Tribute Bands

[lankeela]

Do they become tribute bands because they like the music of the originals, or because they look like them? Seems so many look very much like the originals - can it be coincidence? I realise make up makes them look similar but I saw a Gary Barlow/Robbie Williams tribute advertised and from the photo the facial features looked so like them I would not have questioned it if someone said it was them. What are the chances of two blokes who look like Gary and Robbie getting together and being able to sing like them?

[Zacs-Master]

I think a lot of aspiring musicians / singers get to a point where they realise they're never going to 'make it' and decide to 'fake it'.
They're usually very accomplished and skilled and so can turn their hand to covering a lot of people's music but I think the more successful ones have to like the artists they're covering for it to not become boring and keep playing other people's music night after night.

[Arksided]

I'm not keen on tribute bands but one notable from Queen were a band called Ga ga, they were brilliant but there's so many about these days. They didn't look like them but sounded great and had a great show.
However for me the best were a cover band of Pink Floyd called Pulse the band were so tight (amazing musicians, in their own right would've made it) and their lead singer was female a different spin considering Waters and Gilmour but are/were excellent.

[Ken4155]

These lads take some beating, imho. Nick Mason is on record as saying he's not too keen on the PF tribute bands who simply copy the band, but he does like those who put their own stamp on the songs. He mentions two bands, one who turned PF songs into reggae and another who did a C&W version! Heaven forfend:-/

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Australian+Pink+Floyd&&view=detail&mid=171C4B937AD855B94EDC171C4B937AD855B94EDC&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3F%26q%3DAustralian%2BPink%2BFloyd%26FORM%3DVDRSCL

[Zacs-Master]

Unfortunately being an amazing musician isn't a guarantee of making it.
I know some members of a 60s / 70s band who nearly made it and who now play pubs. They were all so talented that they could swap with each other and play different instruments on different songs more than competently.

[douglas9401]

See also any rapper or boy band.

[lankeela]

These are the two that I was talking about - wouldn't you think it was them if you didn't read the blurb?

https://princestheatre.co.uk/event?i=873641510

[Zacs-Master]

I'm pretty sure the black and white image on that poster is actually Gary and Robbie.

[Arksided]

Ken I am familiar with the Aussie Pink Floyd, they are brilliant and do sound just like them, they've being about a long time... big budget for them. I haven't being to see them though as for regae... etc... nope for me doing Floyd

Lankeela, I would've thought Nobbie and the other fella... but not for for me... have you gone and felt duped?

I won't deny I like quite a few of Nobbies stuff... but that other .... well nope thank you.

[MissTerious2]

Ive never ever been to see a tribute band or singer and I never will. Its the real thing or nothing.

[naomi24]

//Nick Mason is on record as saying he's not too keen on the PF tribute bands who simply copy the band, but he does like those who put their own stamp on the songs. ///

I wouldn't be keen to see a tribute band that put its own stamp on other people's work. I want a tribute band to sound like the original.

[Ken4155]

Let's face it, a lot of tribute acts are nothing more than glorified karaoke singers.

[Hopkirk]

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac are really good, though few of them bear much resemblance to the originals.

[Zacs-Master]

They would have had careers on the Club Circuit 20/30 years ago but......

[Arksided]

Agreed but some are top notch Ken... the cover band pulse I mentioned they were male singers too, but stuff like great gig in the sky... no way were she Kara or oke.

[Arksided]

He has a new Dad joke of the day set up ;-)))

[andy-hughes]

I don't like 'tribute bands' because they are not a 'tribute' at all - they are simply piggy-backing the talent and success of other musicians.

But for every nerdy purist like me, there are thousands and thousands of people who just like hearing the music of their favourite artists at a fraction of the cost of the originals.

In some cases of course, the originals are not longer with us, so I do enjoy a decent Beatles tribute, and I have seen several who make a decent job of bringing that later songs, which were never intended for live performance, to a concert setting.

But as a general rule, I avoid tribute bands, simply because I like the real thing, or not at all.

But of course, there is a massive market for them, and if people like them, I would never wish to stop anyone either making a living, or people having a good time.

[drmorgans]

Nick Mason plays in a sort of tribute band with some mates (including a bloke from Spandau Ballet) called Saucerful of Secrets. They play early Pink Floyd (and seem to enjoy themselves).

[lankeela]

Only tribute band I have seen is The Illegal Eagles, and it was the best night's entertainment I've ever been to. Having not seen the real thing I had nothing to compare them to other than the Eagles Greatest Hits cassette which is played constantly in my van but they were so good it was amazing.

My question though is what comes first? Do they think ooh I look a bit like that bloke singing on telly so I might just pretend to be him? Or do they think I sound a lot like him so I will try to make myself look like him and make a living at it?

[Hopkirk]

Does Queen with Adam Lambert count as a tribute band?

[jno]

lankeela, I'd have said the one on the right was Morrissey, even to not having earlobes...