Cover Bands...yay or nay?

[Basstrap]

What's your feeling on cover bands?
I mean, really, a friend told me recently that if I start a band or start singing like I hope to do soon, I should do all covers at first to hook people and then gradually put in my own songs.

Maybe its fine for some people but I will NEVER be a cover artist.
I think its a good way to pay tribute to a band you love for a night maybe. Or by adding a couple songs into your setlist. Or by organizing a tribute cd. But bands who are just cover bands are missing the point of playing music.

Your selling yourself WAY short by only being known for playing other peoples songs; Even the band "Elevation", though they may be exiting to watch, are, in essense leeching off of another bands songs.

Personally, and this is just me, I would never be content or satisfied in a cover band. Contentment would come when I wrote and sang my own songs, songs that come from "within" me.
I can't imagine the good feeling knowing that other people could be affected by my music.

Anyway, I'll shut-up now.

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I'm not living
I'm just killing time

 

[zonelistener]

U2 Cover bands - yay! Both Elevations (St. Louis/Chicago and Toronto), as well as UF, Exit and Vorspung.

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

I want to be in a No Doubt cover band (no joke) but I can't sing anything like Gwen.
Some cover bands are a good idea. The Neil Diamond cover band in "Saving Silverman" is classic, just thinking about it makes me laugh.

 

[icelady]

Well I'd have to say Yay on that one.

I used to know a U2 cover band - and they were quite good musicians in their own rite.

I think that the reason bands become a "cover" band is because the music influences them greatly in their approach and their desire to become musicians.

I think it's a great compliment and a token of respect to a band for people to want to play like their "inspiration"

I don't see anythign wrong with that. I certainly don't think it diminishes their abilities as artists just because they want to follow in someones footsteps so to speak.

Riding on someone's coattails - well I don't see that at all. Although you are playing someone else's music or style of music, you still require a degree of talent to pull it off, otherwise noone would listen. What draws someone to listen and what keeps them listening are two different things entirely.

Hahaha - sometimes I do stray in my point don't I. Oh well, I think you get what I'm trying to say.

And to ELEVATION - the TO kind, I haven't seen them as yet, but will be on Friday and I hear they are great as a cover band.

 

[mad1]

Well I like Achtung Baby.........they stay PoP U2 forever!!!!!!!!

 

[RufusYoungblood]

I will NEVER EVER go and see a U2 cover band EVER.

It would be like kissing your sister, and I think anyone who likes to see U2 cover bands doesn't really appreciate U2 music properly.

Don't even dare try to tell me a fake "Bono" singing "Wide awaaaaaake" ... gives you the same emotion as Bono signing it.

 

[Salome]

nay

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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[Bonochick]

I like to hear other people's versions of U2's music.

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"Hallelujah, Heaven's white rose,
The doors you open...I just can't close..."

 

[Angel]

Originally posted by RufusYoungblood:
...I think anyone who likes to see U2 cover bands doesn't really appreciate U2 music properly.

Well that's quite a harsh accusation. I for one, have only seen one cover band - "Rattle&Hum" and I can tell you it was a hell of a lot of fun. They were really great, but DUH not U2. Just a good time and really quite talented.

As for your question Basstrap... I would imagine a lot of the musicians who end up in cover bands are talented in their own right, but perhaps don't have the ability to write their own music. A lot of performers aren't songwriters so it could be a great way for them to be able to do what they love--> play music and why not at the same time, paying tribute to a great band?

 

[Shine * Like* Stars*]

First I would like to say that The Unforgettable Fire is a good cover band, and the singer becomes Bono. Exit is good but I don't really care for the female voice doing U2 songs. Generally I do not like any cover band because each song is distictive to each artist who wrote it and it doesn't sound right by someone else. But that's just me.