NWB - Community Blog

I'm far too lazy to do note for note. Can't see the point. A lot of the bands we cover don't play their own songs note for note.

Interpretation every time - would be no point in us doing it any other way

There are COVERS bands and TRIBUTE bands.
Tribute bands should be sticking to the basic track note for note - how bloody boring!!
Covers bands, in my opinion should be able to COVER the basic song and put there own take on it and let it go where it goes. As long as over-indulgence is not involved and the audience KNOW what the song is, one's own artistic interpretation should be encouraged.
To sum up - yes, get all the good bits spot on, but if you can put your own spin on it, go there; far more satisfying to me than reproducing something that everybody else is doing. I never heard LedZep for instance ever reproduce a studio track note for note when they played live -- you gotta go where the music takes you man!

interpretation's good... but what a lot of bands seem to do with their own versions of songs is just 'leave out all the hard bits'... so you end up with a wooly, generic rendition of a song that only doesn't sound like the original because its been de-fanged

ideally if you do your own version of something, you want to add to the original in some way, not chip stuff away off it

i'm not really thinking of songs like 'crossroads', which is obviously a song that zillions of people have interpreted and there can't be said to be ONE definitive recorded version, unlike things like stairway to heaven or, oh I dunno, i predict a riot etc

so let's see Crossroads was recorded in the year dot on a wax cylinder and the original sounds like you're hearing it through a bag of crisps...yup we nailed that one perfectly! Seriously? It's got to be our interpretation because we ain't the original and we do things differently i think Peacemaker hit's the right note (above)

Steve, I kind of thought the question was wht do YOU do with the songs, not what do you dislike about other peoples way of doing them. ;o)

oh right :)

well, i'm doing originals now, but when I used to do covers, we usually tried to add extra spunk (timbre & tempo mostly) while keeping existing structures & key bits (melodies, riffs, motifs, fills)

My belief is if the pub wanted authenticity regarding a song ... they should save everyones time and put a cd on.....

As mentioned previously there are bits that everyone expects ... intro to sweet child of mine etc....which you couldn't not do.

Can honestly say that Ive only ever learnt half a dozen bass lines note for note in my life .... just cant get into that mindset to spend the hours checking whether the line in verse 2 has nuances that the line in verse 1 didnt have.... I will butcher the line in both verses and have done with it anyhow ha ha..

Guitarists have it tougher cos most fans may be able to hum along to the solo and main hooks so interpretation has to be in other places...

But generally Piggery will get the essence of the song and the major obvious bits and then 'bonzo dog bugger around band' the rest of it.

Top comment above about tributes and covers bands btw

I think it totally depends. We're only a 3 piece, so there's obviously no point us having a crack at anything orchestral, but there's nothing wrong with putting yer own spin on a song if it suits the sound of your band better, and of course provided the punters/gaffers like it!

Frankie

i always think its horses for courses.. stuff like Sultans of Swing and Alright Now are songs that people recognise and would automatically think you played wrong if you were to deviate.

Other stuff like the Megadeth, Dream Theater tracks we play as near as damn it, but I will never be John Petrucci, Marty Friedman etc.. With stuff like this, I think its about having a go and getting close; else you're right it would be watered down and embarrasing, thus not worth doing.

But then there is validity in doing a total twist on a song from a different genre to make it fit your sound; bit like metallica or maiden would do with a cover.

However some blues songs are that used to being exploited though, there is rarely a right or wrong; just what sounds good.

i am a firm believer in adding a bit of " personality " or flare on a covered track where appropriate but without detracting from the feel of the song. However, i don't like to hear a song being covered where it is obvious that somebody obviously hasn't done their homework and in my view have just been pure lazy in learning the track which shows in the way it is being played. This isn't a contradictory comment, you can hear the difference when someone is doing either of the 2 points above.

I find it's a bit like genetic drift.
You learn the song near enough to the record and start gigging it, but once you're 'comfortable' with the basic bones, the flesh seems to grow according to the band and the way everyone in the band plays and interracts.
I'm constantly amazed when I hear a song Kingpin cover on the radio or a CD and think 'bugger me, we don't play it like that'! And a lot of the time, I also think 'we play it BETTER than that'!

AlyerofcourseI'minthebestbandinthecountrylikeeveryoneelseonherepal

As a tribute, we attempt to play everything a close to the studio recorded versions as is possible to do live. Thats what folk want to hear from us.
I wouldn't say it's boring either...in fact it's quite challenging learning to play as good as Slash, Duff and co.
Thing is in my view...we are not an originals band...we are playing someone elses stuff...popular stuff that a lot of people know well and can/will sing and air guitar along to, so it has to be right.

Covers bands can 'get away with' a bit of individual interpetation....but it has to be as good..if not better than the original stuff imo for people to enjoy it and not think...'this bands shit, they cant even play crossroads right'

Bloody good blog sir.

I think that there are two approaches to covers. You can either a) get as close as possible to the original or b) arrange your own version of the original. Anything in between will be viewed as (but is not necessarily) lazy or a cop out.

Examples:

Whole Lotta Love by Goldbug - fantastic cover
On Her Majestys Secret Service by Propellerheads - fantastic cover

Knockin On Heavens Door by Guns n Roses - bad cover
Anything on X Factor/Pop idol - shiiite

i also think that as a covers band, you should have your own sound as a "unique" band. This would mean having your own interpretations on some songs if your set is extremely varied. Can be difficult to pull off if not approached in the right manner.

To a degree, there are some things we have to do 'properly'. So our
Steve is accurate to every last creak of a string on Pink Floyd solos.

Otherwise, to be honest, if people want to hear slavish reproductions
of a track as on the original record, they should stay at home and
listen to the record.

We have a pseud-angry tongue-in-cheek disclaimer on our info page at
http://www.thekerbcrawlers.co.uk and on our flyers:

"OUR MISSION STATEMENT:
We know exactly how we want the songs we play to sound and our first task as a group is to do what pleases and interests us and to ensure that our audience are greatly impressed with what we do. Unless songs are quite sacred to us (it happens), we will play the songs how we personally like to play them and we try put our own stamp on them, to make them different and interesting and also so we don't sound exactly like every other band, who may have been playing 'Twist and Shout' for the last 40 years in the same floral shirt. We don't play Freebird.

If we want to make 'Summer of 69' into a 'reggae dub mix ganja extravanganza' with backwards guitars and a kazoo orchestra, we will. If a Bryan Adams fan is offended by this, he can just go home and put the CD on and pray for us all to go to Hell. We can assure you that Bryan Adams really doesn't care."

Sums it up really...

Pick songs that people don't know ... then you can do whatever (not WHATEVER) you like with them!!
Willowonlyjokingtoapoint

We like to be as close to the original as possible but sometimes we have to adapt the song a little bit to suit our style.
With only having one guitarist our multi-talented bass player has to fill some gaps.....

Both ways.

Nikki can't sing like Bon Scott or Mick Jagger - LOL,

Rick.

Yup, we lean towards 'interpretation' too! Partly coz the original arrangements just dont get the crowd going like we know we can but mainly coz we never practise so we just play whatever we can remember from jamming in the van on the way to the gig...!! lol

John

more so in a trib band, but in a mix of covers band, i still always like to play things pretty faithfully, but you will always sound like yourself so there will always be that cool personal stamp and style on it(or not)

but its surprising and always welcome to hear that "you played that bit just like the album" even if they are pissed when they say it, the sincerity is usually there ha ha

if i could offer a "fan's perspective" on this (very interesting) debate? when i go to watch a covers band i don't,usually , expect them to play the tunes "note for note"- indeed, i find it most enjoyable to hear musos adding a touch(or more ) of their own personality to a song-improv often makes for a better time? as long as the song is played keeping to the "spirit" of the original.that works for me. as most are saying-it would be futile to try and emulate bruce, clapton and co on "crossroads"-but i have heard more than a few excellent interpretations of that number-again, keeping to the spirit of the tune, thus making it just as enjoyable to hear. (i have,also, heard quite a few attempts to play it which should be considered "culpable homicide!!)
i have, also, watched quite a few tribute bands-there i expect them to maintain the whole flavour of the band they are mirroring-a chance for me to see a "top flight band" on a lesser cost base? granted,it may only be a "snapshot" of the real persona of the big names and again, an interpretation,, but,close enough to the real thing to make it a worthwhile experience.

As close as poss. without makin it too hard, or ya wudn't wanna play it.
I think some songs have to be spot on, others y'can wing it a bit.

Mark

Interesting. I believe that interpretation is more important than copying/plagiarism. However, when the bands that I've been with have played one of their hits, we've often played an interpretation of it, but making sure the original arrangement was followed and any important hooks were included.

Rob

Being in a Tribute band we don't have the luxury of "interepretation" of songs. We have to perform them exactly as the original band performed them.
That to me is the challenge. I don't find that " boring" at all. But hey.... Each to their own ;-)

Best wishes

John

Good blog! I have to agree with Steve Dixon. If you play your own arrangement of a song, try to add something to the original and not take away.

We don't have much of a problem because as a rule we take songs from different genres and completely change the feel anyway which I feel automatically adds something.

As for The Soul Train, they strictly stick to the original and I like that and sometimes get a greater sense of acheivement from gigs.

Would anyone be offended (Mick Bad Horsie) if I told you which song drives me mad when is not played right?

as mentioned above, so many famous bands don't even play their own songs note for note!
I prefere to hear or play an interpretation (as long as the crucial bits are there)
however, i can appreciate somebody going to the effort of performing a note for note rendition as well....if it was a RUSH tune for example.......each to their own

Ah now if you are talking about the original recording artists then it can be very good to hear them play different arrangements with their songs.

Speaking of recording artists, Bob Dylan has never sang the same song twice in his life. The majority of his recordings have been "one take" especially his 60's recordings. If he wasn't happy with the first take then he would come back to it later with a different arrangement!

"Would anyone be offended (Mick Bad Horsie) if I told you which song drives me mad when is not played right?"

Not at all. It all depends on your interpretation of "played right". If mine is different to yours it's no biggie. There are very few songs in our set that are "right", and it's one of our strengths according to our audience. Feel free. Sounds like your band do similar to what we do, but down a different route anyway....

We all try play our parts as close as poss...personally I'd rather watch a band accurately replicate the original song (as much as poss). Cant speak for guitarists but as a drummer there's nothing worse than watching other drummers cut corners when playing covers either because they haven't bothered to learn the song or are incapable. I see it with a lot of bands.

Wait a moment.......

Bob Dylan SANG........

;-)

I'm pretty sure that a large percentage of the punters don't really know when a song isn't absolutely nailed to the original. As long as it's not badly performed and is clearly recognisable I'd say anything goes, except for tribute bands, naturally....

NT: "difference between covers bands doing a song and the original band doing it...in as much as when you go to a concert to see, say, AC/DC, a large factor is literally seeing the band in person"
---------------

I remember seeing Bryan Adams in concert at the MEN some years ago (cowers) and he did 'Everything I do' as an acoustic version and the audience were still going mental so yeah you have a point there...it doesnt matter how the original artist plays it they'll still get the reaction.

Went to watch my favourite band, Irish Punk band 'Stiff Little Fingers' at the Academy last week for the umpteenth time - seen them every tour for years and as a musician I notice they play the songs ever so slightly different each tour....the structure of the song stays the same but they may put in a longer intro for a song or the guitarist might stick a bit of extra bits in the middle 8 of a song for eg. As a drummer I definitely notice their drummer might play the same song slightly different than on a previous tour (a fill or crash etc)...but a non-drummer wouldn't have a clue.

Personally I love it if I'm watching a covers band and they start a song that you can't quite recognise ... thinking hmm ... that lyric sounds familiar ... and then either at the chorus or if they start to make it sound more like the original you go "well, blow me! it's suchandsuch by whoever ... !!"
I remember a guy at an open mic doing Call Me Al which has a very distinctive lyric but the way he was singing it, kind of raspy Bon Jovi acoustic stylee, really covered it up ... then he burst into "If you be my bodyguard ..... ". Fantastic!
I like to play around with things at home (Ed. steady!) or at open mics but rarely make too radical a change playing with the band (apart from our instrumentation of course)!

Willow