Cover BAnds

[dansi]

argh annoy me. I was waiting for some crust pizza on bridge rd tonight and the pub across the road had some band playing the same friggen covers as everyone else and as soon as "Holy Grail" came on the bogans where going off.

Argh i would rather not play than be in a cover band. And thanks binxy for exposing me to the worst night of my life last weekend.

I hate cover bands.

 

[Carlos]

I agree, and i've been involved in various capacities in that scene for over 10 years.

But the fact is, if you want to make a living in this state (country) from "playing" a musical instrument (and in many coverbands' cases, i use the term loosely) it is something we all have to do at one time or another.

For the last 3 years i have been a full time muso and have earned more than a decent living from it, and a big part of that is letting stupid venues full of stupid people pay me stupid amounts of money to play stupid music.

No, its not all i've done, but again, if you are a muso and you dont want to be poor, it is as much a necessary evil as is any "day job".

I wish it were different, but the fact is that i can guarantee that i've earned more from these gigs than most of my favorite local bands earn from their's. It doesnt for one second make it right or valid, its simply an appalling anomaly with this country's music scene.

 

[nicky]

I'm not into cover bands but i'd rather make a living being in a cover band than working in an office.

btw diego, binxy was nice enough to hang out with you, seriously, you behave like a bloody head case on these boards so i think it was rather charitable of him. Stop throwing it up in his face.

 

[Monkster]

What is everyones big problem with cover bands? Is it because they don't play the music very well or is it because they don't write their own music? Because if it's the second one than I assume people also have a problem with Opera, Ballet and Orchestras.

 

[bunsen burner]

I don't mind them every now and then. The catch is they have to be playing stuff you like. Everytime recently when I've been at a pub and there is a cover band there (no, i didn't go to see the band, just happened to go for a drink and a few games of stick), they've done the Creed/Nickleback/Matchbox20 combo with the odd Bon Jovi "old rocker" (????????) thrown in. Makes me sick when I see people jumping up and down and going "you guys ROCK man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Borry]

I detest all those punk bands doing covers of classic rock songs with their ****y sped up tunes.

 

[bunsen burner]

I detest all those punk bands doing covers of classic rock songs with their ****y sped up tunes.

Leigh Harding board.

Where is he these days and why do I remember his name? It's not even Leigh Harding is it? He's the ex Roos player. So who was that twat teeny bopper punk from Idol?

 

[raskolnikov]

Leigh Harding board.

Where is he these days and why do I remember his name? It's not even Leigh Harding is it? He's the ex Roos player. So who was that twat teeny bopper punk from Idol?

the singer is Lee Harding(spelt the girl's way)

 

[bunsen burner]

the singer is Lee Harding(spelt the girl's way)

I guess his parents spelt it right then.

 

[mark73]

What is everyones big problem with cover bands? Is it because they don't play the music very well or is it because they don't write their own music

Have you ever played in a cover band? I suggest you give it a shot for about 3 months then relay your thoughts.

 

[RoosterLad]

I don't mind a decent cover band, especially when I'm plastered and they play songs i know and like.
Punk covers are awesome, i have heaps of them.. they can make a rubbish song sound half decent.

I hate pop singers who just sing a rubbish song without even playing their own music.

 

[metallicamatty]

I don't mind a decent cover band, especially when I'm plastered and they play songs i know and like.
Punk covers are awesome, i have heaps of them.. they can make a rubbish song sound half decent.

I hate pop singers who just sing a rubbish song without even playing their own music.

Agreed.

Metallica are an awesome cover band

 

[Monkster]

Have you ever played in a cover band? I suggest you give it a shot for about 3 months then relay your thoughts.

Have you?

 

[Bomber Bears]

punk covers are quality - me first and the gimme gimme's do some great ones.

 

[Monkster]

punk covers are quality - me first and the gimme gimme's do some great ones.

meh not really a fan, more into Less Than Jake's covers.

 

[Carlos]

I don't mind them every now and then. The catch is they have to be playing stuff you like.

And indeed, that is the catch, not only for you watching the coverband, but often for the people actually playing in the f*cking thing too.

Coverbands are more or less musical prostitution. Sure, i'd love to get up and blow out a bunch of Shihad tunes for example, but would the 4 or so hundred people that are at the pub every week want to hear them? Except for maybe a few dudes at most, probably not. The majority of people would stand there with their heads c*cked to the side like confused dogs before leaving. That would very quickly mean that the band would be out of a job too.

Venues that regularly feature coverbands are more or less designed for people that dont really appreciate music. These people dont want to be challenged or made to listen to something that they havent already heard 6 times that day on commercial radio or have heard every single time they've gone to these God forsaken pubs.

The music is just light entertainment to sing and dance badly to while you get piissed and try to pick up mingers.

 

[Monkster]

Coverbands are more or less musical prostitution.

Again I ask, how is it anymore "prostitution" than playing in a Orchestra or performing in an Opera or a Ballet?

 

[Carlos]

Again I ask, how is it anymore "prostitution" than playing in a Orchestra or performing in an Opera or a Ballet?

Is that a serious question?

I've never played in an orchestra or the like, but i cant imagine they get a pack of incoherent f*ckeyed morons slobbering over them every gig asking to play Jessies Girl.

And i'm sure they dont have to throw a tonne of cheap low-brow gimmicks to go along with the equally cheap and moronic music to be considered as being good at what they do.

And i'm also sure their crowds are actually there because they want to take in the skill of their performance, not to get hammered and pick up.

 

[MagpieScouser]

cover bands rock ,id rather see the kiss cover band kisstroyer than pay hundreds of dollars to see the patched up kiss with,tommy thayer and eric singer in costumes have another farewell tour so gene and paul can milk the fans dry like they have

and id rather see a cover band than be in a nightclub where they play that trance crap and half the crowd are on eccys

 

[bunsen burner]

If anyone has seen Garage Days, I think the bit where that guys gives up the band to play in a cover band and is doing an AC/DC cover at an RSL and then does a contrived Angus Young duck walk only to get cheers by a bunch of old bogan mingers, sums up cover bands.

 

[Monkster]

Is that a serious question?

I've never played in an orchestra or the like, but i cant imagine they get a pack of incoherent f*ckeyed morons slobbering over them every gig asking to play Jessies Girl.

And i'm sure they dont have to throw a tonne of cheap low-brow gimmicks to go along with the equally cheap and moronic music to be considered as being good at what they do.

And i'm also sure their crowds are actually there because they want to take in the skill of their performance, not to get hammered and pick up.

Firstly I don't know what the crowds have to do with their "prostitution" or is it only covers bands that play in dives? Original bands have never played in a working class pub?

Secondly the comparison I'm making is that very few Orchestras or Opera Singers actually compose the music they are making, however why is it that they are seen as musical genius's because they can play/interpret someone elses work but a cover band is looked down upon because they can't create their own work?

Thirdly your contempt and generalisations of pub folk being only there to "get hammered and pick up" are akin to saying the only people who listen to Shihad are idiotic JJJ listeners who have no job and do nothing but smoke pot all day.

 

[Carlos]

Firstly I don't know what the crowds have to do with their "prostitution" or is it only covers bands that play in dives? Original bands have never played in a working class pub?

The crowds have everything to do with what coverbands play to them, much like Triple M's play list is designed with a certain demographic in mind or McDonald's menu etc etc.

Now regardless of your opinion of Top 40 music, the fact is most of it is basic and easy to play. I personally dont like alot of the stuff i have to perform at covers gigs, but again the money is too good to not do it.

Hence the "prostitution" line of comment.

The fact is, the type of punter who would frequent a Bridie O'Reillys etc on a weekend probably isnt the same cat you'll bump into at Ding Dong etc. I'd actually say that most original band venues are bigger dives and more working class than your average cover band/dj type of venue. But i'd also almost guarantee you you've got more chance of getting a decent conversation about music out of someone there than at The Elephant and Wheelbarrow.

Secondly the comparison I'm making is that very few Orchestras or Opera Singers actually compose the music they are making, however why is it that they are seen as musical genius's because they can play/interpret someone elses work but a cover band is looked down upon because they can't create their own work?

I cant speak for the Orchestral dudes you're speaking of and wouldnt even begin to claim to understand their crafts or the setting they apply them in.

But i just cant imagine you can get away with being sh*t at what you do to get involved with one and to play those kinds of arrangements. The fact is, in the ridiculous amount of coverbands in this town, there are many many players who quite simply are sh*t. And the mere fact that there are so many should kinda tell you how easy it is to do it.

I didnt say do it well by the way. But you can go out to any number of pubs tonite and you'll see alot of people up on stage with instruments in front of them who quite simply shouldnt be there. But the only other certain thing is that 95% of the people in their crowd wouldnt know the difference.

Thirdly your contempt and generalisations of pub folk being only there to "get hammered and pick up" are akin to saying the only people who listen to Shihad are idiotic JJJ listeners who have no job and do nothing but smoke pot all day.

Of course i'm generalising. I've met stacks of great people at the hundreds of gigs i've played.

No, not everyone is there to make a mess of themselves. But the fact is that i am under no illusions that anyone i speak to at a covers gig is actually there to see the band play. They are there because its a pub with an atmosphere they like and to escape their norm. The fact a band is playing is an afterthought.

The fact is the 40 odd people who'll be at the Arthouse tonite are more than likely there for the music. Yeah, that music might be complete utter shiite, but those people watching it simply have different agendas to the 500 or so people who'll be getting amongst it at PJ O'Briens tonite.

 

[Monkster]

But i just cant imagine you can get away with being sh*t at what you do to get involved with one and to play those kinds of arrangements. The fact is, in the ridiculous amount of coverbands in this town, there are many many players who quite simply are sh*t. And the mere fact that there are so many should kinda tell you how easy it is to do it.

Which is the crux of my original question, do people not like them because they aren't very good or is it because they don't play their own music, now obviously you have a problem with bands not being very good but is that your main problem with cover bands?

 

[collo21]

Its Both they are crap and they dont play there own music, there is absolutley no musical credibility to what they are doing and they call themselfs musicians....
and dont even get me bloody started on the people that go to watch them.....

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

The Glitter Gang are an awesome 70's glam rock cover band down in Geelong and have been going for 15 years playing once a month on a saturday night.

They have lasted this long because the songs they play are classics and because alot dont get airtime no more but people still love.