# How much difference does the material make?



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I quit a band because I just didn't like 30 - 40% of the material. It was the right genre that I wanted to play but I just couldn't get in to alot of the song choices. There was another small reason that added to my decision to quit but this was the main one.
Anyone ever quit because the didn't like the song choices?


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> I quit a band because I just didn't like 30 - 40% of the material. It was the right genre that I wanted to play but I just couldn't get in to alot of the song choices. There was another small reason that added to my decision to quit but this was the main one.
> Anyone ever quit because the didn't like the song choices?


Yup. If it's covers I'm super picky about what I play. My time is limited. I can't be spending it on things I don't like. It's a hobby for me now, not a job, so it's 100% enjoyable or it's not worth spending my precious time on.

I just ditched the Mod cover band. They were doing too much older stuff (Stones, Kinks, etc.) all good music. But I want to stay in the 80's-90's. That's what I love and if it's going to be covers that's what I want to play.


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

Paul said:


> Now.......What if René Angélil called you to play in Celine's band? A great salary, all expenses are paid, 2 shows a night in Vegas, world tours.....the whole nine yards. Would you play the song now???? If yes, the problem isn't the song, the problem is you.


The difference is in what I do to earn a living (stuff I don't always like, but get paid well to do) versus what I do to relax off hours (stuff I always like, but don't get paid well [if at all] to do). When my living was coming from music I'd play anything I was asked to play. But when I picked up a career outside of music and my time to play music decreased significantly I had to get picky.

With that Mod band I was promised more modern music: The Charlatans, The Verve, Oasis, Echo & The Bunneymen, The Smiths. The stuff I grew up on. And that wasn't happening. Why commit to something you don't love? Ultimately you'll sabotage it yourself, knowingly or not, because the reward for the pain isn't high enough.



> When practicing or rehearsing, that time is for me to grow/develop as a musician. When performing, that time is for me to reach/entertain the audience in whatever way I can. Music is a language, music is communication with other musicians and the audience.


All comes back to what you're doing with it: I play music for me first. If an audience happens to like then it's lucky for them. 

That being said, if your hobby is not just "playing music" and it's "being in a cover band" you're going to have to suck it up and play the stuff the audience wants to hear. I guess that's why I haven't done a cover band thing for going on 12 years now and am having a hard time convincing myself to do it now.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Usually I don't have a problem playing the songs that I don't like. Some songs that make me cringe are Mustang Sally, Old time rocknroll, etc. I will play those songs when called on to do so. Especially since I haven't had to play them on a regular basis. And thats what it comes down to. It is songs like that I've been called on in this particular band, to play on a regular basis. I just can't do it.


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## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

Our band is made up of 5 members and it's majority rule for song picks. Unlike some of you folks this is only a hobby for us......we all have day jobs. We ended up with a collection of tunes from the 60s to the 90s that most people would put in the classic rock camp. Some I hate playing but they are few and far between, most are a blast to play and a few are just amazing ( Honey Bee by Petty, Pictures of Matchstick Men by Status Quo, Wiggle Stick by Rev H Heat, Hush by Deep Purple) for me anyway. I look at it as a give and take thing....part of being a band. As Paul said I have learned over the years to play for the audience. I despise Flip Flop and Fly .....but we play it and the tune fills the dance floor every time.......


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Tarl said:


> Our band is made up of 5 members and it's majority rule for song picks. Unlike some of you folks this is only a hobby for us......we all have day jobs. We ended up with a collection of tunes from the 60s to the 90s that most people would put in the classic rock camp. Some I hate playing but they are few and far between, most are a blast to play and a few are just amazing ( Honey Bee by Petty, Pictures of Matchstick Men by Status Quo, Wiggle Stick by Rev H Heat, Hush by Deep Purple) for me anyway. I look at it as a give and take thing....part of being a band. As Paul said I have learned over the years to play for the audience. I despise Flip Flop and Fly .....but we play it and the tune fills the dance floor every time.......



Yes I feel the same way. And songs like flip flop and fly are great tunes to play every once in a blue moon.
I'm thinking that if a band has that many songs that I don't like maybe the problem is that the band and I are just not a good fit.


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm thinking that if a band has that many songs that I don't like maybe the problem is that the band and I are just not a good fit.


That's my feeling on the matter. I'll be more judicial before I get involved with another cover band after the recent experience. I don't want to be wasting my time _or_ theirs.


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## gramatica (Dec 3, 2007)

*The set list...*

My first few times being payed to play was in the early 80s. It was less a question of what I *wanted* to play than what we all *could* play - and what the audience would be inclined to sit quietly and drink to...

A wise man once told me, if some drunken idiot at the back of the bar wants you to play _Cocaine_, you play Cocaine!

Now that I don't _have to_ play for pay, I can play anything I want... in my living room. It is much better for my chi. Very glad that I have another talent that someone will pay me for!


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I suppose it also depends on how much opportunity you have to play. To sit at home not playing at all, I'd rather be playing stuff I don't like. At least I'd be playing.
If the crowd likes it, yes, I'll bite my tongue and play Mustang Sally.


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## gramatica (Dec 3, 2007)

*audience participation*

The worst thing about playing in a bar is when no one pays attention! 

There is a youtube vid up here from a band called... _left4dead_, I think. They are a good band - we would all at least watch them when they came on. But they are competing against an NBA game on the big-screen! 

4 little guys playing the blues against 7-foot tall men with big balls... :sport-smiley-002:


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

dwagar said:


> If the crowd likes it, yes, I'll bite my tongue and play Mustang Sally.


I just started using another instrument i.e trombone. Puts the challenge back in the song.


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## Geek (Jun 5, 2007)

As a listener, I'd pay a cover to listen to a band with original songs for a change.

There's only so... much... ^%$$& Thorogood and Irish Rovers I can &^% stand!


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> Usually I don't have a problem playing the songs that I don't like. Some songs that make me cringe are Mustang Sally, Old time rocknroll, etc. I will play those songs when called on to do so. Especially since I haven't had to play them on a regular basis. And thats what it comes down to. It is songs like that I've been called on in this particular band, to play on a regular basis. I just can't do it.


There are some tunes that our band plays that don't really turn my crank. However, we enjoy playing together so I can live with it. I guess it boils down to the chemistry within the band to begin with. Our guitar players generally pick the tunes and the rest of us go along with the choices. Sometimes our singer may object for whatever reason, and we respect that.

Songs like Mustang Sally we reserve for guest singers. Being predominantly a blues band, Mustang Sally seems to be one of those "go to" songs for blues singers. Kind of like Summertime is for jazz singers. When it comes to tunes like Flip, Flop and Fly, we play around with the arrangment to make it more interesting for us to play as a band. The audience doesn't care what we've changed, but it at least we can have some fun with the tune.

For me, it's the fun factor, and the audience certainly senses if the band is having a good time.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

gramatica said:


> The worst thing about playing in a bar is when no one pays attention!
> 
> There is a youtube vid up here from a band called... _left4dead_, I think. They are a good band - we would all at least watch them when they came on. But they are competing against an NBA game on the big-screen!
> 
> 4 little guys playing the blues against 7-foot tall men with big balls... :sport-smiley-002:


LOL....it's actually 5 little guys and thanks for the positive feedback. We've packed the bar that we're currently playing at for all three gigs so far, and we've certainly received the allot of attention. It's lead to some booked private parties later on in the year. I guess we've been lucky so far. However, those gigs have all been Saturday nights. This month's gig is going to be on a Thursday night at the same bar. It'll certainly be interesting to see what the turnout will be like and whether the big screen TV will be the focus of attention. Especially if it's a small crowd.

We'll have fun playing nontheless.


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

well... here's my 2 cent's worth, since it's a forum and that means you all asked 

i've heard oh.... hundreds? of bands do mustang sally (i'm picking this one because it's the most lamented "i don't want to play that song ever again" choice). you know how many i've heard that played the song well? maybe 5.. 

songs like mustang sally (or brown eyed girl, or what have you) are a lot harder to pull off than most guitar players think. the problem in my experience is that guitar players only think of difficulty in terms of "how fast do i have to play", because that's how they challenge themselves. it's a holdover from the speed wars of the 80's, and it's what ruins most guitar players... speed is nothing but a tool, it's not talent. 

i'll play songs i don't like in a cover band, but i have a few "deal breakers"... if the band plays any songs by the deal breaker bands, i'm out.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I'm not too fussy, though I once quit a band (it was 1980) who wouldn't give up Colour My World by Chicago when everyone tried to exercise their one veto option. There were other issues, naturally, but it was the virtual straw that broke the camel's back. 

I have played all kinds of songs I didn't care for simply for the privelege of playing at all with folks who matter to me, and the opportunity to play out. One of my current bands won't take on real complex stuff, preferring to keep a real laid back attitude, and that's okay with me. 

But there's so much music and so many potential songs that giving up a few for the collective unity of the band shouldn't be a problem. The garage band solidarity that goes with the bands I've enjoyed is more important than any individual musician's ego or preferences.

So, under most conditions I wouldn't quit over a song or two.

Fwiw, 28 years later I still think Colour My World is a mediocre, poorly sung, played bland, piece o'crap, which I've never heard covered any better. Oh yeah, I dig Mustang Sally! 

Peace, Mooh.


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