My jam band died in utero.

Seamus OReally

Seamus OReally

Well-Known Member
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Not enough common ground,” it was agreed by all. We were all such different players, and not in a cool Roxy Music kind of way, so we just crashed. The piano player is a real solo guy, and it shows. He wanted to blow over “All The Things You Are,” the bass player thought “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” would be a cool jam, and the sax player and I were adrift in the middle.

So now I gotta start over. I’ll be more careful in writing my Craigslist ad this time.
 
Seamus OReally said:
Not enough common ground,” it was agreed by all. We were all such different players, and not in a cool Roxy Music kind of way, so we just crashed. The piano player is a real solo guy, and it shows. He wanted to blow over “All The Things You Are,” the bass player thought “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” would be a cool jam, and the sax player and I were adrift in the middle.

So now I gotta start over. I’ll be more careful in writing my Craigslist ad this time.
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That's too bad. But I guess better to find out now rather than months into practicing...etc.
 
Two weeks ago, before our practice, our bass player asked me if I’d like to try out for another band he just got invited into. His vocal trainer is forming a new band with some of her friends and their lead guitar played flaked out. I know who she is and have heard her sing a few times, great voice. So I initially said sure, send me a set list. Now he did mention that she expects the cover songs to be note for note. OK, that was a turn off. When he sent me the set list, I didn’t know a single one of them, no blues or rock, more popish. I politely thanked him for the offer but declined the next day. I just couldn’t get my head around learning songs I never heard of and had no interest in playing.
 
Don O said:
Two weeks ago, before our practice, our bass player asked me if I’d like to try out for another band he just got invited into. His vocal trainer is forming a new band with some of her friends and their lead guitar played flaked out. I know who she is and have heard her sing a few times, great voice. So I initially said sure, send me a set list. Now he did mention that she expects the cover songs to be note for note. OK, that was a turn off. When he sent me the set list, I didn’t know a single one of them, no blues or rock, more popish. I politely thanked him for the offer but declined the next day. I just couldn’t get my head around learning songs I never heard of and had no interest in playing.
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Man, I’d never go for a note-for-note kinda thing. I can do it, unless it’s shredding, but I hate it. So much work for so little reward.
 
I was in a pretty good cover band where we all played great together but the lead singer was obsessed with Smule...a singing or karaoke app where he has followers like on TikTok and that was sort of annoying after awhile. The band didn't last but I sure miss those days.
 
Seamus OReally said:
So much work for so little reward.
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Yeah, like, mostly somewhere on the spectrum of, "Wow, that sounds just like the record." to
"That almost sounds as good as the record." to "These guys really suck, it doesn't sound anything like the record."

Even if the money offered was going to be decent enough, i've just lost interest in that kind of work ...
it's much more fun just being my own weird self all the time now.
 
frostyjr2 said:
Yeah, like, mostly somewhere on the spectrum of, "Wow, that sounds just like the record." to
"That almost sounds as good as the record." to "These guys really suck, it doesn't sound anything like the record."

Even if the money offered was going to be decent enough, i've just lost interest in that kind of work ...
it's much more fun just being my own weird self all the time now.
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As a mostly cover band performee, I gotta agree. Some stuff needs to be close to note for note, the simpler melodic stuff. But I am there to have fun, the songs are a vehicle over which I get to play the sheet out of my guitars. Stretch myself on some things and just generally satisfy myself. I'm in it for fun at this stage.
 
iblive said:
You left one out. “Hey. Those guys sound better than the record.” It has happened.
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Never had a complaint in 20 years with my Whiplash band about not sounding like the record.. I have had the odd compliment about tearing the git a new azz though. I don't cop the original tones either, I set it how I like. Most artists live don't overly sound like the recordings either.
 
Our last band lasted 10 years then Doug didn't want to play drums anymore I've played music with Doug over 40 years he likes playing
keyboards and a great vocalist the drummer they brought in I cant mesh with I've been a drummer over 30 years timing is everything
the good part I like getting up at seven AM not going to bed at seven AM Joe our bass player was a drummer toured 30 years on the road
so Joe and I are writing songs now we have 25 so far and 5 or so are very good
 
Jethro Rocker said:
As a mostly cover band performee, I gotta agree. Some stuff needs to be close to note for note, the simpler melodic stuff. But I am there to have fun, the songs are a vehicle over which I get to play the sheet out of my guitars. Stretch myself on some things and just generally satisfy myself. I'm in it for fun at this stage.
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Pretty much the same attitude I have. In the band I used to be in, all we played were covers, but - fortunately - our band leader was not overly obsessive about perfectly duplicating a recording. Really, I was my own worst critic - still am! She was a great front person and she focused mostly on interacting with the crowd.

But, yeah, for some songs, you may want to recreate as closely as possible. I mean, I try to do "Don't Stop Believin'" as close to the recording as possible (though I still throw in a few embellishments!) because people know every part of that song. Other songs, it's not such a big deal. For some songs, I'll hear things that I think are cool, so I try to recreate what I hear. Other songs are more open and just seem more conducive to personal interpretation
 
Seamus OReally said:
Not enough common ground,” it was agreed by all. We were all such different players, and not in a cool Roxy Music kind of way, so we just crashed. The piano player is a real solo guy, and it shows. He wanted to blow over “All The Things You Are,” the bass player thought “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” would be a cool jam, and the sax player and I were adrift in the middle.

So now I gotta start over. I’ll be more careful in writing my Craigslist ad this time.
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Sorry to hear, Seamus. Finding that right assemblage of personalities can be a real trick.
 
smitty_p said:
Pretty much the same attitude I have. In the band I used to be in, all we played were covers, but - fortunately - our band leader was not overly obsessive about perfectly duplicating a recording. Really, I was my own worst critic - still am! She was a great front person and she focused mostly on interacting with the crowd.

But, yeah, for some songs, you may want to recreate as closely as possible. I mean, I try to do "Don't Stop Believin'" as close to the recording as possible (though I still throw in a few embellishments!) because people know every part of that song. Other songs, it's not such a big deal. For some songs, I'll hear things that I think are cool, so I try to recreate what I hear. Other songs are more open and just seem more conducive to personal interpretation.
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Yeah, I play “Black Magic Woman” and “Doctor My Eyes” close enough to Carlos and Jesse Ed to sort of hit the high points of those iconic solos. But on “Crossroads,” I’m just gonna play my blues.
 
frostyjr2 said:
Yeah, like, mostly somewhere on the spectrum of, "Wow, that sounds just like the record." to
"That almost sounds as good as the record." to "These guys really suck, it doesn't sound anything like the record."

Even if the money offered was going to be decent enough, i've just lost interest in that kind of work ...
it's much more fun just being my own weird self all the time now.
Click to expand...

That's why I've been playing original music for so long. I want to try to do something unique, different, or soul fulfilling. I like learning cover to get better as a player, but also need to feed the creativity.
 
Found old photos of my band The hiltons it was a show band people would dance to every song
Georgia Horton her father trained Ann Margret and Barbra Streisand we did well 2002 I got 1099 for $400,000.00
we did a benefit fund raiser for the Aware shelter and women with breast cancer raised $525,000.00
so I bought a mint 1960 Les Paul Standard $325,000.00 tool of the trade and paid the accountant off zeroed out the 1099
2003 on we only played privet party's cash only 2008 had been through three drummers three bass players I was done with it
next band I was the 11th guitar player they auditioned our second gig Georgia shows up sets up on stage the owner
of the club Georgia's not part of the deal I had to tell her her boyfriend wanted to fight me over it I gave Georgia $180.00 out of my pocket
they got drunk so went from show band to hard rock band.

georga.jpg

IMG_0683.JPG
 
SG John said:
That's why I've been playing original music for so long. I want to try to do something unique, different, or soul fulfilling. I like learning cover to get better as a player, but also need to feed the creativity.
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Yup. In the new band I'm in, we've started to create some originals. The band leader (our drummer) is wanting to get us into the studio to record an EP. That will be a fun and new experience.

That's not to say I don't actually enjoy doing some covers. Shoot, some songs are just really good and it's both rewarding and fun to cover them! But, there's a fine line between that and just becoming a human karaoke machine.
 
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