Jeremy Clarkson has written an interesting piece this week about tribute bands. As the article says there are lots of groups now touring but without the original members. Once the group dynamic has changed forever where is the best original material likely to come from? Bearing in mind that the best tribute bands make a very good living playing the songs of the groups they are copying to a very high standard. If these tribute bands, who know the work inside out, were to write something original then it is inevitable that they would write in the style of the music to which they are accustomed. They know the the writing style of the original band, they know the techniques, after a while it will become second nature to them. I for one would be more interested to hear what the best Queen tribute band in the world would write than the mess that in Cosmos Rocks (which, admittedly I haven't heard all the way through and probably never will).
Certainly an interesting idea, but the sole fact that cover bands hardly ever try to write their own songs, already says it all. F.i. Dutch cover band Miracle, who really are great performing Queen songs usually, put their own tribute song on one of their last DVD's and CD's. Although they're a well known cover band (will perform at Queen convention next Spring), I don't think writing is their thing.
Perhaps other cover bands do make a difference.
But I totally agree with you that the QPR album is disappointing. Rocking, experienced musicians at this high level should have come up with a better album. It also makes it a little sad seeing them perform. It's the closest we'll ever get to Queen in our lifetimes, and I highly respect PR, but I think that QPR have become the best Queen cover band around. Too bad they don't even make a small part of the cosmos rock, with their new material....
Luckily I have seen the real Queen perform several times...
Cover bands are pretty much like certain kind of musicians that can't play a single note if there isn't a music sheet in front of them. All these clones do is duplicate movements and sounds, sometimes quite accurate, instead of a music sheet they need a mirror and a DVD with some concerts of their source bands. I'd rather stay with the originals, if they could give us what they did before.
Marcos Napier wrote:
Cover bands are pretty much like certain kind of musicians that can't play a single note if there isn't a music sheet in front of them. All these clones do is duplicate movements and sounds, sometimes quite accurate, instead of a music sheet they need a mirror and a DVD with some concerts of their source bands. I'd rather stay with the originals, if they could give us what they did before.
I must object Marcos, you're actually quite wrong. I don't know how many cover bands have you listened and what they sounded like, but my experience with going to see them and being in some, tells me a completely opposite thing - those musicians NEED to be very good at producing and writing their own music as well, so that they could be any good at reproducing someone else's piece of music. Of course there are bands that lack creativity, but to say all cover bands are like that is simply untrue, and unfair. The fact that you come to their show to listen to their covers instead of their original music is due to the fact that there's a market out there and probably a greater audience interested to hear that particular music and visit that particular gig. That doesn't mean that is ALL they do. No real musician would treat himself that way, cause then there would just be no point in being a musician anyway.. Cheers
"without having listened to it loses you any credibility you might have had"
I have heard most of the album, particularly the tracks that people on this website say are the best. Its terrible. Admit it, if it was anyone else you wouldn't waste your time and money.
Well, why don't you finance the new lead singer of Journey's solo album?
I think we can all agree that Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain (together) can write some pretty decent songs. Let me remind you now that the original lineup of Journey was Rolie, Schon, Dunsbar, and Valory.
So where did Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain come from? We all know Cain was a member of The Baby's with John Waite. He brought the beginnings of Open Arms to Journey because Waite thought it sucked. The rest is history.
But at some point Perry, Cain, and for that matter, Rolie, Schon, Dunsbar, and Valory started out in cover bands. They didn't just pick up their instruments and magically write Wheel In The Sky. So your argument, and Jeremy's, is pretty dimwitted if you ask me.
Oh wait, Freddie and the boys used to play Hendrix, Beatles, and Presley before writing their own material.
those
musicians NEED to be very good at producing and writing their own music
as well, so that they could be any good at reproducing someone else's
piece of music. Of course there are bands that lack creativity, but to
say all cover bands are like that is simply untrue, and unfair. The
fact that you come to their show to listen to their covers instead of
their original music is due to the fact that there's a market out there
and probably a greater audience interested to hear that particular
music and visit that particular gig. That doesn't mean that is ALL they
do. No real musician would treat himself that way, cause then there
would just be no point in being a musician anyway..
It's a fact that a lot of bands don't really start with their own material (a lot of them actually), but I think that just because they can copy/duplicate a certain band accurately, it doesn't mean that they are creative. They probably are good in what they do - copy, but it doesn't mean as well that they are all original (and/or good) on their own. They need to be good in a particular thing - reproducing their sources. If a band like Queen for example plays a Hendrix cover, they aren't necessary forced to wear an afro wig, burn their guitars, etc. But a cover band must do it or it will become a parody instead.
Here there was some kind of a boom of cover bands about 10 or 15 years ago. You could see anything you want. You don't have the possibility to see U2 or Stones? No problem! I've seen some of these, some were quite good, some were just following the new trend. One band in particular, they covered everything. It was the first time I could see someone duplicating Mark Knopfler's sound in "Money for nothing" so accurate, without even using a Les Paul or something (btw it was a Strato with a Zoom 9002). They played from Rush to reggae, all very very good renditions, technically perfect. A few years later, they released their album with original material. It wasn't exactly a clone of anything, but it sucked badly. But they were the best cover band I possibly will ever see. On the other hand, I once saw a Beatles cover band (not one of these that wear wigs or suits which are even worse) whose "best" song was a Stones cover... if you can't even do your job as a cover band, I don't think you will be any good on your own.