I just joined a cover project and I may feel dead inside

[crankyrayhanky]

I have long been an original band player/music fan. I love the creativity. I'd watch a crappy original band over a gifted cover band. But every 10 years or so I fall into the cover trap.

My original band has been auditioning since Dec 2014. Non stop hurdles and things to overcome. Everytime we get a complete lineup something falls apart. I'll keep pushing on as we just found an awesome bass player but now need vocals again...,for a day we actually had 2 vocalists (male female) and a complete band.

So my buddy had a guy bail out on a project and asked me to join in. I don't even like the tunes that much, but WTF. We have a gig at the annual Fender jam on June 3rd and it should be a blast. My soul does feel a bit dirty. On the bright side we are going to play Purple Rain which means I can solo on that outro until the floor sweepers come out, lol.

 

[gtrwun]

I have long been an original band player/music fan. I love the creativity. I'd watch a crappy original band over a gifted cover band. But every 10 years or so I fall into the cover trap.

My original band has been auditioning since Dec 2014. Non stop hurdles and things to overcome. Everytime we get a complete lineup something falls apart. I'll keep pushing on as we just found an awesome bass player but now need vocals again...,for a day we actually had 2 vocalists (male female) and a complete band.

So my buddy had a guy bail out on a project and asked me to join in. I don't even like the tunes that much, but WTF. We have a gig at the annual Fender jam on June 3rd and it should be a blast. My soul does feel a bit dirty. On the bright side we are going to play Purple Rain which means I can solo on that outro until the floor sweepers come out, lol.

I'm probably older than you, but I just decided to retire when my original band couldn't do it any longer. We lasted over 20 years and I'm not sure I could play in a cover band again. Did that trip when I was still in high school. It was fun then, but im not that desperate to play on stage anymore honestly. There just comes a point where you gotta say "no more".

The thing with trying to keep a singer was more than I could bear any longer. It's very hard to keep a band together when there isn't any money being generated.

Good for you though keeping the flame burning. Get out there and tear it up and have some fun! I know its not the same, but at least your still playing your guitar. Purple Rain!

 

[Steinmetzify]

Fuck it Ray, least you're playin out. LMAO at that thread title though man.

 

[Lifeson1]

I played in a band up here in NYC for a couple years as a hired gun, covers of covers that I didn't have any affection for at all. But it was a paycheck. And that got me by for a time, but eventually I just went through the motions, and it ate me away till everything soured between the band and myself and I was replaced.

I'm much happier playing what I want, when I want. No real moral of the story, but I really thought that played my with a group would make me feel a part of something, but when there's no real love for the music you're playing, it can really have a negative impact.

 

[8len8]

I hate your attitude. All-original bands tend to have that attitude. It's all music. Consider it a challenge to play within a framework. Don't look down on covering others' material.

 

[JerEvil]

Dude. I know some cats in cover bands that make $400 a man every night. I would love to play my guitar for 4 hours, make people dance and have fun AND get paid.

Yeah man, one of my cover gigs we get a minimum of $400 per guy per night. I have never made less than $600 a show and have at least 2 a year making about $1200. The saving grace as I am not a fan of some of the tunes is that I am paying with STELLAR musicians. Makes playing Maroon 5 WAAAAAAAY more fun.

 

[gtrwun]

I hate your attitude. All-original bands tend to have that attitude. It's all music.
Consider it a challenge to play within a framework. Don't look down on covering others' material.

A challenge to play within the framework of what? Sounds like an insult to anyone that has taken the time and effort to try to be in an original band and write and perform there own tunes. Almost anyone can be in a decent bar band and play copy material and make a few bucks. So what. The real CHALLENGE is trying to get an audience to care enough to listen and give a shit about your own material.

It's not all just music. One comes from your heart, and the other comes from someone else's. If you don't see the huge difference in that, im not sure what to say.

 

[d1469d]

I concur. I am in a cover band and also in a all original band. It was just supposed to be a fill in situation until they found other members. The all cover band is not a bad gig. Live music is so underappreciated. A lot of comparisons from cover tunes if you do not play them note for note. I think musicians take a lot of shit and criticism from the public more then they should. In the original band there is nothing really for comparison. They either like you or they don't. I really like playing all originals. The cover band is fun but seems like more of a job. It pays for a lot of my gear so I guess that isn't so bad.

 

[8len8]

I hate your attitude. All-original bands tend to have that attitude. It's all music.
Consider it a challenge to play within a framework. Don't look down on covering others' material.

A challenge to play within the framework of what? Sounds like an insult to anyone that has taken the time and effort to try to be in an original band and write and perform there own tunes. Almost anyone can be in a decent bar band and play copy material and make a few bucks. So what. The real CHALLENGE is trying to get an audience to care enough to listen and give a shit about your own material.

It's not all just music. One comes from your heart, and the other comes from someone else's. If you don't see the huge difference in that, im not sure what to say.

There's a challenge in being in a cover band too. Around me there are hundreds of cover bands, most of which draw may 10 people to a bar and never make money or get asked to play back places. Here are things that cover bands need to work on, yes making it a challenge:

- The genre (pick a sale of music that will attract many ages and both genders to a bar)
- The set (pick tunes that people know and like, but aren't sick of hearing)
- The sound (do you want to sound exactly like the covers, or put your owns spin on things)
- The stage show (to me cover bands need to be a little more interesting to look at on stage than original bands)

I played all original stuff in Chicago years ago. Played big clubs and had stuff on the local radio. Yes, all-original music does have its own thing going for it, but that doesn't lessen the importance and challenge in playing in "a successful cover band".

 

[thunda]

either do the covers or don't...remember that all big name artists do covers...from Zep to Styx, Johnny Cash did 'em, Elvis did 'em, Metallica, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Nirvana did a Meat Puppets song...I play originals and covers and have a great time doing both. making music is a great stress reliever, a lot of fun and if you make 'em shake their ass and put bread in the tip jug, it's even better!

 

[glassjaw7]

I can relate. My original band Kyndrid was also my cover band. We'd play original shows and do pretty well. 75-200 people and decent pay. But we realized we could book a weekend at a casino and make a lot more playing covers so we did a 20/80% mix. Pretty fun actually and we got away with playing some really fun stuff during the last set: Tool, G&R, RATM, Chevelle, Soundgarden, VH etc.

I hear you on the feeling dead inside part though..when I have to play a horrible song because chicks think it "has a good beat" I start questioning myself but in the end it's still pretty fun.
I wouldn't be able to be in a cover band unless there was a decent amount of material I enjoyed playing. Just my opinion.

 

[Racerxrated]

either do the covers or don't...remember that all big name artists do covers...from Zep to Styx, Johnny Cash did 'em, Elvis did 'em, Metallica, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Nirvana did a Meat Puppets song...I play originals and covers and have a great time doing both. making music is a great stress reliever, a lot of fun and if you make 'em shake their ass and put bread in the tip jug, it's even better!

Well said. Thing is, you can play covers like I do and have for 25 years..and write some cool originals and sneak them in every night. That way you can challenge yourself both ways..to do exact covers or your own version, plus throw some of your own material in. As long as the club is making money you will be asked back.

 

[Chris6870]

I'm doing the cover band thing now. We got a cute female singer who is great, and she has tons of friends who come out.We play some fun tunes and make more cash then I ever made trying to crush peoples skulls playing metal. I'm not in love with every song we play but I don't care,it's still a good time.It's a lot more fun playing to a club full of drunk chicks then to a bunch of dudes and the girlfriends of the 6 other bands that are playing that night in a shit hole that we all had to sell tickets to play in.

 

[mooncobra]

I play in an originals band, and its tough to get noticed in a big market like Los Angeles. I want to join a cover band so I can play out more without the expectations that come from being in the originals band...Im gonna go hunt down a cool cover band and join it.

the atomic punks, seen them?

 

[prsplayer86]

Not trying to poke the bear here... but why not do both???? If you have a solid as shit 45 minute original set and 2x45 minute cover sets.... you can make a hell of a lot of dough. ( the OP's current line situation might prevent that; I just mean in general) Especially if the singer is good. If the singer isn't the type to sing for 3 hours straight then get someone else in the band to step up and belt out those covers.

Nothing sells your cd's, T-shirts, posters, and coozies like a room full of drunk people who A. knew the songs the amazing band was singing and B. were in the venue to begin with. Not saying ditch the originals.. but if you can play 2 or 3 sets in a night and play "ALL" of your originals in the process.... then why not?

 

[Rick Lee]

I was in a cover band in college that also had an all original set for when we played places that wanted original music. We'd have never made a dime with the original stuff, though I did get to hand a demo to Alex Lifeson once, which made it all worthwhile.

Now I play in Rush and VH tributes and love every second of it. Even when we don't have a good crowd, the music is always fun and challenging and it draws out the gear heads and other guitar nerds. I've done some recent original stuff with friends, but only for recording. No desire at all to sell tix to friends and family to come see us do a recital of original tunes that no one will ever hear anywhere again.

 

[thunda]

of course there are the "writer's night" deals you can do where a person can go and play their originals, but usually before you get to play you want to kill yourself because you just can't listen to one more shitty "original" song...of course I may be jaded from playing in the Nashville area all these years. Your mileage may vary...

 

[Badronald]

I've always played in original bands but for a stretch of about 4 years I played a cover gig. It was fun for a couple years then got old.

Hey, if people dig it, it's cool. Enjoy.

 

[Rick Lee]

I do it because I have to have a reason to buy more gear. Who needs shelves full of 100w heads for home practice?

 

[gtrwun]

I do it because I have to have a reason to buy more gear. Who needs shelves full of 100w heads for home practice?

Ummmmmm, I do!