cover band song choices

I've only been playing drums for 10, which is a lot shorter than a lot of the guys on here. And I'm not going to claim that I'm wise beyond my years or anything. But one thing I've learned over the years is that a lot of "simple" grooves can be a lot harder than you think, and that it's a lot more fun to me now to play songs with "simple" grooves and try to them sound really good. If you would've asked me in high school to play Hotel California, id be a cocky idiot and say that it was way too easy, but today I'd try really hard to get the groove really solid and the dynamics perfect and add my own style to it and stuff like that. When you can make "simple" songs sound way better than the next drummer, that's when you start getting recognized for more drum work.
 
I'm doing a fill in gig with a band at the end of the month, and they do so many songs, they won't give me a set list, because they just pick them on the fly. It's going to be tough but an exciting challenge at the same time.
 
Hi all, I’ve recently joined my first band, my first rehearsal went really well, I played most of the songs solidly keeping it simple. It’s a covers band and I practiced a lot before the rehearsal.

There were a few songs I didn’t go anywhere near, due to time constraints really. I basically picked off the ones I deemed ‘easier’ to learn and said I would learn the rest for next rehearsal.

Anyway, now the band have a drummer, they’re looking to add more and more songs. Which is fine, learning songs is really bringing on my playing…but…. they don’t seem to give any consideration to the drum part – anything is fair game! Sure it might have only 4 chords and be easy for them to learn guitar/bass but that’s not necessarily the case for the drum part.

Is this a common plight for a drummer, or am I just being a whiney b**ch?!

Anyone come across this before?



Tell the band the truth, you need more time, you're trying to cop drum parts faithfully, drum parts by legendary drummers (Allen White-Yes), they should understand. Also source YouTube its free, there's lots of song tutorials, I listening to them all, you may unlock the sticking point viewing one you wouldn't think can help you, camera angles, audio, drummer at/near your level, watch them all. At the least, you may get ideas on how to simplify. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBNLlyzNeks



For me, playing ANYTHING by Wacko Jacko takes skill. It's hard to play when you have never heard the song and never will. LOL.

Come to Cedar rapids. You only have to learn about 50 songs, most of which are Skynard and ZZ Top, and if you leave that band you can join any other because they ALL play the same crap here.

Whatever you do, don't try and play ANYTHING that's not on the radio 24/7 or on the jukebox. Folks will walk out.



The reality is you can go anywhere in the country and cover bands are playing the same songs. Why? BC there's a list of rock/pop/reggae etc. songs that have become 'standards'.
 
Also the most important factor in choosing cover band songs are that they're familiar enough to get audiences interested but not so overfamiliar that every other band is playing them and the audience are bored by them. This is an incredibly difficult balance to achieve!!

I've dealt with some bands with the mentality that you MUST play the songs that are over played on classic rock radio and nothing else because "that's what people want". I argued that people would still like hearing other songs that they had heard but weren't necessarily that band's biggest hit. Every time I was outvoted, especially since I was "the drummer".

I learned years ago that if the singer doesn't like the song, you ain't doin' it.

If I can't do or quickly learn a drum part on a song I just tell the band. I've always had good luck with them skipping it until I can work out the parts.
 
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