What makes it worth your while? *DS inspired*

[grimmbass]

Disclaimer before starting this post: I play in a cover band, a 50/50 cover/original act, and a 100% original act, which makes me the equivalent of a registered independent voter on this thread! Don't hate me for being a fence sitter!

Covers are a good tool to get your originals in front of a crowd, no doubt. That being said, bands must make a decision early in their careers on how to position themselves....if you're playing more covers than originals, you may never shake the "cover band" label. U2 stated once that they quit doing covers early on because they sucked so bad at them.

When it comes down to it, it seems like every other country besides the U.S. has scenes that are far more accepting of original music. Maybe it's the fact that US radio is so fucking consistent (I.e. Clear Channel and Forever Broadcasting). Sometimes I'm really amazed to see how people at shows actually want to hear songs that have been beaten so dead by constant airplay. Does anybody really ever need to hear "Sweet Home Alabama" or "You Shook Me All Night Long" ever again?

With some exceptions, most of the mainstream cover bands that I've seen all play the same basic range of music, and most of it is no newer than 1995. In central PA, you'd swear that new music stopped being produced in the early 90's. I really wish that people would revolt against the blandness of Central PA radio.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you are in this to write music, make sure you're in it for the love, because the money probably ain't coming! I've accepted that, when I'm playing in The Grimm, that I'll play smaller stages for less pay, despite the overall musicianship of the band. Most of my friends in cover bands have a much easier time getting bookings (i.e. bars actually call THEM and not the other way around).

Musicianship isn't the primary concern for most clubs, nor are setlists, looks, or gimmicks. Bars sell beer and food. Bars hire people to draw bands to sell beer and food. Mainstream bands playing familiar songs will generally draw more people than bands trying to do something original. You can be the worst band in the world, but if you can pack the house, you'll get booked somewhere.

Bottom line: Do what you love. If you're in this for money, play whatever people what to hear and enjoy the paycheck and the dancing girls (boobs definitely ARE cool). If you're in it for the love, play whatever YOU like (original OR cover) and enjoy the personal gratification (and ample empty room on the dance floor).

I personally am all ABOUT personal gratification!

Rob the Drummer nailed it though...if it starts feeling like work, then it's a job. Keep it fun.

[stratobastard27]

Does it still count when the women that look like John Goodman flash you? 'Cause I've found that the ones you DO NOT want to see are much more forthcoming than the ones you DO want to see. But then again, maybe the nice ones don't want me to see theirs because I look like John Goodman.

I agree with Hurricane 100%. No, sorry, 90%. I'd play for gas money, if I could walk into a bar, tune my guitar, play the 3 sets, and go home. All I would want is 5-15 dollars to cover how much I spent to get there. I'd even consider the 2 or 3 beers I had my cost.

I get paid the 50 to 150 I make a night to do 5-6 hours of work.

And I sure love the boobies.

[bassist_25]

Bottom line: Do what you love. If you're in this for money, play whatever people what to hear and enjoy the paycheck and the dancing girls (boobs definitely ARE cool). If you're in it for the love, play whatever YOU like (original OR cover) and enjoy the personal gratification (and ample empty room on the dance floor).

I think that's the best way to put things. We can sit on here all day and stroke our own egos about how we're in music for all of the "right" reasons and how our cause is noble. At the end of the day, we are all in this crazy music thing because we love to do it. Honestly, if any person is playing music just for sole financial gain, then they're not going to last too long. I don't even think that needs to be discussed.

Furthermore, I find the covers vs. originals debate to be funny as hell, because it seems like it's only in rock music (and its offshoots) that this is even an issue. Just about any real blues album cut by an artist is going to have at least a couple of covers on it, and you can't even begin to start calling yourself a legitimate jazz musician until you've become familiar with most of the standards in the Real Book. Ask how many top country artists from the last 30 years got their beginnings by singing Southern gospel. I go and see both original and cover bands. The only thing I'm interested in is quality, and I respect bands who take all three approaches (all original, all covers, cover/original) as long as they are good at their craft. Discussions about such subjective things as "selling out" and "integrity" always reek of pretention to me and make me roll my eyes. I think that it's possible to sell out, but I honestly think that the term gets way over used for situations where people who have no fucking clue about what's going on in an artist's life or creative state.

I'm young, energetic, and hungry. I just hope that one day I'll be able to walk around with the Buddha-like calmness and sapience that cats like Johnny Stevens, Big Jim Ricotta, and Jeff Clapper walk around with. Those are the cats I aspire to be like, both as a musician and as a human being. You only get to that level by paying your dues.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Rob,
As a fellow frontman I respect and learn what you do and am glad I can be a part of community like Rockpage where we may not always agree but we see each others perspectives without getting too out of line.
And if we do there's always someone ***Looks at ToonaRockGuy***
who calls us out and brings us to our senses.
I've been around the block so to speak, but I've learned much in the time I've been around Professionals like the cats we have here.

So here's why we do what we do: (in no particular order)

Love of music.
Emotional release
Artistic expression
Money
Sense of accomplishment, that we can do something alot of others can't.
Some admiration.(love the fan feedback)
Titties
Free Beer.

Anybody want to add to the list.

Who, me? *Looks around innocently* It's all good, DS, and I'm glad this hasn't turned into some sort of retarded flame war complete with LAZ_ERZ and EN_ER_GY. I love going to see bands play, and I try to expose myself to as many original projects as I can. I've always said that I see no difference between cover bands and original bands, it's all good. As long as there are some of us onstage making music and entertaining people, then we are all doing what we want to do in the first place. And that's a good thing.

[DirtySanchez]

Who wants to do a 45 min set along with 6 other bands for hardly any pay if any at all.

I dont think that playing covers makes people shittier musicians then all original musicians.

It actuality alot of people in all original bands are ego driven assholes.

I want to, and enjoy playing all ages shows, 45 minute sets, and fuck the pay. Went to Warped tour this year, Heres a few bands You may have heard of that did this exact thing, Bad Religion, Underoath, Flogging Molly,Throwdown,New Found Glory,Killswitch Engage. I can't believe Bands would want to do this shit either Plus I'm pretty sure they were compensated.

Who said playing covers meant you were shitty? Exact ego bruising and defensiveness I knew would happen.

Your last comment is hilarious. So the people who get the LEAST amount of recognition are the ones with the biggest heads huh/ Get a clue dude
you're gonna get people with egos everywhere you go. Just keep up that tunnel vision, closed minded train of thought.

Nobody said if you played covers you were less of a musician.
You just put money first.
Your post definitely confirmed that.

[bassist_25]

It's all in what you want to do. In my experience, there are a couple of ways of reaching your goals, as a long as you are making smart decisions and handling yourself in a professional manner. As I said earlier in the thread, I know that the all-age thing wouldn't be my thing (I'm just too much of a ham on stage, and 45 minutes a night isn't enough for me), but if other bands want to take that route, then that's cool. Besides, there are just certain forms of music that aren't going to work in a club/bar situation, so you have to look for other markets. I recently saw Sanchez and company play at the Lost and Found, and they gave the same performance there that I've seen them give in front of a club full of drunken yahoos - and I say "drunken yahoos" as a term of endearment.

I think that two bands from the area who exlemplify success at this level are The Marauders and (of course, the now defunct) Stept On. The Marauders play all-original music and kick ass at it. Stept On did the covers/original thing. Both bands have huge fan bases, and despite Stept On doing many covers, people knew their original stuff word-for-word. Music's an art, not a perfect science. There's no magic formula - but there are guidelines, I believe - to get to where you wanna go.

[Banned]

It actuality alot of people in all original bands are ego driven assholes.

I've been in cover bands for 20+ years an have found this statement to be true...HOWEVER I've found just as many if not more of these folks playing in cover bands. I think the statement should read "In actuality alot of people in bands are ego driven assholes". I think that if you play out in front of people there has to be a certain amount of ego there, it's just a question of how much. And as far as "asshole" goes, that's all a matter of perspective. I know alot of guys with no ego issues
that are assholes, and alot of guys with enormous egos that are really nice guys. Me... I'm an asshole.

[bassist_25]

I know alot of guys with no ego issues
that are assholes, and alot of guys with enormous egos that are really nice guys.

That's a very good observation. I never though about it, but you're totally right.

[Team Transylvania]

Man, my keyboard is sticky from all the jizz on this page, haha. whoa!

[metalchurch]

I'll second that. I need a wash cloth to clean up a little bit.

[bassist_25]

Hopefully we've all been tested for STDs.

[DirtySanchez]

Man, my keyboard is sticky from all the jizz on this page, haha. whoa!

Just make sure you brush your teeth when you're done cleaning it up or I will never kiss you.

[Charltor]

[Team Transylvania]

Man, my keyboard is sticky from all the jizz on this page, haha. whoa!

Just make sure you brush your teeth when you're done cleaning it up or I will never kiss you.

Youll never kiss me? Looks like the line allready formed, haha, ill just wait my turn!
BTW, When has jizz all over the place gotten in the way of our love????