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

[GtarLover]

While I don't want to step on anyone's toes here. I don't quite understand the whole, "I don't wanna play covers."
The most accomplished musicians in the world, classical musicians, are playing music written by others. Whether it's a symphony orchestra, a solo piece, or something else, IT'S A COVER...

Anyway, bottom line for me. I wanna play music, have fun, and get paid.
I see both sides. I was recently working on an original project and while there was certainly some satisfying parts to that, we didn't play much, nor did we get paid much when we did.
On the other hand, the club cover and Tribute projects I participate in play regularly and get paid, often pretty well.

No judgments here, I just don't understand the "no covers" thing. Most "original" bands play covers while they tour before the first album AND when they tour to support their first album. Seen it many, many times. If a group has enough material to play ALL ORIGINAL material, that's great, yet many don't.

Either way, it's a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N Roll

 

[Kemper-VS-Fractal]

Lol at covers making you feel dead inside. I'll tell you what makes you feel dead inside, working a shitty boring job in an office or a factory. Earning a living playing covers is way more fun than that.

I play covers and original stuff, the covers are the big paycheck, but you can still do both and earn with an original band. Don't know why you can't do originals at the same time if it bothers you?

And if you do get successful with the original stuff, just sack the covers off. Win win,

 

[racerevlon]

Playing out is playing out. Most people struggle to even get into a cover gig. I'd love to be in a cover band right now. Madison Square Bedroom is getting old...

 

[MrDowntown]

It's all in what you want out of it I suppose. I am envious as hell of all you guys that gig, play live, have bands... whether cover or originals... envious I say. In the early years VH played cover sets and would work in one or four originals in a night just to get their stuff out there for folks to hear.

Wish like shat I had the skill set to do it...and get paid to do it and not pelted with rotten fruit.

 

[glassjaw7]

It's all about each player's goals and preferences. Did you sit in your room as a kid and wish that you could someday play Eruption or Metallica songs in front of people? Or play top 40 hits to a bar full of dancing women? Or were you more like me and the creativity part of music is what grabbed you? If you aren't going to get any satisfaction out of it then what's the point? Simply "playing out" isn't everyone's goal. Playing YOUR music in front of people is much more fulfilling if you have that creative side. If not, that's all good too.

To be fair, I enjoy both originals and covers, just stating the fact that not everyone's goals are fulfilled just because they're on stage with a guitar around their neck. I could go speak in front of thousands of people and the words I say would greatly affect the outcome.

 

[sleewell2]

music should be fun.

end of story.

 

[Viper]

I'd rather watch a cover band, than an original band that thinks its the next best thing.

 

[hatrick00]

Subjective thread. Whatever you enjoy doing musically and brings you happiness, then do it. Playing covers is not for me, but clearly plenty of people enjoy playing them and listening to them. If you are trying to make money that is clearly one of the best and easiest ways to do it with music. But again, subjective.

 

[stdio]

Keeping any kind of band together is tough and a lot of work. I played in a cover band for a few years after a long break from playing out and it was a lot of fun. Made some great friends and played some shows. But we didn't do it for the money just for fun. But it is a lot of work if you aren't getting paid, and after awhile the enthusiasm starts to fade. Not to mention you get sick of some songs that you used to like. Fortunately we played tunes we all grew up with and that made it fun. I told my wife if you ever see me in a Dad band playing Brown Eyed Girl to just kill me.

 

[Rick Lee]

Personalities are real hard to deal with. And the more players in the band, the more scheduling conflicts you have to deal with. We had to use our third string drummer for gig last week after the main one got injured on his bike and the first backup was already booked. My last cover band's leader was a very difficult guy. He had a killer PA, but refused to let anyone but a pro sound guy touch it. So we had to hire a guy to run it for us, even though we did all the hauling and set up. That guy made more than each of us did. Really chapped my ass. That band's drummer quit the day before a gig and left us hanging. The other band we were playing with that night had an awesome drummer, who said he could handle it. I showed up and they were all in the back alley, practicing harmonies, looked like a scene from A Bronx Tale, and we made it through the gig. But man, what a pain in the balls those personalities were. Music was never the first consideration.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Interesting replies....for me I'd love to focus on original music and supplement with remakes (as opposed to covers). But I find people are typically one way or another- all cover or all original. I had bands where they said they would go 50/50, but after 100 cover tunes they still wouldn't even listen to originals. It's not that they didn't like it- they wouldn't even listen to it, so it wouldn't matter if a writer delivered John Lennon levels it was not going anywhere. Funny, I could actually get major radio DJs to listen and play my original stuff easier than cover bandmates.

I think learning 12 tunes in 12 days will be a fun challenge and hopefully make me a better player. There is that danger though- most cover bands original songs are awful. For me, I lost the skill of writing fresh material after learning 100 covers for a gig back in '97. Everything I wrote sounded like a bad imitation of the cover set (FU Enter Sandman). I see that in cover bands when they show up on original night; it's usually stale and stock sounding.

On the bright side, my original project finally has a full roster. I hope it can endure as that project has super turnover rates. That project makes me feel alive. It's a Right brain Left brain thing methinks. Original music lights up all the areas in my skull.

 

[stdio]

Interesting replies....for me I'd love to focus on original music and supplement with remakes (as opposed to covers). But I find people are typically one way or another- all cover or all original. I had bands where they said they would go 50/50, but after 100 cover tunes they still wouldn't even listen to originals. It's not that they didn't like it- they wouldn't even listen to it, so it wouldn't matter if a writer delivered John Lennon levels it was not going anywhere. Funny, I could actually get major radio DJs to listen and play my original stuff easier than cover bandmates.

I think learning 12 tunes in 12 days will be a fun challenge and hopefully make me a better player. There is that danger though- most cover bands original songs are awful. For me, I lost the skill of writing fresh material after learning 100 covers for a gig back in '97. Everything I wrote sounded like a bad imitation of the cover set (FU Enter Sandman). I see that in cover bands when they show up on original night; it's usually stale and stock sounding.

On the bright side, my original project finally has a full roster. I hope it can endure as that project has super turnover rates. That project makes me feel alive. It's a Right brain Left brain thing methinks. Original music lights up all the areas in my skull.

I think it could also be musicians compared to hobbyists. It takes more effort learn originals than just downloading some tabs or watching a how to video. Some people just don't have the creative drive to make something new or don't know how. I have played with a few guys (only once) that could play some tunes but didn't know what a 12 bar blues was or how to solo over one.

 

[dfrattaroli]

I don't play out but if I were to join a band right now, I'd join a cover band. I have friends who's original bands struggle to get 3-4 gigs a year and when I see pics of their gigs, there's about 10 people in the joint. And they all look down on bands that do covers. I get it: We're all "artists" who are certainly capable of creating music. Yay. Fact is, most likely, no one but you and the guys in the band want to hear it, let alone pay to hear it. I'd rather be playing to a large group of people having fun and still getting appreciated for being a good musician because I nailed the solo in Beat It. If you're the real deal, fame will find you. Otherwise, I'd really love to hear 99 Luft Balloons please.

Carry on.

 

[Candiria]

While I don't want to step on anyone's toes here. I don't quite understand the whole, "I don't wanna play covers."
The most accomplished musicians in the world, classical musicians, are playing music written by others. Whether it's a symphony orchestra, a solo piece, or something else, IT'S A COVER...

Anyway, bottom line for me. I wanna play music, have fun, and get paid.
I see both sides. I was recently working on an original project and while there was certainly some satisfying parts to that, we didn't play much, nor did we get paid much when we did.
On the other hand, the club cover and Tribute projects I participate in play regularly and get paid, often pretty well.

No judgments here, I just don't understand the "no covers" thing. Most "original" bands play covers while they tour before the first album AND when they tour to support their first album. Seen it many, many times. If a group has enough material to play ALL ORIGINAL material, that's great, yet many don't.

Either way, it's a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N Roll

I think where the problem comes in is that there's a difference between playing Bach, and covering Taylor Swift.

 

[JerEvil]

I'd rather watch a cover band, than an original band that thinks its the next best thing.

You'd hate the Vegas scene then! Cover bands that think they are legit rock stars! Lol!

 

[Rick Lee]

You'd hate the Vegas scene then! Cover bands that think they are legit rock stars! Lol!

You gotta "act as if." Doesn't matter what kind of music it is or how well you play it. You should play an empty bar like it's a packed stadium.

 

[MrDowntown]

...If you're the real deal, fame will find you. Otherwise, I'd really love to hear 99 Luft Balloons please. Carry on.

I'm sig'n that...hope ya don't mind.

 

[rottingcorpse]

I played the ski circuit for 2 seasons in the early 80s doing Huey Lewis,Loverboy,Romantics,etc straight outta high school. 3 sets a night,5 nights a week,town after town for the whole season. Paid great for an 18 year old kid in a band of 25-30 year old pros,and the pussy was insane(ski bunnies on vacation are the greatest thing ever). This was just as the first thrash was being created,and I was always listening to my Walkman between sets...wishing the guys I was playing with could get on board with this new style of heavier music. All they did was make fun of the "new kid",telling me "that shit will never be popular".

By the end of the second season,I had enough of playing stuff I didn't like JUST to have a paying gig. This was my watershed moment,were I went from playing shows a lot and getting paid for it to playing only originals of the genre I loved and playing much...MUCH less and making no money for the gigs we did get.

My point is there are two sides to every situation. If you enjoy playing others material(for the money,chicks,good times etc)I salute you. The idea behind music is to find your bliss. But I did that stuff early as a career,and I eventually gagged on it. I wanted more,to play a genre that at that time was not popular...but it moved me. I can understand why the Jazz cats play tiny clubs trying to get their voice heard. Why the EDM guys get off just making computer music and pushing the "enter" button. And why there will always be new music being played by hungery musicians in Austin TX every night.

I don't "look down" on the cover band taking the paying gig. I've just been there and done that. I am glad I did it,you can't imagine what good times I had. But I can understand feeling "dead inside" playing stuff you don't wanna play just to have a gig.

Find your bliss...whatever that might be.

 

[D-Nastee11]

If you don't feel dead inside yet holding down a cover band gig will definitely get you there! Good Luck.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

...If you're the real deal, one way or another fame is gonna get you get you get you. Learn to fly high. Otherwise, I'd really love to hear 99 Luft Balloons please. Carry on my Wayward Son.

corrected for team Cover