No Stairway and no Free bird.. please...


Hello Audiogoners I would like to hear your input...

Im starting a new band (i play six string)and plan on doing some originals but mostly cover tunes with the new band.. I Finally found another really good bass player (After the
first practice he asked me if i burned?) Geez..I hope i can keep this one out of jail :-) I said no but talk to the drummer... You know drummers. We have already been asked to play few gigs and we dont even have a vocalist yet.. this
is gonna be intresting.

Anyway this is just for fun and we will be playing some local clubs, large parties and watering holes.

I told the rest of the guys in the band to pick 3 covers:

The drummer says:

Jimmy hendrix- Red house, I say great!
Jimmy hendrix- Voodoochile, I say great!
Stevie Ray- Texas flood, I say great!

Bass players says:

Slayer- not sure which song yet but i said ok but
if doesnt go over well he's gonna have to pick
something else.

Primus- Same thing.

Rage against the Macine- Yes i agree!

My picks:

Alice in chains- Would
Rage against the machine- Killing in the name
Steve vai- For the love of god

Were going to need quite a few more.. I would love to
hear from some of you guys/gals on this.

Any suggestions?
voodoochile
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If you like Rage as much as I do, it would be hard to narrow down the choice of tracks. How about "Calm like a Bomb", "Guerilla Radio", or "Sleep Now in the Fire"? If you haven't had a chance pick up Project Wyze's first release, do so asap. Quite Rage-like and good listening. Damned good stuff. Not sure about your bass player or vocalist but the last two Red Hot Chili Pepper releases had some really fine tunes on 'em too. Stop me, I could type all night....
Viridian,

Its funny you brought up that joke... Thats
a good one i saw on another thread not that long ago.
The bass player is very very good but he is a little out there.. And i probably will have to negotiate some food into gig compensation for him. I just want beer... and
chicks :-)I think Black magic woman would be pretty cool
to do. I dont do drugs so i dont know if i can pull off any Stones/Keith Richards?

Jeff,

Im a huge Rage fan also... So is the drummer so were probably going to work on a few more. I like all the
ones you listed plus i really like the one from the
Gozzilla soundtrack "No Shelter" is a really cool song.
I havent heard Zach's new release yet but im sure its really cool. I think the RHCP's is an execellent pick.
The bass player can easily pull it off.. He is the best i have seen in a awhile. No vocalist yet but pretty soon.

If you think of any others please keep em coming!
When you're up to it, try "Funk 49," "Gimme Three Steps," and "Rock And Roll Band" - by The James Gang, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Boston. You might not particularly like them, but I'll guaranasstee 'ya the audience will. :-)

Just a cover band guy gettin' older,
Ed
Whats wrong with slayer? I never ever thought i'd see that band talked about on this site. Bravo! I don't know if you guys can keep up with the bass player LOL.
Good luck guys.
My three picks would be:

"Somewhere over the Rainbow", an orchestrated version
"Ghost Rider's in the Sky"
"Caravan" -w- a drum sola (gotta have the drum sola)
Ed,

I hear you... I know im gonna have to sneak in
some classic rock that the girls can dance too..

I think Gimme three steps would be a good one.

Anyone else think of any good classic rock people can
dance too?

Tommy,

I knew there were some people around here that like that
stuff. I love Slayer and many other faster bands im just not sure if the crowd will.. Im gonna try to keep up with the bass player he shredds pretty good... I think its
gonna work out real well.

Do you like Testament? Im pretty good friends with the singer.. I used to play with them back in high school.

Dekay,

Your killin me... Now how are we supposed to maintain a good mosh pit with those picks?
Ok then:

How about a good cover of the only decent song Steve Miller ever wrote ("Quicksilver Girl")?

You could follow up with the theme song from "Peter Gun" and a rousing version of "Secret Agent Man".

A thrash version of "Elephant Walk" might be nice as well.

Another great song to hot dog to is "Hoochie Koochie Man"

Covers suck, might as well have some fun with them.
"Whippin' Post", a classic. Listen to Zappa's version on "Does Humour Belong in Music" and try to cover that if you can. Dweezil and Frank going at with awesome guitar solos.
A few Tragically Hip tunes would be nice, "New Orleans is Sinkin'" is a dance tune that rocks, and for pure lyrical content "Nautical Disaster" is one of the better songs written in the last dozen years. I'd strongly suggest you pick up their live CD to start, "Live Between Us", if you can't find it easily in a local store you can order off their website www.thehip.com
It would be cool to cover the Hip cuz they aren't that well known in the U.S. but would be an audience pleaser for sure.
Oh, and depending on the "mood" of the crowd (and the aroma in the venue) you may want to slip in Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb"
Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer"; Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do"; I second Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb". Have FUN!!!!
Voodoochile, if you can pull off "For the Love of God", you're way out of my league as a guitar player :) Vai and Zappa have been mentioned, but how about "My guitar wants to kill your mama"? I would have to do that one if I ever started a band, as well as 'Suffragete City', 'H-A-T-R-E-D' by Tonio K, and if you want to mellow out, "Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape" by Be-Bop Deluxe, and "Save my life I'm going down for the last time" by Head East. You know, if you play half of the suggestions listed here, you will have a very unusual set list!
Whippin post is a great song or that other one Midnight Rider? I will talk to the guys on one of those...

Jeff.. I will check out your recomandations.

I really like the guitar solo in Comfortably numb.. A very cool song I think thats a keeper for sure.

Oneprof,

For the love of god.. Is not as hard as it sounds.. Once
you get the "feel" and "sustain" down its very do-able
give it a try and let it rip! I also love My guitar wants
to kill your mama. Great song! every rock guitar player
can relate to that one :-)

Keep em coming guys...

I need to mix it up but also keep it somewhat mainstream.
How about some Tool? any Tool fans?
Or how about some ZZ so the girls can dance? which song?
What about some Black Crowes? which song?
Parabol and Parabola are an excellent tandem from their latest, but not sure if it's great gig material.

If you're looking at Tool, I'd look at LIbras by Perfect Circle.

Have Fun!
Z
Voodoochile, don't dismiss "Freebird". Once you get a vocalist have him (her?) do it as an unacommpanied solo vocal. At first the audience won't recognize the song, but when they do it will slay them. Check out the ending of the film "Duets" to see how it would go over.
Zstokes.. I agree with you I like the latest Tool too but its just not party/gig material.. I was thinking we could get away with "Aenema". Its funny because we keep saying were gonna do some stuff for the girls but I dont know... We added "7 words" from the Deftones last night. So far its a pretty hard set.. At some point im gonna have to start
putting some softer danceable material in.

I think that song is called "3 Libras" its a really good cut by Perfect Circle. I like anything Maynard works on.. I think he's pretty much the best rock vocalist in the world right now.

Onhwy61,

I was more kidding than anything else. Those are two of the all time greats.. In fact i really think that those two bands(especially Zep)paved the way for all the new stuff..
So i think i speak for the rest of the band too when i say great songs and nothing but respect for artist but doesnt
really fit in with what we to what we want to do...

Its funny you mentioned the girl singer thing.. Because we have a gal that REALLY wants to sing and she is very good (and she's a HOTTIE too) but i dont she will fit in with what we want to do either. But we might try a song or two.. And ask her to do some special apperances... But you never know???

Maybe some Lita Ford? Humm... Now you got me thinking...
That song she did with Ozzy... "close my eyes" would be
a cool slow song to do.

Thanks for input guys. We are having a blast so far :-)
Voodoochile,

I agree with the hardness aspect of Tool.... Edgy dance tunes are kinda tough to come by.

If you are a fan, you might think about some Van Morrison. I dabbled a little on the bass with some guys from college (my talent PLAYING music is quite absent, although I sing listen wonderfully!), and Brown Eyed Girl was always a hit. Maybe some Aerosmith?

Hard to suggest without knowing your taste.

Have fun.
Z
Z...Walk this way! Perfect.. That’s the kind of stuff
im looking for! I do like Van Morrison.. Believe it or
not when im listening to my home audio my tastes are
pretty diversified.. Depending on mood.. I like everything. But when it comes to playing I really enjoy the harder edge stuff. Its just more fun to play.

Thanks..