So, in a cover band situation, how do you deal with ...

viz

I find one comes to like almost all songs after one has invested time in learning them, putting one's interpretation on them, feeling an affinity with them through playing them live etc. we did a song by Celo (sp?) that i despised at first but grew fond of.

Handsome_Chris

May I be as bold as to turn this conversation around? @Close2U, what songs are you suggesting?

fretmeister

Those tunes aren't my cuppa but they are not as god awful as you hinted at!

close2u

EricTheWeary said:

 to be more positive - playing a song can be much more enjoyable than listening to it.

Yes - this has happened to me with some I didn't like at first

Womack & Womack - Teardrops

 

 

 

Handsome_Chris said:

May I be as bold as to turn this conversation around? @Close2U, what songs are you suggesting?

Good question ....

 

Here's a few:

The Temptations - Get Ready

Billy Ocean - Red Light Spells Danger

Phil Collins (The Supremes) - You Can't Hurry Love

Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama Out

Daft Punk - Get Lucky

Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

Doobie Brothers - Long Train Running

 

 

johnnyurq

Your list looks more likely to result in dancing punters I have to say. Well not at every venue or function but certainly most.

close2u

delete

koneguitarist

I ask them all for suggestions, but its my decision that counts, they all know it already.

I used to bring in 5-6 every rehearsel for my old band, 2-3 would get through to set. Bassist would bring 1 every two or 3 months, bearing in mind we were doing REM, Tom Petty Eagles so on, he still got upset when I said no to Number of the Beast !!!

So my decision, but they can make suggestions.

koneguitarist

martinw said:

Bands should be a team; debate it, put your opinions forward and then you'll have to reach a consensus. Unless you're a pro of course and you're being paid to play what you're told.

If the consensus offends you, vote with your feet. Otherwise, shut up and do your bit for the team, as long as that goes both ways with the rest of the band.

Communication is the key and it's rarely easy.

No a band should have a leader, who has final say, everyone can have an opinion but someone has to be able to take charge and make sure band is going in a consistent direction. Songs should not be a case of I want to do this one, but look at feel of band and what you are trying to achieve, and pick songs accordingly.

martinw

koneguitarist said:

No a band should have a leader.....

Why 'no'? A team might have a leader, or a band might not feel that a leader is necessary. It varies.

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

EricTheWeary

martinw;137483" said:

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

Oh no they don't! 8-X

octatonic

Usually by using the words "Oh, I didn't realise you were gay".

John_P

For me, it needs to be well known song that fits in and suits the singer - otherwise I think there are plenty of good songs out there so if someone objects I wouldn't force it.   So long as they don't object to everything (that would mean they are in the wrong band).

Some of the song the other guy is suggesting are ok - some don't fit (the 80's ones), I'd prefer your suggestions but I like everyone to enjoy all the songs and a full dancefloor is the best way to enjoy a gig

martinw

EricTheWeary said:

martinw;137483" said:

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

Oh no they don't! 8-X

Lolz.

Handsome_Chris

martinw said:

koneguitarist said:

No a band should have a leader.....

Why 'no'? A team might have a leader, or a band might not feel that a leader is necessary. It varies.

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

Because a band need leadership.

The last "band" I was in the "leader' claimed that he/she was the leader as he/she had business cards printed that said so.  unfortunately there was a lack of leadership skills, which was evident as there was a backlog of arse kicking duties that needed to be carried out.

Bottom line.  Someone has to make the hard decisions and be accountable.  Now they may delegate different tasks to other band mates; however, the leader has to ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction.  It's nice to have a democracy, but someone has to have a deciding vote, if not powers of veto, when things get crappy.

The Leader has to 

1. have the integrity and moral courage to say, you're not putting in enough work, buck up or ship out.
   
2. put their personal interests to one side and think about the good of the band.
   
3. have the self discipline to lead by example.
   
4. mediate and show impartiality when there is a row about piss-arse trivia.

I know this may sound like a bit of a lecture; however, I have been thrust into that position and had to step down when I knew that circumstances were going to interfere with well-being of the band.

koneguitarist

martinw said:

koneguitarist said:

No a band should have a leader.....

Why 'no'? A team might have a leader, or a band might not feel that a leader is necessary. It varies.

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

sorry if it came off a bit badly then, not my intention, but I hate it when bands say we vote on things as we are a team and all equal. The bands that work best are the bands that have leaders, ones where someone dictates what they want.

Classic example is John Hiatt when he did Bring the family, A fantastic album, where he led Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner into producing some of his and their best work. Fans demanded to see them form a band, so they came back as little Village, and it was rubbish, half baked songs where everyone had an equal voice and song input.

John Hiatt said, we would leave our ego`s at the door and work as a team, and then he said worst thing he ever done, as it became complacent, and no one stopped anyone else doing what they wanted to do so it became a free for all.

I ask my band for suggestions all the time, but I make the decisions.

martinw

Well, each to their own, but I don't agree that it *has* to be that way.

I'm not saying no leadership whatsoever, but there's more ways than one to have leadership in a team, depending on context. The old alpha-male stuff doesn't work all the time. None of the bands I've been in in the last 10 years or so has had "a leader", although there was leadership in all of them.

So, cool, if that's the only way that works for you, good luck to you.

Anyway, I think we're off-topic here!

Handsome_Chris

Just to clarify, before I start getting accused of being Ayn Rand, I'm not saying you need an alpha-male, but wether you like it or not, someone will be dad.

Danny1969

All my bands have leaders, democracy tends to slow things down. 

Sambostar

Just buy a tazer. 

Scrape down the rubber to the earth shielding of a few leads, near the end, where they plug in, that includes the mic lead.  Obviously you shouldn't have to worry about the drummer.

When someone starts a song you disagree with, tazer their lead, by the amp.  As they go into spasm, just calmly walk away from their amp innocently with a look of genuine concern on your face.

fretmeister

koneguitarist said:

martinw said:

koneguitarist said:

No a band should have a leader.....

Why 'no'? A team might have a leader, or a band might not feel that a leader is necessary. It varies.

Honestly, I feel some people wander this forum looking for things to disagree with.

sorry if it came off a bit badly then, not my intention, but I hate it when bands say we vote on things as we are a team and all equal. The bands that work best are the bands that have leaders, ones where someone dictates what they want.

Classic example is John Hiatt when he did Bring the family, A fantastic album, where he led Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner into producing some of his and their best work. Fans demanded to see them form a band, so they came back as little Village, and it was rubbish, half baked songs where everyone had an equal voice and song input.

John Hiatt said, we would leave our ego`s at the door and work as a team, and then he said worst thing he ever done, as it became complacent, and no one stopped anyone else doing what they wanted to do so it became a free for all.

I ask my band for suggestions all the time, but I make the decisions.

That's a really good way of ending up being a solo performer.

But if you are the boss and get all the decisions, I presume you are paying the band MU rates?