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Location: south east Michigan | BrianT and I have reached a milestone. It's a veritable rite of passage for anyone who calls themselves an acoustic duo. And it snuck up on us like a thief in the night.
In a major mission statement shift, we are learning a song mainly because it's a crowd pleaser. In the past it was always, "We'll play what we like...take it or leave it!"
And just what is this future altering collection of chords?
867-5309...Jenny Jenny
There's no going back now. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I feel your pain, Brad.
Rick and I have been doing that one since the old KwikPhix (our old 4-pc. band days).
HelpfulHint:
At the end of the "solo" break, you can segue into a verse and chorus (or two) of Mellencamp's
"R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." and then go back into "Jenny" (same chord progression/tempo) . . .
Yeah, I know, it's "cheesy" . . . but when you got a bunch of drunken milfs shakin' their asses in front of you . .
"Mo' Cheddah - Mo' Bettah!!"
Whenever I lower my standards to play these crappy songs, Jeanette has a phrase that she uses:
". . Paint your ass red, get in the cage and DANCE . . . MonkeyBoy!! . ."
I draw the line at "Jessie's Girl".
I absolutely REFUSE to "go there", and will generally berate anyone who requests it (and people ALWAYS request it). |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Jeanette has a phrase that she uses:
". . Paint your ass red, get in the cage and DANCE . . . MonkeyBoy!! :D I told ya she was a keeper, didn't I!??! |
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March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | Brad, I've never even heard of that song. I never play stuff just because others like it. It's always gotta be a tune that appeals to me.
Of course, nobody wants to hear me play either...... |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Oh you've heard it Paul. You just can't think of it right now. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | It's on the album "ShitMusic of the 80's Vol. VII" . . .
(Witko owns several copies) |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by cliff:
It's on the album "ShitMusic of the 80's Vol. VII" . . .
(Witko owns several copies) Yeah, but the reason Witko owns it is because of the 3 Air Supply tunes that are also on the same CD :D |
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Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | I only own 1 copy, but I have burned it onto CD if anyone wants one. There are no Air Supply songs. But it has some great tunes by The Bells and also by Terry Jack. Let me know if you are interested. Dave |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Tupperware:
There are no Air Supply songs. Dave Then count me out. I can get plenty of shit songs on the first 6 volumes! |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Miles and I goofed around with "Jenny" while at the OFC-NW. Fortunately we did not get around to Seasons in the Sun. |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| I have the advantage of being involved in a duo with a guy who is younger than myself but who has a great love of the classic rock pieces from my time and even before. He has the current experience of playing solo to an audience every week. I am a returning musiciain to the stage and so far to keep the sets easy enough for me to make it through a night we play a lot of good stuff but on the easier side of where I want to be. I have played a total of six times to date so I am in a Duo but my partner is the musical muscle and I have nothing to brag about yet really. We concentrate our best stuff for a little later in the evening by doing Zeppelin and Tull and some Floyd. Now I am always pressing for us to do some crazy stuff....Like plugging in and trying a song I like from Eric Johnson called Fourty Mile Town. I have figured out my PK-5 pedals somewhat and as long as I am playing the bass and singing well why not trigger some chords on the little micro Korg I have and fill the sound to represent a small band. I talked Aaron into hauling twice the equipment we normally use and tried it....... He used his electric and I did what I do on the bass and vocals and the Midi pedals. All that work and effort. Hell I was sweating when that song was done. And we got no response at all. Now it is an obscure song and not a real hard rocking piece but it is real pretty and my part is over the top for me. No response was not what I figured on. I wanted to program a drum machine for it to. Ohh well. I guess I don't know shit about what songs are good..?? I did manage to talk Aaron into doing another real obscure song by Rush called Tears... it is the limit of the high end of my voice and I have nights I can't do it. Now this song got a big response! Even had guy's talking to us after the set to congradulate us on a sucessful Rush tune. The Bartender told us he had comments from a lot of people who did not like the electrified stuff.. They thought we should stay on the acoustics. Since the bartender was the owner we will only be doing the electric stuff on rare occasions. I hate to say it but I am slowely being wore down and learning to play the music the owners and crowds seem to like. I hate comprimisong with the music I like to play. I do not do the Duo for money it is supposed to be fun. I am finding in the short time I have been doing this it is quickly becoming less and less fun. This pisses me off! These people can hear the crap they like anytime by dumping 5 bucks into the Juke.... ya know?? Ya think they'd like to hear something they have not heard in a very long time and played live by a couple of fairly good musicians. Ohh well I am on a rant, sorry, I know I am now going to be pushing to get that old band project up and running to fill my needs to play some more music. Private Parties have been the most fun so far. But that can change too.
Randy |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | for all of the 80's and most of the 90's I played my original music in various formats.
I was really opposed to playing covers and just likened that to a wedding band. (not that there is anything wrong with wedding bands, just not where I wanted to be)
in the later 90's I started to play guitar again, going to jams and well you don't play originals at open jams, so I learned a bunch of "eclectic" cover songs and realized that it gave me just as much pleasure to play these songs to an enthusiastic audience that it did me playing my originals to the closing crew at the local beer toilet.
So, if people like it, and you feel ok with working up the tunes just do it. BTW there may even be some witnesses to me playin margaritaville a couple of times but I will NEVER admit to it. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | My audience is never easy to please, but I never play a song the audience doesn't like. Perfect match every night. Every few years I play for someone else. Whenever someone asks why I don't play for someone else, I just tell them I do it for my own enjoyment and no one else's.
I really appreciated Preston Reed's skill, but a small part of the audience really pissed me off. Confirmed my opinions. The smaller the audience, the better. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Mark,
You really need to have a therapist treat that Dissociative Identity Disorder. |
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November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | I play nothing but my own songs...
(being nice)when a slightly buzzed patron comes up and says..hey play somethhing by so and so...
I say..man you just missed that...
or Im playing rares song by that person...
Ill see them after the show...and they'll say..Man that was great...I never heard that one :) |
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July 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Oregon | I prefer to listen to original songs. For instance, I got stuck at McMinnamins listening to some guy cover Van Morrison("*mumble mumble* and the crack was good") and Gordon Lightfoot. I tired of that quickly and wanted to hear something new and original. Didn't happen. |
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July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | Originally posted by cliff:
you can segue into a verse and chorus (or two) of Mellencamp's
"R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." I've also heard "What I Like About You" mixed with R.O.C.K.
I went to see one of my favorite songwriters, Kevn Kinney, a couple of weeks ago (singer for Drivin' n' Cryin') with his "other band". His songs are great, and he has a great knack for mixing some of them with just the right cover tune. He did the DNC song "Honeysuckle Blue" in a medley with "Soulshine" and "Are You Experienced".
It was so good that I learned Soulshine (Govt Mule / Allman Bros) the next day. You should use it, Brad. People who like good music would appreciate it. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . I've also heard "What I Like About You" mixed with R.O.C.K. . ."
You've heard right, Jas.
In fact, THAT was the song I was thinking about, not "Jenny"!! LOL!!! They're all starting to sound the same . . .
"Soulshine" IS a good tune that usually goes over well when we do it. (It's another "song t'play while Cliff changes a string" tune:-) |
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November 2005
Posts: 140
Location: Spain | At the end of the day as a working musician you have choices to make if like our duo you live in a resort area and you want work covers are the way to go . Being the proudest musician sleeping rough has never been my plan . As a few of you heard on the radio we can play originals and we do create all our own backing for the covers so gain back pride where we can . |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I wish I could write a song worth singin'.
Our goal has been to avoid the cliche covers. The ones that are done to death. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Northcountry...
...hit the 'enter' key every now and then.
Us older blokes find a slab of text hard to read, mate. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by muzza:
Northcountry...
...hit the 'enter' key every now and then.
Us older blokes find a slab of text hard to read, mate. ...and maybe consider the benefits of decaf. ;) |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | He did it that way intentionally . . . .
If you stare at it (without blinking) for thirty seconds and then close your eyes, you'll see the center gatefold from "Tales of Topographic Oceans" . . . |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
Mark,
You really need to have a therapist treat that Dissociative Identity Disorder. There's a reason I moved to Idaho. We did have 2 of us (me and tdeej) represented at the NW OFC Gathering, however, and seemed to be able to gather a bigger crowd than those Easterners seem capable of gathering. I didn't play guitar with anyone there, though. I just don't know any of those old songs those guys were playing. |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | I do about 99% covers; I like to work. Let's face it; you have to get semi-established before people really want to listen to your originals. I think I've written some decent originals over the years; I slip one in every now and then, and I'm gratified when someone asks, "Who wrote that song?"
As far as covers go, I try to stick to the best. Just about anything you do by James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, the Eagles, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Neil Young, Seger, Mellencamp, and Springsteen are sure bets. I do some acoustic Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac. Gordon Lightfoot and the Doobies have a lot of good stuff, too.
I try not to be so dignified that I can't be stupid once in a while and have some fun. I DO occasionally play stuff that makes me groan inwardly (I try to "keep the customer satisfied"), but I DO also have standards. I draw the line at doing "Freebird." I have to have had a few beers and a hostile crowd before I'll play that one. I REFUSE to do "Rocky Top." I've only played that atrocity ONCE in my entire life. A motorcycle gang had come into a posh lounge at a 4-star restaurant where my band was playing (that gang was about as out of place as Ted Kennedy at a Republican party meeting). We played that song at gunpoint. Scariest moment of my life; almost made me give up gigging! |
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November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | The challenge for most of us is giving a show while trying to remember how the song goes. A little study with the local theatre or improv group can go a long ways toward increased audience enjoyment of your show.
Not everyone loves standing in front of the stage staring at the lead players hands, like us...  |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Our old 4-pc. band had a monthly gig playing at local a go-go bar (yes, while the girls were dancing). LOVED that gig . . .
In between tunes, this guy comes lumbering up to the bandstand to make a "request".
This guy HAD to be close to seven feet tall, three-fiddy, shaved head, beard, pierced everywhere visible, wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering: "I F@ck On The First Date".
He walks up and I say "Whadda y'wanna hear??"
He says "Do you guys know "Build Me Up, Buttercup"??
I almost pissed myself . . . |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | ..Buttercup...not an easy song to play.
The neighborhood crowd asked for some "Buffet & Seger". Buffet will be easy. I played a few bars of Beautiful Loser and realized that ol' Bob has set some pretty high vocal expectations. It's just not in my wheelhouse and perhaps best left alone. That is... unless Brian wants to take a shot at it. |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Originally posted by Cliff:
In between tunes, this guy comes lumbering up to the bandstand to make a "request".
This guy HAD to be close to seven feet tall, three-fiddy, shaved head, beard, pierced everywhere visible, wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering: "I F@ck On The First Date".
He walks up and I say "Whadda y'wanna hear??"
He says "Do you guys know "Build Me Up, Buttercup"??
I almost pissed myself . . .
Sounds like the same guy who wanted "Rocky Top." And I almost pissed myself, too, Cliff -- when he pulled the gun on us!
Originally posted by Slipkid:
The neighborhood crowd asked for some "Buffet & Seger". Buffet will be easy. I played a few bars of Beautiful Loser and realized that ol' Bob has set some pretty high vocal expectations.
And he capos just about everything on the first fret, which makes it even higher. Works if you tune the guitar to Eb. Makes it easier. Once I played a private party where I was getting great crowd response. Then I played Seger's "Like A Rock," a song I really like even though it's been played to death as the Chevy truck jingle. Stony silence when I got finished. I was puzzled; I thought I'd done a great job, especially with the "Ah, Like A Rock!" howling at the end-- and they'd been wild about everything else earlier. I asked, "Gee, was it THAT bad?" One of the guys answered, "We all work for the Ford Motor Company!"
Despite that, we all became fast friends, and I play for them all the time now (when I play "American Pie," we "drove a FORDto the levy, but the levy was dry!" |
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A Milestone for an Acoustic Duo