When bands don't play the song right...

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-23-2016, 02:52 AM

One of your favorite bands is coming to town, you pony up the bucks for tickets, get excited as the show day approaches, enter the venue with great expectations, applaud mightily as the band takes the stage, and then......they play some, not all, of the songs differently than as recorded- not just live variations, but full on tempo changes, rhythm fluctuations, lyrical changes, or, for me, the dreaded worst, a change in vocal technique that almost makes the song sound like a mockery of itself. It disappoints me even though I can understand an artists tiring of playing the same song the same way for 30 years- for me, if it's not better, stick with the original until you come up with the better version...watched an episode of Jools Holland yesterday on Palladia, and he had Steve Miller as a guest, he did Abracadabra, and he sang it so different, in an altered vocal style, that is was distracting to me, and made me disinterested in the performance.
Saw Steve Forbert play last week and he changed Romeo's Tune significantly, so much so that many around me had no idea he was playing it until he got to the chorus..
So when is it okay for an artist to change the hit song, to keep themselves interested, knowing that fans may not approve or appreciate it?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-23-2016, 02:53 AM

If you want to hear it how it's played on the record then stay at home and listen to the fucking record.

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-23-2016, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

If you want to hear it how it's played on the record then stay at home and listen to the fucking record.

Really, is that the best you can offer to this forum?

Trollheart · 01-23-2016, 05:21 AM

He's right. You go to see the band perform as you haven't heard them before. You WANT the songs to sound different, otherwise what is the point in shelling out the bucks?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-23-2016, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

Really, is that the best you can offer to this forum?

If it's such a shit answer tell me why it's wrong.

Paul Smeenus · 01-23-2016, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

If you want to hear it how it's played on the record then stay at home and listen to the fucking record.

Really, is that the best you can offer to this forum?

I'm sorry, but what Urban contributes to Music Banter utterly crushes your contribution. Like several said, if you disagree with Urban's statement then that's fine, to just poopoo anything in that manner accomplishes nothing. And I should know, I just did something like that yesterday to Goofle. We're all capable of stepping on our own wang now and then.

CoNtrivedNiHilism · 01-26-2016, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

Really, is that the best you can offer to this forum?

Probably already addressed but don't go that route. You act like that here and you find yourself alienated because you can't be engaged in conversations involving difference of views or opinion. Overlook that comment if it bothered you. Sometimes confronting the issue is the wrong way to go about things.

But I as well disagree with you on every point. I look forward to those moments when a band or artist I really enjoy changes things up live; so exciting. After all it is their discretion to do so. Hearing the same songs the same way all of the time wares on a person. So to hear it a bit differently is nice to experience and personally for me shows that the band or artist I'm seeing hasn't reached their creative peak.

FRED HALE SR. · 01-26-2016, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

Probably already addressed but don't go that route. You act like that here and you find yourself alienated because you can't be engaged in conversations involving difference of views or opinion. Overlook that comment if it bothered you. Sometimes confronting the issue is the wrong way to go about things.

But I as well disagree with you on every point. I look forward to those moments when a band or artist I really enjoy changes things up live; so exciting. After all it is their discretion to do so. Hearing the same songs the same way all of the time wares on a person. So to hear it a bit differently is nice to experience and personally for me shows that the band or artist I'm seeing hasn't reached their creative peak.

My #1 reason for liking a change up on the songs live is I don't have to listen to 50,000 people sing it live if its an altered version. To the 50,000 people you aren't very good, so keep your day job k thanks.

Basil C. Thurston III · 01-26-2016, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism

Probably already addressed but don't go that route. You act like that here and you find yourself alienated because you can't be engaged in conversations involving difference of views or opinion. Overlook that comment if it bothered you. Sometimes confronting the issue is the wrong way to go about things.

I guess I could respond to that with a well-thought out, factual, clear and concise post making valid points in my defense. But, given the incredible low standards here, maybe I should respond with a dick joke that has nothing to do with the topic. Or just flat out insult you. Or should I try the openly mocking series of posts? Maybe that would help me "fit in" and not be "alienated" from the dozens of anonymous low-brow life forms that seem to live here. Decisions, decisions....let me put on my monocle and ponder this possibly life-changing issue, you guys carry on...

Trollheart · 01-27-2016, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil C. Thurston III

I guess I could respond to that with a well-thought out, factual, clear and concise post making valid points in my defense. But, given the incredible low standards here, maybe I should respond with a dick joke that has nothing to do with the topic. Or just flat out insult you. Or should I try the openly mocking series of posts? Maybe that would help me "fit in" and not be "alienated" from the dozens of anonymous low-brow life forms that seem to live here. Decisions, decisions....let me put on my monocle and ponder this possibly life-changing issue, you guys carry on...

Hey! Who you callin' a lowbrow life-form? (all I need now is a monocle...)

01-23-2016, 02:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Basil C. Thurston III Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 123	When bands don't play the song right... One of your favorite bands is coming to town, you pony up the bucks for tickets, get excited as the show day approaches, enter the venue with great expectations, applaud mightily as the band takes the stage, and then......they play some, not all, of the songs differently than as recorded- not just live variations, but full on tempo changes, rhythm fluctuations, lyrical changes, or, for me, the dreaded worst, a change in vocal technique that almost makes the song sound like a mockery of itself. It disappoints me even though I can understand an artists tiring of playing the same song the same way for 30 years- for me, if it's not better, stick with the original until you come up with the better version...watched an episode of Jools Holland yesterday on Palladia, and he had Steve Miller as a guest, he did Abracadabra, and he sang it so different, in an altered vocal style, that is was distracting to me, and made me disinterested in the performance. Saw Steve Forbert play last week and he changed Romeo's Tune significantly, so much so that many around me had no idea he was playing it until he got to the chorus.. So when is it okay for an artist to change the hit song, to keep themselves interested, knowing that fans may not approve or appreciate it?

01-23-2016, 02:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	If you want to hear it how it's played on the record then stay at home and listen to the fucking record. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

01-23-2016, 05:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	He's right. You go to see the band perform as you haven't heard them before. You WANT the songs to sound different, otherwise what is the point in shelling out the bucks? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018