Originally Posted By: Lawrie


Now, I think Eddie would fully understand points 1 and 2 but I'm not sure he would agree with point 3. Unless I've completely misunderstood what he's been writing, I think he would consider the 3rd a "sell out" a) because I would be pandering to the crowd instead of my own preferences. and b) because I have played things I didn't like (even though it was because my word is important to me)


Your example 3 just makes you a pro who honors commitments and is true to his word.

My point, as it would apply to me, would be after years of spewing my disdain for playing Mustang Sally, Moondance, anything my Skynard, and several others on my list, I join a band that plays those songs. I honestly, and I mean this 100%, will refrain from playing music ever again if I was told I had to play those songs on my "Never Again" list. I will go to this extreme to stay with my word. If I was playing a gig with a band, a band who did not play any of those songs, and someone came up and requested "Stairway to Freebird", and the band did it, I would quit the band immediately and not even finish the night. My logic is "If you are going to do it your way where I have no input and you have no respect for what I think is a solid, conscious, musical integrity (there is that oxymoron again!) based decision to never play those songs, you can just do it without me from that minute forward, and I wish you well but I will never play with you again. I am THAT staunch in my belief that there is no reason to be a "because everybody else plays them" chump band. I am not a chump. (Not musically at least. Several women in Ohio would say otherwise. But they all have nice jewelry to remember me by.)

The list:

Mustang Sally
Moondance
Gimme Three Steps
Freebird
Sweet Home Alabama
I Love Rock And Roll
I Hate Myself For Loving You
ANY disco (It is 2015)
ANY Skynard (I know more than those 3 chords)
ANY Kiss (See: "3 chords" above)
ANY Led Zepplin, especially that insipid "Rock'n'Roll" song (Just loud. Nothing more.)
ANY Jimmy Buffet (Seriously? Cheeseburgers? Margaritaville? Sober up and get a job. There is more to life than staying drunk and high all the time.)

I also won't play in a band that doesn't have a thumbprint. Don't be a rock band for 25 minutes, then be a country band, then disco, then punk, then jazz.... You may think that a song list like that will get you more work. I disagree. I believe it is 180 degrees opposed. You can't go into Bob's Country Bunker playing 60's R&B. (Watch the Blues Brothers movie again and you'll understand.)

I guess I should just say that I prefer to not be part of a cliche. I want a set list that NOBODY in town plays so people have a reason to come and hear me, that reason being that unique factor.

As usual I will say, that's just me and my opinion heavily seasoned by the fact that I don't play to pay my mortgage payment or buy food. I really want to play all my own stuff but there are not as many as 3 or 4 other musicians in northeast Ohio who would do that because (say it with me) "The clubs don't want to HEEEEAAAARRRR originals...." (Imagine that with the most annoying nasal whining tone you can muster.)

Last edited by eddie1261; 06/17/15 10:37 AM.