I'm curious as to what people think, having read some of the comments accompanying the various polls over on the Community forum. I'm sort of torn at the moment between fairly faithful representations of the songs we'll be submitting and doing something completely different with them. The indecision stems from the fact that we will be taking them out live as a tribute band, and as such will have to do them as faithfully as we can to the originals.
Dates
· UTC
What makes a good cover ?
Archived25 replies · 544 views
This is an archived legacy thread. Replies are closed, but the discussion is preserved.
← Back to Digital Republic
26 posts
If you're a tribute band, along the lines of some of the Cure, Depeche Mode and Joy Division ones, then people will expect the songs to be as close to the originals as possible, and rightly so.
If you're going on stage to perform some of your favourite songs and entertain, then do what feels best/most fun.
Bear in mind, that if you try to sound like the originals, get it as spot on as possible, or the 'fans' will pick you to pieces.
I like both approaches - depends on my mood! 
Personally i get a real buzz out of playing Joy division /New Order songs as close to the real thing, imagine playing Dreams never end as it should be!!!!! fantastic. I have tried doing my own covers but i can't seem to get my round it,may be it's a lack of imagination on my part i dunno.;)
The versions we've been doing are very tight to the originals, and I'm now wondering (as we are back in live set rehearsals tonight) whether to start changing things round a bit.
Yeah we're tight to the originals, but we have made a few changes but nothing drastic mainly atmospherics
Cilla here - shouldn't you two get together, what with both playing JD/NO covers in old London Town?!
Or is it simply a clash of egos that keeps you apart?! ;)
Hooky - that avatar takes a year to load! 
We're looking for second guitarist/keyboard player. Jim Reilly is our Hooky, and very good he is too. Mind you, if we could get someone else to sing then I would concentrate on guitar instead.
Originally posted by Al Jarvis Cilla here - shouldn't you two get together, what with both playing JD/NO covers in old London Town?!Or is it simply a clash of egos that keeps you apart?! ;)Hooky - that avatar takes a year to load!
Yes Al i have a massive ego;) Any road up sounds like he's got a bass player. Your right about the avatar been meaning to sort it out for ages thanks for reminding me. Just out of interest Mr Pleasures where do you rehearse?
Originally posted by Known Pleasures We're looking for second guitarist/keyboard player. Jim Reilly is our Hooky, and very good he is too. Mind you, if we could get someone else to sing then I would concentrate on guitar instead.
Why not Jim singing? His voice sounded great on that "Homage night" recording you posted.
I play bass, can sort of sing and I could manage some second guitar...
I'm in London at the moment 
When's everyone meeting up again? I fancy a pint or two...
when i do covers i like to put as much of myself into the song as i can. if you wanted to hear NO or JD, you could toss on the album.
to be a tribute band doesn´t mean you can´t put your artistic talent and imagination on the covers you´re doing. i don´t like the bands that just stays there and plays the exact same notes as the original song. you know, i better stay home and listen to my records!
you could have a better bass player than hooky or a better guitar player than barney or a better drums player than steve but that doesn´t mean you´ll sound better than new order! so it´s better not doing the same thing since it keeps the comparation distant.
one suggestion: you´re a guy that is probably the best concert collector around! then do the versions that you liked the most of the songs you like more over the years. or you could make the version that you always wanted to hear from some songs. you know "this one should have been played with more guitars, or more keyboards", etc. that would put you in the position of a creative artist. also you´ll be playing something that moves you deep inside. the combination of both should be a great performance live. 
You'd have liked last night's rehearsal then ! Heavy metal version of Passover, and hardcore punk Love Vigilantes to name but two. We decided to interpret rather than imitate last night, and mighty fine it sounded too. 586 and Subculture worked pretty good as well.
Originally posted by Ricardo > Originally posted by Known Pleasures We're looking for second guitarist/keyboard player. Jim Reilly is our Hooky, and very good he is too. Mind you, if we could get someone else to sing then I would concentrate on guitar instead.
Why not Jim singing? His voice sounded great on that "Homage night" recording you posted.
Jim can't play and sing at the same time ! Mind you, it's not easy to do that on a lot of JD songs, though I'm getting there.
Originally posted by almanso to be a tribute band doesn´t mean you can´t put your artistic talent and imagination on the covers you´re doing. i don´t like the bands that just stays there and plays the exact same notes as the original song. you know, i better stay home and listen to my records!
I can tell you've never seen them live ! The recorded version can never convey the energy of a live performance.
Originally posted by Known Pleasures hardcore punk Love Vigilantes
that should be really good.
Originally posted by Known Pleasures 586 and Subculture worked pretty good as well.
in what style did you do these?
i am trying to get my "art-rock*" band to do covers of 1963, Thieves Like Us and Getting Away With It.
(*i only say art-rock for lack of a better term)
TIM and JIM please use a loose ,more FUN approach to their songs.Tha punk version of LOVE VIGILANTES sounds ace.I loved JOY DIVISION when they did NOVELTY,so raw and energetic.Although i dare say you could immitate the band a more NOVEL sound would be beetter IMHO.Have fun,chill out and play away.Waiting with anticipation.
Cheers ROCKET MICK
Originally posted by Sean Taugher > Originally posted by Known Pleasures hardcore punk Love Vigilantes
that should be really good.
Originally posted by Known Pleasures 586 and Subculture worked pretty good as well.
in what style did you do these?
As per the average live version, sequencer backing track (and drum machine for 586), live bass and vocals with a bit of guitar. Very enjoyable but unlikely to be taken too seriously.
don't worry about being taken seriously... have fun with it. Rocket Mick is right, relax and play away. this exudes confidence. the more confidence you show, the more likely you are to be taken seriously.
one of my favs is to get drunk before i play in front of a crowd, but to each his own.
Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope Listen to New Order's first single. There you'll find two very good Joy Division covers.
Same opinion 
Originally posted by Known Pleasures > Originally posted by almanso to be a tribute band doesn´t mean you can´t put your artistic talent and imagination on the covers you´re doing. i don´t like the bands that just stays there and plays the exact same notes as the original song. you know, i better stay home and listen to my records!
I can tell you've never seen them live ! The recorded version can never convey the energy of a live performance.
you´re right. i´ve never seen them live. how could I? 
doing straight covers as a tribute band is one thing as the whole point of a tribute band is to remain faithful to the feel of the band, but as for other covers, i don't really see the point of doing a note for note (or virtually note for note) reworking of the song. covers that play with the song a bit, like changing, removing or adding instruments, speeding up or slowing down the song, changing from a male to a female voice or vice versa, etc. are much more interesting. usually. as long as they're not done by firkin frente.
Timbo...just do what you like...remember...not even the originals can please us all...how many of us are ready to throw their most popular tune off the set-list??? do what you like, and if it isn't good enough for the rest of us, well, we can all sod off...as long as you are pleased with what you have done, you have been a success...twats like me can't even do anything, so the effort alone makes you more of a fan than I can ever hope to be!
Originally posted by AgentWood doing straight covers as a tribute band is one thing as the whole point of a tribute band is to remain faithful to the feel of the band, but as for other covers, i don't really see the point of doing a note for note (or virtually note for note) reworking of the song. covers that play with the song a bit, like changing, removing or adding instruments, speeding up or slowing down the song, changing from a male to a female voice or vice versa, etc. are much more interesting. usually. as long as they're not done by firkin frente.
You'll like our versions then ! Don't expect to hear the same guitar parts.....
