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Thursday, November 5, 2009
Opinion / Eric Mullis / News Under 'cover' in the Q.C.
Posted By Eric Mullis on Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 12:30 PM
First off, I'm not going to be bashing cover bands. I've played in cover bands and can think of many songs that I'd like to cover in my band. Instead, what I'd like to do is pose a question that I hope will get some discussion going.
Charlotte has many cover bands and many events that pay them well to perform. They pay them well because there is a reliable cover-band audience in Charlotte. A classic-rock tribute band is a guaranteed sell in the Queen City but an indie band that plays it's original music is often a risk.
Not all cities are like this. Audiences in Asheville and Athens, Ga., for example, would likely laugh a cover-band off of the stage since they only want to hear original music. They simply don't want to hear a band that is trying to sound like an established act. Now that's a curious fact and I don't want to speculate too much about it. After all, it's difficult to make safe generalizations about a city since many individuals and groups feed into a city's identity. I'd like to look at this another way.
I was discussing this issue over lunch with a fellow musician and he made a profound observation about classic-rock: Everyone who loves classic-rock bands had to discover them at some point.
At some point, that music was new and awe-inspiring for those listeners.
That seems right. I can remember the first time I heard Pink Floyd. I wasn't even sure what I was listening to. I knew that it was different, weird, and a little terrifying. But I was intrigued. I had to hear more.
So, why do many listeners lose interest in discovering new bands and new music? What happens to the wonder?
I have a couple of guesses:
1- Nostaligia. That music takes many listeners back to younger days when life was more enjoyable and things made more sense. New music doesn't provide that same sense of security and doesn't make one reminisce.
2- "Classicism." The best music has already been recorded and nothing will match it. Ever. No one will ever be able to match the likes of Zeppelin, Journey, or what have you.
These might be true, but I think that it has more to do with (3): Laziness.
Finding new music these days most often means actively looking around. It also means that you're likely going to hear a bunch of stuff that you don't like. Take a listen to WNCW or WSGE and you're hear all kinds of quality music, but there might be quite a bit that doesn't match your tastes. So, you're going to have to sift through and find what you like.
But, experiences of musical awe and wonder are waiting those who are willing to explore a bit.
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