Do you get to play the music you love live?

lloyd

I play in an originals band so like 99% of us out there doing it we play to friends and other bands generally and for little of no money.

We all write the tunes and I love the tunes we play. I like the writing progress too and I love rehearsing (most of the time) the singers a mate from years ago, the deummers my cousin and the bassist I didn't know beforehand but he's a good mate now, which I think helps.

I could join a covers/function band and make a small return but that's not why I play. I've been in covers bands in the past and really enjoyed it too-the veto system works for playing tunes you want to (I've no problem with playing sex on fire though!).

stickyfiddle

I've been in 2 serious badns in my life. 4 years playing originals and trying to make it, and 18 months playing covers trying to keep the hobby cost-neutral. The second band was, to be honest, way more fun on average. 

Playing your own stuff is great, and it's *really* great when you've got 500+ people watching and everyone's having a good time. But when it's a bad gig it's incredibly bad, because it's not just a rubbish (and/or tiny!) crowd, but it's YOUR music that they are not particularly bothered about. Hassling your friends to come see you for the 5th time that year is just shit.

Conversely, when you crank up the intro to Mr Brightside in a rammed pub at 11pm on a Friday everyone goes nuts, without exception. And that's better than everything except the 500+ people scenario above. I like Sex On Fire, and I'd rather be playing it than watching.

Vetos are good for keeping everyone sane, but I've only ever vetoed anything because it's not going down well, or because we haven't worked out how to do it justice yet, never because I don't like it.

lloyd

Wis for that @stickyfiddle I agree with the above.

I'm not trying to make it though-I just love getting together and playing/writing etc

I never vetoed songs because I didn't like them to be honest-just obscure tunes that the drummer loved for example.

stickyfiddle

lloyd said:

Wis for that @stickyfiddle I agree with the above.

I'm not trying to make it though-I just love getting together and playing/writing etc

I never vetoed songs because I didn't like them to be honest-just obscure tunes that the drummer loved for example.

That's the best use of veto imo - it's all about the flow of the set and keeping the mood in the crowd, whether it's covers or originals. We always used to wrangle with our old drummer over Radar Love by Golden Earring. Noone under 30 knows it, and it just doesn't work with most crowds, but he loved playing it.

Danny1969

Grunfeld said:

Some stoned old hippies sang:
If you can't be with the one you love...
Love the one you're with

Lotta wisdom in that.  That's how playing covers is, for me.  And I'm guessing for a lot of us.
I saw @DrBob 's comment about "Sex on Fire" and I just don't feel that way about it, or any song. 

I've had the normal quota of really shit jobs: Unloading lorries of frozen meat (not great if you're a veg*n); in a factory making armour plating for tanks (not great if you're a pacifist); and pulling on wet motorcycle leathers at 6am because it has been another crappy wet English winter and you've got to ride around London for the next 10 hours trying to earn enough to feed your wife and family, and it's dangerous, and cold, and wet, and horrible.

So when I play "Sex on Fire", (even though I never listen to it), and some 20-something in a pretty dress and heels is doing her pole dancing moves with the singer's mic stand in front of us and the whole place is rammed and having a great time, and the landlord has offered us an extra 25% if we'll just play a few more songs.... well, I fucking love that song!  Or any song that does the job.  And when this happened a fortnight ago and it was "Sex on Fire" and "Johnny B Goode" ... oh gawd, how can you not love those songs?

Love the ones you play.

Ha yeah, been there and done some truly horrible jobs like painting pipes 40 foot up in the air with rubberised paint, been in chemical tanks beating off rust with a needle guns, worked on Smiths Crisp chilli crisp production line looking for crisps with black bits still in em. Worked on building sites in the freezing cold and worked in freezing cold car garages. 

This week I've done 3 gigs and earn £400 from Sex on Fire and Brightside  which isn't a fortune but it's enough and I'll still be in bed tomorrow when the normal people are on their way to work  

GuyBoden

I'm convinced that some players just want to be on stage and be looked at by an audience, the music seems secondary.

stickyfiddle

GuyBoden said:

I'm convinced that some players just want to be on stage and be looked at by an audience, the music seems secondary.

I guess it comes down to whether you think music has to be art, all the time, and always the focal point, or whether it can be the backing for other entertainment (i.e. dancing). I think both have their place and I'm happy to help be the entertainer in scenario 2. God knows that's better than inflicting my dancing on the world...

Danny1969

Sometimes I just enjoy the sport in playing certain songs, there's a lot of hair metal that I wouldn't listen to now for pleasure but I quite enjoy playing it live. Mainly cos of the fast solo's and guitar acrobats that are in it I think. 

viz

I've played in so many completely different bands with so many styles, and I can truly say I've loved every one. Reggae, metal, covers, Queen tribute, Beatles tribute, Wild Wild West show, electronic/dance, it's all been ace to be part of.

lloyd

viz;444846" said:

I've played in so many completely different bands with so many styles, and I can truly say I've loved every one. Reggae, metal, covers, Queen tribute, Beatles tribute, Wild Wild West show, electronic/dance, it's all been ace to be part of.

Wis'd for that, if this band fell apart tomorrow I'd be gutted and would start looking for another group of people to play (any) music with.

I've said it before here but if I wasn't playing music with other people I don't think I'd pick the guitar up as much, which is a shame but that's how I feel about it-i like working out tunes and playing them on my own but without an 'end product' to aim for ie playing with others I kinda lose my enthusiasm for it....

Id have loved to have been around 200 years ago when there wasn't any recordings and to listen to music you had to play or listen to others play-I'd fuck the TV and stereo off in an instant and much prefer to have people sitting round playing music as my entertainment....most of my social group would prefer the modern twist

PolarityMan

stickyfiddle said:

GuyBoden said:

I'm convinced that some players just want to be on stage and be looked at by an audience, the music seems secondary.

I guess it comes down to whether you think music has to be art, all the time, and always the focal point, or whether it can be the backing for other entertainment (i.e. dancing). I think both have their place and I'm happy to help be the entertainer in scenario 2. God knows that's better than inflicting my dancing on the world...

I think that's too strong. It's a focus thing. For example I have to write music I would do it whether I had a band or not but I get alot of reward from having my songs come together from demos into proper real living breathing things. As frustrating as the recording process is I like the final result of hearing my songs recorded in good quality. While I do enjoy playing guitar the enjoyment is secondary for me to the satisfaction of creating something. It's fine that other people have a different focus though. 

Tbh I'd love it if some of the covers guys were to help out the poor cousins in originals bands a bit more though. As you all keep saying you have the ready made audiences. Why not book an originals band as your support? You can probably get them practically for free so I don't think it would eat into the earning aspect that much.