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Cover songs on the site

soccermom	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:35 PM I know I'm new here and it may not be my place to say, but does anyone else have a problem with some people uploading nothing but covers. I thought this was a place to share ideas' and get feedback based on your work not someone elses. Sorry, if I've offended anyone but this is something thats been bugging me
mikenomn	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:47 PM Yeah...nothing bugs me more than "covers." It's hillarious that this is "the independent digital music community" but 40% of the songs are covers of mainstream music. Oh well. You can't MAKE people be original.
imemine	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:48 PM This is a cool place and the administrators (and Leflaw) allow covers. I think it’s cool because most people start with covers. And yes, it is a place to share ideas and get feedback. It’s also a supportive community of musicians and people who just enjoy music supporting music at all levels! No problem if you ask me.
Dave4288	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:49 PM I may not be the right person to address this since I have a bunch of covers and only 2 originals but I don't see a problem. A person can show just as much skill and talent in a cover as they can in an original.
Dave4288	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:51 PM Also alot of beginners start with covers because they don't have the ability to write their own songs yet. Like me lol
rhthesinner	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 4:53 PM It's all about good music Does it matter who wrote it?
MarcSalmon	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 5:21 PM well said.
mikenomn	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 7:33 PM To me, yes it does matter who wrote it. Covers really aren't impressive to me. All I hear is "I have a good voice and can mimic a sound." Wow...good for you. I don't want to hear it. Why would I want to hear a cover when I could just as easily listen to the original? On the other hand, however... I would LOVE to hear an original piece...no matter how bad...simply because it's new. If it's bad, the community can help shape it. They can give advice / suggestions about your writing, singing...whatever may need work. But to me there isn't a black and white in writing... If you "can't write" it's because you don't want to. Anyone can write. Just try it. You may be awful, but you'll get better through trial and error and the support of this community.
BlackMage	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 7:40 PM "All I hear is "I have a good voice and can mimic a sound." Wow...good for you." Covering isn't about mimicing or doing just the same the original one had. It's about own personal interpretation of the song. Of course you can go and play it exactly like the original one, but it doesn't have to stay like that.
sinai	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 7:44 PM never really bothered me too much, though i do prefer if someone does do a cover, do something drastic and different with it. but hey, music is music, and there ain't no rules
BlackMage	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 7:46 PM Ditto.
gothian	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 8:12 PM To me covers are like Pablo Picasso.... Some people think that anyone could paint like he did, but when they see one of his early paintings, the are He was a very capable painter. When you play covers with your band, you get to know a lot better your bandmates (musically speaking). You learn the technical capabilities of each one and learn how to comunicate without speaking. .... that would be a lot harder if you never try to play any cover at all.... it is just part of the process I think
johnnie7au	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 8:34 PM Personally I like to do covers, now and again, they help me learn and grow and help me with crafting originals. One thing I am not sure of is, what are the legalities of posting covers on an internet site. Some sites do allow, some don't. Thanks.
imemine	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 8:40 PM clears throat and looks UP "This is a cool place and the administrators (and Leflaw) allow covers."
GTLive	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 8:53 PM OK Here's my I have a few tunes up that are my renditions of other artist's material. However, they are still original in their production and delivery. They enjoy a lot less spin time than the originals, but that is to be expected I guess. The point is that DM allows cover tunes and anyone who doesn't want to listen can simply not click the button. If you don't know me you can still get an idea about my stuff by checking out who I decide to cover as well. I tend to put a lot of work into my covers in order to try and do the author some justice. about cover tunes.
PaulMcClelland	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 9:04 PM I have to disagree with Dave on this one. It takes more skill to sit down, write something original, work out arrangements, harmonies, sound, tone... on an original song, you are baking from scratch. With a cover song, somebody else has already done the writing, arranging. All you are doing is interpreting somebody elses work.All the heavy lifting has already been done. It may be pretty good, but it's not an original work. And I don't buy the idea that 'This is all beginners know how to do" Exercise your brain. Be creative. Come up with something new and original, not a tired remake of a 14 or 25 year old song. We've been there and done that. Let me hear from inside YOUR head. . PMcC
TheFearDrone	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 11:23 PM Well said Paul.
imemine	Date: January 6, 2005 @ 11:58 PM I have 28 completed songs on my page. One is a cover. Because I WANTED to do a cover. The Beatles did covers, Led Zeppelin Stole covers, Clapton does A LOT of covers, GNR covered Bob Dylan—ya know the list goes on for far longer than I have to spend on the subject. ---The simple reality is that even original material sometimes sounds like other stuff---(self included)---- So I would say to you folks that have a BIG problem with it----DON’T LISTEN TO IT! There is SO much GREAT original material here that you could spend a lifetime listening to it without EVER hearing a cover. Here’s a start! http://popdolls.dmusic.com/ http://halaka.dmusic.com/ http://solipsism.dmusic.com/ http://cageyhouse.dmusic.com/ http://vickxvapordubs.dmusic.com/ http://thecolorgreen.dmusic.com/ http://traf.dmusic.com/ http://billrhynes.dmusic.com/ http://zed.dmusic.com/ http://ryanw.dmusic.com/ http://shakergreen.dmusic.com/ OK, that’s off the top of my head! So go here first and listen to all of this stuff and then come back and bitch about covers!!!!!
imemine	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 12:00 AM and i mean ALL
cosmicearthgirl	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 12:32 AM First of all, you're certainly welcome to say anything you want, newbie or no. But, why should it be any skin off your nose if people do covers? Music should be about what makes the musician happy. If it makes the listener happy too, then a happy bargain has been struck! If you don't want to listen to covers, then don't. I too have many original songs and 2 covers. One because my father asked for it and the other because, like Ime, I wanted to. And we had a wonderful time doing the cover. It made us happy.
GTLive	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 5:16 AM I have 41 songs on my page of which 7 are covers. I recorded my first cover tune last year. I began playing in 1971 at age 11. These are my stats far as that goes. Close your eyes and pick a random tune off my page and you are six times more likely to hit an original tune than a cover. All of my cover tunes involved more work to produce than my originals, the challenge being to create a recognizable cover but still cram as many GT signatures into it without screwing the mix. We all look at things differently and do things for different reasons. Keep an open mind, that's what art is for. Dammit now I wanna do another cover tune! Anyone got suggestions for one???
GTLive	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 5:24 AM Damn, you had to get me going didn't you??? No cover tunes means genrecide for classical, bluegrass, most jazz, etc. Yes that's right, genrecide! Got kids? Forget singing lullabyes to 'em Alright to reiterate, there are those who don't care to listen to cover tunes, and that is cool. There are those who appreciate them, which is also cool! Each of these factions has a mouse in their hand and most are capable of deciding for themselves which button to click. OK you got more than
DaveWL	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 5:48 AM Well Gary there was this band that formed in LA in the late 60's. A sort of intense classical/jazz rock combo fronted by a guy called Jim Morrison. I think they were called the Doors. Maybe you could check them out and try one of their tunes. CEG I think you've done more than 2 covers, I can think of at least 4 including XMAS stuff. Not that I'm complaining as it's still a small proportion of what you do and at least 1 of them is amongst my favourite DM tracks. I find it's easier to make up your own stuff - nobody knows if you've got it wrong then.
PaulMcClelland	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 5:57 AM ...all of these points are well taken. I can see both sides of the cover issue. I have decided that I don't have a problem with covers, as long as they are identified as such...(so we don't think we are listening to an original piece when Beethoven or Robert Johnson actually wrote it)....PMcC
redspectre	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 10:05 AM Some songs are just ASKING to be covered though, whereas others shouldn't be touched with a bargepole!! It's hard to describe really! I agree with 'cosmicearthgirl', it's all about the musician themselves. Personally, I try and stay away from covers, but sometimes you just can't help yourself, particularly if there's loads of really great harmonies that you really want to be able work out and play yourself!
imemine	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 10:33 AM Alrighty then, we have a consensus! Lets all return to our regularly scheduled music making! Thank you for your time.
cosmicearthgirl	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 10:43 AM Oh yeah! I forgot about those two! You know what?!? I like doing covers sometimes so
zedsalt	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 11:16 AM I think Lunitari touched on the big issue: when covering a song, how much does the musician/band make it his/her/their own? The only use I could see for doing cookie cutter versions of anyone else's music would be as part of the learning process...someone finding their own voice or someone wanting to expand a bit. I've never reached a point in covering a song where it started to strongly resemble the original; I always get off on some tangent that interests me more. While mimicking has never been a vaild exercise for me, I could see where it could be for someone else. As long as the covers aren't somehow "crowding out" originals, I don't see a problem. If I hear that a band does more than a few covers in their shows, I probably won't go to see them. If I see a concert where the show sounds just like the album, I probably won't go to another one by that act. If I see that a tune on the 'net is a cover, I probably won't stream or download it. It doesn't mean I think they shouldn't be made available. A buddy of mine turned me on to Beatallica's version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; there's a good example of "making it one's own".
chrismacmanus	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 1:24 PM Furthermore..... If you look at a lot of people's artist pages, originals get more comments, and probably more listens. Also, the comments that go to the original songs are usually more in priase of what has been done, while a lot of the comments on coveres tend to be a lot more harsh and critical. I personally don't mind a few covers here and there, I will give preference to originals when listening to people's music, and I generally wouldn't think twice about telling someone if their cover is not really worth posting (in my opinion). One thing that winds me up though - people posting things like 'First Half of All Along the Watchtower Solo'
gravy426	Date: January 7, 2005 @ 2:10 PM i like a good cover song, some are better than the originals.one of my fav. songs is arron lewis doing black by pearl jam, just him and an accustic guitar when you do a collab your doing a cover of a dmusic artist & adding something to it, a new song but sort of a cover
ShakerGreen	Date: January 8, 2005 @ 12:37 AM I feel that doing a cover, especially if its not factory is a testement to ones ability and desire to be creative! if you copy it factory then its well just a cover, however if you change it up a bit, and are not afraid of putting part of yourself into it then thats just fab!!!! Covers are in vogue again, mostly because there is a shortage of good songwriters in the Industry, fortunately we here at dmusic get a chance to hear it all great cover versions, and super duper great song writing, Please check out Jude Haines, on this site and you will all see and hear what i mean.
DetroitJimmy	Date: January 8, 2005 @ 1:12 AM to get a reaction
Woof	Date: January 8, 2005 @ 6:09 AM Hmmm... don't ya just LOVE it when somebody makes a post that brings a load of responses, and then we never hear from the original poster again? Anyhow... The Jason Falkner cover of "My Lucky Day" at: http://clarkemcmurray.dmusic.com/ is one of my very favorite songs on all of DMusic... be they covers or not... so I thought I'd mention that, for what it's worth...
Janielle	Date: January 8, 2005 @ 10:41 AM i love checking out covers that people have done by some of my fav bands. i like to see how they precieve the song. its all about the good music, dood
0Hz	Date: January 8, 2005 @ 5:25 PM This is a very interesting debate. What I gather from the posts is that peeps do covers when they start...Well its funny coz some artists think that after they get famous its OK to do covers again ! In my opinion its ok to do covers, but its not OK to post them in the public domain unless you have obtained permision from the copyright owner, them the rules. If you can be arsed to to that then you can be arsed to do a good job on it. But its still begs the question why do it in the first place. I dislike covers, even when some of my favourite artists do them.
chrismacmanus	Date: January 9, 2005 @ 2:45 PM Damn, I forgot a shameless plug - 'Lady Nothynge' - chrismacmanus.dmusic.com Are trad. songs regarded as covers?
shadowself	Date: January 9, 2005 @ 4:51 PM Thanks for the props there, Woof. Although the cover you are referencing is almost a carbon copy of the original. I also see nothing at all wrong with covers. As some people have mentioned, much of jazz is covers - and there has not been an original blues riff written in the last century. Anyone playing a 12-bar song with a 1-4-5 progression is NOT playing anything new.
shadowself	Date: January 9, 2005 @ 4:53 PM Oh, by the way - I did not obtain permission from JF to post the cover of My Lucky Day... but he HAS responded to me to say that my attention to detail is flattering.
Woof	Date: January 9, 2005 @ 9:38 PM Shadow, that's kind of the point... a good song is just that... so what's the fuss? Besides, DMusic has arranged for licenses precicely so that artists COULD upload covers without permission... so that's all covered... Anyhow, you got a reply from JF?! I'm impressed! I got a reply to a fan mail I sent Jim Mankey about a year ago... but he never listened to my music 'cause I didn't offer for him to
leflaw	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 12:35 AM Itzhak Perlman, Earl Scruggs, Charlie Parker, Eric Clapton and Miles Davis Play covers. What the hell are you people talking about? I am a gunslinger, not a poet.
imemine	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 12:40 AM WTF? The has spoken! "It's good to be the King" Go get 'em Uuuuu--- gunslinger!
SilverShining	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 1:02 AM I guess it's kewl to do covers, because you do have to learn the original song. Points for that. However, if you do nothing but cover songs, then that's sad.
JudgeMental	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 4:24 AM I think its worth pointing out that everyones on this site for DIFFERENT reasons. Some for fun, others to get feedback, plus many because they are professional live artists and this site it just a supplement to their publicity. I used to play live professionally...audiences like familiar tunes. Although we'd play some of our own numbers, the covers always went down well. Ultimately as a band we were there to entertain the audience and had to to whatever was necessary to achieve that My point is that if there are a lot of covers on here, then many of them maybe just a reflection of an artists live show...nothing wrong with that as far as I can see And having known a lot of these live artists...I can assure you that it didnt make them any less an artist for doing covers. Many of them could out-play and out-write the best anytime! It's just business
perkie1973	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 9:04 AM I agree with JudgeMental. I like doing cover tunes. It's how I introduce myself. But I love working on original material.... It's all about freedom of expression..right?
shadowself	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 12:17 PM SilverShining: However, if you do nothing but cover songs, then that's sad. Yeah. Like that no-talent Diana Krall. Blech.
GTLive	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 12:30 PM I don't know about that. The BeatleMania company is probably still counting their money from the 70s. I mostly do originals, some covers, no money. That's sad.
robbydadrummer	Date: January 10, 2005 @ 1:58 PM there is money in this??
GTLive	Date: January 11, 2005 @ 12:29 PM Friend Of The Devil - Grateful Dead. Garden Of Eden - N.R.P.S. Come On Down Now - Richard Bruce Morriale. Heaven On Their Minds - Jesus Christ Superstar. Love Me Two Times - The Doors. Stay Up Late - Talking Heads. Cover Tunes! :viking: " id="124024">Here's a handy link to all my cover tunes Friend Of The Devil - Grateful Dead. Garden Of Eden - N.R.P.S. Come On Down Now - Richard Bruce Morriale. Heaven On Their Minds - Jesus Christ Superstar. Love Me Two Times - The Doors. Stay Up Late - Talking Heads. Cover Tunes!
Maffmatix	Date: January 11, 2005 @ 6:02 PM You know what would be cool? If a bunch of Dmusic artists covered other Dmusic artists' tracks!
imemine	Date: January 11, 2005 @ 6:06 PM We should ALL get together and cover “We Are the World”.
shadowself	Date: January 11, 2005 @ 7:15 PM DJMaffmatix: I covered a little snippet of a Zsammy song that I really love. His reaction was basically "you did that with one guitar track? I layered it!" I would love to cover a Zsammy song... that guy is freakin' amazing.
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 1:14 PM On the radio today whilst driving to work I heard Elvis Costello's cover of 'She'. I almost
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 1:15 PM On the radio today whilst driving to work I heard Elvis Costello's cover of 'She'. I almost
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 1:15 PM
kingo	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 1:17 PM Shadowself: I agree, Zsammy's got amazing stuff. I can't imagine covering it, though. It's pretty rockin' as it is. Your piece of Tense Men Meet Here was very good, though. Imemine: That's the funniest thing I've heard. We should do that. For real. That'd be so freakin' cool.
imemine	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 1:46 PM I'll do the Willie Nelson part.
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 3:59 PM If anyone does do a cover they had better make sure they stamp themselves all over the song, a good example is the Stranglers version of "Walk On By", but then the Stranglers were never ones to pussy foot about. SilverShining: However, if you do nothing but cover songs, then that's sad. Not true if your a tribute band, and some of those do make money.
imemine	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 4:46 PM 0Hz, I couldn't disagree more unless you are either my mommy or my nanny state. But if I do decide to do another cover I will make sure that I have a stamp!
furiousBall	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 4:52 PM i still can't believe that there's a forum in complaints about cover songs
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 6:07 PM ^no nor me, be its is an interesting subject none the less. imemine1 there is just one thing, and I am not being disrepectful here, to do a cover of a very popular song you have to have the cred, thats is why when peeps get famous they feel they have earned the right. Its sick, sad, crap, whatever, but that is how it is. Leave covers to sados who can't make it on there own and for the ego's who feel they are gods. Unless your the Stranglers, who, in case you have not relised are one of my favourite all time heros
imemine	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 6:26 PM Fine, as long as you realize that that is your opinion---I happen to disagree. CEG and I did a pretenders tune for the Christmas Channel. I have to tell you that learning the guitar part was not easy for me. It would have been SO much easier to make it my own but I WANTED to be true to the original. Back when I first started playing in bands, we played a lot of covers. We stamp ourselves all the hell over them too, because we COULDN’T play them like the original. I still fail to see how it’s anyone’s business but the individual artist who is performing it to make these judgments. We are the world, we are the people……….. * rocking like Stevie Wonder *
tsand19151	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 6:28 PM i don't have any covers on my page but i don't have any problem folks who have nothing but covers or who do covers. there is room for us all to along. I can surf DM all day and not hear one cover and i'm very sure the opposite can be done. i'll actually listen to a cover when the artist makes it "theirs". There is a lot of that here, http://perkie1973.dmusic.net/ is a good example. If you're gonna do a carbon copy, why bother? Finally, i'm "this close" to doing MY very first cover EVER....i've always wanted to do an acoustic version of Hendrix's VoodooChile (slight return)....i think that would be awesome!!!
0Hz	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 6:44 PM ^there is no doubt that in my mind it will be awesome, the only thing is that I know and respect tsands work, but others who only know the original (and lets face it if its a cover then loads of peeps will know it) may not see it in the same way. I see it as a listener not as a musician, Gloria Estefan said "you may be technically incredible, but people may still not like you" Doing covers for personal satisfaction is cool,but it does not mean it will mpress anyone if you try and put it on people.
tsand19151	Date: January 12, 2005 @ 9:10 PM ...and speaking of Hendrix covers, Seal and Jeff Beck do a version of "Manic Depression" that is absolutely, positively KILLER. In fact it's off a CD with various known artist covering all Hendrix tunes. Some really interesting interpertations of his work.
GTLive	Date: January 13, 2005 @ 1:20 AM I never heard of Tim putting his stuff on people. He makes it available for them to click on if they choose to. Or not to if they choose not to. I'll be clickin' that's for sure. And if me posting all my covers on here didn't kill this thread, it will never die. Imemine We Are The World is starting to sound better with every post
gravy426	Date: January 13, 2005 @ 3:00 AM is there anyone who does redhouse on dmusic? would love to hear that!
0Hz	Date: January 13, 2005 @ 3:40 AM "I never heard of Tim putting his stuff on people. He makes it available for them to click on if they choose to. Or not to if they choose not to. I'll be clickin' that's for sure". ^thats not what I was saying. And like Tim said he has not covered anything so far. As far as Hendrix stuff is concerned, well, I like Picasso paintings but if someone tried to copy one or even interpret one it will still never be a Picasso. However I agree these do have some value as an interpretation. If you interpret Picasso and move it to a different level then that is intersting, now we moving into the realm of sampling. I've said enough on covers.
chrismacmanus	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 8:42 AM If you don't like covers, this one's not for you here's a cover of Bert Jansch's cover of Robin Williamson's 'October Song' -A double whammy no less! Check it out at sallyh.dmusic.com
imemine	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 9:47 AM ........we are the children.
furiousBall	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 9:55 AM I heard that Habbibi Telephone by Halaka is actually a cover of Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy"
imemine	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 10:06 AM There is a rumor going around that all Furious Ball songs are nothing but covers of old Donny Osmond songs played backwards! I hate to spread rumors but that’s what I heard! ………. We are the ones who make a brighter day.
furiousBall	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 11:24 AM yes Donny and Tony Orlando and Dawn covers backwards...that's all furiousBall is about
kingo	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 11:58 AM Actually, Mister Balls, Habibi Telephone came before Right Said Fred's song. They actually were in the studio trying to cover our song when they came up with that stupid "Too Sexy" song while on a break. They got their cover of our song finished, too, but never released it. There are bootlegs available. But their version sucks ass. Sorry, Fred.
furiousBall	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 12:27 PM that's Commander Balls...any truth to the rumor that the original lineup of Right Said Fred was entirely comprised of manequins? I also heard that Halaka's original name was Halaka Hates Johnny Hates Jazz
kingo	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 12:42 PM Actually we used to be called Motherlode. If our website hadn't exploded into a fiery pit of death you could read all about that bit there. But we did hate Johnny Hates Jazz, except when we didn't. Right Said Fred is actually made up of zombies.
furiousBall	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:02 PM don't forget about your four-man accoustic duo, The Naked Countess of Lichtenstein and the Mechanics...those were some awesome jams dude - who would have ever thought to mix Forgeigner and The Dead Kennedys
shadowself	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:15 PM What about: Halaka Hates Johnny Hates Jazz Butcher Conspiracy?
kingo	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:18 PM Halaka Hates Johnny Hates Jazz Butcher Conspiracy of Noise
furiousBall	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:20 PM did you know that Halaka is actually Rick Springfield? go ahead dude, bust out some Jessie's Girl
kingo	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:31 PM Well, you're sort of on the right track. Rick Springfield started this account. But I killed him and installed myself as the account's controlling potato. And nobody can find me to arrest me because I disguise my IP with a frankenstein mask.
spiralmux	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:34 PM Halaka Hates Johnny Hates Jazz Butcher Conspiracy of The Art of Noise
EdEye	Date: January 14, 2005 @ 1:40 PM that's not even a cover song What are you guys talking about Who's Johnny?