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Cover band of the year


Laura

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Guest Tam o' Shantie
Is that how you view, for example, Jimi's version of All Along the Watchtower....?

Just interested.

Like I said before, if there is anything whatsoever to be gained from a cover band, it is hearing a completely different 'take' on an original version - only if it's good mind. Most that I have heard in recent times have focused a bit too much on the 'outrageous' mismatching of original band and cover band though, such as an acoustic singer songwriter playing a cover of a heavy metal song 8o

Are there any bands in Aberdeen who are actually doing something like that though? I think stuff like what the El MIchels Affair are doing is pretty interesting - instrumental covers of classic Wu-Tang clan tracks (as opposed to covers of the original sample sources themselves) which makes for pretty cool tracks. Unless you really knew what you were listening to, I doubt you'd recognise the Wu-Tang songs or the originals either. Besides which, they are a band who write original material as well as far as I know.

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Is that how you view, for example, Jimi's version of All Along the Watchtower....?

You're comparing two different things though. Hendrix was an original artist who did the occasional cover, usually in a much different style to the original.

The huge majority of covers bands in pubs aren't going to be coming up with the next All Along The Watchtower. They'll probably try and cover the Hendrix version though.

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There's no comparison between the two as they work (or should work) in entirely different fields. Weddings, dances, holiday camps and other lowest common denominator venues and gigs would be dire things indeed without pro cover acts.

Equally, I'd be disappointed to find a cover band in an original music venue or finding a grind core originals band with a set that lasts 20 minutes trying to play a wedding.

Horses for courses.

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would you guys that hate cover bands say your better musicians because you play original music and not covers?

i play both. original and covers. heard some spectacular muso's play covers and they have no interest in original music.

the way some people go on here about disliking cover bands kinda annoys me. fair enough they dont like them but they go on about it being a disgrace and these kinda bands have no place in aberdeen.

yet i guarantee when these guys are about 40 or 50 and possibly not succeeded with their original band they could be playing pubs in a cover band or weddings to fund the wifes credit card spending.

Spent 20 years playing in bands, tribute bands, cover bands, original bands because i like it, i like playing original music, i like playing covers as well.

Its music and i will happily play covers in pubs and tribute music at moshulu or drummonds as well as my original band. I am still young and strive to get somewhere with the original band i am playing in just now but dont care if i do as i have a very good life.

I think a lot of guys who are in original bands that are terrible get very up themselves and arrogant and look at cover musicians like dirt. But i bet they wouldnt like to be told the truth about their playing and "original music". Just because your creative doesnt mean your good and also just because you can play covers well doesnt mean your good either. a certain good guitarist from the richard head band used to go around with his nose in the air thinking he was the bee's knees and better than anyone else in Aberdeen slating other people.

anyway rant over - am away home to learn stairway to heaven

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would you guys that hate cover bands say your better musicians because you play original music and not covers?

i play both. original and covers. heard some spectacular muso's play covers and they have no interest in original music.

the way some people go on here about disliking cover bands kinda annoys me. fair enough they dont like them but they go on about it being a disgrace and these kinda bands have no place in aberdeen.

yet i guarantee when these guys are about 40 or 50 and possibly not succeeded with their original band they could be playing pubs in a cover band or weddings to fund the wifes credit card spending.

Spent 20 years playing in bands, tribute bands, cover bands, original bands because i like it, i like playing original music, i like playing covers as well.

Its music and i will happily play covers in pubs and tribute music at moshulu or drummonds as well as my original band. I am still young and strive to get somewhere with the original band i am playing in just now but dont care if i do as i have a very good life.

I think a lot of guys who are in original bands that are terrible get very up themselves and arrogant and look at cover musicians like dirt. But i bet they wouldnt like to be told the truth about their playing and "original music". Just because your creative doesnt mean your good and also just because you can play covers well doesnt mean your good either. a certain good guitarist from the richard head band used to go around with his nose in the air thinking he was the bee's knees and better than anyone else in Aberdeen slating other people.

anyway rant over - am away home to learn stairway to heaven

I haven't seen anything in here to suggest that musicians creating their own music consider themselves more adept musicians than their compadres playing covers. I consider myself a well rounded but not that technically proficient a drummer with some drummers in covers bands able to rip strips off me. But ask me to lay down a beat that is a little off the standard trail and I have no problem creating something where as four on the floor standard response will be expected from my covers expert.

No hierarchy what so ever and simply horses for courses but personally my drive comes from creativity both playing and listening.

My father pounded the boards across social clubs etc in a covers bands for many years and to this day he cant string three chords together unless its from an existing song.

I do go to the Globe now and again for a laugh. The seriousness of some musicians and what I see as belief that they think they are in some way contributing to music industry growth makes me giggle... This latter statement is a softening of attitude as I used to get annoyed about covers bands. Currently making some fine noises with my band and we far too easily slip into some classic tunes and then laugh/cringe at how close we are to being a cover band.o_O:laughing:

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I haven't seen anything in here to suggest that musicians creating their own music consider themselves more adept musicians than their compadres playing covers. I consider myself a well rounded but not that technically proficient a drummer with some drummers in covers bands able to rip strips off me. But ask me to lay down a beat that is a little off the standard trail and I have no problem creating something where as four on the floor standard response will be expected from my covers expert.

No hierarchy what so ever and simply horses for courses but personally my drive comes from creativity both playing and listening.

My father pounded the boards across social clubs etc in a covers bands for many years and to this day he cant string three chords together unless its from an existing song.

I do go to the Globe now and again for a laugh. The seriousness of some musicians and what I see as belief that they think they are in some way contributing to music industry growth makes me giggle... This latter statement is a softening of attitude as I used to get annoyed about covers bands. Currently making some fine noises with my band and we far too easily slip into some classic tunes and then laugh/cringe at how close we are to being a cover band.o_O:laughing:

fair point but how do you know they think they are in some way contributing to music industry growth? granted there are a lot of musicians in aberdeen that play covers and act like that. there are however a lot of musicians in Aberdeen that think that they contribute as well just because they play their own stuff and won't touch a cover with a barge pole. however they are not and haven't gotten anywhere for years but think they are the best thing since sliced bread and a better class but really are no more than a guy in aberdeen that plays an instrument. just because they play original music doesnt give them the right to slate cover bands in aberdeen. Would you slate a 10 year old kid because he has learned to play guitar on covers and puts a cover band together with his mates?

there are a few threads in AB music where people have been slating cover bands and i just think its a bit unfair. just my opinion and its not meant to upset anyone.

one point i will make, some of the worlds finest classical musicians play music centuries old and make a very good living from it. would an aberdeen musician playing his original music sneer about them?

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I like both as at least half of my income comes from playing 200-300 gigs a year as a covers act, although we do write and perform our own stuff as well, PRS and all that. The other half comes from my studio where I get to record some amazing original music from bands all over the North. For instance, we had Headlight from Aberdeen in before Xmas and their stuff is pretty damn fine.

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The plain and simple fact of the matter is that like it or not, covers band fill a space in the market. Most pubs showing live music don't give a fuck about the artistic credibility of the bands they hire....they only care about how often their tills are rattling. Also, your average pub-goer wants to hear tunes they recognise, which is why covers bands typically make more money than original bands who perhaps haven't 'made it' yet. To me, it's simple supply/demand economics.

I don't disagree with what you've typed, but it does depend on the pub in question and it's regular attendees.

Don't think this applies to Drakes RIP, Tunnels, or Moorings for example.

EDIT: Must add that a covers band is great for a wedding, a function, or most pubs that have enough space, provided they don't play the same cliched covers... Was once at a covers band gig and all 4 bands played 3 songs in common. From memory those were:

Tie Your Mother Down

Paranoid

And either Highway to Hell or Basket Case.

Did my nut in. And none of them were original takes on the tune. You'd have thought they'd have put a little more thought into their set lists!

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I don't disagree with what you've typed, but it does depend on the pub in question and it's regular attendees.

Don't think this applies to Drakes RIP, Tunnels, or Moorings for example.

EDIT: Must add that a covers band is great for a wedding, a function, or most pubs that have enough space, provided they don't play the same cliched covers...

Agree 100%. But for whatever reason, the likes of Tunnels, Moorings etc are in a fairly small minority of pubs who regularly put on original bands. The average pub, with average attendees typically want cover bands....more often than not.

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a live jukebox

Yeah dude, it works even better if they can save quid and just shout out their requests, or write them on a beer mat and throw them in. This is why you must never charge at the door for covers, because the punters will feel ripped off unless they get to write the set list.

Hey pal, play the one that goes "WE ALL CAME DOWN FROM MONTROSE". Or I'll stab you.

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How could I forget...Toxic Distortion.

I think that a 26 part documentary narrated by Laurence Olivier (possibly in a zombie incarnation since he's been dead 20 years) should be made about Toxic Distortion, to serve as a warning to future generations about the horrors of poodle rock. And more importantly, so we never forget.

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