Man o' man. The life of a cover band musician. Sometimes it is as good as it gets and other nights it is sheer misery. I suppose that is not only true for cover band players. Pretty much any performer can relate to the bipolar nature of the viewing or listening audience. With the same set list in the same club, some nights just rock while other dates are a dull as the point on a bowling ball. Even within the same gig, the reviews cover the whole field of feedback.
This past weekend, my band played to brutal long sets at a local Austin club. At one point we had folks interupting songs to get business cards so they could book us at their next occasion. We had the dance floor packed and rockin' and guys were dumping tips on us to have us pose for pictures with their girlfriends. By most standards, a pretty good night. After our last song we high fived each other and thanked the club owner for the gig. Out of nowhere this chick rolls up to the stage to chat us up or so we thought. She was actually sticking around to let us know how bad we suck. "You butchered some of my favorites songs, man!", she yells over the house DJ's pumping party tracks. At first I just laughed, thinking she was just giving us a friendly jab. Then I noticed she was serious. She was maintaing her disgust with our performance and being more than a little vocal about it.
You have to understand, we are a party band. A cover band that relies on good customer relations to keep our scene rolling. The last thing I wanted to do was piss off a good bar owner by giving this chick the "what for". So I just smiled and played along. What else could I do? She finally got to the end of her liqour fueled bombing run on our egos and then asked us if our hair was real. More like surreal I thought. The whole thing. I have had folks yell, "You suck!" from the dark reaches of the back corner of a crap bar, but this was a first for me. Someone staying after the show to inform us of our lack of talent. However, as the experience sank in and I pondered it a little later that night, I realized the key message. She STUCK AROUND! Good or bad, she stayed to the last song and I am sure had a few drinks ( maybe more than a few) in the interim. At the end of the night, that is what pays the bills. We did our job. We kept folks at the bar until closing time. All and all....job well done.
Maybe a strange and delusional way of seeing the situation but that is how I choose to see it. Truly, it's hard to argue with me on this one. Drink in hand, this chick was there at closing.
Currently I am reading through Duff McKagan's great book, "It's So Easy, and Other Lies". My trials at Saturday's show reminded me of G N R's early shows. Duff remembers his brother asking, after peeking around the backstage curtain, where all the fans were. He recalled one show at The Gorilla something or other where they played to about twelve people. Thats friends, family, and bartenders included.
So in light of it all, if the great Guns and Roses can trudge on and keep the vision, who am I to let one chick get under my skin. We probably had over a hundred or so folks rotating on and off the dance floor most of the night. By that measure, we kicked Axl and Duff's ass! Of course I jest. Not a apples to apples comparison but you get my drift.
Cover band brothers, and garage band buddies listen up. There will be those highs and lows in any musician's career. Just keep plugging in and turning up. You have heard it a million times and I want to say it again. Screw the critics. We just go back and work on our craft and keep working our chops and maybe someday....and....maybe not. But let'ts commit to butcher people's favorite songs with conviction and a smile on our face. It seems to keep them around and coming back for more.
JCH-2012
Dig it. Duff and Slash. If this does not make you want to go rock...your in the wrong business.
This past weekend, my band played to brutal long sets at a local Austin club. At one point we had folks interupting songs to get business cards so they could book us at their next occasion. We had the dance floor packed and rockin' and guys were dumping tips on us to have us pose for pictures with their girlfriends. By most standards, a pretty good night. After our last song we high fived each other and thanked the club owner for the gig. Out of nowhere this chick rolls up to the stage to chat us up or so we thought. She was actually sticking around to let us know how bad we suck. "You butchered some of my favorites songs, man!", she yells over the house DJ's pumping party tracks. At first I just laughed, thinking she was just giving us a friendly jab. Then I noticed she was serious. She was maintaing her disgust with our performance and being more than a little vocal about it.
You have to understand, we are a party band. A cover band that relies on good customer relations to keep our scene rolling. The last thing I wanted to do was piss off a good bar owner by giving this chick the "what for". So I just smiled and played along. What else could I do? She finally got to the end of her liqour fueled bombing run on our egos and then asked us if our hair was real. More like surreal I thought. The whole thing. I have had folks yell, "You suck!" from the dark reaches of the back corner of a crap bar, but this was a first for me. Someone staying after the show to inform us of our lack of talent. However, as the experience sank in and I pondered it a little later that night, I realized the key message. She STUCK AROUND! Good or bad, she stayed to the last song and I am sure had a few drinks ( maybe more than a few) in the interim. At the end of the night, that is what pays the bills. We did our job. We kept folks at the bar until closing time. All and all....job well done.
Maybe a strange and delusional way of seeing the situation but that is how I choose to see it. Truly, it's hard to argue with me on this one. Drink in hand, this chick was there at closing.
Currently I am reading through Duff McKagan's great book, "It's So Easy, and Other Lies". My trials at Saturday's show reminded me of G N R's early shows. Duff remembers his brother asking, after peeking around the backstage curtain, where all the fans were. He recalled one show at The Gorilla something or other where they played to about twelve people. Thats friends, family, and bartenders included.
So in light of it all, if the great Guns and Roses can trudge on and keep the vision, who am I to let one chick get under my skin. We probably had over a hundred or so folks rotating on and off the dance floor most of the night. By that measure, we kicked Axl and Duff's ass! Of course I jest. Not a apples to apples comparison but you get my drift.
Cover band brothers, and garage band buddies listen up. There will be those highs and lows in any musician's career. Just keep plugging in and turning up. You have heard it a million times and I want to say it again. Screw the critics. We just go back and work on our craft and keep working our chops and maybe someday....and....maybe not. But let'ts commit to butcher people's favorite songs with conviction and a smile on our face. It seems to keep them around and coming back for more.
JCH-2012
Dig it. Duff and Slash. If this does not make you want to go rock...your in the wrong business.
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