Starting Bands

[Guest five years]

why? alot of people enjoy hearing a cover live.

granted i dont like hearing them 1st' date=' last or with no origanals.[/quote']

personally, i just don't see the point in bands covering songs live, unless it's a 'my first band' outing and that's all they can play, in which case, STAY IN THE GARAGE/PRACTICE ROOM until you're ready to play a whole set of your own songs!

if i'm paying to see a band, i don't want to hear songs i love getting butchered.

[WoodyRATM]

personally' date=' i just don't see the point in bands covering songs live, unless it's a 'my first band' outing and that's all they can play, in which case, STAY IN THE GARAGE/PRACTICE ROOM until you're ready to play a whole set of your own songs!

if i'm paying to see a band, i don't want to hear songs i love getting butchered.[/quote']

hehe fair point i guess

[britheguy]

personally' date=' i just don't see the point in bands covering songs live, unless it's a 'my first band' outing and that's all they can play, in which case, STAY IN THE GARAGE/PRACTICE ROOM until you're ready to play a whole set of your own songs!

if i'm paying to see a band, i don't want to hear songs i love getting butchered.[/quote']

What a load of self rightous pish!

[Guest five years]

What a load of self rightous pish!

read it again homes.

"personally, i don't like..." = personal opinion. deal with it.

[Guest bluesxman]

if people don't turn up and have a good reason for it make sure they know they're letting the team down even if it's just pointing out that everyone had to pay more that week cause they weren't there to cover their share.

Dave, mind those times you were flat hunting and feeling ill? I had to pay more money

[Guest Bob]

There's nothing wrong with learning or playing cover songs. I even stood in on guitar for a cover band at Hogmany one year. What I object to is the notion of a band who are setting up to perform original material but "have to keep things fun" by throwing in a few covers, or a band who don't have enough original material to play at a gig and chuck in a few ill advised "favourites" to fill in time.

The cover song versus original material debate is a whole other issue in my opinion. Different strokes for different folks, it doesn't interest me, but that's not to say it's boring.

What we're talking about is the best way to find a group of people who, in this particular case, should ideally have aspirations of performing original songs. Why waste time and energies playing other people's work? If your goal is to play original songs and your guitarist is obsessed with playing the Enter Sandman riff at every possible opportunity they're probably not the right person for your band.

When you have the songs, or even some basic song ideas/riffs/lyrics that you think are winners you will know you've found the right people for your band when they become enthused and inspired by those same ideas. Not only that but they'll bring something to the table themselves. Until you find those people tell everyone about your music ideas and the fact you play. You never know where chance might take you or who you'll bump into.

I met Ryan Massie at a barbecue and we formed Point of Origin. Once you're on "the scene", or even a stage, you'll know loads of musicians and mix in crowds that will make it comparitively easy to find band members should anything go wrong. People always want to be involved in projects that actually get beyond the 'sitting in a bedroom thinking about it' stage.

[Hog]

Element- Band got rid of giutarist, asked me to join, Chris spoke to Bonesaw Bazz who recommended Tony, Tony joined, Jaimi left, 4 piece, Jimmer joined. Sorted.

Spike- Myself and Jake used to stack shelves in Asdas. We started Spike as a livingroom based project but then played live, Callum played drums, Callum left, Chris played drums, Chris left, Scorge played drums, Scorge...yeah thats us. Kirk T also played with us for a while.

[Mick Maverik]

I really can't agree with this.

Let me put it like this. We have all been going to concerts/gigs etc for years. We might even walk into a bar if we happen to be walking past and hear a band playing.

Scenrio - So your fav band comes to a venue near you' date=' you go to hear them. They play several of the songs off their first two albums. Great, these are the songs you like best and you know the words and the general feel of the song. However, they also play a few songs off their new album which you've not yet had the chance to buy. Ok you think, these seem ok, I could maybe get to like that. Which ones did you like to listen to best? I would say the older ones which you already knew. The general public are also like this. They want to hear songs they know or are familiar with.

Bands are about what you like doing. Some people want to make a statement, and other don't. To say that covers are tiresome, and that original material is not is just a load of rubbish. Original material is like every other part of music, is just a matter of taste.

I think there is plenty space for all types of bands, cover, tribute and original.

I heard something recently that made a lot of sense and it's this. To play in a tribute band is as hard as it gets because the people coming to hear you play know what the original songs sound like, and expect to hear those songs played as they are on the album.

I've heard original bands play songs live that barely resemble the album version. Now at times this can be great, but on other occasions it can be very, very tiresome.

Covers are a great starting point to greater things. It's possible that 99.9% of people start this way.

What was the first tune your learned to play...a cover or an original?[/quote']

"The general public are also like this. They want to hear songs they know or are familiar with."

Couldn't give a toss what the general public think, what matters is whether learning covers, or building on original ideas is the best starting point for a band.

"I think there is plenty space for all types of bands, cover, tribute and original."

I agree, but if you are planning on playing originals, like the good man Bob said, why waste a lot of time and effort reeling off covers when you could be getting everyones' creative juices flowing?

"Covers are a great starting point to greater things. It's possible that 99.9% of people start this way."

That's fair enough, but it'd seem that I'm one of the 0.1% that prefers to get the ball rolling with an original idea.

"What was the first tune your learned to play...a cover or an original?"

The first thing I learned to play was a random bunch of chords slapped together by a mate to help me get started. I then learned Guns N' Roses - Don't Cry & Tenacious D - Tribute, got bored off my ass, so started writing original material. But that's what I learned as an individual, what's important is what the band does as a unit. I believe the best way for a band to get started is for someone to bring in a riff or an idea, and have the band build upon it.

My 2 cents, Andy

[britheguy]

read it again homes.

"personally' date=' i don't like..." = personal opinion. deal with it.[/quote']

Well, Dr Watsun not sure where you get the quote "personally, i don't like..." but I do agree that we all have our own personal opinion, but when you state that opinion on a open forum, you will get people that will disagree with you. Live with it!

[britheguy]

"The general public are also like this. They want to hear songs they know or are familiar with."

Couldn't give a toss what the general public think' date=' what matters is whether learning covers, or building on original ideas is the best starting point for a band.

[b']"I think there is plenty space for all types of bands, cover, tribute and original."

I agree, but if you are planning on playing originals, like the good man Bob said, why waste a lot of time and effort reeling off covers when you could be getting everyones' creative juices flowing?

"Covers are a great starting point to greater things. It's possible that 99.9% of people start this way."

That's fair enough, but it'd seem that I'm one of the 0.1% that prefers to get the ball rolling with an original idea.

"What was the first tune your learned to play...a cover or an original?"

The first thing I learned to play was a random bunch of chords slapped together by a mate to help me get started. I then learned Guns N' Roses - Don't Cry & Tenacious D - Tribute, got bored off my ass, so started writing original material. But that's what I learned as an individual, what's important is what the band does as a unit. I believe the best way for a band to get started is for someone to bring in a riff or an idea, and have the band build upon it.

My 2 cents, Andy

"Couldn't give a toss what the general public think, what matters is whether learning covers, or building on original ideas is the best starting point for a band."

What!!! who you going to play to then, your mates, your folks, the sound man? That has to be one of the most pap things I've heard for years...Well done you made me laugh anyway;)

Without getting into a long drawn out slagging match about what is right or wrong I would have to agree with some of what you have said.

It's a horses for courses thing really. I've played in both a covers band and a band playing original stuff. I enjoyed both. At the moment I play in a covers band because that's what suits myself, and my other band members the best. It just grips my shite when I see someone slagging off the other type of bands off. Namely guys from an original band slagging of cover bands.

One of the best bands I've seen this year was a covers bands -AKA Ska. Good songs played well. Also one of the best guitar players I've seen this year was a young lad playing in a covers band -Stealy Glint.

The last time I played live the set was 45 songs (covers) long. Most original bands I've seen lately play between 15-18 songs. Playing covers is not a lazy boy pastime!

My twapennies worth min!

[Mick Maverik]

"What!!! who you going to play to then, your mates, your folks, the sound man? That has to be one of the most pap things I've heard for years...Well done you made me laugh anyway;)"

I know the kind of music I want to play wont attract a HUGE following, but I believe there is at least some market for it. I just do what I wanna do, and if I just play to the sound guy, so be it

"It just grips my shite when I see someone slagging off the other type of bands off. Namely guys from an original band slagging of cover bands."

I'm not slagging covers bands man, I just said, I don't think the best starting point for a band (I should have maybe said: band intending to do original material), is to start with covers.

Andy

[Old Gold]

Covers can be done tastefully, especially if the band put their own spin on it.

Besides, why grudge a band one cover in a set of otherwise original material? Keeps everyone happy, ken.

[Mick Maverik]

Covers can be done tastefully' date=' especially if the band put their own spin on it.

Besides, why grudge a band one cover in a set of otherwise original material? Keeps everyone happy, ken.[/quote']

I'm all for the odd cover in an original set. I just prefer to fire on with the original material at the start, then decide on a cover or two.

Andy

[Old Gold]

I'm all for the odd cover in an original set. I just prefer to fire on with the original material at the start' date=' then decide on a cover or two.

Andy[/quote']

I'm forced to agree with that, seeing as my own band started that way. You can't really add your own spin to a cover until you know what that spin is...

I can work both ways though, as I have in the past.

[Guest Bob]

I don't see why so many people are wrapped up in the covers/original material debate when what the guy is asking about is the best way find members for a band. It's great that so many people have an opinion on the matter but really, it's barely relevant to the boy's problem.

[Old Gold]

Ah, but the memories will last forever...

[Mick Maverik]

I don't see why so many people are wrapped up in the covers/original material debate when what the guy is asking about is the best way find members for a band. It's great that so many people have an opinion on the matter but really' date=' it's barely relevant to the boy's problem.[/quote']

But part of the reason bands don't always hold together is people might get fed up doing covers or get peeved because they don't get to cover some of their favourite songs. So the discussion is valid.

Andy