#1689211 - 03/01/06 11:12 AM
Horse of a Different Cover
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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How accepting are your audiences when you do a cover that's not true to the original?
Like, you do an acoustic version of a hard rock song, or a dance version of a headbanging tune?
In my experience, the reaction runs the gamut from "Hey, that's really cool and different!" to "What, you guys can't play that song right?"
What's your experience?
- Jeff
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#1689212 - 03/01/06 04:01 PM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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PBBPaul
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We don't play any covers like the originals. As long as the groove is good and you maintain the attitude, it's all good. IMHO, it's always better to make the song your own.
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#1689213 - 03/02/06 11:30 AM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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A business associate of mine was at a very famous producer/engineer's home studio the other day, and while he was there, a band was recording an entire "Dark Side Of The Moon" cover album.
Seriously.
I asked how far they were departing from the original vibe, and (thankfully), he said that other than the basic song structures, the entire arrangements had been obliterated. I think that the only way a project like that could merit any interest level from me would be to be so radically different as to be attention-grabbing.
Otherwise... yawn!
- Jeff
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#1689214 - 03/02/06 12:53 PM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Tedster
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Yeah, why repeat the original?
I just heard a new (I think it's new) Melissa Etheridge tune yesterday...a cover of Tom Petty's "Refugee". She started it acoustically, and then lit into the song. She reduced the tempo a bit to a slow grind, which really suited the song well.
I've heard a lot of tunes that would work well with major shifts in arrangement, which is a cool testimony to the power of the song to begin with.
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#1689215 - 03/02/06 09:47 PM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Originally posted by Tedster:
I've heard a lot of tunes that would work well with major shifts in arrangement, which is a cool testimony to the power of the song to begin with.
It doesn't always have to be in the mellow direction, either. My hair-metal band of the late '80s did a hard rock version of the Commodores' "Brick House" that everyone loved.
- Jeff
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#1689216 - 03/03/06 12:39 PM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Tedster
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Oh, exactly. And as for Etheridge's "Refugee"...it's not really mellower. In a way the slightly slower grind makes it more ominous and heavy.
As a sortof semi-solo acoustic guitar dude, I've put a weird spin on several tunes that you wouldn't ordinarily think would be done by solo acoustic guitar. But, when you think of it, I'd have to say probably 80% or higher (just a wildass guess) of tunes (notwithstanding metal riffs or that sort of thing) were probably originally composed on acoustic guitar or piano...so, if you can do almost any song like that, you strip it down to the bare song, and you can think in terms of what other arrangements would work.
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#1689217 - 03/03/06 12:47 PM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Lee Flier
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Originally posted by Jeff Klopmeyer:
A business associate of mine was at a very famous producer/engineer's home studio the other day, and while he was there, a band was recording an entire "Dark Side Of The Moon" cover album.
Seriously.
I asked how far they were departing from the original vibe, and (thankfully), he said that other than the basic song structures, the entire arrangements had been obliterated. I think that the only way a project like that could merit any interest level from me would be to be so radically different as to be attention-grabbing.
 ). This CD is the entire album "The Wall" done by a bluegrass band. I am not making this up.
It's actually very well done and, depending on the song, the results are anywhere from sublime to hilarious. Really well recorded too. One of those things you'd think would NEVER work and it actually does!
My band, as you know, stays pretty true to the original versions of songs we cover. After all we write songs too... so if we wanted to hear something that different we'd just write a different song altogether.
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#1689218 - 03/05/06 08:01 AM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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_Sweet Willie_
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I think it depends on the goals and nature of your band.
If you're in an originals band and you mix in some covers with your own tunes, giving them a fresh arrangement or vibe that reflects the spirit of your music can be a really positive thing.
If you're in a covers band playing bar gigs where you know the expectation is that you're going to play tunes that the patrons (and bar owner/manager) will recognize and that will match their understandings of how those songs sound, you may want to stick close to the "known" versions.
Of course, even in the latter example there are ways to add your own flourishes and still satisfy the throngs lined up at the still.
I always appreciate hearing someone twist a cover tune into something new and exciting. But I've definitely heard some folks fall flat on their face in the attempt!
Peace.
--s-uu
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#1689220 - 03/09/06 07:25 AM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Picker
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Originally posted by Jeff Klopmeyer: Originally posted by Lee Flier: This CD is the entire album "The Wall" done by a bluegrass band. I am not making this up.
They did a REALLY great job reinterpreting the tunes. Massively impressive! 
- Jeff
_________________________
ROCK GUITARIST ABDUCTED BY ALIENS AND RETURNED TO EARTH!
Anal probe wouldn't fit past his head!
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#1689221 - 03/10/06 08:56 AM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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CMDN
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Interesting covers:
"One"--Three Dog Night... covered by Filter. Very interesting... stands up as a composition in spite of the changes.
"Fucking Hostile"--Pantera... covered by Kelley Deal. Totally fascinating... I may actually like this version better than the original.
"Freedom Of Choice"--Devo.... Covered by Fu Manchu. Amazing how new wave can get a stoner make-over!
I think this is the way to go... change stuff up... have fun... and make it interesting... without hurting the memory of the original.
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\m/
Erik
Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?
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#1689222 - 03/10/06 10:51 AM
Re: Horse of a Different Cover
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Originally posted by CMDN:
"Freedom Of Choice"--Devo.... Covered by Fu Manchu. Amazing how new wave can get a stoner make-over!
Of course, I like stoner rock and Devo, so it can't be helped.
- Jeff
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