Agreed. I’m just saying that I wish people would open their ears to check out some original music in their towns.
I love it that in Indy we have so many great original bands that I can pay $5 for a night of excellent original music. Sadly, even though we have these great bands, people still go out in droves to see cover bands rather than check out something new.
I don’t know about that. I’m in a Jazz/Bossa/Blues Cover Band and I feel I get respect from people, especially other musicians. I also write my own music just for the joy of it and hope to incorporate those into the set eventually. Cover Bands and Original Bands live in totally different worlds and I feel all musicians who put the “work” into being good musicians, deserve respect.
Dang, I wanted to be first to mention the Gimme Gimmes. They do nothing but covers, and they do nothing but rock.
They also prove that it’s not just writing your own material that’s the most important thing. It’s bringing something new to the performance that’s important – even though they’re ostensibly a gag band, many of their cover versions are much better than the original. (In particular, “Danny’s Song.”) And at the very least, they’re more fun than the original.
Even if it sucks? How about performers who play original songs that they didn’t write? Are famous song writers whoring for creativity-impaired pimps? How about all those symphony ochestras who perform somebody else’s music?
I guess I don’t see the honor in pumping out bad product.* If a group can arrange and perform somebody else’s song in a manner that is enjoyable to listen to, then they’ve done a lot more than someone who makes original music that offends the ears.
I guess I have to give props to someone who takes a giant load of crap and makes it good, or one who takes a good piece and good yet different. I can’t stand Led Zepplin; but, Dread Zepplin is definately cool.
Myriad caveats notwithstanding, of course.
One band came to my callege called 39 Mariner (I think) that did mostly covers for the audience. They gave out CDs, however, that were all original. Sadly, I was far more impressed with their covers. They did an amazing cover of Ludicrous’s What’s Your Fantasy? all in the style of a punk band. I wish they had had that song on the CD. 
One big thing that keeps original bands from making money is simply the shortage of material. On a typical club gig, a band is expected to play for 4 to 4-1/2 hours (minus breaks). Very few original bands are going to have enough original material to play that long, unless they’ve been together and writing for years and years and years. Hell, that’s one reason most new recording artists start out as the opening act for a more established band - they’re expected to perform the songs from their CD, and there aren’t enough songs on the CD to fill out a 2-hour concert.
My cover band was talking with the members of a local original band, and they explained why they only play one-night stands: “Our people [group of local fans who actually care about the original music] show up on Friday night, and party hard, and then they’re too hung over on Saturday to come hear us again.” In other words, they bring in a crowd on the first night, but not on the second night.
A guy on a musician’s forum I frequent is the guitarist in an original band that has built quite a following. They have some rabid fans who always show up to hear them play. However, this band again plays one-night-stands, and plays in a different town every week. So they only hit a particular town once a month at most - otherwise people would get tired of hearing the same limited set of music over and over again. This band also typically plays in “showcase” venues. These are clubs where, instead of one band playing all night, there will be 3 or 4 bands on the bill. Each band plays only one set - enough time to play all of their original material.
The vast majority of clubs are not the “showcase” variety, and will instead require a single band to play all night. And that means a cover band.
there are a lot of great bands that play a few covers, just to pad their set of original material. If Bob Dylan hadn’t come along, a lot of records would be a little bit lighter on material. There’s no shame in paying homage, nor is there shame in being in a cover band, as long as you recognize where you’re at.
For example, Tony Rice is one of the best acoustic guita players in the world. He did an album called Tony Rice Sings and Playes Gordon Lightfoot. It’s amazing. great record. Also, bluegrass itself is full of people playing other people’s songs. As long as the artist him/herself rcognizes that they are paying other people’s songs, it’s all good.