3 Things Wrong with this Band

Saw a local cover band last night. Drummer, guitars, bass, singer, the usual. They weren't awful, but three things stood out for me:

1) Beat Boy: geez, the drummer was loud. The guitar and bass players were at an even threshold, but all I could hear once I noticed it was the drummer was on top of all of them. And he wasn't much to write home about, all snare and cymbal. This got old fast.

2) Social Distortion: guitar players, there were two. Why are you both playing the same thing? And mushy distortion for every song? Try for something different out of your amp once in a while, it won't hurt you, I swear.

3) Song List: the whole littany of every trite rock song, and each one at remarkably the same tempo too. Summer of '69, really? I got my first real six string at the five-and-dime too, I just don't really want to hear about it for the 11-hundredth time.

And then there was the singer. He didn't quite have the whole black t-shirt, hat on backwards, gold jangly necklace thing going on but he was darn close. And that holding the wireless mic thing with the butt end pointed at the ceiling just looks stupid to me. OK that's 4 things, sorry.

Maybe they were a young/inexperienced band. As far as song list goes, we abide by 3 for the crowd & one for us, so most of the crap we play is "for the crowd" (a la '69). I bet the "non guitar playing" crowd ate it up.

It's super easy to be a critic, but many of the "annoying" things you posted about may come around with more experience. I know it's been a learning process for me. Been playing live for a little over 2 years now & I cringe when I look at video of some of my early gigs. I imagine 2 years from now, I will feel the same about what I'm doing right now.

Oh yeah, I see that band ALOT! They play in like EVERY bar in the states. Must be nice to get that much work.

Actually this band was pretty experienced. 30-something guys. They had nice equipment, logos everywhere. They had an act together, but if I were their 'manager' these are a few things I would suggest to make them better.

Actually this band was pretty experienced. 30-something guys. They had nice equipment, logos everywhere. They had an act together, but if I were their 'manager' these are a few things I would suggest to make them better.



Do you play "out"...or, have you ever player "out" in front of an audience?

Sure.

I don't think I would have noticed as much wrong in the 4 minutes it took me to decide if I had better things to do or not. But generally I never go see anyone that I don't know.

well, if they were indeed experienced, then I agree that some of your suggestions could make them "better." I only have my own experience to draw on & these are some of the "mistakes" I made early on. I have come to realize that they were indeed "mistakes" & I have made changes to improve in some of those areas.

Maybe, even though they are experienced, it is possible they have never seen a live video of themselves. Often times what you percieve your "sound" to be is no where close to what the audience "hears." Maybe they have heard themselves but don't recognize those things you listed as mistakes?

We have logo's, merch, backdrop, lights, good equipment, web presence, etc..... We have an act, but it doesn't mean that we have it together. I've been fortunate enough to have fallen in with some VERY experienced musicians to finish filling out the band. What I've learned from them has been priceless & has certianly helped to improve my level of professionalism. Had I not, that band you described would be MY band.

Always room for improvement, but it's hard to figure out what needs improving without active self critique & constructive critisism from others you trust.

the overbearing drums may be due to the room just as much as the drummer.
every generation has their singer bad boy pose,
and most cover bands mine from that same ol' list, including mine.

but...
I don't accept the locked in cruddy distortion guitars both playing the same part. that's just amateurish and fatiguing on the ears. happens all the time.

It's only rock'n'roll.

It's only rock'n'roll.

and I like it...

Winnie

It's only rock'n'roll.

Fezz, you got a way with words brother. :razz:

Fezz, you got a way with words brother. :razz:

Wish they were mine.:lol:

Wish they were mine.:lol:

Cha-CHING! $$$$$$

(All you need is: ONE)

Saw a local cover band last night. Drummer, guitars, bass, singer, the usual. They weren't awful, but three things stood out for me:

1) Beat Boy: geez, the drummer was loud. The guitar and bass players were at an even threshold, but all I could hear once I noticed it was the drummer was on top of all of them. And he wasn't much to write home about, all snare and cymbal. This got old fast.

2) Social Distortion: guitar players, there were two. Why are you both playing the same thing? And mushy distortion for every song? Try for something different out of your amp once in a while, it won't hurt you, I swear.

3) Song List: the whole littany of every trite rock song, and each one at remarkably the same tempo too. Summer of '69, really? I got my first real six string at the five-and-dime too, I just don't really want to hear about it for the 11-hundredth time.

And then there was the singer. He didn't quite have the whole black t-shirt, hat on backwards, gold jangly necklace thing going on but he was darn close. And that holding the wireless mic thing with the butt end pointed at the ceiling just looks stupid to me. OK that's 4 things, sorry.

What did the crowd think?

Man I only have to add that having played in a fairly successfull Cover Band for 5 years there were several songs that we (the band) could not stand that remained our most popular and most well recieved by the crowd, including Summer '69, Talk Dirty To Me Rock and Roll all Night and Party Everyday etc... even though I didn't want to play them everynight I was "smart" enough to realize that I was not up there making an excellent salary to exercise my artistic freedom, I was there as a marketing tool for the owner to sell booze, and he sells more booze when you play Summer '69 a million times. With that said we certianly were'nt up there for the money we played many songs that we wanted but I felt a professional responsibility to maximize the owners investment in me by playing those songs as well.

Man I only have to add that having played in a fairly successfull Cover Band for 5 years there were several songs that we (the band) could not stand that remained our most popular and most well recieved by the crowd, including Summer '69, Talk Dirty To Me Rock and Roll all Night and Party Everyday etc... even though I didn't want to play them everynight I was "smart" enough to realize that I was not up there making an excellent salary to exercise my artistic freedom, I was there as a marketing tool for the owner to sell booze, and he sells more booze when you play Summer '69 a million times. With that said we certianly were'nt up there for the money we played many songs that we wanted but I felt a professional responsibility to maximize the owners investment in me by playing those songs as well.

& that, my friend, is what I call a WIN/WIN :!:

1) It's not always the drummer's fault. Could it be the band was just trying to hold down the volume? Or maybe the guitarists were using little amps and just couldn't overcome the drummer? When I go to hear a rock band, I expect it to be loud, period. As an ex-drummer, it's very hard to play rock music and play it like a jazz drummer in a quiet listening room.

2) Social distortion is an amateurish mistake. No excuses there. One player could be clean, and playing higher up the neck, adding a lot of sound and filling out the overall tones.

3) Song list is no where near as important to me as the ability to play the song, make it sound good, and have the band look like they are having fun as well.

Singer: whatever works for him. But image is very important. He needs to catch up to the 21st Century though...LOL!

I've walked into bars before, saw a band taking the stage and I'm thinking to myself..."oh no, these guys can't possibly be good, look how they are dressed and look". Then they start their first song, and just blow the doors off the place with their talent, vocals, and overall ability. I soon forget how they look, and I'm really digging on their sound.

I think in this day and age, bands need to see videos of themselves on stage, and try to view it with the idea of what the audience sees.

Saw a local cover band last night. Drummer, guitars, bass, singer, the usual. They weren't awful, but three things stood out for me:

1) Beat Boy: geez, the drummer was loud. The guitar and bass players were at an even threshold, but all I could hear once I noticed it was the drummer was on top of all of them. And he wasn't much to write home about, all snare and cymbal. This got old fast.

2) Social Distortion: guitar players, there were two. Why are you both playing the same thing? And mushy distortion for every song? Try for something different out of your amp once in a while, it won't hurt you, I swear.

3) Song List: the whole littany of every trite rock song, and each one at remarkably the same tempo too. Summer of '69, really? I got my first real six string at the five-and-dime too, I just don't really want to hear about it for the 11-hundredth time.

And then there was the singer. He didn't quite have the whole black t-shirt, hat on backwards, gold jangly necklace thing going on but he was darn close. And that holding the wireless mic thing with the butt end pointed at the ceiling just looks stupid to me. OK that's 4 things, sorry.

Bands like that drive me to Drinkin', that's why they get hired.

Saw a local cover band last night. Drummer, guitars, bass, singer, the usual. They weren't awful, but three things stood out for me:

1) Beat Boy: geez, the drummer was loud. The guitar and bass players were at an even threshold, but all I could hear once I noticed it was the drummer was on top of all of them. And he wasn't much to write home about, all snare and cymbal. This got old fast.

2) Social Distortion: guitar players, there were two. Why are you both playing the same thing? And mushy distortion for every song? Try for something different out of your amp once in a while, it won't hurt you, I swear.

3) Song List: the whole littany of every trite rock song, and each one at remarkably the same tempo too. Summer of '69, really? I got my first real six string at the five-and-dime too, I just don't really want to hear about it for the 11-hundredth time.

And then there was the singer. He didn't quite have the whole black t-shirt, hat on backwards, gold jangly necklace thing going on but he was darn close. And that holding the wireless mic thing with the butt end pointed at the ceiling just looks stupid to me. OK that's 4 things, sorry.

Except for being a few states apart I swear I went to the same show lol

I guess some of you think nobody likes Summer of '69 and Swet Home Alabama and Mustang Sally and Amarillo by Monrning. People like those. Not everybody has your extemely good taste in material. Like some of the standards. Just like stereotypes, they are standards for a reason and it's not because the they are a bands favorites. Anybody ever ask Joe Perry if he' sick of playing Sweet Emotion? But go see them and see how you like it if they don't do it.

You didn't mention if the drummer was mic'd or not. If yes, then blame the soundman. If not, then how can he be louder that 2 guitar players and a bass player? I've never met a guitar player that couldn't get a champ wound up enough to drown out a drummer. Yeah, I've heard the way some of you mix and it's obvious that not everybody likes drums so was he too loud or just too loud for you?

I'm still baffled as to why you were there long enough to see everything you thought was wrong. According to what you're saying you must have been the only there.

I guess some of you think nobody likes Summer of '69 and Swet Home Alabama and Mustang Sally and Amarillo by Monrning. People like those. Not everybody has your extemely good taste in material. Like some of the standards. Just like stereotypes, they are standards for a reason and it's not because the they are a bands favorites.


+1

I agree...sometimes we, as musicians (and, in my case, I use the term loosley) tend to forget the tastes of "everyman"....just look at current state of radio: The ordinary person, who is not "into" music wants to hear stuff they recognize when they go out to a bar for a night of drinking and dancing. That's why we have Top 40 (20---15---10) radio formats, and almost nothing else!

There is no such thing as "wrong" when it comes to a band that is keeping a crowd entertained. Just different choices. I would never want to play in a band like the one described here, but I bet none of them would want to play in my band either.

We're all performing artists and entertainers. Whatever you do, if there's even one listener who connects to it, then as far as you and the listener(s) are concerned, you're doing it right.

There is no such thing as "wrong" when it comes to a band that is keeping a crowd entertained. Just different choices. I would never want to play in a band like the one described here, but I bet none of them would want to play in my band either.

We're all performing artists and entertainers. Whatever you do, if there's even one listener who connects to it, then as far as you and the listener(s) are concerned, you're doing it right.

Sometimes I'm still amazed that anyone wants to hear me play & sing, but I get requests to do so every time I'm out, AND hear a ton of compliments any time the band plays.

Yeah, JJ. My mom is the same way.

Can't they just do what I do and set everything louder than everything else?

And if they need that extra push over the cliff they can always turn it up to 11....one louder.

There is no such thing as "wrong" when it comes to a band that is keeping a crowd entertained.

Yes there is!
But I'm easily offended, so bands like that never let me down. :)

Anybody ever ask Joe Perry if he' sick of playing Sweet Emotion? But go see them and see how you like it if they don't do it.



Excellent point!

Whether you liked them or not, judging by your description you were ther long enough to probably buy two beers - ? If so ... mission accomplished :wink:.

From another POV - here in La La land there's an entire culture built around purposely going to see crappy cover bands. Ironically they're the ones with the biggest crowds and actually making money for themselves and the clubs.

Yeah, JJ. My mom is the same way.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

"From another POV - here in La La land there's an entire culture built around purposely going to see crappy cover bands. "

ooohh, hipsters having fun ironically, how 90s.

From another POV - here in La La land there's an entire culture built around purposely going to see crappy cover bands. Ironically they're the ones with the biggest crowds and actually making money for themselves and the clubs.

I've always had a theory that that's how Garth Brooks made it big.

I've always gotten a kick out of someone who is NOT being paid to play that night, coming to hear my band and being critical of my playing, equipment, whatever...
I've noticed that the actual working musicians are generally complimentary.

someone who is NOT being paid to play that night, coming to hear my band and being critical

Well that's a helluva fair point, now isn't it...

There was a good crowd and the folks did certainly genuinely enjoy it. I think I'll quit now while I'm behind. :wink:

Well that's a helluva fair point, now isn't it...

There was a good crowd and the folks did certainly genuinely enjoy it. I think I'll quit now while I'm behind. :wink:

That's "ok"...yer opinion was still interesting,...even if it was wrong....:lol:

(Heck, what am I even saying...I have no idea what I am talking about...just couldn't resist pulling on your leg a little bit!)

From another POV - here in La La land there's an entire culture built around purposely going to see crappy cover bands. Ironically they're the ones with the biggest crowds and actually making money for themselves and the clubs.

Palladino's has nothing but clone bands, and the place is always packed. I used to go see Randy Hansen at the Starwood to have a fake Jimi "experience"!:lol:

Exactly.
I was thinking of you know who at 'the Dresden Room' and the Thai Karaoke Elvis in 'thai' mall on Hollywood at about Bronson. For whatever reason ? ... both are HUGE draws.
Kids ... kids in the west, go figure.

We all got to stink before we fly.
Some people gotta do it in public.
I did.

I still do.

And SS, this is not a problem. Your opinion is as good as anyone else's. It's just that on internet forums, we're all out to prove that point.