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Location: Chicago | Are (competent) copy bands legit or pathetic? Beyond taking the money of sentimental middle-agers, does the copy band idea have merit, in your opinion?
I have only seen one: a dead-on "Van Halen" some years ago; It convinced me that I need to get on with my life. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | It's an evolutionary dead end. Though apparently popular with the metal heads, so I guess if you like metal, it's a good thing.
Interestingly, some bands, like the Beach Boys, have become, self tribute bands. And I actually enjoy them. So I guess it all depends on whose in the band and if you like the music. |
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Location: Chicago | Yeah, sort of "Theater for the Developmentally Arrested"? :) |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | IMO, most 'copy' and even 'self tribute' bands seem to 'just miss the mark'.
Now a good 'cover' band for dancing is a different matter to me. There was a terrific 'cover' band in Idaho in the late '70s/early '80s that would always pack the house. You name it, they could play it! I can't recall the name. The lead singer was short and stout with black hair. Mark?
For oldie listening, I normally go to the originals... |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I'd rather buy the record. |
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Location: SoCal | Question, are you talking about bands that play covers of tunes or bands that just try to pretend they are the band who's tunes they are playing?
There's a Beatles copy group out here that actually dress the parts, covering the different phases of the Beatles.
Or are you talking about people like me that do covers of different tunes It would be too hard for me to dress like Jimmy Buffett, Glen Campbell, Steve Goodman, etc all in one night...... |
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Location: Chicago | I mean bands that wear wigs, get the original spandex from the old boys and put on theater of 35 years ago, note for note. It's kind of like a good wax museum: you are almost there, but only NOT. |
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Location: NJ | I believe he' referring to the former, and the proper term would more be along the lines of "Tribute Bands".
Unfortunately, Jersey's FULL of 'em (and even get booked into some pretty major venues) . . . |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | <>
They may have real talent... but, are using it for evil. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I think the vast majority of tribute bands are just fans that have marginally enough talent to sound vaguely similar to the original. What they lack is any creativity of their own. I wouldn't waste my money on it.
But there are a few exceptions. I think the "Music Of Led Zep" philharmonic tour with Randy Jackson was awesome. Jackson (of Zebra) sounded more like Plant than Plant himself ever did. It was extremely well done.
Another exception is "Close To The Edge" which is a YES tribute band in Canada. The damn singer (Benoit David) was so good that when the real YES went on tour this fall and Jon Anderson was ill, they asked David to fill in and he pulled it off incredibly well. Weather you like that music or not, imagine it from his perspective - he''s fixing boats by day and doing a YES tribute gig at night and all of a sudden the real band taps him on the shoulder to join them? That's got to be every cheesy tribute band members wet dream.
Toby |
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| You guys are confusing art with the music business. If it sells tickets, that's all that counts.
You're searching for some kind of moral right or wrong in all this? Knock yourselves out. |
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Location: Tennessee | The bands doing it are legit. It's the people going to see them that are pathetic. |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | I was shocked to see Losov's post...
You guys are confusing art with the music business. If it sells tickets, that's all that counts. You're searching for some kind of moral right or wrong in all this? Knock yourselves out. I would've thought that combing the word "moral" with the term "music business" in the same post would have crashed the server.
Curious... |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | If it puts cheeks in seats and sells beer it's legit.
RAIN may be the band referred to above. Saw them once, they were great for the audience but I found it quite boring....and I really, really wanted to like it. They had the look and the sound but that 'certain something' wasn't flowing off the stage at you.
'Course, I may have been distracted because the band I did sound for was closing the night as the concert turned into a dance party, which is what Reunion was/is all about.
There are tons of Jimmy Buffet Tribute acts (solo & band) as an example. Large following all over, links to Jimmys website, and they sell a TON of umbrella drinks! Totally legit. |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | It can be argued that anyone (including myself) who plays covers is a "copy band" to some extent. I don't happen to confine myself to covering one artist, but if people like it, I don't see a big difference.
I saw a pretty good Rush tribute band a few years back. They sounded good and the place was packed with people who seemed to be having a blast. |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | Originally posted by John B:
It can be argued that anyone (including myself) who plays covers is a "copy band" to some extent. It can be argued, but not very convincingly. I mean, even the Beatles did covers, but it would be very difficult to convince me that they were a copy band. Most artists who do covers (including myself) try to put their own spin on the song. Copy or tribute bands, on thee other hand, try to look, act, sound and exclusivly play the music of one band. There's a huge difference (artistic not moral) with very different goals in mind. When I do a cover, I'm honoring the song and, in most cases, emphatically not trying to emulate the original artist, even though I may be a huge fan. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Tribute Bands are the Female Impersonators of the rock&roll world.
- but, stranger |
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Location: PDX | There's a really good "in the style of" band in Chicago that evokes the Mahavishnu Orchestra from the 70's, but i forget their name ... Guitars of something or other? :)
_____
gh1 |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | originally posted by Jeff W.:
Tribute Bands are the Female Impersonators of the rock&roll world. - but, stranger And equally unsatisfying. |
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Location: NJ | it is more interesting to me to interpret a tune and make it my own than to cover it note for note like the record.
but hey if you are getting gigs why not?
I have a friend who was in the best local wedding band they were booked 3 years in advance and were commanding minimum 5K for 3 hours. (this is all prior to 9/11)
I used to laugh about it but then when I heard them I realized that these guys were really good and performed the tunes perfectly and if that is what you want at a wedding they were the band to hire. i have nothing but the utmost respect for musicians who copy these tunes as exact as they can |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Okay, Let's put this in perspective...
At some point in my life I remember hearing about three different KISS tribute bands traveling around the Maryland/Va/DC area at the same time. With Make-Up, I'm guessing...
Although I have never been to any of these shows, I know that there are Pink Floyd and Yes tribute bands that are mostly comprised of their music and a light show... (zmoke 'em if ya' got 'em :cool: ). That is acceptable.
So long as you understand that you are doing a show, and don't get too weird.
[I also remember a coupla "Ziggy Stardust" David Bowie tribute bands in the 70's] |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I'm with Al on this.
A Tribute band is no easy feat. A cover band is hard enough. I prefer to interpret my way.
It really depends on the musician and what they want to do. There were clubs when I played in Hawaii that had "cover" bands. If you didn't sound like record, don't bother getting booked. If you wanted the $'s and wanted to play in the club, you played what they paid you to play. Some clubs were better than others and you could sneak in some original material or even your own interpretation of a tune. Others, you better wound like the hit on the radio. Period.
Around here at the Casinos, "Tribute" acts are VERY popular. They draw huge crowds and it's a "nostalgia" night. Everyone has a good time and the bands some of the best paid, they are actually touring as an act.
Cover bands can be fun. I know two that are outstanding. If you are ever in Ohio, and into Rock, check out http://www.reaganomics.com/ . They do covers, but with a twist. It's like each song is performed how the original band might have or actually had performed it live. So rather than hearing a live version of the album, you're hearing a performance of each tune. One of the members has been known to lurk here :)
Another from a completely different genre is The Hubcaps. Again, they take it seriously and they'be been going it for many years and played some very prestigious gigs. http://www.thehubcaps.com/
I have heard of tributes of Beatles, Kiss, AC/DC, Eagles and many Country artists I recognize the names when I see them, but have no interest in Country so they don't register. They all are huge draws...
If you are lucky enough for music to pay your bills, you play what the person signing the check tells you too, or you work elsewhere, like any other job. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm still stunned thinking about Iffy being in Idaho in the late 70s and early 80s and the possibility we could have bumped into each other. We did actually go out to some of the clubs back then, before kids, but I can't think of a single band we saw back then.
I don't mind covers, even if someone tries to do it note for note. In fact, if I like the song, I tend to resent it if they don't do it as well as the original. I don't like the Elvis impersonator types, because they are just too weird. I was never a big fan of Elvis, so I wouldn't go across the street to see an impersonator. Beatles impersonators are the second creepiest that I can think of. |
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| Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
I prefer to interpret my way.
And there ya go. I knew of a guy who was a good guitarist, good singer. But when he did a James Taylor song, he sounded EXACTLY like James Taylor. When he did a Tracy Chapman song, he sounded EXACTLY like her. Boring, boring, boring.
I do lots of songs by other artists, but none I'd call covers. Maybe Lennon/McCartney wrote it, maybe Harry Chapin worte it, but when I do it, it's MINE. |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Originally posted by Losov:
I do lots of songs by other artists, but none I'd call covers. Maybe Lennon/McCartney wrote it, maybe Harry Chapin worte it, but when I do it, it's MINE. McCartney's lawyers might disagree....; ) |
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Copy Bands: Legit or Pathetic?
