Tired of playing covers?

[timwat]

I've grown weary of playing covers.

 

Since the pandemic, I've been re-examining where I spend my time and what I really value, what brings me joy and satisfaction. A lot of us have.

 

I play a lot of dance band gigs, a lot as freelance, some as a regular in several bands - weddings, corporates, that kind of thing. Like many of us, I'm good at it, I know the drill, I know how to pick the right parts, how to develop the sounds, etc. I can also manage the band, sequence the sets correctly, etc.

 

And I'd be happy never to learn or play another Bruno Mars tune or EWF song (nothing against either one of those acts!).

 

I'm not really sure why my desires have changed - part of it I think is wanting to go back to writing original music and investing my time in jazz and improvisational music, even if there's no audience. I'm sure there are other reasons (including general fatigue due to my other life responsibilities). Part of it is being just another faceless cog in a larger band machine, that, at the end of the day, is just a cog in the "entertainment event" machine - forgettable, interchangeable, easily replaced, pedestrian. Indistiguishable from any number of similar bands that all play Uptown Funk, Boogie Oogie Oogie and think it's some great shakes to play that new tune Skate.

 

This all sounds rather cynical and jaded, even as I read it back to myself. 

 

Am I just in a funk or does anyone else feel this way?

 

Tim

[ProfD]

Brotha @timwat, playing in some type of cover band gives most musicians a chance to play live music.  It scratches a certain itch. 

 

There is no real audience for original and improvisational music.  The audience for Jazz is small.  Neither provides the same response/feedback as a dancing crowd. 

 

However, once a musician with your skillset detoxes from whatever *high* they get from playing in cover bands...it's easier to move on to and be comfortable with the next phase of your gig life.

 

There will be fewer gigs.  The audience will be smaller.  The pay may not be the same. 

 

But, getting out of cover band purgatory and playing music on your own terms will be more rewarding in the long run. 

 

The coolest thing is that you can still play alternative arrangements of your cover band repertoire and new songs/tunes as well.

 

I wish you well in getting that cover band monkey off your back.  I've been clean for the better part of two decades and counting.😁😎

 

[ElmerJFudd]

28 minutes ago, timwat said:

I've grown weary of playing covers.

 

Since the pandemic, I've been re-examining where I spend my time and what I really value, what brings me joy and satisfaction. A lot of us have.

 

I play a lot of dance band gigs, a lot as freelance, some as a regular in several bands - weddings, corporates, that kind of thing. Like many of us, I'm good at it, I know the drill, I know how to pick the right parts, how to develop the sounds, etc. I can also manage the band, sequence the sets correctly, etc.

 

And I'd be happy never to learn or play another Bruno Mars tune or EWF song (nothing against either one of those acts!).

 

I'm not really sure why my desires have changed - part of it I think is wanting to go back to writing original music and investing my time in jazz and improvisational music, even if there's no audience. I'm sure there are other reasons (including general fatigue due to my other life responsibilities). Part of it is being just another faceless cog in a larger band machine, that, at the end of the day, is just a cog in the "entertainment event" machine - forgettable, interchangeable, easily replaced, pedestrian. Indistiguishable from any number of similar bands that all play Uptown Funk, Boogie Oogie Oogie and think it's some great shakes to play that new tune Skate.

 

This all sounds rather cynical and jaded, even as I read it back to myself. 

 

Am I just in a funk or does anyone else feel this way?

 

Tim

The chimes of freedom are always ringing, we just ignore the call, like tinnitus!  Creative freedom, being able to choose where and how to spend our musical time is a luxury I hope we can all enjoy at some point in our lives. Until then, the emails still tell us where to go, what time we hit, what the tunes will be.  😊 

[Stokely]

I'm in a different spot than many of you pros, being a non-pro (though I strive for professionalism!).  My band of 10 years, which I do not manage or book (thankfully) is thusly in a bit of a different spot, having come up from grungy bar gigs to get some corporate gigs and even a couple weddings--though this is more than people knew us than we are advertised as a wedding band.  Our area is more classic rock than dance, this may be because florida skews older and this is what they want, not sure.   So I don't have to learn the latest dance stuff, in fact it can be a bit difficult to get songs from recent decades onto our list.

However, some of the same applies.  I've played Gimme 3 steps and Brown eyed girl a gazillion times.   I'm finding that some of the reason that bands don't venture out more is due to needing sub players.  We added more fun, obscure songs only to not be able to play them much when we have sub bass player or drummer...back to Gimme 3 steps.  The audience is part of that too.  For example, I wanted to add Lido Shuffle, we worked it up and I thought we did a good job, but it just didn't get a reaction.

I've noticed with our "more pro" corporate gigs that we become more wallpaper than the bar gigs--it's tough to get energy for that.  Paradoxically, you'd think that would be the time for them to save some money and use a DJ or hell just play program music because few people even glance at the band at some of our gigs.

One thing I do even on songs that have keyboards (some of ours don't) is just go with the flow as far as patch choice and even parts.  If nobody is going to care--and nobody ever does--if I play it "like the record", then I'll keep my own interest by getting creative.  Within reason of course, and granted there are "signature parts" I will always play.   Case in point,  Funky music...I have no patch for that.  I play horns (sometimes), clav, organ, I've brought out a funky moog lead, whatever occurs at the time.  Heresy to some I guess!   If I had to lock in on patches and parts, and even worse play to tracks, I'd simply stop gigging as I have that luxury.

[drohm]

I have tried to play in cover bands a couple times. I find that although I like the idea of it, I never actually enjoy it for more than a couple weeks. I think my discontent could be specific to being a keyboard player and I might enjoy it more if I played a different instrument or was a singer. It just gets too boring on keys. Covers are fun when there is room for some creativity in solos, etc. - making them your own, if you get what I am saying. 

 

However, I really enjoy playing in my 4 piece jazz/funk/blues band and I also have enjoyed playing in jam-bands and other bands that play a lot of original music. I have determined that I prefer a to have a musical conversation rather than sharing a script. A little uncertainty in knowing exactly how the song will develop each time you play keeps things fresh and interesting.  

 

I hope you find plenty of musical enjoyment in your next projects. 

[drawback]

23 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Brotha @timwat, playing in some type of cover band gives most musicians a chance to play live music.  It scratches a certain itch. 

 

There is no real audience for original and improvisational music.  The audience for Jazz is small.  Neither provides the same response/feedback as a dancing crowd. 

 

However, once a musician with your skillset detoxes from whatever *high* they get from playing in cover bands...it's easier to move on to and be comfortable with the next phase of your gig life.

 

There will be fewer gigs.  The audience will be smaller.  The pay may not be the same. 

 

But, getting out of cover band purgatory and playing music on your own terms will be more rewarding in the long run. 

 

The coolest thing is that you can still play alternative arrangements of your cover band repertoire and new songs/tunes as well.

 

I wish you well in getting that cover band monkey off your back.  I've been clean for the better part of two decades and counting.😁😎

 

As I read the original post I was thinking of replying with these same words. When I started asking myself "who do you think you are?" it was time to let someone else be someone else. 

[timwat]

38 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Brotha @timwat, playing in some type of cover band gives most musicians a chance to play live music.  It scratches a certain itch. 

 

There is no real audience for original and improvisational music.  The audience for Jazz is small.  Neither provides the same response/feedback as a dancing crowd. 

 

However, once a musician with your skillset detoxes from whatever *high* they get from playing in cover bands...it's easier to move on to and be comfortable with the next phase of your gig life.

 

There will be fewer gigs.  The audience will be smaller.  The pay may not be the same. 

 

But, getting out of cover band purgatory and playing music on your own terms will be more rewarding in the long run. 

 

The coolest thing is that you can still play alternative arrangements of your cover band repertoire and new songs/tunes as well.

 

I wish you well in getting that cover band monkey off your back.  I've been clean for the better part of two decades and counting.😁😎

 

 

Thank you for this, brother.

 

A few of you may remember I have been playing jazz as well for about 15 years or so. I have a standing monthly gig I've been playing in the Bay Area for about 13 years or so, and know very well the polite golf-clap of the audience of five LOL. I also realize I'll never attain the proficiency or a voice of Brother Dave Ferris, Brother Steve Nathan, Brother Jim Alfredson, or others here who have spent a career's span pursuing this music I love full-time. My life dealt me other cards, other responsibilities, other opportunities, which I've never regretted.

 

But I feel like I've learned to write a bit, and develop a voice of my own. And while the joy and energy of filling a dance floor is real, it's ephemeral, impersonal, and frankly leaves me feeling more and more vacant the more of these gigs I play.

 

I'm very happy for you that you've been clean for two decades - I think it's time for me to follow suit. Thanks again.

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

25 minutes ago, drohm said:

I have tried to play in cover bands a couple times. I find that although I like the idea of it, I never actually enjoy it for more than a couple weeks. I think my discontent could be specific to being a keyboard player and I might enjoy it more if I played a different instrument or was a singer. It just gets too boring on keys. Covers are fun when there is room for some creativity in solos, etc. - making them your own, if you get what I am saying. 

 

However, I really enjoy playing in my 4 piece jazz/funk/blues band and I also have enjoyed playing in jam-bands and other bands that play a lot of original music. I have determined that I prefer a to have a musical conversation rather than sharing a script. A little uncertainty in knowing exactly how the song will develop each time you play keeps things fresh and interesting.  

 

I hope you find plenty of musical enjoyment in your next projects. 

Right, so piano centric music makes the gig more interesting always.  Time to start a piano trio! 

[zephonic]

1 hour ago, timwat said:

 

Am I just in a funk or does anyone else feel this way?

 

Tim

 

Same here. Am scaling down my cover/tribute band activity, but I do feel I need to gig at least twice a week to keep my game up. Otherwise I start to lose the routine of an active gigging musician. 

[ElmerJFudd]

9 minutes ago, timwat said:

 

Thank you for this, brother.

 

A few of you may remember I have been playing jazz as well for about 15 years or so. I have a standing monthly gig I've been playing in the Bay Area for about 13 years or so, and know very well the polite golf-clap of the audience of five LOL. I also realize I'll never attain the proficiency or a voice of Brother Dave Ferris, Brother Steve Nathan, Brother Jim Alfredson, or others here who have spent a career's span pursuing this music I love full-time. My life dealt me other cards, other responsibilities, other opportunities, which I've never regretted.

 

But I feel like I've learned to write a bit, and develop a voice of my own. And while the joy and energy of filling a dance floor is real, it's ephemeral, impersonal, and frankly leaves me feeling more and more vacant the more of these gigs I play.

 

I'm very happy for you that you've been clean for two decades - I think it's time for me to follow suit. Thanks again.

 

 

Tim, if you haven’t already, a laptop DAW is a very fulfilling way to scratch your writing, arranging, originals itch.   Create what you like, track everything yourself.  Priceless.  

[drohm]

19 minutes ago, timwat said:

 

Thank you for this, brother.

 

A few of you may remember I have been playing jazz as well for about 15 years or so. I have a standing monthly gig I've been playing in the Bay Area for about 13 years or so, and know very well the polite golf-clap of the audience of five LOL. I also realize I'll never attain the proficiency or a voice of Brother Dave Ferris, Brother Steve Nathan, Brother Jim Alfredson, or others here who have spent a career's span pursuing this music I love full-time. My life dealt me other cards, other responsibilities, other opportunities, which I've never regretted.

 

But I feel like I've learned to write a bit, and develop a voice of my own. And while the joy and energy of filling a dance floor is real, it's ephemeral, impersonal, and frankly leaves me feeling more and more vacant the more of these gigs I play.

 

I'm very happy for you that you've been clean for two decades - I think it's time for me to follow suit. Thanks again.

 

 

Always appreciate your posts and insight @timwat. Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts on this. It really resonates. 

[Old No7]

52 minutes ago, ProfD said:

However, once a musician with your skillset detoxes from whatever *high* they get from playing in cover bands...it's easier to move on to and be comfortable with the next phase of your gig life.

 

There will be fewer gigs.  The audience will be smaller.  The pay may not be the same. 

 

But, getting out of cover band purgatory and playing music on your own terms will be more rewarding in the long run. 

 

I was about to reply per that quote above, when this one hit...

 

4 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Tim, if you haven’t already, a laptop DAW is a very fulfilling way to scratch your writing, arranging, originals itch.   Create what you like, track everything yourself.  Priceless.

 

Responding to both of those posts, I'd suggest that you get a small digital Tascam Portastudio, so you can lay down your own songs and/or backing tracks and recharge your inner creative spirit.  Playing the "same old" same old over & over gets old...

 

With a Tascam unit -- and without all the complexities of a DAW, or not having to use a computer (and thus not letting a computer stifle the music) -- you can accompany... YOU!  You might find it will help you get out of the funk and recharge your love of music.

 

Old No7

[nadroj]

I get this, Tim.

 

I don’t play in “typical” cover bands any more. I have subbed a few weddings in recent years just for the money, and every time I leave the gig I say “never again”. Not to be a drama queen, but I find said gigs “soul destroying” now. Utterly boring, drab and soulless. The only good thing about them is the decent number of notes shoved into my hand at the end of the night. Thankfully I don’t have any more gigs like that in the diary, and with the way my rig is going, I soon wont have the keyboard required to pull that stuff off. 

Perhaps it’s not just playing covers themselves - maybe it’s playing standard cover stuff that’s the problem? 

 

A few years ago I subbed in for a ska band. They were a covers band, but played music from a select number of bands in a specific style. I hated ska music but thought it sounded fun, and I knew the singer. I did a couple of gigs and it immediately became the most fun band I’ve ever played in. Ska/funk/soul, with a singer who always leaves you on your toes wondering what he’s going to do next. We’ve stopped doing weddings and small functions now, but even when we did do them we didn’t do the standard wedding fare. No Uptown Funk, nothing released in the last 10 years. We did ska, funk and a small handful of wedding classics. We used to laugh that the bride and groom had better known who they booked, cos they weren’t getting the usual or expected stuff with us.
 

Just after COVID I joined as their full time keyboard player. There are a lot of bands in the UK that do what we do, and a lot of mediocre ska bands I’d similarly hate to be in…but we put so much effort into making a show out of it that we’re now selling out venues some of my favourite biggish touring original bands play at. Every year we branch a little farther out in the country, going further south into England every season. Next year’s diary is filled with weekends away, doing large venues in cities I’ve never played before. We do less gigs than my wedding band did, but are still out most weeks, playing bigger gigs, filled with crowds who have bought tickets solely to see us. We have our own promoters, who travel to gigs with us and help sort accommodation, riders, etc. It’s a covers band, but it’s given me the thrill of playing big shows regularly without the thin-ice unpredictability that comes with playing original stuff. 
 

As someone in my 30s with a young family to feed and be there fore, this is the perfect balance of scratching the “rock star” itch from my youth while still being manageable enough to be present with my family …and I’m playing covers. (Saying that we have recorded an original album to be released next month, but that’s another story). 

 

I share that to say that sure, original stuff may scratch an itch, but if you want to continue to make money playing live, the fact of the matter is that covers are going to be your bread and butter - unless you’re one of the 1%. Maybe it’s time to move away from playing standard covers, and find a style, genre or band that can bring some that joy back? 

[bfields]

1 hour ago, timwat said:

I'm good at it, I know the drill....

 

That may well be part of the problem!  I'm *not* very good at playing in a cover band, but I'm learning fast, and that's fun--and the challenge makes up for some of the drawbacks.

 

It's also fun to do something you're already good at.  But personally once something gets boring, I also stop performing as well, and then things get less fun fast.  So it's smart to recognize when you're getting to that point and start looking for the next move....

[Docbop]

Why not do both your sideman gig to pay the rent with then have a like minded musicians you get together with to play whatever music that floats your boat.   The second band may or may not play gigs and will be very selective when you do.   Mentally separating them between "pay the bills" and musical enjoyment and challenge. 

 

In all my decades around the the music biz I've only seen a few with the dedication to only playing the music they want to and nothing else.   They scrapped by with day gigs in record stores, book stores, art galleries and similar "arty" jobs that also understood when they got a gig they will be taking a few days off.   The one guy I'm referring to I went to college with and he eventually made it but spent a LONG time writing, practicing, playing small gigs before it finally happened for him.  Being your own person is not easy. 

 

On the other hand I have a couple OLD buddies that had an had a original band that did one album that flopped and they've been in cover bands ever since.   Now retired the one has a cover band that only rehearsed one night at his house week doing the old songs they liked so they can play and drink beer.    So everyone does whatever blows their skirt up to have fun. 

[ProfD]

12 minutes ago, Docbop said:

Why not do both your sideman gig to pay the rent...

Not to speak for @timwat but I don't think he has to gig in order to pay the rent. 

 

That should make it easier for him to get the monkey off his back. 😎

[miden]

I appreciate this thread.

 

Been thinking this line for a while now..just getting over playing the same stuff. Same crowds, same responses, week in week out.  I even tried playing live bass and keys (in my solo work) to make it, I dunno, more "live"....not one person in two years has actually noticed...so I might as well just go back to play keys only, or indeed, just dropping any sort of cover gigs..but we have the same issue here, no venues will put on any artists not doing the standard "pub/club" rep...even if said venue only gets a handful of punters to those gigs.

 

I even tried doing "interpretive" covers, which were, I must admit, quite unusual, however punters would just come up and tell me (sometimes shout) "that's not the way the song goes, play it properly" and if you play it properly they just stay rooted to their chairs immersed in conversation or go back to the pokies! Haha, on some occasions I even told some to just go and listen to the jukebox instead

 

Anyhoo, I am actually thinking of returning to accordion roots (with a digital accordion - FR-4x perhaps?) add a funky drum unit and just doing stuff I want to do and accept if I don't get gigs, well that's just fine, and if I do, well, that's just fine too

 

We have an annual Jazz Festival so I'd still do that with the original funk/fusion outfit but even then I'd be happy to not play mainstream jazz again haha!

 

So yeah, a timely thread and I am sure there are plenty of other folks here who are possible feeling the same...but mebbe have no choice

I am fortunate, like Tim, that I do not really need the music to pay bills I have other income sources so I suppose that makes it a lot easier to wax philosophical about it

[KuruPrionz]

For me, it's a mixed bag. 

I've never been in a band that played covers "just like the record".

I did a 9 year stint with a BL/singer/guitarist who knew an absurd number of songs and did not ever use a set list. Therefore, the only possible strategy is to look at his hands (I'm a guitarist too), and play something else that counters. Unless you are talking about something iconic and simple like the intro riff into the solo of Folsom Prison Blues or the guitar lick for My Girl, signature licks were not part of my ish. We were solidly booked 3 nights a week, often played more than that and did 16 gigs in 14 days one time. 

 

Never got rich but we had fun and filled dance floors. I realized that your audience really doesn't care about you sounding like the song at all. They want a dance beat and a chorus they can sing along to, the verses don't matter, the signature lick does not matter. We proved that too many times to consider it false. 

 

I did a 9 month stint in a Country Top 40 band as the only soloist, the keyboard player could not solo at all. 2 singers, married ( a recipe for disaster that happened after I left), bass, drums, guitar and keys. We were supposed to try and sound like the song but Top 40 country had fiddles, pedal steel, choirs singing backup, all sorts of stuff. Near the end of my stint the male lead singer came up to me and said "You aren't playing that guitar part in the intro of bla bla bla" and I said "Jeff, which guitar part do you want me to play, there's 5 guitars in that intro?' 

He just looked at me in disbelief but it was true. 

 

I moved to Bellingham and auditioned for a Motown cover band. They hired me out of 10 auditions. The keyboard player told me "We'll never sound just like the record, do your best with signature licks, take the saxophone solos and I'll take the strings and stuff. We don't have all the instruments that are on the records we play and it doesn't matter." I liked him, he got it. We had fun for a couple of years and then one of the lead singers became a serious problem with alcoholism and that divided the band. 

 

Then I found another BL/Singer/Guitarist who knew tons of songs and didn't have a set list. He had quite a few original songs that he mixed in and encouraged me to sing my originals. One of my songs became our most requested song so that felt great. I resigned amicably in November, will be playing one gig with them this summer.

 

I want to record my original songs, I have a small studio and know how to use it and I've paid my dues. 

One takeaway that's been valuable to me is that many cover songs have cool stuff like breaks, bridges, passages that modulate to another key, etc. Those are valuable for writing my own songs.

 

So yeah, mixed bag. Mostly "too loud" is driving me away. I don't want to be loud anymore. Earplugs work their way out when I sing, not a good thing. 

 

This much I am certain of, there are and will be cover band gigs. So run away, do your thing and see what happens. You could always go back if you ever wanted to do that and you probably won't. It's important that music makes you happy, play your happy music!!!!

[miden]

11 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

......It's important that music makes you happy, play your happy music!!!!

 

 

Yeah, totally! I think sometimes musicians tend to drift away from that philosophy. I know I do, and have. Where you think about what to play and it is "hmmm, I like that tune, but will the crowd like it?" I have even fallen into the same trap when writing my own music...how will this play to an audience, instead of just creating what I want to create and leave it at that...if other folks like it that's a bonus. But bottom line, is I have done something I WANTED to do, not something dictated by other people or circumstances

[KuruPrionz]

12 minutes ago, miden said:

 

 

Yeah, totally! I think sometimes musicians tend to drift away from that philosophy. I know I do, and have. Where you think about what to play and it is "hmmm, I like that tune, but will the crowd like it?" I have even fallen into the same trap when writing my own music...how will this play to an audience, instead of just creating what I want to create and leave it at that...if other folks like it that's a bonus. But bottom line, is I have done something I WANTED to do, not something dictated by other people or circumstances

I wrote a truly obnoxious sort of tribute to the Who about 45 years ago about a man who buys a clone kit, duplicates himself, trains his clone to take his place with his wife and family and then runs away. In the last 6 years it became the most requested song of the band I was in. 

"Mess my life up, knock my wife up, Pinhead Boy" 

I once saw 5 of 7 people at one table singing along, they knew all the lyrics. THAT was fun!!!!

[b3plyr]

Tim, I feel your pain. I was keyboardist/music director in a VA band for a long time before moving to Asheville, NC. While I considered playing in a wedding band, I'm glad I didn't. I'm tired of "copying" covers so I've gone the duo route - just myself on keys and a great vocalist. I haven't looked back since. While we do covers, they really are not covers. They are our take on the song. And being the sole instrumentalist keeps me challenged, which is what I really like. So go with your feelings. My manta is "have fun doing what you want to do". It has worked well for me.

[CEB]

I'm just tired.  It helps playing with players who are young enough to be my children.  It keeps the energy levels up.  It's not really about the music I guess ... None of it is Rachmaninov.  Its kind of like a high wire act with no net  when we do things like let a dozen drunk women on our stage to dance with the vocalists.  It gets me out of the house.  Its nice that there is no pressure anymore.  The kids are all out of college with good jobs.  If the band blows up tomorrow I'm fine.  I don't have to play anymore.  This is probably my last ride.   I get quite a few calls for sub gigs which breaks some of the monotony.    I'm just  getting too old for this s*** and I do not recover well from the late hours.  The real enemy is sleep deprivation. But I will probably keep playing as long as they want me around I guess.  I think I will draw a hard line at 65 and hang it up.   Which is going to be here soon.

[ProfD]

2 hours ago, zephonic said:

 

Same here. Am scaling down my cover/tribute band activity, but I do feel I need to gig at least twice a week to keep my game up. Otherwise I start to lose the routine of an active gigging musician. 

Actually, you're just training yourself to remain relevant in that particular music scene.

 

@zephonic, the reality is that you're a helluva musician.  That will never change unless heaven forbid you lose the chops.  Otherwise, your skillset is one that you'll always be able jump back into that gig bag if you desire to do so. 

 

For as long as I've been removed from that gig scene, while most of my muso friends and associates know better than to disturb me, I still get calls to come out and play. 

 

Whenever I meet a muso and/or someone hears me play, I get two (2) questions, 1) where can I hear you play and 2) would you be interested in doing my gig. 😁

 

My running joke is that I can probably find more money in the cushions of my sofa than most cover gigs can afford to pay for the aggravation. 🤣😎

 

 

[Stokely]

I definitely get the "too loud" thought too.   I had a crossroads at one particular gig about eight years ago; same band, some different members, six people with a very loud drummer with all of us on wedges.  He hit four crashes at the end of Rockin' in the Free World (yeah, that one) and I felt my eardrums distort.   I went to in-ears the next gig, it was either that or quit.  I have kids and I'd like to hear them as I move into my golden years.

[Adan]

Though both involve playing covers, bar gigs and function gigs are not at all the same in my mind.  I've played tons of cover band bar gigs and did it mainly for fun.  I don't think I've ever played a function gig I would call "fun."

 

Tim, as a tenured  college professor, you're at a different place on the time-money continuum than musicians who play those gigs to pay rent.  There has to be something more in for you than just the money.  

 

Playing "interpretive" covers is where it's at for me these days.  Meet the audience halfway.  Give them something familiar and something new to chew on.  Everybody wins.

[ProfD]

17 minutes ago, Adan said:

Playing "interpretive" covers is where it's at for me these days.  Meet the audience halfway.  Give them something familiar and something new to chew on.  Everybody wins.

Reads like a great idea.  It worked for Jazz.😁😎

[zephonic]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Actually, you're just training yourself to remain relevant in that particular music scene.

 

@zephonic, the reality is that you're a helluva musician.  That will never change unless heaven forbid you lose the chops.  Otherwise, your skillset is one that you'll always be able jump back into that gig bag if you desire to do so. 

 

Thanks, I appreciate that, D.

 

I mean, I feel like being a musician is somewhat akin to being an athlete. You need to not only practice regularly but also do matches/races/gigs to keep that rhythm going. Once you're out of that routine, it takes a while to get back into it. I was out for most of the first half of this year, and still feel a lack of "game readiness" when I'm gigging.

 

I know it's a lousy analogy, but I'm sure you get my point.

 

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

My running joke is that I can probably find more money in the cushions of my sofa than most cover gigs can afford to pay for the aggravation. 🤣😎

 

 

 

Lol, I'm gonna use that!

[Moonglow]

Seems I’m in the minority here, but I’m not tired of playing covers. I mostly like classic rock and 80's music and enjoy learning tunes in these genres I find challenging to play (of which there is an endless supply). I also enjoy programming the sounds and mapping them out in my rig. I’m in three very different cover bands, so that keeps things interesting, and I enjoy playing out with all of these guys. I don't sing, but have the freedom to do a piano or heavy synth intro to a song or two during our shows. The bands are locally popular, so the cash is pretty good, although that’s not really a strong motivator. I totally love the transference of energy between the band and the crowd and enjoy watching them dance and have a good time. I feel happy when I play music I like and make others happy while doing it. 🙂

 

[CyberGene]

As a listener I never go to places where there are cover bands playing. 

[jeffincltnc]

I enjoy playing covers and doing it well as long as there are fresh tunes to pick up.

 

I don’t have much interest in 60’s, 70’s and 80’s oldies anymore.  Or at least I didn’t.  I’m playing with a cover band as the sole keyboardist that is doing Depeche Mode, Madness, Erasure, The Cure, The Cars, Tears for Fears, Howard Jones and various other new wave era stuff that nobody else is doing and without backing tracks.  So… it’s a lot of work to learn and do that well.

 

I also like covering newer and more recent stuff now.  Dua Lipa, The Weeknd and stuff gives me a fresh assignment.

 

The 70’s were a long time ago.  I am fine with covers as long as I feel like I am staying current and relevant in my approach, what I’m listening to, how I use newer gear like in ear monitors and such, and not just letting myself being an old dog who can’t learn any new tricks.