This is probably the second biggest annoyance I had with trying to form/join a band here in Cyprus. It seemed as if every single musician I ran into insisted that it was absolutely imperative that a minimum of 50% of a band's repertoire be covers, and that those covers needed to be of the EXTREMELY POPULAR ilk.
I was told, "If we don't do at least 50% covers, then the promoters won't let us play." My first reaction was, "Okay, well... there are loads of great obscure songs we could do with a twist that might be fun." Which was then squashed by the, "no, they have to be songs people know, and we need to do them JUST like the originals."
I started to get upset by the idea that a promoter or venue could dictate to an artist what they are "allowed" to perform. THIS is EXACTLY why this blog is titled 'I call it MUSIC Business'! I had run into this kind of promoter bully in my past and, in my experience, these folks are much more bark than bite.
I started to get upset by the idea that a promoter or venue could dictate to an artist what they are "allowed" to perform. THIS is EXACTLY why this blog is titled 'I call it MUSIC Business'! I had run into this kind of promoter bully in my past and, in my experience, these folks are much more bark than bite.
Here is what I suggest for dealing with this particular situation:
1. If they don't talk to you about the percentage of covers you need to play, you don't talk about it either. If you only do originals, great! Even if it is 'known' that they want 50% covers, if you have not discussed it with them then they don't have a leg to stand on. Even better if you have a contract for the gig that does not stipulate the percentage of covers. This is definitely one of the cases where it is easier to ask forgiveness rather than permission.
2. If they do bring it up, say WITH CONFIDENCE AND CONVICTION, "Our original stuff kills. Guaranteed to have the entire crowd on their feet! Let us do one show our way. If the crowd complains, we'll do a second gig for you of all covers... For free!" Or something to that effect. The point is to stand your ground and sell yourself. Of course, you'd better make sure you can back up your boasts for this one to work.
3. If they bring it up, LIE! This one is a slightly bigger risk than #2. Saying you'll do a certain amount of covers and then not delivering will almost certainly piss off the promoter/venue, BUT if you kick major ass and have the crowd going nuts and buying lots of drinks, then the promoter/venue might be more than willing to forgive you.
4. Bring a crowd in on the night! This applies to EVERYTHING about gigging, really. Don't just think your 5 friends that you put on the guest list coming to watch you stand on a stage is good enough... IT IS NOT! And if you think that just posting an event on facebook is going to do the job, I have a nice bridge out in San Francisco I can sell you. Get old school and make fliers, posters, and use ALL the social networking angles you can. Make an event, post it on your wall every day, same with all the groups in your area, make your presence and your gig so in people's faces that they want to go just to see what all the fuss is about. And when you get them in the door, keep them there by being GREAT! Remember that little word behind MUSIC above? It is still important. AND if you have a reputation for bringing a crowd, you can make your own demands.
5. If none of the above works and the promoter/venue refuses to budge and won't give you a gig or blackballs you after you try the other options... Forget them. Even here in Cyprus there are many venues and promoters you can try to work with. Remember, without you - the bands, the promoters are out of work and the venues have nothing special to bring people into their places. Don't be rude though, as they might come back to you with a different view once you have established yourself as a drawing act regardless of % of covers. Always be a professional when dealing with the business end of things too. It WILL pay off.
6. There is an outside chance that everything above will backfire right in your face and you will find no promoter or venue willing to touch you with a 10 foot pole. This is especially possible for bands that are just starting out. This is a cruel business, but that doesn't mean you should give in to the pressures. It may not be as glamorous and may be a lot more work, but if you can't get gigs at established venues, go old school D.I.Y. and play some house parties, or warehouses, or WHATEVER YOU CAN! If you get a gang of people loving what you do (by any means necessary) then the venues and promoters will eventually see you as a profit maker and give you the gigs (see #4 above). The key, I think, is being true to yourself no matter who says what to you. Including me!
Now...
Don't misunderstand me. I am NOT anti-covers. In fact, I have the distinct honour of working with one of, if not THE BEST cover bands in Cyprus. I have also played more than my fair share of covers over the years. Also, some of my favourite songs are covers, and sometimes I like the covers better than the originals. I am ALL for doing covers, but for the right reasons. Here are (for me) some of the right and wrong reasons:
RIGHT- (in the context of gigging/recording)
1. There is a song you love that most people may not have ever heard, and you want to turn people on to the original and the band that did it.
2. There is a song you either love or even hate, but you are inspired to take that song and put your own killer twist on it (I'm sorry, but I do not count just playing it WAY faster) to make it your own.
3. You are making/in a function/cover band to go out and gig to make money. Seriously, there is NOTHING wrong with this. In fact, it is a great idea and if you can make it work, more power to you!
4. FOR FUN! If everyone in the band is into doing a cover song because it is fun and everyone enjoys it, great! The audience will pick up on the joy you as a band are giving off from the stage/recording. *** This aspect is actually a requisite for doing any covers. Apply it to ALL of the RIGHTS!
2. If they do bring it up, say WITH CONFIDENCE AND CONVICTION, "Our original stuff kills. Guaranteed to have the entire crowd on their feet! Let us do one show our way. If the crowd complains, we'll do a second gig for you of all covers... For free!" Or something to that effect. The point is to stand your ground and sell yourself. Of course, you'd better make sure you can back up your boasts for this one to work.
3. If they bring it up, LIE! This one is a slightly bigger risk than #2. Saying you'll do a certain amount of covers and then not delivering will almost certainly piss off the promoter/venue, BUT if you kick major ass and have the crowd going nuts and buying lots of drinks, then the promoter/venue might be more than willing to forgive you.
4. Bring a crowd in on the night! This applies to EVERYTHING about gigging, really. Don't just think your 5 friends that you put on the guest list coming to watch you stand on a stage is good enough... IT IS NOT! And if you think that just posting an event on facebook is going to do the job, I have a nice bridge out in San Francisco I can sell you. Get old school and make fliers, posters, and use ALL the social networking angles you can. Make an event, post it on your wall every day, same with all the groups in your area, make your presence and your gig so in people's faces that they want to go just to see what all the fuss is about. And when you get them in the door, keep them there by being GREAT! Remember that little word behind MUSIC above? It is still important. AND if you have a reputation for bringing a crowd, you can make your own demands.
5. If none of the above works and the promoter/venue refuses to budge and won't give you a gig or blackballs you after you try the other options... Forget them. Even here in Cyprus there are many venues and promoters you can try to work with. Remember, without you - the bands, the promoters are out of work and the venues have nothing special to bring people into their places. Don't be rude though, as they might come back to you with a different view once you have established yourself as a drawing act regardless of % of covers. Always be a professional when dealing with the business end of things too. It WILL pay off.
6. There is an outside chance that everything above will backfire right in your face and you will find no promoter or venue willing to touch you with a 10 foot pole. This is especially possible for bands that are just starting out. This is a cruel business, but that doesn't mean you should give in to the pressures. It may not be as glamorous and may be a lot more work, but if you can't get gigs at established venues, go old school D.I.Y. and play some house parties, or warehouses, or WHATEVER YOU CAN! If you get a gang of people loving what you do (by any means necessary) then the venues and promoters will eventually see you as a profit maker and give you the gigs (see #4 above). The key, I think, is being true to yourself no matter who says what to you. Including me!
Now...
Don't misunderstand me. I am NOT anti-covers. In fact, I have the distinct honour of working with one of, if not THE BEST cover bands in Cyprus. I have also played more than my fair share of covers over the years. Also, some of my favourite songs are covers, and sometimes I like the covers better than the originals. I am ALL for doing covers, but for the right reasons. Here are (for me) some of the right and wrong reasons:
RIGHT- (in the context of gigging/recording)
1. There is a song you love that most people may not have ever heard, and you want to turn people on to the original and the band that did it.
2. There is a song you either love or even hate, but you are inspired to take that song and put your own killer twist on it (I'm sorry, but I do not count just playing it WAY faster) to make it your own.
3. You are making/in a function/cover band to go out and gig to make money. Seriously, there is NOTHING wrong with this. In fact, it is a great idea and if you can make it work, more power to you!
4. FOR FUN! If everyone in the band is into doing a cover song because it is fun and everyone enjoys it, great! The audience will pick up on the joy you as a band are giving off from the stage/recording. *** This aspect is actually a requisite for doing any covers. Apply it to ALL of the RIGHTS!
5. If it is a way out of a bad recording contract. Okay, this sounds bad. Let me explain. If you are having big issues with a label and owe them an album, but you know they aren't going to do right by you (won't advertise or push distro) and your contract does not state that you owe them originals, do a covers album. You still want to make it great as your fans that do manage to get it deserve your best, but save the original work for the next label that is there to promote you properly.
(in the context of rehearsing)
6. As a young musician just starting out on your instrument, I STRONGLY support learning covers. Obviously of the music you love, but also of stuff you might not even know. Get out there and check out other kinds of music and learn how to play it. By doing this you might just develop your own style and bring together some differing influences that make you stand out in your own playing and song writing.
7. As a band of young, inexperienced musicians starting a new band, there is a huge advantage to jamming covers. The biggest advantage is that it will help you all learn to play together and off of each other without having to worry about the writing process. If you are smart and play a bunch of different covers of a bunch of different styles, it can also help you find the voice of the band, as it were. In other words, help you find the natural sound/style of the band. I say this because it is VERY rare when a BAND ends up being what any one member plans or is stylistically. A BAND IS A COLLABORATION OF THE PLAYERS!
WRONG!- (in the context of gigging/recording them)
1. To impress people, especially other musicians, that you can play a cover JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL. Unless you are in a tribute or cover band, keep that kind of musical masturbation in your bedroom where it belongs. You are not showing YOUR virtuosity by doing this. You are showing that you can copy someone else's virtuosity. And that, I am afraid, is sad and lame.
2. Because you want to show your audience that you really ARE a fan of the bands/style you sound just like. EXAMPLE: If your band sounds just like the Doors, please, DO NOT attempt covering 'Light My Fire', especially just like the original. I don't care how good you and your band are, you are NOT as good as the people who did the original. By attempting it and (inevitably) failing you make yourself look lame and sad. Instead, try taking a Lady Gaga song and doing it in your style. THAT is way more impressive if you can pull it off. Not to mention, the best way of letting your audience know you kick ass at your style of music is by kicking ass at your style of music, not by trying to prove that you listen to the same records they do. Are you there to show your audience that you have a good taste in music or that your music is good?
3. Because someone is telling you to. Okay, it happened to work for RUN DMC when Rick Ruben strong armed them into doing 'Walk This Way' by Aerosmith, (with their own twist, mind you), but unless it is someone of Rick Ruben's prowess, be wary.
4. To fill up time either on a set or an album. FILLER! It sucks. In my experience, it is better to have a shorter set or an E.P. instead of a Full Length rather than 'filling' with something no one wants to listen to or doesn't hold their attention. It is also my experience that it takes as much if not less time to write another good original as it does to make a cover good enough to be worth it.
(in the context of rehearsing)
5. Spending all of your time learning one band/artists stuff, style, and technique! Okay, learn ALL of several bands of several styles, but beware of mimicking any one artist or style too heavily as that is just boring. Even if, and I do mean IF, everyone agreed that Yngwie is the world's greatest AX MAN, what is the point of being a copy of him? He already exists! Be your own person and player. A good way of doing that is stealing the best parts of all of the greats and combining them into your own style.
6. If when starting a new band it is because that is what you have always done. (See #7 of RIGHT above). If you are forming a band with a bunch of experienced, mature players, your time might be better spent doing a little open jamming to see if you click before automatically spending loads of time all learning a bunch of covers to 'get to know each other'. It also has the potential to put a lot more work onto some of the players as the covers people tend to suggest are ones they already know. If the others don't then they need to learn them. Also, if everyone does know them and has played them a thousand times, there may be no fire in them to make a difference anyway. "PLEASE! ANYTHING BUT 'SMOKE ON THE WATER' AGAIN!!!!!"
So...
If you really want to do covers, do them. But please, if you are a band writing your own stuff and not a function band, use them sparingly and to set yourself apart from the pack, not to make you blend into the muck of the boring band bog!
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