How much compromise / is it worth it? (band questions)

monquixote

I've had this problem in the past with bands and you have to strike a balance. 

At one end of the spectrum I dep for a band occasionally who are only interested in song popularity so it's all "Sex on fire", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Johnny B Goode" etc which does get wearing after a while (fine for the odd gig)

but I've also been in a band where members wanted to do really obscure songs or songs they had written which routinely cleared the room and it ends up being a battle. Usually you settle on a compromise like allowing each member a song in the set that can be a bit more obscure. When it's their one choice they tend to be a bit more selective. 

I think as others have said the real key is finding songs that loads of people know that other bands don't do. For example one band I was in did a rocked up version of "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga which always got a massive reaction.

Danny1969

PVO_Dave said:

Danny1969 said:

TBH In these arms by Jovi is a common one, it's in 2 of by bands list. Goes down well  .....just  not as well as Living on a prayer

There's soooo many songs you could do though that reaching agreement shouldn't be impossible 

It's one hell of a dull tune, but if it works it works I guess. I've listened to it a handful of times from YouTube, but it's fairly forgettable. I'm sure there will be a tonne of tunes we could agree on, but just feels like a bit of a battle to get them to think about it from the audience point of view.

Yeah I'm not a fan either, it's a chick choon really, they love it. Gets a bit screamy, we knocked it down to D from the original E key

Roland

There always will be a debate about which covers to play. I sense that the issues here are about playing originals, and about whether family should take priority. Only you can make that decision. I think you've made it. Tell them and move on

ElectroDan

It's easy to get the hump when your idea of what would be awesome to play doesn't coincide with everyone else's, especially as you now have the little one and your spare time is precious. Before you walk though imagine how you'll feel 6-8 weeks down the line when the urge to play again returns. The answer may still be that leaving is the right thing, but as some others have said, there are so many songs to choose from that you should be able to come up with a set you all enjoy playing.

I'm in a covers band with some friends of mine, and we set out to actively avoid clichéd numbers, and it became part of what I feel was making us interesting. Sometimes the others pull in the direction of the main-stream, but usually a balance can be found. If there is a song one member absolutely hates, then the rest will agree not to play it.

Suggesting alternatives is always better than constant negativity too (Hmm that is alright but this would definitely show us off better / be more fun for us to play etc etc). Good luck.

EricTheWeary

A suggestion would be to have a group outing - go see a band who are getting the gigs you want to get. Then compare notes. What songs went down well, what went down badly, what was their look, how much between song banter, did they have a sound guy, fancy lights, intro music, too loud/ quiet,etc.

PVO_Dave

Thanks for the views and thoughts

Still undecided on what to do, one side of me thinks I'm perhaps being melodramatic, as the reality is there are probably only really 4 songs left out of a 2 hour+ set list that I don't think are right, the other thinks can I really be bothered to have to either argue about future songs (the originals thing will raise it's ugly head in the future) / convince them again about bad choices. There are a couple of other weird issues too, but that's probably not for this thread.

I'll have a bash at learning the dull 'Jovi one and see where I get to I think.

RocknRollDave

EricTheWeary said:

A suggestion would be to have a group outing - go see a band who are getting the gigs you want to get. Then compare notes. What songs went down well, what went down badly, what was their look, how much between song banter, did they have a sound guy, fancy lights, intro music, too loud/ quiet,etc.

Intro music, especially but not exclusively with regards to amateur or semi-pro bands, is a massive pet hate of mine.
Was in a Classic Rock covers band years back and once our singer insisted on playing the epic Classical piece that Iron Maiden come on to at Rock In Rio (I forget what it is) through the PA before we started. In a pub. In front of about 20 people. Stood there like lemons, praying for the ground to open up.

mike_l

Intro music is good for pro bands who can enter the stage all together from an unseen (from the crowd) position. Stood infront of a few people at the Dog'n'Mirkin not so much....

Having seen a band do that, at my local, they never got asked back. Incidentally my local has bands on regularly.

EricTheWeary

RocknRollDave said:

EricTheWeary said:

A suggestion would be to have a group outing - go see a band who are getting the gigs you want to get. Then compare notes. What songs went down well, what went down badly, what was their look, how much between song banter, did they have a sound guy, fancy lights, intro music, too loud/ quiet,etc.

Intro music, especially but not exclusively with regards to amateur or semi-pro bands, is a massive pet hate of mine.
Was in a Classic Rock covers band years back and once our singer insisted on playing the epic Classical piece that Iron Maiden come on to at Rock In Rio (I forget what it is) through the PA before we started. In a pub. In front of about 20 people. Stood there like lemons, praying for the ground to open up.

well, that's part of going to see other bands at the level you want to be at - seeing what does/ doesn't work from a critical punter's perspective.
I think the worst thing is pregnant pauses between songs, especially if you are trying to get people up and dancing, it really kills a set.

John_A

Being in a band is all about compromise, you have to keep the other guys happy too.  Some of the songs may not be most peoples 1st choice, but none of them strike me as definite no-no's, our set is about 25% songs I love, 50% I think are OK, and 25% I really can't and the same probably applies to all of us with a different weighting, but we all get on and have a blast.

 

Bottom line if it all feels like too much effort then unless its for the money, find somthing you enjoy more, otherwise just try to enjoy it

hotpickups

Always a difficult one when a set is concerned. It's the juxtaposition of doing covers but also wanting to be creative. In fact it's one of the reasons that turned me a way from the boring repetitive sets that every pub band does. i.e. Sweet home Alabama, Sex on fire and the likes of etc. The thinking behind my band is dancing and partying but I too wanted it to be a different from every function band out there so I totally understand your band's wishes. Some of the songs we do are a little unknown but are still every bit as catchy as long as they have a dance beat to them. However, when we do a well known one, and to avoid the monotony of a 'note for note' rendition we sometimes make the song our own and IMO better. Adding guitar or sax solos when there wasn't any on the original track. However, when doing so we are aware as to not alienate the audience with endless rounds of solos which itself can be very boring if you're not into them etc.

I did see a band a few years back in Devon and they just played endless obscure Peter Green/Clapton covers and the like and even introduced some songs with what type of guitar he's playing for it and even tried to imitate the great men - he failed obviously . It really was the most boring pub gig I had ever heard and seen and everyone in the pub ignored them. Not saying all pub bands are like that but it did put me on the path of doing something different.

Also, if a song clears the floor more than twice it's out. From then on we look for another to replace it. Saying all this we are not very busy at the moment LOL but already things are moving once I've been speaking to the right venues etc. Some of them are even pubs but they pay a good fee for a good crowd pleasing band which I feel we are.

End of the day if it's a struggle I'd leave and go somewhere else. It has to be fun

Have I rambled on? Hope it helped anyway

Danny1969

With regard to intro music I think it depends on what your trying to achieve. If your supposed to be a regular bar band on normal money for playing covers then I don't think intro music is needed, you might as well just get on with it. 

If your on really decent money though because your supposed to be better than your average pub band then you generally try and make it as much of an event as possible ......... so intro music (tailored to yourselves) loads of smoke, lights. lasers, try and make it as much of a show as poss. Cos your trying to get as many people as possible to come to the gigs ... so you can charge more money again ect. 

flatout

John_A said:

Being in a band is all about compromise, you have to keep the other guys happy too.  Some of the songs may not be most peoples 1st choice, but none of them strike me as definite no-no's, our set is about 25% songs I love, 50% I think are OK, and 25% I really can't and the same probably applies to all of us with a different weighting, but we all get on and have a blast.

I'm in the same boat as John - and equally, 75% of our set is stuff that is widely known and loved and not a surprise for a pub covers band to play. But equally, we've all committed to doing some obscure stuff (Band Of Horses, Libertines, Maccabees etc) that people don't know so well, and it's been OK for us because either we do them really well, or because some of the regulars in the places we play have become acquainted with them over time. 'Pelican' by the Maccabees is a good example - hardly anyone knew it, but a couple of us really wanted to do it justice, and now it's going down really well. 

ICBM

In my opinion, if you're in a covers band…

1. You don't have to play songs you hate just because they're "expected". There are millions of great, well-known songs and you're playing twenty or so - why put up with ones you can't stand?

Personally I like Pink and Kelly Clarkson, those songs are very well known and will go down well. (I will not play an Oasis song though.) But that's me, not you. In my opinion any band member should have a veto over any song.

2. There is no point in playing songs your audience don't know. Again me personally, but I have never heard of that Bon Jovi song (at least not by name, I might recognise it but I don't like Bon Jovi anyway) or of Reel Big Fish at all, so I wouldn't play those either.

Don't think about it from the point of view of a guitarist. You audience are not guitar players and they probably don't listen to music in the same way you do. If the song wasn't on Now That's What I Call Music at any time in the last thirty years or before that on Top Of The Pops, don't bother.

If the rest of the band don't agree, you're going to be forced into doing something you're not comfortable with when you'd rather be spending time with your family, so don't compromise.

hotpickups

Well said @ICBM. In any band it's hard to get the same opinion without being biased on instruments parts etc. I'd love to do a 10 minute Gary Moore solo but the audience would definitely get bored. Because A. I'm not Gary Moore and B. I can't do a Gary Moore solo


This is why many bands break up when others succeed. A meeting of minds is the key

Danny1969

hotpickups said:

Well said @ICBM. In any band it's hard to get the same opinion without being biased on instruments parts etc. I'd love to do a 10 minute Gary Moore solo but the audience would definitely get bored. Because A. I'm not Gary Moore and B. I can't do a Gary Moore solo

I will be doing a load of Gary Moore solo's tomorrow night in my covers band ................... but it's a Thin Lizzy tribute so I'm allowed

hotpickups

Not quite the same thing LOL. I meant his solo career

Danny1969;321137" said:

hotpickups said:

Well said @ICBM. In any band it's hard to get the same opinion without being biased on instruments parts etc. I'd love to do a 10 minute Gary Moore solo but the audience would definitely get bored. Because A. I'm not Gary Moore and B. I can't do a Gary Moore solo





I will be doing a load of Gary Moore solo's tomorrow night in my covers band ................... but it's a Thin Lizzy tribute so I'm allowed

Longtallronnie

We generally agree to try a song at least once (if it sounds good at rehearsa)l and then see how the punters respond to it. There's been plenty of suggestions that I've thought would never work and been pleasantly surprised so I try to keep an open mind. I did outright refuse to play Karma Chameleon though, I fucking hate that song!

One thing I've noticed with our set is that there are hardly any "guitar hero" type songs with extended solos etc. Just as well really as I'm certainly no virtuoso guitarist! On the rare occasions that we have played those kind of songs they've not been as well received as one with a danceable beat or singalong chorus. Maybe I'm just shit!

It pains me to say it but I just don't think punters really care as much about epic face melters as I'd like them to. 

hotpickups

You're right they don't. I used to be in a rock band where I thought I played awesome. After the gig no one noticed the particular songs I was playing my epic solos on LOL

Since then I try to keep the guitar solos to a minimum and only then when it's absolutely necessary or right. It's more about the vocals/front line for the gigs I do now.

koneguitarist

We are a covers band, to me it's not what you play but how good the song is and how well you play it.

There is a reason some of these obscure album tracks were not released as singles, but also if your hart is not in it you will not play it well either. 

We have a thing in my band where if someone dislikes a particular song strongly then we do not do it. What's the point, there are thousands of great songs out there, if you cannot pick songs you all like, then you are in wrong band.