covers.do you listen to original?

I always listen to any covers my band wants to do...but I listen to different versions. A live version, excepting when there is a signature groove or fill, is very often different from the studio version, yet both are correct. I was watching a Clapton performance on Youtube the other day and the 2010 live version of Cocaine with Steve Gadd on drums was somewhat different the the Slowhand version, which is different than J.J. Cale's original. My band's attitude is that we perform our interpretation of the song. We remain faithful to the melody and vocals (mostly), but feel free enough to make it fit our style. We respect the original in the sense that it is a song we and presumably the audience like. We figure the audience can listen to the original in the car or at home if that's what they want, but that they come to hear us for what we do.

if the original drummer plays it completely different,.... different story.

bermuda said:

...I do my best to play it faithfully, short of bringing a chart to the gig.

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But musicians have used charts on the gig for centuries! Why would you not use such a valuable tool if the need arises?

bermuda said:

Just getting the flavor or making the part my own are not options, unless I'm specifically told otherwise.

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Not sure I’m following your train of thought. I gather that on your main gig you play a lot of different styles, but much of the material, as I understand it, is new lyrics on top of music previously released by another band/artist/artiste/demigod. Are you talking about trying to exactly copy the original music in this sort of scenario, or are you talking more generally, like if somebody called out “Sympathy for the Devil” at a bar gig then you’d pull out your Charlie Watts licks?

[This depends on how important it is to the band and/or the client. Certain songs you need to nail (like the Beatles' Ticket to Ride), others can be winged. But usually I try to nail it because that's what the people I play with are expecting, unless they are also on an improv bend (which is most of the time). Most times you have to watch who you're playing for, you can tell because they'll either stop dancing or they'll dig it. That would determine for me, more often than not, whether or not we should stick to the actual cover, or if liberties can be taken. [/quote]

Yeah Bo, country taught me early on, if they aren't dancing, I'm not doing my job.
I was never in a band that got gigs that insisted on many different styles preferably sounding very much like the originals. I mean, I know there are a lot of extremely versatile, talented musicians that can copy Hank Williams then turn around and do Lido Shuffle and sound very convincing on all of it. If someone said do anything but metal but I want these 6 songs to sound like the record. I'd do my best as long as one of those wasn't Lido Shuffle.

Duracell said:

Perfection is often very hard to achieve. Even if you get the " notes " right getting the sound right is often difficult to impossible due to differences in drummer, drumset and band setup. Also, there are often large differences between studio and live versions of songs.

All that beeing said I try being as close as possible to the original song. It's a good practice anyway. If you try to play everything your way you'll never learn cool new grooves and fills.

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I often play all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order...

resohead said:

Anyone else fly by the seat of their pants?

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Back when I was doing for hire gigs, I would entire gigs by the seat of my pants.

I'd get a call, someone needs a drummer tonight. Show up, meet everyone for the first time. There is no set list, no rehearsal, no discussion, you just play. Sometimes that would turn into a 2nd gig, some time not, once it turned into a 3 nights a week gig that last several months.

Certainly if there is advance notice, or a more structured situation, I'll listen to the songs.

bermuda said:

I always listen to the original, so I know what part made the song a hit, and worth playing. In most bands it's not my goal to play the part note-for-note, but I do my best to play it faithfully, short of bringing a chart to the gig. Just getting the flavor or making the part my own are not options, unless I'm specifically told otherwise.

Nobody has ever complained about me being faithful to the originals.

Bermuda

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This!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't agree more.