Cage Match: Cover Bands vs. Original Bands

Last Updated on February 7th, 2020


Ah, it’s an argument guitarists have been having since we started strumming our first G chord: should we learn and continue to play songs we like for fun and money, or should we forge our own path just like our heroes did? Certainly we can debate this in a civil manner, right? Right? Game on!

Playing Cover Tunes

Yeah, some people obsess over this stuff.

Guitar is one of those instruments we gravitate to because it makes the sounds we like in the music we listen to. The kid who gets picked to play tuba in the middle school band isn’t going home and curating his collection of fine tuba music. But us guitarists, yes, we get inspired. We mimic the gear, clothing and sometimes even the lifestyle of our musical heroes. Guitar magazines and forums are full of endless debate, questions like “What amp did Van Halen use on Diver Down?” and “What kind of pickups did David Gilmour use on that tour of Europe in 77? Not the American tour, it was a totally different sound, dude! It’s the European tour I’m after!” Let’s face it, we learn and obsess over what our musical heroes use. This is what got us started playing guitar, and what keeps many people picking up that guitar every day. After all, it feels pretty good when we figure that solo out and can even sculpt our sound to mimic those that came before us. There certainly is an art to this, and for those that take it to the next level there could be a great living at it too.

The Custom 5: One of my favorite versatile humbuckers. Hot enough for modern styles, but not so much that you can’t get those classic sounds.

Cover bands certainly serve a purpose, and it’s an honorable living as a musician. It’s also fun, and a good way to make extra money in addition to your day job. Most guitarists have played cover songs at some point in their playing career, and it feels pretty awesome when your band can go from a dance tune to an 80s hair metal tune to modern country in one set. All while filling the dance floor and getting compliments from the sweet girls or guys putting drinks at your feet all night.
To do this properly, you need a rig that can get all eras of guitar sounds, and one that can get all those sounds quickly. Know your guitars, multi-effects and amps really well, and it makes you a lot more valuable to a working band if you can play many styles really well and sing lead and harmony while you do it. Remember, if you’re going to do the cover thing right, there’s lots of money to be made. Let’s face it, most people who go out on the weekend (or who hire a band for a function) want to hear music they already know. This is worth something, and the good cover band with thoughtful, versatile musicians, deserve to get paid well. The business-minded cover band learns songs and performs them well for money. No need to worry about coming up with the money for a CD, or writing songs either.

An offshoot of the cover band (and something fairly recent) is the tribute band. Most tribute bands play and act like one particular artist, and usually go all-out to mimic their gear, clothes, and mannerisms. Obviously they have to be big fans of the artist already. Personally, it’s a little strange to me to make money off of someone else’s name, logos, and show, but some tribute acts are sanctioned by the artists themselves, and pay them to use their music and trademarks. Kind of like how a community theater can put on West Side Story – they have to pay the original publishers. If you go this route, do it right: listen to the detail that the Fab Faux has in their Beatles covers.

The Original Band

Original bands have it hard. No one knows their music, yet all the bands we listen to had to decide at some point to play their own music. No one would argue that original bands make lots of money, because it usually takes a long time. However, for the very creative, these musicians generally don’t get paid nearly as much. Their guitars, effects and amps are tailored to their own sound, and can be very specialized. They generally like to write and record, and frequently play clubs with several other bands. They drive far for gigs that pay very little. Being in an original band can cost more than it makes for years. Some famous bands are still paying off debts from their early days. The good news is that a good original band usually has a dedicated following. They can work their way up the ladder of fame, get magazine articles written about their unique style, and have gear named after them – all of which never happens to a cover musician.
So why do it? Well, I can only give you my perspective. I write my own music because I was inspired to at a young age. It isn’t about fame or fortune (that would be nice), but personally, my influences inspired me to try something different like they did, and not just replicate them (not that there is anything wrong with that- just not my bag).
Also I probably would be the worst choice for a cover band. I have played cover songs, like most original artists, and I don’t mind jamming once in a while. But I generally don’t enjoy it, and I certainly couldn’t see my personality (Hey everyone, its Friday! Let’s party!!) fitting in a successful cover band. Also, my gear is very specific for my sound, and even on other guitars with different amps and effects, it still sounds like me.

Who Wins?

As with all of these cage matches, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. A furniture maker and a house framer work with wood, hammers, and nails, but the work is very different. Many guitarists successfully straddle both worlds, so it isn’t so easy to separate. It’s safe to say there are more guitarists out there than professional guitarists, and most of those non-pros like to play the songs that inspired them on the very gear their favorites used. And anything that gets new people inspired to pick up the instrument we love is a good thing. In the end, the audience doesn’t care about what capacitors are in your Les Paul, or if you have that tone knob wired up for the bridge pickup on your Strat. Those are guitarist concerns, and have little to do with how the audience hears your music. Cover musician or original musician – if you’re going to do either, they’re worth doing well. Artists exist in all disciplines, and I have respect for all.
So, which side do you sit on, or are you somewhere in the middle? I’ve seen this debate on enough forums to know people get positively irate defending their positions. When you pick up a guitar, do you write, or do you immediately go for your favorite riffs? 

 

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