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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 212.219.63.204
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 11:42 am:   

I am working (on and off) on a short story about a Frank Sinatra tribute act who falls in love with an Ava Gardner tribute artiste. The main theme is "Frank's" dilemma over whether his loyal following is his own or is it the real Frank they adore? And this "Ava", does she love him or his Sinatra persona and vice versa?

I am fascinated by the whole tribute act culture that has risen over the last decade or so. I saw Whole Lotta Led a few years back. It was a strange experience and presented that same puzzle, what was I digging man, the musicians in front of me or the fantasy that I was at a Led Zeppelin concert? it marred the evening lightly.

Also the Limehouse Lizzy (Thin Lizzy tribute) front man has expressed the same doubts and dilemmas and once said he wished he'd never started the whole thing.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Exaggerated Tel - Official Terry Grimwood Tribute (available for bookings). "'Amazing, looks and sounds just like me, if not even better'- Terry Grimwood"
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 195.59.115.60
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 11:51 am:   

I've not seen many tribute bands so I wouldn't claim to be an expert in such thing; however it can be a decidedly odd experience. I guess it's often the only way capable musicians can face a reasonably sized audience.
First one I saw was "Beyond the Wall", a very good Pink Floyd tribute band. Then last year we saw (with Soozy & GCW) The Small Fakers, then a week or so later The Rolling Stoned, and finally New Amen Corner who, I believe, at least boasted a one-time member of the original band in their line-up.
I'm sure most fans go as they love the original band rather than being followers of the tribute band.
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 12:31 pm:   

Tribute bands can be great fun for a drunken night out but I can't take them seriously, no matter how good the musicianship.

I have even greater problems with classic bands that reform with a new lead singer, such as The Stranglers, The Undertones, etc... it just makes me feel hollow inside.
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 195.59.115.60
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 12:36 pm:   

I wouldn't go so far as feeeling hollow, but I'd much, much rather see an original band, as I indeed often do.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 12:43 pm:   

I've never been to see a tribute band for that very reason - I know I'd be there imagining it was the original, and I reckon it'd be a poor imitation in most case. I may be wrong. Some tribute bands might be really good in their own right, but I've just never felt like going to what I think would be a "fantasy" for me (having said that, I hear that the Bootleg Beatles, for example, are absolutely brilliant and have thier own huge fan following).

I agree with Stevie about bands that reform with a new lead singer. As most of you know, I'm a huge Jethro Tull fan - or am I a huge Ian Anderson fan? Fact is, Tull IS Ian Anderson, and Ian Anderson IS Tull. If he wasn't there, it wouldn't be Tull at all. I can watch Tull if it's just Anderson and some other musicians playing Tull music.

Having said that, I do enjoy Tull concerts more when Martin Barre (long-standing band member) is playing lead guitar too. And the concert I went to where Clive Bunker (original drummer) made a guest appearance was the best musical experience of my life!

So, what I'm trying to say whilst waxing lyrical about Jethro Tull, is that the original is always the best IMO - tribute bands would be a poor imitation, a pure fantasy, for me.
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 195.59.115.60
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 12:57 pm:   

Original is indeed best, but without tribute bands you'd never get the chance to hear the Beatles' (and others') music played live, and that's pretty much the only time I'd consider it. There's just something about live music...
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 195.59.115.60
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 12:59 pm:   

ie when bands are no longer performing, or the members are no longer alive...
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 01:07 pm:   

I've seen The LA doors several times now and they're excellent.

I saw (what's left of) the original lineup of the real thing, with some other bloke on vocals and it was really disappointing. (plus it was one of those where I was really glad to get in for free because it was £50 minimum a ticket with a "meet and greet" option for £125 which basically involved standing in a queue to get your ticket/cd signed at the end of the gig)

The australian Pink Floyd is as good as the real thing now as well. (Better than what I saw of the real thing on Live 8 actually)
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Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 217.37.199.45
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 01:49 pm:   

It's much more interesting when a singer (or band) performs a set of covers of a particular artist, but not 'in role' as that artist. The interpretative singer is much-underrated – we fetishise 'writing your own material' when the whole tradition of singing revolves around selecting and interpreting great songs. Dylan's 'World Gone Wrong', an album of traditioonal songs, is excellent. So is Nick Cave's 'Kicking Against the Pricks', an album of covers of his favourite modern songs.

The Dylan Project, a band fronted by Steve Gibbons, plays a selection of Dylan songs with a strong blues emphasis. They are excellent. They are not a 'tribute band', just a really talented bunch of people playing material in tribute to a great songwriter.

The biggest problem with 'tribute bands' is the fantasy element, the identification of artists with the way they looked and sounded a long time ago – and the way that tribute bands crowd original bands out of the live music scene. Bands trying to get bookings in West Midlands clubs are invariably asked "So who do you do?" If the answer is "It's just us" they don't get the gig. That's depressing.

Last time I saw Fairport Convention, a band who have maintained their vitality by generating fine new material and recruiting fine new musicians, Simon Nicol commented: "By the way, we're not a tribute band. We're the real thing."
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 04:21 pm:   

I'm a huge Fairoport Convention & Richard Thompson & Sandy Denny fan, Joel. The very definition of folk rock, as opposed to just plain folk.

If you've never heard of them, I can't recommend enough the 1970s Irish rock band Horslips for doing the same thing for Celtic folk. If you can imagine an Irish Pink Floyd, with originality and musicianship oozing out of their fingertips, and who constructed story concept albums based on Irish mythology that are the equal of 'Babbacombe Lee', 'Quadrophenia' or 'The Wall' - but with fiddles, Uilleann pipes, harp & Bodhráns matching the electric guitar, bass & drums every step of the way then you may have some idea of the musical Nirvana I speak of... listen to the albums 'The Táin' (1974) or 'The Book Of Invasions' (1977) to have your whole musical world expanded beyond your wildest imaginings (imho).

Caroline, they were at least the equal of Jethro Tull at their best - and you know what a great Tull fan I am!

Ah, the 1970s... when men were men, women were women and music was music <sigh>.
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Frank (Frank)
Username: Frank

Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 85.222.86.21
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 04:36 pm:   

Weren't Fairport Convention the inspiration for the band in Cameron Crowe's gorgeous 'Almost Famous.' Or am speaking out of my arse?
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 04:41 pm:   

I'm sure the members of Fairport Convention could party hard with the best of them, Frank, but, no, it was more yer Led Zeppelin type rock combos being referenced in 'Almost Famous'...
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 05:35 pm:   

Horslips sound incredible from your description, Stevie - I'm going to seek them out.

Ah, Fairport Convention - another amazing band who've kept fresh over the years. Wonderful stuff!

But are we answering Terry's question? I reckon it's the fantasy thing, in most cases, with tribute bands. If, when Ian Anderson finally hangs up his flute for the last time, a tribute Tull pop up, I know I'll be wishing it was the real thing.
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 05:48 pm:   

This is a pretty accurate summation of Horslips career, Caroline: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/horslips-p804/biography

Even the later, more rock oriented albums, have their merits but, at their best, fusing progressive rock with the Irish folk story song tradition, they were one of the greatest unsung rock outfits of that glorious decade, and that's not just imho.
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Tony (Tony)
Username: Tony

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.153.151.150
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 06:49 pm:   

I just bought two or three Fairport albums this year (or maybe late last.).
Can we get tribute authors? How would that even work?
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Tony (Tony)
Username: Tony

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.153.151.150
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 06:53 pm:   

What happens when a band gradually dissolves over a long period of time, gradually changing the members until none of the originals remain? Are they the same band? But then what happens if an old band join one bloke's old band, him being the last remaining member - do they become his band or theirs?

I think I need to lie down for a bit.
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.182.24.98
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 07:48 pm:   

Tony - quite. I was a huge fan of Dr Feelgood in their original incarnation, with Wilko Johnson on guitar. Then he left and was replaced, and a couple of years later the bass player and drummer left and were replaced, leaving just the rather excellent Lee Brilleaux on vocals remaining from the original band. Then, in the early 'nineties, he died, and the current lineup, still touring, have absolutely no connection with the original band.
Strangely, though, the current members have all been in the band longer than any of the original members, I believe.
As far as Sandy Denny goes, for my money you'd have to go a long way to beat "Fotheringay" and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes"...
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.182.24.98
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 07:50 pm:   

Joel makes some very good points as usual, but I think Terry's really on about the "experience tha band as they were in 19xx" type of thing.
Didn't know Steve Gibbons was involved in that Dylan thing though; always thought Gibbons was very underrated, as was Graham Parker in my opinion.
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 82.17.252.126
Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 11:07 pm:   

I have three names to mention in answer to your postulation, Tony: Frank Zappa, Mark E. Smith & Julian Cope.

I rest my case.
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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 82.6.90.22
Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 12:58 am:   

Absolutely Mick. forgotten names, forgotten bands, Frankiie Miller was another.As is Alex Harvey to a certain extent.

My point was about identity, which is a slippery thing anyway. The Terry who writes is a different Terry to the one who teaches for example. When I teach I don't swear and forbid my neolithic teenage male students to do the same in my classroom, I batter them about good manners and having some interest beyond their mobile phones and their genitals. When I write I become an explorer and exposer of the dark, I am different things to different people. Yet always the same person. one of me might be an imposter, a tribute act. Adn once, when I suffered a very dark time of my life, I remember breaking down because I felt I didn't know who I was anymore.

So, this confusion which we all deal with and live through must become heightened when we delibratley take on the identity of someone else, not just as an actor would because an actor is applauded as an actor plying his craft, but covring our own lack of reputation and reknown by stealing someone else's.

Cheers
Terry
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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 82.6.90.22
Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 01:09 am:   

And another thing...or two!

The plethora of tribute acts is very unhealthy artistically. For the reason Joel stated in that it is stifling new talent and also, it is allowing people to indulge in the safe and what they know instead of discovering the new, fresh and exciting (even the old new fresh and exciting, such as Horselips). It's one of the many things that bothers me about the X Factor, no one goes on and says "I've written a new song..."

And as for tribute writers. John Jarrold told me in his rejection letter (don't worry folks, the novel is due out soon from Eibonvale) that the first thing a publisher asks him if he offers them a new writer is... "Who are they like?" Not "Are they fresh, new and exciting? Are they orignal" No, it's who are they bloody like?

I rest my case.
Terry
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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 82.6.90.22
Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 01:18 am:   

Can't shut now I've started!

When I go to the local jam nites there are two kinds of act. The sing and play-alikes and the intepreters. There are those who like to indulge their fantasies and become Axel Rose or Ian Gillan or Richie Blackmore or Carlos Santana for a quarter of an hour and there are those who take a song and do it their way.

I like to think I'm the latter, mainly because I like blues and it's the only type of music I can sing and play with confidence becsause my voice isn't exactly angelic and the repetitive loose vocal style suits me. And as a result I have found joy in improvising and messing around with the song. I find it much more satisfying.

Cheers
Terry I'm off to bed now.

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