. Just like the Rush tribute coming up, a special breed. Try that at home.

Ohh and we played alot of originals opening for Peacefrog if that makes you happy.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Ok, no need for defense here. I am voicing my opinion.
To ME a tribute band is just the latest way to make money.But hey the rich bands who made it have ticket sales that are astronomical, so there ya go.
Go see a tribute band and live your heyday, sing along to your favorite songs, dance like it's fuckin illegal. I DON'T CARE

But don't ask me to tell you that I respect it anymore than I do a karaoke band, a bunch of hot chicks dressed in bikini's & witch hats who CAN'T SING without harmonizers & effects layered on effects or any scheme to make more money. I just don't see it in the same way. But if you do, mo powa to ya'll. Gimme someone with an acoustic guitar and a voice from God & You Got MY attention!!!

I dig bands that have talent, work on their craft, write good songs, give an authentic performance & don't make up outlandish Bullshit about talking to fuckin' Brett Michaels on the tour bus last night when they probably NEVER EVEN SET FOOT IN CALIFORNIA. If the sheep be gullible enough to baleeve the hooey then they are welcome to it!!!.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

An Analogy for you...

Robert De Niro vs. Jerseylicious

both are on TV

which do you respect as the actor and which is a smarmy pretender of low quality?

Both Entertaining? I guess that depends on your standards.

Both going to win an Oscar or be remembered for years to come?

Well, now I think we both know the answer to that, now don't we?

5stringlowb · Post by **5stringlowb** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Hurricane wrote:Do you remember when the RR museum had the nationals? Well that scumbag promoter burnt the museum and alot of people out of alot of money. This is why there's tributes now.

Peacefrog was a great tribute and not alot of musicians could pull off Morrison and the Doors, big crowd and they loved it. So it was win/win for everybody involved. Just like the Rush tribute coming up, a special breed. Try that at home.

Ohh and we played alot of originals opening for Peacefrog if that makes you happy.

well there is your answer !

Post by **Jim Price** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

I admire and respect tribute bands that do what they do well, pay attention to detail, and can bring the spirit of the group or artist they're emulating to life for an audience. I've seen a number of great tribute acts over the years, and some have been plain out remarkable.

I've seen a few hack tribute acts along the way as well. Back in the '90s there was a period where everybody and their brother were doing tributes, and some of that glut of tributes were real stinkers. I remember one Kiss tribute that played at Aldo's that was practically getting booed off the stage by the middle of their second set; they were sloppy, displayed no enthusiasm for what they were doing, and stank up the room. And as Paul and others eluded to earlier, Mini-Kiss was a spectacle when they played Thunder In The Valley, and not for any semblance of musical chops.

But I especially like if a tribute act can successfully capture the essence of a group or artist who is no longer around. I heard lots of rave reviews of PeaceFrog, and let's face it, we're never going to see the real Jim Morrison and the Doors on any stage except from video archives! Tributes like this serve a purpose and enable audiences to experience the look and feel of an artist or group from the past. And if that's what artists like PeaceFrog want to do, more power to them!

It boils down to individual tastes and what musicians want to do with their band projects. If a tribute to another band or era is their choice, great - just put your heart into it and do it the best you can!

As for the Railroaders Museum, I echo what Hurricane said about what transpired when they were doing national acts. I'd like to think the Museum might someday get back to trying national acts, but it takes money to bring in those acts, and with the current economic times, they probably can't afford to risk a hit if a national act doesn't draw. Right now tributes are putting the most people in the rail yard at an affordable price.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...whoa...whoa....whoa.........whoa! Are y'all tellin' me that sometimes the artistry and talent of music takes the backseat to profits and creating a marketable product? Man, next thing you're gonna tell me that The Monkees didn't play their own instruments, Peter Chris and Ace Frehley's drum and guitar parts were played by uncredited ghost session musicians, recording engineers sped up and slowed down recording tracks as a form of early autotune, a.m. radio cut out Ray Manzarek's extended organ solo in Light My Fire, classical and baroque composers got paid on a patronage system from their lords, and that all of these guitar players with ginormous stacks of their endorsed guitar amps aren't actually playing them at concerts and that they really have prized vintage Plexis miced up backstage.

Of course, I know all of that's untrue. Dishonesty in music is only a recent thing.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

I guess part of what I don't understand is why the Railroad Museum is going out of town for bands at all, much less tribute bands?
Seems to me there is a hell of a lot of talent in Altoona, State College & Johnstown. Why bring these bands in & only the same 5 bands play the opening gigs around here? Why not offer these gigs to the locals? Is there an audition process? How do other local bands get the gigs? who do they audition for, talk to?

MistValkyrie · Post by **MistValkyrie** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

Jim Price wrote:Mini-Kiss was a spectacle when they played Thunder In The Valley, and not for any semblance of musical chops

So...pretty much like regular KISS then? lmao!

I see a tribute band and a cover band as being basically equal as compared to a band who does primarily originals, that being said, I'm unclear as how a member of a tribute band can be considered somehow less important artistically than a person of the same position in a normal cover band that plays music from many artists...it seems like saying a granny smith apple is better than a red delicious apple because it's green.

I personally feel that everyone has a story to tell in one form or another, and I love to see people making original works of art, whether it's drawing, sculpting, writing a novel, or writing a song, I think it's a beautiful thing to experience a person's self-expression. However, a person shouldn't be looked on badly if they just want to perform and have a good time on the weekends once in a while. Ask any actor and they'll tell you that performance is also a work of artistic self-expression...or is playing Richard the Third somehow unimportant because it was written by someone else and performed hundreds of times throughout the years by other people? I mean, I detest AC/DC, and I know they get played by many bands and constantly on local radio stations, but who am I to judge someone for getting up on stage and perfoming one of their songs because that person loves performing and playing AC/DC. Also, to quote Joe: "When you are able to have the skill to pay tribute to such masters, I consider that a feather in one's hat. I guess those thousands of musicians still playing Mozart and Beethoven would agree."
I would agree to that, as I can play Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, and sing opera arias by Mozart, Bizet and other people considered "masters"... knowing that, how am I less than some of the musicians in local original bands around here?

I can't really put forth an opinion about the Railroader's Museum stuff because I don't really ever pay attention to it, mostly what I have to say is in regards to local bands playing in local bars.

Post by **Jim Price** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

People are drawn to the familiar. The average person who doesn't pay attention to local or live music is more likely to shell out money at the gate to see a tribute to a familiar classic rock name whose music they recognize, and the visual show that goes with it. High-profile tribute shows draw people who want to enjoy a full concert experience and hear music they already know. Those same people probably aren't going to be as interested to see a bill of local band names they likely are not yet familiar with.

Tribute shows can be marketed as more of a marquee or special event that catches the attention of people who don't normally pay attention to music. As such, you get a lot more people who don't frequent the bar scene at these shows, full families and more - including lots of folks who don't regularly go to see live music.

Truth is, musicians sweat the details about providing "talent" on stages. But the average casual or non-music fan does not. The general public goes to concerts to be entertained, not because they feel compelled to experience "talent." Talent is more important to musicians, but not to the casual fan for whom music is not the centerpiece of their lives. Those folks want to be entertained and socialize. (And if you're reading this on Rockpage, you likely are not the "casual" fan, you have more than a passing interest in music, and talent matters to you. That's not how the majority of people outside of music think.)

The Museum books shows that the general populace will view as concerts and/or special events, and are more likely to attend. A national act or high-profile tribute act catches the attention of casual music fans; a local bill probably does not, especially when people can routinely go see local acts on bar and other local stages.

The Museum doesn't book concerts to build local bands' resumes; it books concerts to draw crowds through the gates and generate revenue. And the local bands it books are mostly established names that can help draw people through those gates. Prove you can pull the numbers, and you're more likely to move up the ladder.

From the Museum's perspective, it's business. From the casual fan's perspective, it's about experiencing a concert-caliber event and something out of the ordinary.

5stringlowb · Post by **5stringlowb** » Sunday Jul 01, 2012

well they give the tickets away for free at the railroad i get
4 for every event, so how is it about the money ?

DickShackBass · Post by **DickShackBass** » Monday Jul 02, 2012

Another thing to factor in, you could have all the talent and experience in the world, if youre a snoozefest to watch, you wont draw a crowd and your band wont get repeat bookings.

Andrea

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Monday Jul 02, 2012

A tribute band is nothing more than a cover band with a very specific repertoire and an easy promo line (and sometimes some really bad props, clothes and/or makeup):

*bar dudes look at band posters*

"Who da fuck is The Verge? What kinda shit do they play?"

"Fuck, I don't know, I never heard of them. Its one of those 'THE' bands so they probably suck."

"Hey look! There's a AC/DC tribute band on the 24th. Fuckin' A dude, I'm there!"

On a side note: 5stringlowb, can you guess what your forum name looks like with a quick glance?