That's not like the record

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

We played at a sizable benefit gig last night and had three people approach our band members to let them know that we were not starting or doing many of the songs like the records do. Among them was a lady, who obviously pays attention and knows what a steel guitar is, let me know that I was not doing the intros and bridges the way the guy on Charlie Pride's records does it.

How often do you players get this when giging in front of a live audience?

Mark Ardito · From: Chicago, IL, USA

This doesn't really happen to me or the bands I play in, but I've heard other stories just like this from other steel players in the Chicago area. I guess if these people really want to hear the exact playing from the record they should go and listen to the record.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

IF I got a remark like that, I would look the lady in the eye and say..

" Sorry I'm not a very good player... maybe you can show me how its played.. I would appreciate your help"...

Plan B would be to look her in the eye and say... "hey lady ,stick it"... or,

You've got a lot of damn crust, keep your nasty comments to yourself"..... something along those lines.... bob

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Never had that happen but I recently had a pretty old woman walk up to the stage and say "turn up the steel because we can't hear it at the back of the club".

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I'd just politely explain that you like to express yourself and add your own personality to the songs your band covers and that note for note faithful reproductions of recorded material is for "tribute" bands of a specific artist not necessarily for a band that covers many different artists tunes.

Actually, I'd probably just smile and say, "Thanks! I'll try and get it closer next time."

Telling her to cram it is the natural response but it dont pay to be honest in such a situation.

I dunno, in my scene (which is admittedly WAY differenet than the norm on this board), if a band covers another artists song, its expected they will put some of their own ideas into it...otherwise whats the point?
Might as well stay home and listen to the record.

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

A remark like this can be a bit off putting since it shows the Lady has no class.A quick retort is needed and sometimes that evades you when you most need it.
Lloyd never copies any of MY licks.....
We re wrote the song..........
Last time I spoke to Charlie He asked me not to do his song note for note.........
Perhaps just a smile and leave it at that.
Do'nt worry about it I have never been able to copy anyone and no one could ever copy me.
Best regards
Billy

ray qualls · From: Baxter Springs, Kansas (deceased)

Sorry, if I play it just like the record, I have to pay royalties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can play it just like the record, but I don't want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, I wrote the songs but they changed it from the way that I wrote it!!!!!!!!!
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I'm playing the ORIGINAL version because I understand there are a number of real connossieurs in the room tonight..." Wink

.

Jamie Lennon · From: Nashville, TN

I have had people come up to me after playing "STEEL" all night saying " wow your great on the keyboard !!!!
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Alan Kendall · From: Maury County Tennessee

I'm not sure why everyone is so offended by what I would consider a fairly insightful observation from a none musician.I would certainly prefer it to "Hey dude when are you going to rock out on that thing"
I have found trying to play songs like the record to be an invaluable learning tool and in particular its great for ear training.Certainly if I'm in a cover band getting paid to play,then I don't think its to much of an incovenience to try and learn something like the record.Plus I get an insight into the way someone else aproaches a song,and I am almost always in awe of the way session players come up with incredible parts.It also gives me something to aspire to,and encourages me to improve my playing when called upon to play something original.I think most of us don't learn songs like the record because its too difficult,time consuming,or whatever, and its much easier to get indignant and claim some sort of artistic B S.
So if someone made that observation to me,I would ask which song in particular she'd like to here like the record and go home and try to learn it. I would get a lot out of it, and make some club patrons pretty happy the next time I played there. After all, its all music isn't it and it certainly beats working.

Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

I'm not a copy musician.
I have my own style and this is it.
If you want perfection, your in the wrong place.
Next time bring your own records.
Are you a musician ? oh then go sit down.
I'm doing the best I can on this 1929 steel.

Yea its happened to me.Mostly on six string.
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

OK, how about this one: "Those guys on the records are pros; they don't play in dives like this" Would that work? Rolling Eyes

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I have found that the public wants to hear what they hear on the record. Therefore the cover bands that I play in do it that way and have been quite successful. I find that no one is interested in my interpetation of a hit song. Alan, I thoroughly agree with you. I have heard alot of B.S. excuses from musicians who were just not technicly capable of replicating the parts.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

artistic BS eh? man, I am glad i dont play (nor will I ever play) in a cover band. I play to express myself...not mimic note for note someone elses expression.

I doubt Mr. Green would even play those parts note for note live as they are done on the record. maybe he's just not capable or maybe he's full of artistic BS? then again maybe he is a real musician not some player piano like automaton.

to each their own i guess.

Eddie Cunningham · From: Massachusetts, USA

Personally I have found that people in the audience like to hear what they heard on a record and I've always tried to get as close as I can to the original sound !! It sort of identifies the song. If you're playing "Hank Sr" do it like Don Helms did it. I don't really enjoy someone going way off on what was a great sounding simple intro or break on a steel played on the original "hit" record . IMHO !! Eddie "C"

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Alan, Kevin & Eddie have the correct attitude,IMHO. Be polite and don't offend the audience.

Roger

Brian LeBlanc · From: Falls Church, Virginia, USA

I solved that...

most people don't even recognize the song I just played!
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I play in an original band. We have 3 CDs out. We never play anything just like the record. Songs evolve over time. We improve them. Sometimes we get complaints in the other direction. People buy our CD and then complain that it doesn't sound as good as they expected from our live show.

I used to play in country bands that played a lot of songs, but I never heard any complaints that we didn't play like the record. Maybe people around here just don't pay much attention to the record when they hear it, or maybe they actually liked our version better!
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Actually, over the years, I've found that the ones who are most insistent that you play every beat note-for-note like the record are the line-dancers. And with good reason: they've timed their every move to every note and if you don't play that note, they trip and fall down! (It's kinda fun to watch that happen sometimes... ) Whoa!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I guess I am not sure what some of us are saying here..

I play in a band that does many COVER tunes, and many NOT cover tunes where we explore new planets..right there on the bandstand..

learning to play parts that are very close to what Loyd or PF or whoever played is really quite a task and identifiable to listeners and bandmates alike..

Hwy 40 Blues come to mind right about now or is that an exception ?

How does a band who is covering Merle tunes kick off Swinging Doors or the Bottle Let me Down for example ? How do you do your own thing in a song that calls for the proper lead in to the song or at least something close ?

How do you play The Love Bug and not play the proper intro ?

If you ( we, me) are hired to play a gig with these songs on the list , and we can't or don't, what do you think the chances of getting another call are ?

I played a gig two weeks back with 3 players that never worked together before, me one of them .Bass, Tele and myself on Steel. Guess what, for the most part we all knew the song list , we played them close to the bone. Folks that were dancing thought we were actually a real band. All we did was play songs we individually knew. We weren't great but we got the job done and nobody off the bandstand knew we never played together before. And had fun.

If you are playing in a Country Band and playing common tunes, you should be playing SOME common phrases that are recognizable. Are you making up your own melody to Big City ?

Signature phrases are as important to songs as the lyrics are.

When songs come on the radio, they are recognized first by the music track,intro, whatever.. not by the lyrics or singer...

Actually it's harder to play songs close to the record than it is to NOT play them close to the record.

my take

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

A good friend and great musician/vocalist who generally plays bass with a group I frequently sit in with has this retort:

If you wanna hear the record, you can go to Wal-Mart and buy it. I've heard him say this dozens of times. Hasn't cost us any work far as I can tell.

Mostly we are really close to the form of the song. In certaing situations where people might be dancing etc., what's wrong with extending the instrumental solos and adding another chorus or so.

I guess it depends if you're playing concerts or in a party atmosphere.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Not often enough.

When it has, and I can, I'm tickled pink to crank it out for them, and say "You mean like this.."

It takes a lot more to be able to play something, and then choose not to, than to just not be able to and make the same choice.

Jimmy Day was right.

Cool

HFLE

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

When I first started it wasn't a problem. I was the best steel player around. I was the only steel player around. If they wanted to listen to a steel I was it!
Strangely enough no one ever did it to me in over twenty years of gigging. I say strangely enough because I never sounded like any record at any time! I couldn't even imitate myself if I played the song again. The lead singer used to tell me he enjoyed having me in the band because it was like having a new steel player every gig! Laughing

Barry Blackwood · Posted 21 Aug 2007 5:40 pm

I agree with Jim C. that comments like this would usually come from those annoying line-dancers. You know those people who show up early to dominate the dance floor and nurse a glass of water for several hours. These people were the bane of my existence during my later playing years, and due to this, my personal philosophy became "the customer is always wrong." More often than not, my band mates would heartily agree ...

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