Tibute bands... good? bad? ugly?

[Dave Boulden]

As a follow up to Terminal3's post about the Think Floyd cruise...

This is not aimed any tribute bands in particular, but the whole concept of a tribute band. Personally I find it a little creepy that some people can be obsessed enough to emulate a band to the point of commissioning hairpeices!... or cycnical enough to "do it for the money". I've seen a couple of tribute bands who *play* the material of their chosen band and sound like them, and that I quite enjoy... but the whole "dressing up" thing really turns me off tribute bands.

For the record, in no way is this aimed at covers bands... indeed I play in a covers band myself.

What do you think?

[terminal3]

I'm not into them personally, but it's a huge, huge industry, worth millions of pounds the world over. I think it especially works if the band in question is no longer around (Pink Floyd is a borderline case) - but in the case of the Beatles, or Elvis for example, there are people that will pay almost any price in order to relive a memory.

[conor_j]

I still enjoy a good tribute act I must say, but sounding like the act is good enough for me, no need to go crazy with outfits/wigs etc etc, spoils it imo

[krykos]

With some tribute bands, e.g. Bjorn Again, Lez Zeppelin, it's OK seeing as the original bands have broken up, retired or on an indefinite hiatus.

But otherwise, if you're prepared to spend however much money looking like the band, and getting similar gear, and time to find people who also like said band, as well as learn all their songs and techniques, then I reckon you have enough time and money to perhaps write something original?

[terminal3]

Of course, seeing David Gilmour play with a Floyd tribute bank back in June was rather amusing...

[Dave Boulden]

I love the story the bass player from our band told us... this guy auditions for the bass player position with a Jamiroquai tribute band... they turn him down 'cos they claim he's not good enough... following week he attends a different audition and this time get's offered the job...

... with Jamiroquai.

[conor_j]

Oh the irony....... I love it

[saxman]

Originally Posted by Dave Boulden

but the whole "dressing up" thing really turns me off tribute bands.

I think you make a good point Dave. It reminds me of the many many Elvis impersonators who try to look like Elvis. Truth is very many of them bear little resemblance to him and very few of them can sing.

There is one tribute band I saw and enjoyed quite a few years ago and they are still going strong;
Stealing Dan. London UK Tribute band playing the music of Steely Dan and Donald Fagen

If you check out their photos you can see that they all wear very casual whatever. I enjoyed their whole approach which seemed to be more about trying to perform credible musical arrangements rather than trying to look and sound exactly like Steely Dan.