Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:08 pm

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After recently goin back to my hometown to meet up with my many friends who play instruments and sing.ive found that they given up performing their own music and just turning to play in a covers band.Which dissapoints me to no ned.Considering how talented they are.They cant seem to think they will make any money and it will be too much work.Concidering a mate from another town plays drums in a cover band and charges $800 for a nights play.And said in the end playing originals was all a waste of time!!

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:18 pm

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Yeah, well your friends suck and should be shot in the head.

There are two types of musicians in this world:

1) The people who make music to express themselves, for the sake of doing what they love and for the sake of music.

2) The people who make music for other reasons, like fame, popularity or money.

I think you would find that most good music comes out of the first category.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:31 pm

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Grim is dead right.



Where is the love? If I had that attitude, there would be no muzic.net.nz!

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:02 pm

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What if you're a covers band who does interpretations of other peoples songs instead of trying to play them note perfect? If all cover bands suck then every musician who made a buck playing someone elses tune sucks. This would include:

- anyone who's ever played a Bob Dylan cover e.g. Jimi Hendrix, U2.
- Thin Lizzy covers - Metallica
- Eurythmics covers - Marilyn Manson

People are too quick to write off cover musicians but I'd put money on the majority of guitarists, bass players and drummers out there having been involved in a covers project at some stage. Some bloody good musicians still do it to make money to fund their other projects.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:59 pm

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As long as they are enjoying themselves and no one gets hurt, why worry about it. If every musician was playing their own original material, todays music charts would be extremely limited, ask Madonna, that frog thing and the guy with the strangled squirrel whose name I can't remember (thank god, you have to maintain some street cred even at my age).

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 4:24 pm

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yeah i agree that grim is right, but then there's cover bands who just play to gain musical experience or to have fun which is okay.

and there's like Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies who are hilarious.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:32 pm

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I know of at least one band that run a covers band to get money so they can tour with their originals band.

The cruel reality is you need money to promote your own music, and if playing covers in a separate band gets you that, then good on ya!

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 1:46 pm

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Yeah but people i know are giving up their original work completely which is the main shame.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 4:05 pm

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masters of metal are the greatest covers band in the world.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:07 am

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True that

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Fri Dec 2, 2005 11:42 pm

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Its a bullshit concept.You either play in a band or you dont.You think orchestral players go around saying "pah, they only play covers of beethoven and bach"?

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sat Dec 3, 2005 1:40 pm

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You think orchestral players go around saying "pah, they only play covers of beethoven and bach"?...

I bet the kronos quartet does.. lol... but seriously though i fully agree with you 'trevf' you either play in a band or you dont, judging this s*it on the merit of the music is totally different from judging it on the concept of desire for fame or income... they're ruining their own creativity if they give up on themselves simply because they think they cant 'make it'. 'Making it' to me is being satisfied and happy with the music I make with people I share the same vision with regardless of whether Im gonna make money out of it. I have a friend whos in a cover band that tours round the north island, he earns a steady wage and the band doesnt do too bad, but he gets miserable and feels like hes selling out, playing songs he hates, but playing guitar is the only thing hes good at, so, you know, what are you gonna do? you gotta get paid..

Btw, reffering to yourself in third person on internet forums is cool...

R.I.P. Atdi

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sun Dec 4, 2005 10:09 am

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see, I reckon the REAL problems in the cover band thing are 1)The "give the people what they want/lowest common denominator" theory which is fuelled by bands and venues who insist on playing the crap songs because they reckon thats what people want (long train coming, april sun in cuba, 500 miles, you know 'em) AND amateurs who get a rough set together and then undercut other bands with their prices.

The end results are forcing covers bands to drop prices and play crap songs....and THAT wears you down.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sun Dec 4, 2005 12:10 pm

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definatly... i think that, unfortunatly, my friend falls into both categories, such a shame.... maybe except the amateur part...

This message was edited by faron on Sun Dec 4, 2005 12:11 pm.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sun Dec 4, 2005 3:03 pm

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I think that music is music and it dont matter what your reasons are

I too think there are 2 types of artists:
1 -Those who are very good at what they do and are comfortable with themselves as artiats and who get pleasure from just hearing another artist expressing themselves - cover or not.
2 -Those who are never happy with there own abilities and have to slag off everyone elese that dont conform to their ideas and views- They are generally-
paranoid and will often give negative outlooks on those who are far superior to themselves They tend to dislike mainstream music and will go to all lengths to avoid falling into that arena.

I used to be a 2 but have since faced my fears and can now say Im a 1

for me its more about the person listening than the artist- you know --every day bob who works and has three kids- hates his job- but does it anyway- if a cover band can make his life a little more happy then good on them I say

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Sun Dec 4, 2005 7:30 pm

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See, and heres another angle...David Bowie still does songs like 'Heroes' or 'life on mars' and not one member of his backing band plyed on the original recordings...does that mean they are playing "covers"?

Keith Moon has no recollection of recording "substitute"... so when they played it live, he was for all intents and purposes playing a cover.

When U2 came here in 198...6 or 7 I think, the edge "forgot" all of their songs and had to learn them again from the records (so they claimed at the time, anyway)..so once again, technically he ws playing covers.

I dont mean to harp, but Ive done covers and originals and the distintion as far as I can see is blurred at best.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Mon Dec 5, 2005 7:52 am

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Sometimes you like a band or a song you want to play it yourself.

The Great Southern Spitroast for example are a Dimebag tribute band who play PANTERA songs as a tribute cos they love the music so much. They are in original bands too.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Dec 6, 2005 1:48 am

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I bet that was directed at me, because I have taste and I gave you a few pointers on how not to suck so much. Well, you couldn't be more wrong. Next time don't open your mouth if you dont know what you are talking about, you'll seem less stupid that way.

This message was edited by grim_entropy on Tue Dec 6, 2005 1:52 am.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Dec 6, 2005 9:07 am

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Perfect case of a number 2 - Showing all the signs -Look at what you just wrote.

you sound Paranoid "G" You definitly like to slag others off, and Id say you have low self esteem. I dont need to direct my comments to you-your paranoia
does that all by it self. Thats how it works "G' Thats how it works.

RE: Are cover bands ruining creativity?
Posted: Tue Dec 6, 2005 12:08 pm

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Hahaha, well, its amazing how you know me so well without ever meeting me. Seriously, why dont you go work for some psychic hotline, you seem to be better at that then being a musician.