I know there are lots of performing musicians here who have watched the bottom drop out of the live music scene over the years. Have you considered starting a tribute band?

TRIBUTE BANDS

ANOTHER ARTICLE

CLICK HERE... for an article that actually shows what a lot of professional AND tribute bands earn. Some trib ute bands earn more than some bands that are getting radio play!

I'm scheduled to see one in a couple weeks. Should be interesting ..

It does seem like a niche if you're willing to go that route.

Not gonna happen. "Tribute" is just another word for "copy". I don't care how much they make, how many people follow them, who they are copying.... I view these bands in the same light as I view prostitution. I have been out to see exactly one tribute band in my life and that was a favor to someone who asked me to critique them. I was never so bored in my life. And she hasn't spoken to me since I gave her my honest opinion. You can probably deduce what that opinion was.

STANDARD DISCLAIMER:

This is just MY OPINION so all of you who make your living playing copy music please do not jump on me. I don't need to make money playing music like you do so my perspective is much different. I won't get into the pontificating about writing your own music because I have done that here before to extremely hostile reviews. Everybody who has known me here knows it's writing that gets my motor running, not copying.

I've seen quite a few tribute bands/artists lately. The best was probably the Bootleg Beatles, followed by a Four Seasons tribute act. The Abba clones are always amusing. and I recently saw "Sun Studio Superstars", a tribute to Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee & Carl Perkins, with Roy Orbison thrown in for good measure.
Obviously I'll never get the chance to see the real thing, but I always enjoy the copycats.

I was in a Four Seasons Tribute band for a few years and played the Holiday Camp circuit in the UK with other tributes. The thing I found strange is that most, except a Beatle tribute whose name I forget, only played a handful of their acts songs. We played some Bee Gee, Pink Floyd(?) and Beach Boy songs as well.
The punters like it tho'

+10 to what Eddie 1261 says!

Alyn

many years ago, there was a band which traveled the east coast and perhaps other areas as well playing the larger better club circuit.

I don't recall the name of the band. They always played to packed houses when they came to Jacksonville. SRO, line out the door, and the fire marshal always made a point of checking the club when they were in town.

Anyway, they did a really good series of cover tune/dance music sets..... BUT.... the coup de gras was their last set. This is what everyone came to see. It was a show set. No dancing.....as they roped off the dance floor in front of the stage.

They had several shows since many clubs back then were open, with bands, 6 nights of the week. The shows included KISS, Alice Cooper, and some other acts of the day. Those were the 2 I saw. In the shows, they did the fire eating that KISS did, and they "hung ALICE" at the end and put him in a coffin as the road crew carried the coffin off the floor.

There were 2 other "show bands", both of which, incorporated interesting things in their normal dance music sets throughout the evening. Neither of those did the tribute band thing like that first band I mentioned.

“...all of you who make your living playing copy music please do not jump on me.”


I won't jump on you if you desist in calling me a prostitute.



Interesting articles, Pat. Some people forget that it's called "Show Business", not "Ego Gratification Business".

People are flocking to tribute shows and having fun, musicians are making money - where's the harm?

I believe that all cover bands are tribute acts in a way - they just cover a variety of artists instead of just one. As for "artistic" value, it's relatively easy to play original music. It's quite difficult to cover 100 different artists and do it well.


Regards,

Bob

True in a way. I want to play in a tribute to ME.

Let me know how that works out for ya.

I do agree a lot and yet have to disagree a little.

There is tribute vs. tribute. I never even have the chance to see Buddy Holly or Elvis or [put in the name of your favorite deceased stage person]. I enjoy a tribute show every once in a while and I can detect if there are robots or musicians on stage. Many are robots.

There is cover vs. cover. There are and were many out there that are musicians according to your definition, Eddie. And yet most of them did cover other musicians songs. Not too few covers are better than the original even though these are still and will remain the minority.

Many bands are booked because they do a good job playing covers of the great hits of today and yesterday and yesteryear. The songs, the crowd wants to hear. Yes, a DJ could play the originally published recording after the engineer has done his/her work, but: it is much more fun to dance to a live band. (And very often my critique is: The more I drink, the better they play.) But still, it is more fun to dance to them than to spun records; at least if the singer knows the words to the song.

Guido

that's a fair reply! Unless respect flows in both directions it always ends up leaving someone feeling offended.




there are many different ways to look at the business of performing music. We've had that discussion plenty of times. But I thought it was a good topic from the perspective of some of us. My main takeaway was the fact that making a small change in presentation can make a BIG change in income! Whereas audiences might not be impressed by a local band who plays Eagles songs, they respond differently when the same band plays the same songs while adding the element of role playing the original artists. Its as though the audience accepts the tribute band as the closest thing to hearing the real band (who may be dead or no longer touring)

There are actually tribute franchises! PETTY THEFT is a franchise that has bands in many metro areas. (I assume its a franchise... otherwise I think the same name would have introduced legal challenges long ago)



I have always thought the same thing Bob! Anybody who can play and sing like a bunch of different megastars has some serious talent!

and none of that negates the points Eddie makes. There are just two different musical goals here, and each one requires a different path and has different rewards.

My counterpoint to the discussion is that I (me personally, regardless of other people's opportunities and talents) see no point in writing original songs. To me it's the functional equivalent of building sand castles at low tide. At the end of the day, I have nothing that I know how to market. With literally millions of people posting original songs online, and nobody willing to pay for music anymore... it makes more sense to me to spend my time crafting backing tracks that can be used for live performances. I know that I can make money that way.

Its possible to make money the other way too.. but I already know how to market a cover act. I'm too old to start learning how to go the other route.

Pat, have you ever sat around a table at a restaurant or a bar and told stories? Or met with your closest friends and shared a sad breakup, or a happy victory?

That's what songs are. Songs are stories set to music. Every song I have ever written tells a story of some event in my life. I really don't care about what sells. I have enough money. I want to make enough on this CD that is in progress to break even. The joy of songwriting is to share your story with people, just like when you sat around that table. I would rather tell MY stories than those of some other songwriter. I can't tell "Bob's" story with the proper amount of emotion. I can tell MY story that way though.

If I see ONE MORE hack girl singer over emoting on "At Last".....

Tell me YOUR story and you will have my interest.

I will never say or even infer that it does not take talent to play covers. I know better. I have played covers too like everybody else. What I DO say is this. I believe that if you sat a chimp at a piano in a locked room, and played Chopsticks over and over and over and over ad infinitum, eventually that chimp would learn to play Chopsticks.(Or as that song is called in China, Silverware). It's all repetition. My point is that it takes a different, deeper talent to be able to write your own stuff. You have to be more musically and lyrically literate to create than to mimic. As we all can say, I know some outstanding players who play in copy bands.

Once again I make the disclaimer, FOR MY TASTE, IN MY OPINION, WHAT I PREFER, NOT TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO..... I prefer to go to songwriter nights and hear what people are composing, not someone regaling me with his best impersonation of someone else. I went to one about 10 weeks ago on invitation of the guy running it. He told me it was a songwriter night. It was an open mic night. I stayed for 8 of the 15 minute acts. 6 of them did Turn The Page (Yes, SIX!), with one acoustic guitar, no sax (You can't do that song without the sax), and only one of the 6 could sing AT ALL. The other 2 acts played 3 original songs. Guess which ones got my applause?

Everybody is free to do what they choose to do. I am free to see who I choose to see. That works out well.

eddie,

in spite of how I'm probably coming across... I do see that point, and I agree with it. Intrinsically I see GREAT value in anything created and shared. Everything you've said resonates with me. I even LIKE doing that sort of creative self-revelation.

The path splits for some of us at the intersection of Money St. and Creativity Ave.

If I could have it all, I would want to be that artist who makes a lot of money writing and performing his own music. It does work out that way for some people. But I'm not that guy.

I'm too lazy to make the sacrifices and too introverted to run that people gauntlet... so that leaves me with the alternate choice writing my own music for my own satisfaction... and maybe if I'm lucky, for the enjoyment of a few close friends who are willing to listen... or to supplement my retirement income with cover music and have some fun in the process.

Which is better, chocolate or vanilla? Everybody gets to decide on topics of taste. I see value in both directions, but for myself I only see attainability in one of them. I don't look down on people who see it differently. In fact I respect their ability to go where I cannot.

Big world. Lots of paths. Not enough time to take them all. Pick one and walk wholeheartedly. <--me

Cannot?

I am sorry but I am not familiar with that word.

Cannot?

You CAN do anything you want if you want to do it bad enough.

Here are three of my favorite sayings. I read these every day.

Extraordinary people are ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination.

You can either throw in the towel or use it to wipe the sweat from your face.

Motivation gets things started. Dedication gets things finished.

You CAN. Never say you cannot.

PS I bet I am lazier than you are! LOL!!!

Yes it does and I took Money St.! I played in a wedding band for years. We played covers from country to jazz standards to 50s and 60s rock, not to mention some ethnic music that we had to learn.

But interesting enough when I retired from playing weekend warrior gigs and started to really use BiaB Money St. turned into Creativity Ave.! I could care less what people think about my music (but I do hope some like it) and I know I'm not going to make any money at it but after playing what everyone else wants for years I am going to play what I want. Period!

I should probably have qualified the word a little better. I meant it in the relative sense, not the absolute sense.
In other words, there are many things we COULD do.. I could have been a rocket scientist; but because of other choices, from where I am today, I cannot perform the job of a rocket scientist.

I agree with your rebuttal though.

I have a love for both, creativity, and tributation. Hey is that a new word? Hmmm. Anyway. I love doing covers, and lots of people love hearing them. I find that the line to hear original music performed by no named artist is small and hard to find. I have been to shows at clubs or dinner places, and watched a small group, single artist play covers, and the crowd listened, but then they toss out an original to the crowd, and no one seems to care a bit.

I also do an original tune on occasions, at home to whet creativity, or for someone special. I enjoy it, but must say that i find most of my writing kinda wordy, and not super clever.

I guess i am a music lover, and love original works, open mikes, singer song writers, tributes, covers and the like. Music done well is great. In the defense of cover artist, i believe that people go out to hear memories of time past, and old songs from favored artist of our youth, or times we look back on fondly, these touch our hearts in special ways.

I have seen the joy in people eyes when you start a song that "takes them back". One that reminds them of something very special in their lives. I have also seen the joy in the eyes of folks when you sing a song especially for them. I remember a song i did for my parents, one i shared here for y'all. When my father heard that i saw tears in his eyes, and that meant more than i could explain. He is gone now, and i can't bring myself to perform that tune anymore, but it is still special to me.

In conclusion, i think both sides have a very special place in our lives, and neither should be diminished.

As most of you know (well maybe you do), I only do originals. But I have nothing against covers -- I do not perform out and I couldn't perform covers as well as the originals anyway.

Having said all that, Linda Ronstadt was a cover artist, Van Morison did a lot of covers, the stones and beatles did covers; most classical musicians do "covers", most jazz musicians do covers (standards), and the list goes on and on...

If you want to make side money being in a commercial band, you have to probably play a lot of cover tunes -- it is just the way it is.

You know, it has been almost a year since I have done a street jelly thing. I need to get a set together again!

Well said Rob! All of it, even the stuff I snipped. I kept a partial quote because I want to expand on it.

I probably told this story before, but my son plays bass. He was sitting in with a pretty good jazz group, and the club was almost completely populated by baby boomers. They were very appreciative of the jazz, but nobody danced. We had heard this was a "listening room" club, and that seemed to be the case. But at some point in the evening the band played an old Motown cover and people POURED out onto the dance floor! The entire mood of the club changed!

That night turned on a light in my mind. It was exactly as you say above, Rob... the audience responds with applause and money if you make it about THEM and their memories. They'll show up and nod approvingly if you can play impressive jazz songs or originals... but turn into a time machine that takes them back to age 18, and you instantly make a room full of friends!

B I N G O! Could not have said it any better.

Later,

I will add a small story to yours. A few months back a friend moved away, she was a singer, and guitar player, who had played in a few small time bands, and a bunch of her friends decided to throw a moving away party for her. About 75 to 80 showed up, and in that crowd was some 25 or so that were also musicians of sorts. Most had played live at some point in time.

Well the venue was basically a back yard gathering with food and drink, and a band stand where different musicians could rotate in and out during the afternoon and evening. There were singer/song writer types, jazzy types, old country and rock types. Young folks that played the violin and such. Most tunes, songs and offerings got happy and very polite applause. When i was ask if i wanted to play a tune or two for the crowd, i went up and did three songs, with a band consisting of a drummer, a lead guitarist, and a bass player, myself playing guitar, and lead vocals. The first was an old Eagles stand by "peaceful easy feeling, got warm, but subdued applause, but when i turned to the guys and said you guys remember the old Johnny River's tune "Secret Agent man" which they did. When that signature opening lick hit the speakers, the crowd jumped to their feet and the house was rocking.

Sure that is an old dog, and a typical house band type offering, but some of the crowd now in their late 50s and 60s were transformed back in time to being 19 and having a cool old rumbly mustang, with their first crush riding shotgun in the passengers seat. They were heading to the tastee freeze for a hot dog and some memories.

I think you're onto something there Rob...
(don't waste that insight... use the force, Luke...)

Rob,

Nice to see you, first of all! There is the matter of perspective, with that perspective being pulled from The Tubes. "What Do You Want From Life"? People need to be happy. If playing in a band that does cover music to evoke that response from the crowd is what makes you happy, god bless you and work to be the best cover band you can be. I just got to where if I have to play music I don't like, I'd rather not play. How would it look for a band to be on stage with 4 people smiling and one looking like his appendix just burst because he hates having to play Margaritaville and that stupid Cheeseburger song AGAIN because one drunk at the bar wants to hear it?

If I can't write well enough to make people enjoy my songs, then I need to keep working on my writing until I can. I am not going to play "lowest common denominator" music ever again.

Remember, standard disclaimers apply. This is just what I think and how I feel. I have "that list" on paper in my studio of songs I refuse to play. Ever. That list contains about 75% of every band in town's set list. I went to rehearse with a band about 6 weeks ago. The sound wasn't god awful, but looking down the list...... nope. Their song list literally looked like they went out one weekend and heard 10 bands play and whatever was common to all 10, they put on their list. If I was forced to play covers, they would be THE most difficult material I could find, all DEEPLY based in harmony singing. So right off the bat, I need at least 4 people who can sing. With the general lazy attitude of most of the local players here, nobody sings anymore. I can't tell you the last copy band I saw where anybody but the front guy sang. Usually 2 of the other people have mics, but they are for show. We all remember The Tubes, right? Think about their songs Don't Want To Wait Anymore and Love's A Mystery. If you don't remember them, look them up on youtube. THAT is how singing is supposed to sound, and if I am building a band, that's how the singing will be.

Notice that I am not in a band..... LOL!!!

Good to see you as well old bud, I certainly get your point. I just think it is so objective. I certainly do not think that what ever creativity one chooses is not lowest denomination.

I sure have heard "original" music that is really bad. Some so poorly written, and or recorded that it was painful.

You said something very powerful, "I would rather tell MY stories than those of some other songwriter. I can't tell "Bob's" story with the proper amount of emotion. I can tell MY story that way though." Others many times can't relate to our thoughts, nor we theirs. Original, and very personal songs unless they really involve the listener have rather small audience potential.

Eddy,
one of the recurring themes in this whole discussion is the disconnect between the ideal and what we're capable of.

When you get to the point where you realize your beer-grade talent doesn't line up with your champagne grade expectations... what are the options? There are basically three:

1) lower your expectations to achievable levels
2) dramatically ramp up your ability to meet your expectations
3) drop out of the game without changing your expectations
("everything that's possible is beneath me, so I just won't play at all")

each of those 3 possibilities work in a way, and I know people who are happy with life after choosing each of the possibilities. But there are also good and bad levels within each of those choices.

For example, I DON'T hate cover songs! I like them, and I have a total blast playing them! So for me, door number 1 not only meets my needs, it keeps me engaged at the level I am capable of performing at

Option two is the ideal obviously... but only if the person is not deluded. You can waste a lot of time trying to achieve something that is outside the realm of your ability.

Option 3 carries a different brand of self delusion. It frees the person from challenging himself in any direction, and it gives the smugness of a high standard without the requirement of actually having to live up to it.

In my experience MOST of the people who argue in favor of the high standard are disengaged. They aren't pursuing the high standard, they're just criticizing those who pursue happiness at a lower standard.

MY goal is to accurately gauge my ability, then perform the heck out of it. To actualize the theoretical best case, wherever it may fall. Otherwise, we end up giving up EVERY dream just because it isn't the HIGHEST dream.

As far as I can tell, that's the healthiest route to take after you realize you aren't going to be everything you hoped. Cop out? maybe, in terms of ideals. But in terms of using your time on the planet constructively, its the ONLY way to stay engaged at the highest challenge level you're capable of sustaining.


all that was what works for me, I fully understand everyone is driven by different demons. I only say it to point out that people who go a different path aren't losers... they're achievers at the level that is possible for them

At least that's how I see it.

Good assessment Pat. I learned some time back that I just don't have it. That 3rd scenario is probably why I don't play anymore. I really have a vision to do it "my" way and I just can't give up to my own dreams.

RIGHT NOW.

I will keep writing and at some point maybe I will be good enough at it to be what I dream of.

Maybe even while living in the nice weather of North Carolina!!! LOL!!

Pat, I think that you have hit on something. I am 57 years old, and have played guitar since I was 14. You do the math, that is 43 years. What is the chance I will become a great guitarist? Really? I work 40 hours a week, I have 4 children, 5 grandchildren, a wife. I have social and religious activities I am deeply involved in. Music is a wonderful mental vacation from these other goals/responsibilities/endeavors.

I want to be good, or at least pleased by my music. So am I going to be the next Bob Dylan? Not likely!

But I can on most days rock a good party with some great old fashioned rock and roll, or get my truck, dog, girl back with a cheesy country tune. But it what I am capable of. All in all I am pretty good at it.

That is not to say someone in their later decades can't become something special in a life long dream. It is possible. Just not very likely to happen often.

Eddie, you're a guy who is talented and who has the time and I can see you ramping up to a level that meets your high expectations. I hope I'm living close enough when it happens to shake your hand!

I'll need crew......

i consider symphonies playing works by the accepted classical masters to be cover bands

every song now being covered was once an original never before heard song every artist\band now being covered an unknown artist\band

there's room for us all
how about creative covers

Absolutely!!
Most of my gigging guitar work is "creative covers" of original works by bands/singers/composers using BB2015 to create unique arrangements of them.
Problem is - I can show none of them on our Showcase as the copyright in the melody still exists.
But it is a great Adventure, nonetheless.
Ian

Ditto Ian.

Later,

How about butchered covers - do they count?

Butchered covers sounds like a great name for a one man band!

When you butcher a cover is there bacon?

I was curious about parodies. My son, Don Junior, does a fabulous John Fogarty (CCR). What is your position on parodies?

"Weird" Al Yankovic has had a successful career with parodies. I've read some artists are so flattered that they've even allowed use of the original backing tracks. I think a person has to have great skill and insight to create a great parody.

How did any of us learn to play in the first place?
I am pretty sure not one of us learned the scales, the theory, and then sat down and wrote a song of their own.

I know I played music written and performed by others, you have to to really get to learn how to play in the first place, even if you do the other stuff of scales and theory as well.
If you can then have the talent to write new stuff, by all means do so. However if wanting to make something out of that you have to write music and lyrics that people want to listen to. You might just be telling your story, your life, but if you do it in a boring fashion, then no one will want to listen. Might be better to invent a story if you need to, then put a bit of passion into it and make it lively and interesting, get the audiences attention.
Another approach which works well for some, is write stuff with a comedy punch line to each verse, or in general just make the story a funny one. Though that takes both musical and comic talent.

To get back to tribute bands, a friend of mine has a Journey tribute band. He's the lead singer and he nails Steve Perry. I mean really nails it, incredible range in his voice. People go nuts over Journey. He only gets about a dozen full tribute band gigs a year but those few are booked for around 2-5 grand or so. Otherwise he works in local restaurants as a single with everything sequenced in his Roland G70. He's also a very schooled player, he plays keys, guitar and trumpet and quite well. My avatar pic is taken from a casino gig with him two years ago. I'm actually smiling for a change so I cropped him out, I usually look like Schroeder at the piano...

I saw him a few months ago at a very high end place in the marina in Long Beach. I arrived during his second set. Near the end of the set he started his Journey stuff and it was amazing, the small dance floor was absolutely packed, all the women were waving their arms in the air just like what you see at a Journey concert. This is your typical wealthy upper middle aged yacht club crowd. He closed that set with two of their tunes and then opened the third set with another one. His gig isn't strictly a Journey tribute but he told me he'll do 8-10 of their tunes a night but he has all of them in his keyboard.

He's a really good entertainer who does a variety of stuff. Right in the middle of a pop set with some MJ or Eagles he'll decide to throw in a killer version of In The Mood and he'll go onto the dance floor and play trumpet. They love it.

Bob

The genius behind Don Jr's parodies is the "Twisted Tunes" creator, Seattle DJ, Bob Rivers. In my humble opinion, Bob's parodies are absolutely the best I've ever heard.

Jr does Fogarty so convincingly that he was selected from hundreds to replace Fogarty in Credence Clearwater Revisited Tribute Tour until Fogarty sued the other original CCR band members so the tour was stillborn.

Here are a few of my favorites including one that I suggested to Bob Rivers. I think you'll agree, Don owns John Fogarty.

http://www.bobrivers.com/#v8649
Burned On The BBQ (Born On The Bayou)

http://www.bobrivers.com/#v8710
Read It In The Tabloids (Heard It Through The Grapevine)

http://www.bobrivers.com/#v8470
Bathroom On The Right (Bad Moon On The Rize)

Or the ones that I may have even broken over the years? LOL

Later,

Great stuff here Donald!

Later,

Danny,

There is an interesting story about Bob Rivers driving to Canada to pick up a Yamaha keyboard to get an authentic sound on a backing track so he borrowed a Mini Van from a weed-smoking friend.

Upon crossing the border and heading to Vancouver, BC, the K-9 unit was alerted by residual odors in the van so Bob was detained for several hours while a thorough inspection ensued, including removal of the headliner, door panels, spare tire, etc.

Moral: Know the habits of your friends before borrowing their vehicle to cross into Canada. The dogs had a frustrated look on their faces, determined that they had been had.

Btw, the RCMP is not required to return a suspect vehicle to it's original condition.

I can vouch for that .. we had to put our stuff back together once.

A few of us were very upset as we had the discussion beforehand. Nobody was suppose to take anything with them.
Going to London Ont. for a Maynard Ferguson concert back when I was still in high school.

We got pulled over (from dogs), got sent to 'Inspection', and had everything in the driver's glove compartment, trunk, back seat, etc all thrown out for examination.
Then they said we could go now. I remember looking at all the crap strewn about the general area and thinking 'well this was kinda rude'.

Five miles down the 402 I realized just how lucky we were to have been let go.

I had a similar experience in Florida around 1972. Some musician buddies and I were traveling from Pa to Fla to meet some friends, and our old Dodge van broke down. In those pre-Southern rock days you didn't see a lot of long hair in florida, so we definitely looked like we weren't "from around heah"

Tow truck took us to a garage in a little town named Monticello, which was closed for the weekend (the garage, not the town). My two buddies hitch hiked back to Tallahassee to see the sights, but I stayed behind to sleep in the van.

Local sheriff woke me up and ordered me out of the van, after which he threw everything out into the parking lot expecting to find drugs. He didn't. The other thing he didn't was put my stuff back in the van.

Pat, this is getting far afield from music but you reminded me of my Army time in Fort Hood, Texas. The State put Vehicle Safety Inspections in the hands of selected, local Service Stations (aka Gas Stations). Since annual renewal of one's license tags required passing said inspection, it became a license to steal on the part of less scrumptious gas stations. One would dare not send the wife in to have the Safety Inspection because they would condemn the tires; wipers; exhaust system; master cylinder; front end alignment; and anything else they could get away with.

It was every fraud depicted in the movies tenfold. Hopefully, they've changed that since.

For me I can enjoy a cover band or someones cover of someone else s song or an original band. If the music is sonically good; that's good enough for me. Cover bands capture time in a bottle. I just love music. I know songwriting is like everything else; everyone could do it if they wanted to; but some folks prefer singing and performing to writing, and vice verso, just as some have instrument preferences. I do not know what the number of artists is; but I would think that most professional artists do a cover tune at some point in their career. 2 of the greats of all time that come to mind are Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra; they both made careers out of covers. In both of their cases they were able to make the cover their own, now folks can cover their version or the original performers version. I.E Elvis' Blue Suede Shoes some like his version others like Perkins version. Even the Beatles who were amazing songwriters on their own did cover songs. I say if you can make a living as a cover band or doing covers and you enjoy it; and the people that pay to see you leave happy; keep on plugin'! I love Elvis' Without a song speech, notice he did not say without an original song a man ain't got a friend.

@Don Gaynor
That was one of the original premises of the Andy Griffith show.. I'm sure that sort of thing still exists. Hopefully , regulations from higher than local levels make it a "little bit" harder to happen. But everybody you talk to has a similar story, it seems.

@PGFantastic
Well stated, and very open-minded!

Just so.
If anyone in UK has seen/heard "Talon", an Eagles tribute band, they would agree with that. Physically none of them look like ANY of The Eagles, but MUSICALLY - Awesome!!
And I remember a YouTube vid of Some Californian musicians who set out to record/video the whole of Side 2 of The Beatles Abbey Road" in one Take. Totally superb piece and a true "Tribute".
Ian

I'm 62 and have made my living playing cover music and originals my entire adult life. I have nothing against cover music or tribute bands. If you have the talent and ability to entertain people great.

I'm doing well as a solo artist but have actually talked to friends about a possible tribute band. I think it would be fun but there is a downside. If your tribute is not dead on you won't make much money. Even if it is you will need to travel if it's to be lucrative.

As for as original songs yes they can be stories about your life but remember it's what the listener takes from it that matters. Nobody really cares about your personal life so if you are writing for therapy try to remember first and foremost you need to connect with an audience if you hope to be successful. If that doesn't matter to you that's your choice but if we are hoping for success?

Personally I love the raspberries but I don't really care if Eric Carmen and his girlfriend ever went all the way.

WSS

Hah hahahaha! Good point Steve!

and thanks for weighing in on the discussion. There are many different points of view, and all of them are valid, but they don't all yield the same end result. Each person needs to understand where he wants to end up before he charts his course. Your perspective did a good job of making that point, I think.

You are clearly a guy who has sufficient understanding of the topic to have made your whole living by playing music. To me, that says it all.

That's the key, Steve. Connecting. Writing about something in your life that has happened to everybody. Everybody has someone in their life that was "the one that got away". That is track 3 on my upcoming CD, "The One That Got Away". Everybody has had someone in their life that they wanted so badly but the feeling wasn't mutual. You know who that person is in MY life, and it ended up that I was wasting my time pursuing her. That is "Wasting My Time", track 10 on my upcoming CD.Many people have been through something life changing, making them understand that the old chestnut about not being guaranteed a tomorrow is really true. That is "Second Chance", track 4 on my upcoming CD. Many people, having lost that special person, wonder what they might do different if they had the chance to do it all again. That is "Do It All Again", track 8 on my upcoming CD.

By now you know that rambling was making a point that if you write songs about things that are common to almost everybody, they will connect. You are a good songwriter, and I LOVED playing your songs! Your lyrics on those songs DO connect with the crowd. And that's why I loved playing them. I used to get teary eyed as I sang the lyrics to "All The Fools" in my head while we played it. That is a beautiful, relatable story in that lyric. That is what "connecting" is about. Everybody in that room lost somebody at some point in their life. And IMHO, that is what songwriting is about, just like you said, connecting to the listeners.

I do NOT put down cover players, though a lot of people think I do. It just isn't what I want to do, so I don't do it. Maybe I would if I had to perform for a living as my sole source of income, but I would really hate that, and I don't want to hate my job. I am also uncomfortable being around people who can't control their alcohol intake, given my past, (That would be "Many Years Ago", a song about when I quit drinking. Track 9 on my upcoming CD.) so I avoid bars, and the drunken people in them, and don't want to play in bars. Also why I rarely even GO to bars. I got tired of explaining why I drink cranberry and soda a long time ago. People look at me like I am from another planet when I don't order the $9 martini or the $6 craft beer. I just don't drink. Period. Just like I prefer to not play copy music.

As a wise Irish guy told me not long ago over on The Book Of Face, the show must go on.

I was more shocked, back in those early 70s when that song came out, that he was even interested in girls....

speaking of tribute bands...

I'm auditioning for the John Lennon role in a Raleigh NC based Beatles tribute band. I'm recording my practice singing in order to zero in on John's pronunciation and accent... plus the tricks they did in those days to avoid hard consonant pops into the mic.

I can sing in John's range, but my voice is not a dead ringer for his. In tribute bands, that is considered a good thing if the vocals really sound like the original.

Is anybody aware of a hardware vocal modeler? Something that changes the characteristics of a voice to sound like specific singers? The sound of a voice is determined by all sorts of physical attributes... nasal cavity, length of vocal chords, shape of the mouth, size of the tongue, etc etc etc. You can imitate inflections and change EQ all day long, but if your physical characteristics aren't pretty close to the person being emulated, you won't sound the same.

The only device I'm aware of is the TC Helicon voiceworks PLUS... but it doesn't claim to be a true voice modeling engine. Is anybody aware of one?

Pat,

What you are trying to do is actually an impersonation. Best way I know is to sing along with a ton of Lennon vocals, and mimic his voice. I'm not aware of any machine that can do that for you.

Lennon was a very nasal singer, most of his sound coming out of that great hooter.


Also, you could pick up one of these:


http://www.rickenbacker.com/model.asp?model=325C64


Good luck on the audition.


Regards,

Bob

Bob...
thanks for your astute observations. I guess there is no quick way to get what I need. Practice practice.

And I've never "had to" go buy a cool guitar before... so if I get the gig, it will be fun finding a Rickenbacker... but I won't be able to afford the model John played... on eBay the go for $4,000 to $6,000... and that ain't gonna happen!

I've found look-alike 300s (except 2 pups instead of 3) for a fraction of the price
But, for a cheap imitation of the man, a cheap imitation of the guitar is in order...

John also played a epiphone casino at times, and they can be purchased for a reasonable price at musician's friend. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-limited-edition-casino-hollowbody-electric-guitar#productDetail read the info here

@Pat, if you can do a reasonable faximile of Lennon, I my be able to get you airplay in the affluent (not effluent) Seattle market. Bob Rivers just retired but I still hear from him and Joe Bryant has inherited the microphone. I hear from Joe several times per week.

Obviously, no guarantees but Joe will very likely listen.

Thanks Don... I've got a ways to go before I can pass as John Lennon

Thanks Rob! That's good to know. Hey, I might need BOTH! Wouldn't that be a shame??

Pat,

Might want to brush up on your harmonica playing too!

Pat

You draw.

How about a Pat avatar in John's drawing style?!?!

Ain't that a shame ... so now your fats domino??? hmmm need a piano as well

Hit me with your best shot Pat Avatar?

WSS

I love a great tribute band when the music and the vocals are spot on dead ringers for the original.

Back in the 80's, before the musical Jersey Boys, there was a band that did the Four Seasons so perfectly it was standing room only every time they came to Nashville.

I'd love to hear Horst (who posts on the US) thoughts, he played John in a tribute band called Revolver.

Josie

Josie, I bet he was a ......... son of a gun!!!

in the spirit of Groucho Marx,
I'm not sure I'd want to be in a tribute band that would accept me as John Lennon...

;-)