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Years ago I played with a bassist who moonlighted in a cover band on the weekends. We went to his house to practice and noticed he had tablature for all these butt rock songs like Nickelback and whatnot. We smirked at this until he told us how much money he was making playing this shitty music to drunk people in bars. His girlfriend eventually made him quit our band because we weren't pulling in jack.

tonyballzee wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:58 am Years ago I played with a bassist who moonlighted in a cover band on the weekends. We went to his house to practice and noticed he had tablature for all these butt rock songs like Nickelback and whatnot. We smirked at this until he told us how much money he was making playing this shitty music to drunk people in bars. His girlfriend eventually made him quit our band because we weren't pulling in jack.

I'd still smirk at that. Playing shitty music (i.e. music I wouldn't want to play) to drunk people in bars (fucking idiots screaming "Free Bird" early in the AM hours and where the probability for a fight breaking out is high) sounds like a miserable existence, regardless of how much money he was making.

There are many manifestations of a cover band that are total CRAP, but being in one can still be fun as hell as long as it's done on the band's terms (for better or worse, that usually means playing to 20 or fewer people, likely all friends and family of the band).

I have several friends who have done this over the years and I don't really see anything wrong with it, overall. A job is a job. And one that has the opportunity to do something potentially fun in a short space of time with fringe benefits (food and drink, travel, chance to meet people/socialize, etc) shouldn't be immediatley discounted.
That said, the downside is that the attention and energy that could have gone to more serious and personal projects is diverted and, in at least one case I've noticed, one's musical ability, potential and creativity can sometimes stagnate (especially if no room for personal interpretation is allowed what you are covering). IAs people get a bit older and the time they have to dedicate to musical pursuits becomes rarer, both of these negatives become more apparent.

I guess it comes down to how serious of pursuit being in a cover band is for somebody.

Also, there is the phenomenom of the average skilled but utterly unremarkable jobbing professional cover musician - the kind of guy who will answer your add for "bassist wanted" and says he will "session" with you for 50-100 bucks. Total crap.

I have a lot of normie co-workers who only see cover bands. They will drop good money to see a professional classic rock cover band (Beatles, Stones, Zepp, Radiohead, Queen,etc), but have no desire to see or pay to see any new or small bands. I find that disheartening.

Owen wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 10:47 am I have a lot of normie co-workers who only see cover bands. They will drop good money to see a professional classic rock cover band (Beatles, Stones, Zepp, Radiohead, Queen,etc), but have no desire to see or pay to see any new or small bands. I find that disheartening.

My moms argument for this is that the otiginal material is SO bad while the cover-bands play classics. Hence: cover-bands>>> bands who play original material... *SMH*

CRAP obviously and someone should ban cover-bands here in sweden from playing AC/DC and CCR songs because they always fuck them up in a *bad* way (you know, swedish accent vocals trying to sound "gritty", shitty guitartones, lame drumming etc.). I remember when my job hired some coverband and when they played Highway to hell, as soon as the drums kicked in, me and this old "hårdrockare" yelled out "TOO EARLY!" in unison like some fucking assholes. It's true though-they *never* get it right even when they are tight and "professional"...

It's pretty sad when you can't get AC/DC right. As "tribute" bands go, that's probably the lowest commitment among the dinosaurs.

Krev wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 8:52 pm It's pretty sad when you can't get AC/DC right. As "tribute" bands go, that's probably the lowest commitment among the dinosaurs.

I'm no musician, but I've always felt that getting AC/DC right would be deceptively tricky.

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 9:03 pm

Krev wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 8:52 pm It's pretty sad when you can't get AC/DC right. As "tribute" bands go, that's probably the lowest commitment among the dinosaurs.

I'm no musician, but I've always felt that getting AC/DC right would be deceptively tricky.

Some of it is, but a lot of it is just ringing chords and straight 4/4. Most of the stuff the cover bands play is straightforward. It doesn't take require the learning difficulty of something like Led Zeppelin, Rush, etc.

CRAP. Play your own songs fuckstick.

"Oh you can make a lot of money...."

Yeah, there are all sorts of shitty jobs that can make a lot of money.

Krev wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 9:21 pm

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 9:03 pm

Krev wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 8:52 pm It's pretty sad when you can't get AC/DC right. As "tribute" bands go, that's probably the lowest commitment among the dinosaurs.

I'm no musician, but I've always felt that getting AC/DC right would be deceptively tricky.

Some of it is, but a lot of it is just ringing chords and straight 4/4. Most of the stuff the cover bands play is straightforward. It doesn't take require the learning difficulty of something like Led Zeppelin, Rush, etc.

There are a lot of variations in the cover band world. I'm probably stating the obvious, and stupidly (I've had some beer), but anyway. There are:

1) Bands that have a playbook that is so huge that they could play almost anything on request but it's half-assed. Before DJs were widespread (i.e., in the '70s), there were bands that had huge books of sheet music for like 5000 hits and could sight read requests on demand. My Dad's band was like this.

2) Bands that do their own thing, sorta similar to an original band. They do cover songs by other bands but, like 1), have no intention of accurately reproducing the performance and instead try to put their own spin on everything. My band was like this for a while.

3) Bands that try to duplicate as best they can the sound and performance of a band or a group of similar bands.

I'd say that 2) probably requires the least amount of talent. 1) is probably a dying breed. 3) depends on the band(s) being covered.

I don't mean to downplay the instruments, but a number 3) cover band of ANY of the previously mentioned bands, including and particularly AC/DC, has to nail the vocals if they are going to get a following. That shit is hard to sing in a way that is sustainable for like more than a song or two. Obviously, a seasoned musician can tell if a band is half-assing the instruments, but everyone's gonna know if the vocalist is shit.