Last week we published comments regarding Madison Lucas’s request for a conversation on Facebook re: Cover vs. Original Bands.” COMBO member Rob Roper jumped in and posted his thoughts to our website. In turn, COMBO President Barb Dye added her 2¢ worth. https://coloradomusic.org/madison-lucas-starts-another-conversation-on-facebook-re-cover-vs-original-bands/
Author: Rob Roper
Email: rob@robroper.com
http://robroper.com/
Rob’s Comment:
There’s a place for both. I play original music, and I mainly go out to see original bands. I’m normally not interested in hearing cover bands. But that’s just me.
There are other people who want to hear the popular hits they love. The cover bands serve those people. And maybe the people in the cover bands are playing the music they love.
People should do what they love. If you have a shitty soul-sucking job, go out on Friday and/or Saturday night (or a weeknight if your job is REALLY shitty lol), and listen to original bands or cover bands, whichever you like.
If you’re a musician, play covers if you love doing that. If you want to play original music, do that. There’s no good or bad, no right or wrong. You’re serving two different audiences.
Barb’s comment: When I managed bands (original), I encouraged them to do both – learn covers for phrasing, melody changes, tempo changes, lyric ideas, bridges, and so much more. But also work on your originals. Then when playing out, play 2 covers, 1 original, babble break, repeat. That way the band could earn a little pocket change to help the budget from their low paying day jobs while getting the crowd tuned onto their originals. Generally worked quite well.
Many of the big-name bands started that way. Jackyl followed that formula and then one day, they told the venues they were only going to play their originals. Many of the venues cancelled but then realized they were losing Jackyl’s big crowds. So they took a chance and it paid off for both the band and the venues.
(Never, never, never announce your original before you play it. People will leave the dance floor immediately without even hearing it to find out if it is good or not. After you have played the song, then say, “We’re glad you liked that song. It’s one of our originals and it’s available on our CD [or on Spotify or whatever] at the merchandise booth over there! My bands had no trouble selling CDs that way),
Photo: Rob Roper
