Tribute Bands...

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...and your ethical standpoint on them.

I've just been asked if I would like to go to a show by Pink Floyd tribute act "Off The Wall". It might turn out to be a good laugh, but something was preventing me from responding with an immedaite yes. It all seems slightly, um... wrong about the whole idea.

Thoughts?

― the impossible shortest special path!, Sunday, 4 April 2004 14:37 (9 years ago) Permalink

"It all seems slightly, um... wrong about the whole idea."

There's grammar in there somewhere. Pretend I wrote "Something" as opposed to "It all".

― the impossible shortest special path!, Sunday, 4 April 2004 14:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

I just get joy from the names of the cover bands... see: Bi Jovi

― kinski (kinski), Sunday, 4 April 2004 15:08 (9 years ago) Permalink

I used to think tribute bands were completely useless. But on New Years last year I saw a really amazing Joy Division tribute band that made me dance. I stopped thinking about integrity and all that bs and just realized that the band was actually really good. The drummer kicked ass! Hearing Joy Division songs LIVE is really COOL!!

― fizzcaraldo (Justin M), Sunday, 4 April 2004 18:02 (9 years ago) Permalink

I wish I could get a band who new how to play a bands songs perfectly, so I could mess with them in weird ways.

― David Allen (David Allen), Sunday, 4 April 2004 18:14 (9 years ago) Permalink

It mostly comes down to capitalism, right? I can hear x band for 75 dollars at a stadium while they get piss drunk and fuck up their own songs. Or I can hear y band play all of x band's songs for 5 dollars ... probably better than x band could play them, since intense fandom lends itself to perfectionists.

So, ethically, its fine. Realistically, its only fine if the band you're a tribute to is any good. Joy Division, sure. Does the world really need a Sevendust tribute band though?

― Xii (Xii), Sunday, 4 April 2004 18:24 (9 years ago) Permalink

Certainly not.

I have to give points for both the Sweet and Tender Hooligans and the Ants Invasion for putting on entertaining shows. Beyond that I am actively not seeking any such bands out, especially not the scintillating Wild Child/Lep Zepagain tribute double bill in a few weeks tiem.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 4 April 2004 18:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

I maintain that there is a difference between Tribute bands and cover bands.

I was in a Tribute band (so we played originals as well - about a fifty fifty set) called 'The Gabba Gabba Heys!' I set up for a show here in honour of Joey Ramone's posthumous 50th birthday, and we stuck around for a few more gigs as well.

The worst are bands who do only covers, but of various popular artists. They can be found entertaining idiots who go to shite pubs.

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

I saw a Kiss tribute band once who could play waaaay better than Kiss. That was kinda neat.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:17 (9 years ago) Permalink

If you wanted to guarantee a good night out, would you go see The Fall, or a Fall Tribute band?

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:32 (9 years ago) Permalink

My million dollar idea was to get a sexy young band together that could really play and rock and have them do nothing but Guided By Voices covers and have there albums be glitzy shiny Bob Rock productions and all their videos be half-naked girls gone wild and watch them storm the charts. That would be so beautiful.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

I'm still waiting for the CAMRA-sponsored tour starring Caucasian Pub Foundation. Pub rock and real ale. It's all the folks are after.

― Canada Briggs (Canada Briggs), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

Why don't more commercial young things take advantage of good songs that nobody has heard outside of indie-nation? I'd love to see some MTV band doing a shiny happy version of Cruisers Creek. Top ten for sure.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

Canada, love the Go-Kart Mozart name. Are you pals with Dr.C? And where is my new Go-Kart album?

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

Shiney Happy versions? That is too true. Oddly, "Cruisers Creek" would stand more chance of being a big hit now, than at the time.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:56 (9 years ago) Permalink

Scott, I don't know this quack of whom you speak. Is he a real doctor or some kind of shaman?
I did manage to get Lawrence to come to the Tyde's show at Water Rats last year (no, Lawrence is not my pal, I suppose you would just say 'connections') and he has got a G-KM album done, there's an album of Denim unreleased stuff and there's a Lawrence album. All done. I haven't got copies, btw. He was looking for a label, but will only consider majors, who aren't interested...he was also looking for a manager; if he got one, that might move things on a little.
For the record, he found the Tyde 'bewildering'...'they sound just like Felt'...

― Canada Briggs (Canada Briggs), Monday, 5 April 2004 15:26 (9 years ago) Permalink

aren't the strokes and interpol just tribute bands, really?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 00:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

I've been playing in an occasional Brian Eno tribute band for a while... not like Eno's doing it, y'know?

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 05:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

I'm reviving this because I'm a staunch defender of tribute bands. Yeah, I go see all kinds of music, and my heart's ultimately with experimental and original musicians, but a night out at a bar, drinking beers and hearing/seeing people who really love Aerosmith working hard to put out wicked rock and roll is a great time.

If you want to see "authentic" Aerosmith or ZZ Top or AC/DC, it's not gonna be such a good time; or if it is, it's all about spectacle. A killer tribute band is a much more intimate, and frequently hilarious, option. Cheaper, too.

I love and respect innovators, but there's a whole world of great bands with absolutely no ambition to be innovators, who nevertheless have insane amounts of talent, and a driving need to rock out -- should we deny them this, mocking them, or should we join them in their quest? I choose the latter.

Also what Douglas said above.

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Wednesday, 26 May 2004 12:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

I just had to come and share this.

f ath and I are going to form a Husker Du tribute band when he comes down here. I'll keep you updated on the progress of my handlebar.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 22 July 2005 21:12 (7 years ago) Permalink

I had a fucking blast seeing these dudes, the Atomic Punks (tribute to Roth era Van Halen) at the humongous sports bar, POV's, in Andover, MN! I got trashed and it was super fun....

http://www.theatomicpunks.com/

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 22 July 2005 21:19 (7 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

A buddy of mine spotted a flyposter in Chippenham, advertising for a Texas tribute band called 'Textas'.

― Mestema (davidcorp), Thursday, 26 January 2006 11:13 (7 years ago) Permalink

We played a pub in Hereford the night after a Darkness tribute band called...The Lightness.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Thursday, 26 January 2006 12:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

a tribute band of the darkness ? now that's what i call "mise en abyme"...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 26 January 2006 13:03 (7 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

Ah! this reminds me of seeing The Scottish Sex Pistols about 13 years ago, from which event I mainly remember three things:

1) Sid MacVicious had "GIMME A TWIX" painted across his torso.
2) Johnny MacRotten showed true dedication to his job -- I mean, puking on stage as Punk Gesture or Unavoidable Signal of Heartfelt Disgust is one thing, but as a regular part of one's work?
3) Their dumb naming was twisted into brilliant by their referring to their manager as "Malcolm MacMacLaren".

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 21:22 (7 years ago) Permalink

Ah, the Scottish Sex Pistols, those were the days....one funny thing about them was that Johnny MacRotten, who looked totally amay-zing in his full gear, was in reality a well-known Beatles fanatic.

The only problem I have with tribute bands is that they sometimes charge ridiculous sums to see them. There's a Led Zep tribute band called Michael White and the White, who charge around $35 a ticket. Ditto for the Pink Floyd tribute that played at the Commodore in Vancouver a couple of years ago, the Australian Doors and Bjorn Again. I mean, Fuck OFF!

― everything, Tuesday, 11 April 2006 21:41 (7 years ago) Permalink

Blimey, are Bjorn Again still going? I liked how they, after Erasure released their cover version EP ABBAesque, made an Erasureish cover version EP.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 21:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

I'm thinking of going to a 4th of July fireworks event featuring THE BEACH TOYS!

http://thebeachtoys.com/

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

whoa, i didn't know that would be so huge... but they probably deserve it...

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:32 (6 years ago) Permalink

Diminished expectations + supressed despair + a winning social smile = tribute band.

― fuckfuckingfuckedfucker (fuckfuckingfuckedfucker), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:43 (6 years ago) Permalink

Wow, that photoshopping had me for a minute there. Brilliant.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:50 (6 years ago) Permalink

"A tribute show defined is one that completely recreates the sights, vocal,instrumental sounds, exact costumes, equipment, look, height, mannerisms as well as the music of the original artists for which they portray."

Ummmm, did he say "height"?

― fuckfuckingfuckedfucker (fuckfuckingfuckedfucker), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 18:07 (6 years ago) Permalink

Ummmm, did he say "height?"

― fuckfuckingfuckedfucker (fuckfuckingfuckedfucker), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 18:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

Kudos to the name of Italian Mark Knopfler pastichers:

Mai Dire Straits

― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Monday, 7 July 2008 16:23 (4 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

There is a Rage Against The Machine tribute band playing here tonight. The name they chose? Arm The Homeless.

― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 22 September 2012 19:44 (7 months ago) Permalink

All I'm saying, you get an AC/DC cover band playing in a bowling alley and I'm there.

― earlnash, Sunday, 23 September 2012 05:37 (7 months ago) Permalink

You also got to hand it to the "Jerry" in Dark Star Orchestra, that dude got good enough he graduated to playing with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh.

― earlnash, Sunday, 23 September 2012 05:38 (7 months ago) Permalink

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