The other bands bail, now what??

[hippietim]

Yeah, easy covers would be stuff like "All Right Now" and "Can't Get Enough", some Stones stuff like Jumping Jack Flash and Brown Sugar, Honky Tonk Man, etc.... Stuff that basically has few parts, no crazy breaks, you can still throw an extended solo into every song. I mean, c'mon, The Trooper? Not that it's THAT hard, but when you need to work up about 20 songs in 10 days, The Trooper is not the kind of songs you want to go for.
Why not just say Metropolis Part I?

I think it'd be easier to work up some easy covers than try to find a band at short notice. If you come across someone, cool, but don't count on it.
Hey, "Be My Lover" by Alice Cooper is super easy to play and sing, and people love it. So's "Eighteen" and "Under My Wheels". "Pretty Woman" VH-style, "Bad Moon Rising" metaled up a bit would be cool. "Born to be Wild" is a staple, seems you said you've played biker events and that song is always handy to know. Anyway, the idea is simple 3-to-5 chord songs that you can rock' em up and they still sound cool. You'd be surprised how quick and easy it can be to work up covers if you're not trying to cover Nevermore or Symphony X!

My bad, I thought we were talking about a metal band here

The Trooper is the easiest Iron Maiden song there is. Metropolis Part I? C'mon - that's got a gazillion parts in it. The Trooper has 3 chords and two riffs.

For the record, there are no circumstances where "Bad Moon Rising" metaled up would be good. In fact, nothing good at all can come of anything by John Fogerty/CCR whether metaled or not.

[Bandersnatch]

Yea dude do the Trooper. It took my band five days to get it down, and we're talentless teenagers.

[lerxstcat]

Yeah, but Jeri has said they don't do covers; I don't know if you noticed that or not. If a band does NO covers than even a fairly easy Maiden song with its harmonized leads and memorable solos may not be the place to start. 10 days, which I'm guessing means maybe 3 rehearsals if they hustle, to learn maybe 20 songs to really fill up the time, I'd say keep it simple.

I'm not trying to get in a pissing match here with you, Tim, I'm just trying to make suggestions that'll help Jeri and her band get through a scrape. Hey, if she comes on here and says they can work up The Trooper and 19 more like it, that's great. But her first reply to the idea ofr covers seemed unsure of that idea, hence suggesting some super-simple songs. Does that make my thought process a little clearer?

Oh, and don't count out John fogerty; I saw a video a couple months ago and he busted out some 2-hand tapping for a second!

[Sinistas]

Danzig - Mother
Dio - Holy Diver

Easy, fun. Especially Mother.

[hippietim]

Yeah, but Jeri has said they don't do covers; I don't know if you noticed that or not. If a band does NO covers than even a fairly easy Maiden song with its harmonized leads and memorable solos may not be the place to start. 10 days, which I'm guessing means maybe 3 rehearsals if they hustle, to learn maybe 20 songs to really fill up the time, I'd say keep it simple.

I'm not trying to get in a pissing match here with you, Tim, I'm just trying to make suggestions that'll help Jeri and her band get through a scrape. Hey, if she comes on here and says they can work up The Trooper and 19 more like it, that's great. But her first reply to the idea ofr covers seemed unsure of that idea, hence suggesting some super-simple songs. Does that make my thought process a little clearer?

Oh, and don't count out John fogerty; I saw a video a couple months ago and he busted out some 2-hand tapping for a second!

Dude, there aren't any memorable solos in The Trooper

Jeri said they don't do covers - it doesn't mean that nobody in the band knows any. If the band is tight then picking a bunch of cover tunes won't be too hard as long as they stick to songs they are familiar with, fit their style, and don't have too many changes.

I don't care if John Fogerty can play like Jack Butler as long as he sings like a one legged chicken getting gang raped by rhinos.

[Newc]

Unless by some miracle Jeri or anyone in her band were born knowing all they need to know about music, everyone learned to play by learning someone else's material. THAT is the material you play in this type of situation, no matter how badly you want to be known as an "Originals Only" band.

I'm sorry, but if I went to see a band that played their 1 hour set and then went home, I'd forget that band an hour later. If I saw a good band play for 4 hours, I probably wouldn't remember their originals but I'd remember their covers.

If you're good enough to write your own stuff, you're good enough to play someone else's.

[Jason1212]

Back in the day when I went to see Pantera they did a split set. One set of covers one of originals. Covers help give a crowd some perspective of where you are coming from as a band.

[lerxstcat]

Dude, there aren't any memorable solos in The Trooper

Jeri said they don't do covers - it doesn't mean that nobody in the band knows any. If the band is tight then picking a bunch of cover tunes won't be too hard as long as they stick to songs they are familiar with, fit their style, and don't have too many changes.

I don't care if John Fogerty can play like Jack Butler as long as he sings like a one legged chicken getting gang raped by rhinos.

Juts because YOU can't remember them doesn't mean they aren't memorable! But you're right, "don't" doesn't NECESSARILY mean "can't". I have played with prople in original band though who absolutely refused to play cover tunes, and I think it was because they couldn't readily learn someone else's music. I guess as soon as they got proficient enough to write their own they forgot about covers.

I would agree that if the situation is just "won't", then maybe set that ethic aside for the emergency gig. If it's really "can't" though, then I still think adding the easiest possible material would be the way to go. Ten easy hit songs, rocked up, would be better than 4 lengthy metalized blues jams in a row. Intersperse the two and you can have a good gig.

I have heard a decent punk-metal version of Folsom Prison Blues, so I think some CCR songs could be rocked up. I get that you don't dig CCR but I bet you're in a distinct minority there, and it was just an example anyway. There are lots of simple songs.

[guitarsjb]

Damn guys...thanks for the info..but just calm down. I'll live weather (sp?)I learn some covers or not. Didn't mean for ya'll to get in a argument. Was just looking for some help. I'm drinkin pretty good now, so that's the most I'm typing..(typing and drinking is a nasty combo most times).
Thanks...

[toejam]

Good going trying to make these guys fight, Jeri! :ROTF:

[mm2002]

Yeah Sis....ya fight starter!

Hey, you guys could probably learn Rush 2112 pretty quickly!

[hippietim]

Rich, you are one annoying dude

Jeri asked for some suggestions. I tossed out some cover ideas. You zeroed in on one song that you consider too complex for whatever reason - I still don't get why you think it's hard but who cares about that. Then you toss out a bunch of random classic rock tunes - dude, they're a metal band. Did you look at the other tunes i suggested? Are you seriously going to say that Paranoid or Livin' After Midnight are any more difficult than All Right Now or Pretty Woman?

You say you weren't looking to start a pissing match, yet you did. Other folks suggested songs other "difficult" songs yet you zeroed in my post. Bite me.

You say you were trying to help Jeri get through a scrape. So was I. Why couldn't you just toss in your 2 cents without your lame commentary about my suggestions? Double bite me.

And CCR still sucks.

[hippietim]

So Jeri, what are you gonna do?

I'm thinking this definitely calls for a long introspective guitar solo. If you want, I can send you a violin bow.

[lerxstcat]

Rich, you are one annoying dude

Jeri asked for some suggestions. I tossed out some cover ideas. You zeroed in on one song that you consider too complex for whatever reason - I still don't get why you think it's hard but who cares about that. Then you toss out a bunch of random classic rock tunes - dude, they're a metal band. Did you look at the other tunes i suggested? Are you seriously going to say that Paranoid or Livin' After Midnight are any more difficult than All Right Now or Pretty Woman?

You say you weren't looking to start a pissing match, yet you did. Other folks suggested songs other "difficult" songs yet you zeroed in my post. Bite me.

You say you were trying to help Jeri get through a scrape. So was I. Why couldn't you just toss in your 2 cents without your lame commentary about my suggestions? Double bite me.

And CCR still sucks.

I only commented about The Trooper, no others. I know from reading Jeri's other band posts that they just got their other guitarist very recently, so I don't know what their capabilities are as far as playing harmonies together. And I am a guy who plays cover solos note-for-note, so to me a Maiden song means learning two lead solos exactly correctly so it sounds good. If you already know it, it's easy. If not, maybe not.

Other than that, fuck Lee Garver! Just because!

[lerxstcat]

Damn guys...thanks for the info..but just calm down. I'll live weather (sp?)I learn some covers or not. Didn't mean for ya'll to get in a argument. Was just looking for some help. I'm drinkin pretty good now, so that's the most I'm typing..(typing and drinking is a nasty combo most times).
Thanks...

Jeri, don't sweat it! Tim and I like fussing at each other, you didn't start anything. I just thought The Trooper might be a tough one since your other guitar guy is new to the band. I figured when you said y'all don't do covers that maybe y'all don't know them individually either. I have met many good original bands that couldn't play any covers, and it sounded to me like you were saying y'all were like that. I meant no offense, just hoped to steer y'all towards some easy stuff, since I figure y'all don't plan on being a covers band in future.

But Tim and I often don't see eye to eye. He's just intimidated by the aura of my personality, ya know?

I just want y'all to have a good show and to enjoy it, whatever it takes for that to happen would be great!