Some questions are not for the timid

[FatVin]

I know it was foolish, but I did it anyway,

I asked "Why". I don't know about you but it seems strange to me that so simple a question could be so full of buckshot.

It doesn't matter what I asked "Why" about so much but the answer I got was an answer I've heard before and it's an answer that for some reason really just gets on my last damn nerve. The answer was. . . .

"Because it's always been that way"

There are not a sufficient number of adjectives in the entire scope of human communication capable of describing how much I hate that answer.

It's more than just an answer, it's a cover all, stop-gap, uni-tard of retardation. It's a sphincter, that's what it is.....

It's the sphincter that binds us up into the retched bowels of tedium and apathy, forcing us to wallow in the muck of lame excuses and chewed up chunks of regurgitated thought and rancid dogma, while it chokes off our air with the sickening stench of willfull ignorance.

At the time these questions and answers came about I was at a local restaraunt and it seemed inappropriate to state my exact opinion about that answer for fear of inducing nausea among those assembled. Even though the answer filled me with the urge to defecate, it didn't seem right to spread the feeling around.

If any of you are trying to eat while reading this I do apologize but you were warned this was not for the timid.

Come to think of it the question DOES matter.

Why is it that people around here insist on hearing covers and have absolutuley no use for original material, I had just spoken with a bar owner on that subject who told point blank that he would not ever hire a band that did original material, "People won't come" he said.

You can't blame the bar owner really he is just reacting to market forces and you can't really blame the bands, if I've heard one musician lament that not enough attention is paid to their original stuff, I've herad hundreds and the bands just want an audience and I really don't want to revive the old covers vs. originals debate for the millionth fuckin time cause as was pointed out to me last night among musicians it is a tired argument

So fans and non-musicians, What's up?

Why do you only dance to songs you've heard a million fuckin times, are lyrics that important to your dance moves?

It's rock and roll or blues or punk, it's not modern Jazz where the meter or the tempo is likely to change at any given moment, if you can count to 4 you can probably make it through, without looking anymore foolish that you would ordinarily.

I know that most of you are there to drink and try to get laid, but does insisting that the band play that same ol, lame ol, version of "Sweet Home Alabama" really help you do either?
(that's a question for the guys, really, let's be honest, any reasonably attractive lady (and after a few beers that's not a high hurdle to clear) can pretty much get it anytime, no matter what's playin)

The truth is EVEN YOU DON"T KNOW

That being the case, is it so much to ask, for you to encourage a few originals out of the same band you've been going to see for years now?

Would it kill ya to count to 4, find a beat and get up and dance to a song you've never heard on the radio?

Why is that such an unreasonable request on my part?

and remember. . .

"Because it's always been that way", has never been a satisfactory answer to anything and as far as I'm concerned never will be.

[Staceman]

Why is it that people around here insist on hearing covers and have absolutuley no use for original material

The "Universal Answer To Everything" applies here:

"Because they're stupid."

[lonewolf]

I made a sign for my office that reminds me every day of this familiarity fixation:

"It never did that before..."

Anonymous, 2002

Maybe you should do something absurd to illustrate this absurdity. Make 2 lighted signs with footswitches. On one, put "APPLAUSE" and the other put "DANCE" and light them up when appropriate.

I was thinking of making life size cardboards of Keith Moon and John Entwistle to fill up the stage a little during the solo act.

[Staceman]

OK, now for a serious reply...

It's because no one wants to put the effort forth to bring about the change. It would be a sacrifice on many people's part. As I've stated before on a similar thread in the past, it would be a little bit of a transition period, with several steps: bands would start playing more originals, the cover-song-loving crowd would dwindle. Bands and bar owners would have to sacrifice, making less money for a while. The few that would stick around and listen and dance to the new music, would spread the word. Those looking for something new and exciting would stop in hear what was going on, and spread the word. Eventually, crowds would return, even somewhat of a new crowd. Then the sheeple that only liked the covers before would even return, since all they want in the first place is to be where the action is. (the "in" place to be)

Of course, what do I know? Not ever being in a band before, as most Bedford County musicians tell me, I don't know what I'm talking about, as my theory goes against "the formula" and is thus destined to fail- "because it's always been that way..."

[Jim Price]

The "Sheeple" are always afraid of change and new things, and gravitate towards the safe and familiar. From food to politics to television shows to music, that is the uphill battle creative people and free-thinkers face.

I don't see it happen often, but I always like it when a band, with a crowd already on the dance floor and grinding to covers, suddenly segues into one of their original songs without announcing it is an original, and the crowd keeps on dancing. (I think I've seen Flight 19 do this a few times.) This proves Fatvin's point about "counting to 4;" the dancefloor minion isn't paying attention to whether the song is a cover or original, as long as it has a beat they can dance with. Then the band announces that to the crowd that the last song was an original, and they were dancing to it - "HAAAAA!!! Gotcha!"

One of the ways to combat the "sheep" mentality is to keep playing those original songs, even if you have to slyly mix them in with the cover stuff. If people keep hearing it, they get familiar and comfortable with it, and eventually accept it. Look at Vs. the Earth (former Nevermoure); they just hammered their songs out there to the people, and now you see crowds singing the words back to them. Felix & the Hurricanes have been successful with this, too; people will get up and dance to "Free" or "Walking a Straight Line" or "Backyard Rocker Rocks" because the 'Canes boldly put those original songs out there and hammer them, and people get comfortable with them.

[313]

I'm probably in the minority of local music fans, but I definitely am not interested in dancing when I go out. I prefer to see a band playing originals or at least a mix of covers & originals. That's what I used to love about the clubs I used to frequent in Maryland (Old Mill, Rabbits Foot & some others). Performances by local bands were more like concerts, not Dance Studio.

[Skate Toad]

It's a tough thing to do. The best way is to just throw in your originals sandwiched between those tired classics and eventually more and more people just stay on the dance floor. As nice as it would be to just have most bands play all originals, that wouldn't work so good around here and in this time of $1 bargain djs. The live music clubs would just go and get some lame ass dj and just faze out live music. I know my approach is to play the covers and then just surprise the crowd at the right time with the originals. Last set is a good time when they are all drunk off their asses. Sad but yes we have to trick the crowds into the originals. Sad but true!
Todd

[Skate Toad]

P.S. Don't get me wrong i love to see the all original guys getting things done! Puts a smile on my face. But i want to make a couple bucks too playing music(want me a new drum set) and that is even tougher to do doing all originals.

[daveb]

People feel that they need to be told what's good and what to like. People also prefer things to be comfortable. When people (guys) are out drinking and looking to score, they want a soundtrack that is familiar to them. Hard to blame them for that. We, as men don't need more shit to make us uncomfortable and awkward when we're on the hunt. That being said, I think those guys should look for poontang where DJ's play. The trick is, and this is no secret, to get women to dig your songs. We all know that guys follow chicks. Now, keeping that in mind, we also know that women are more open to new things in culture. They will dress outlandishly, befriend openly homosexual people (not that there's anything wrong with that), read all kinds of self help/ pop culture books and magazines and listen to obscure music. Women are not afraid to be eclectic to the point of schizophrenia when it comes to their taste in music. Look at your girlfriend's CD's.....my wife listens to Avril, Ramones, Smash Mouth, Reba McEntire, NIN, Warren Zevon, Sugar Ray..etc...Women are also extremely loyal to their favorite artists. My wife has like, 6 Sugar Ray CD's. Shit, I didn't know they had that many. So, I think that women are the great uhmmm...untapped market that us musicians that write and perform original tunes need to be playing to. That doesn't mean sounding like Hootie or Michael Bolton (sorry for the 90's references) but it does mean being sincere about what you're doing up there. Ah, yes, women can sense bullshit a mile away (that's why most guys don't gey laid much). So, go get 'em boys and girls. Because there's nothing better than seeing a great looking girl slow dancin' with some dude and turning him around so she can look at you on stage.

[Killjingle]

Vin, u called me out, and I have awaken from a slumber. U cant even let a metal band on a festival... why do I care about your whining? I wanna see u succeed, but if u dont start opening your mind up, and figuring out new and improved ways to market your project, it aint gonna happen. Period. All original bands bitch about this. I have seen a few succeed. They did by positive pr, not "fans and non-musicians, What's up?". Bitching and moaning never solved anything. I own a cd with one of your songs on it. Prob my favorite track off of the album. Do u have any Deviance in your collection?

[tornandfrayed]

I have Deviance and I have Vinnie's CD's. I also have The Grimm. I have Infused and I have several other local bands. I also have Frayed ( one of my favs! ). I love music. I love it so much that I want to play all the time and I love to help other bands in any way that I can.

I think that the problem in this area is that most people aren't going to a bar to see a band. They are there to get drunk. They don't care. The people who are going to the 4d's are going to get drunk and maybe get laid. They don't really care.

I don't see much of a sense of excitement created by local bands. Don't get me wrong, I don't know how to do it, yet. There has got to be a way to reach people like 311 who want to go see a band. Then get their intertest and make them want to come out and see your band.

I like nothing more then to go see The Grimm or Deviance or Vinnie and the Wise Guys and have a great time watching musicians put it out there. I love the energy. I don't see many people really putting on a show or really even trying to. When you go to see Dream Theater or Rush or Slayer or U2 you go to see a show. There is more then just the music, it becomes an event. Can we do that? I don't know, would it work? I don;t know but it seems like something has to change to get the ball rolling.

There is more sometimes and there are more ways to say it.

It seems unlikely though when even an event like the "Rockpage Jam" had attendance of 25.