Start with a cover!

[Avil]

There are many artists and bands that make a cover of a well-known 80´s synthpop track to get into the musicworld.
They are too many to count, but there are also many that make remixes to get some attention they´ve lost...

what do you think of this?
Is this a good way? Well...I guess it is, because many get into the scene this way.Just like DJ´s making a lot of clubremixes of these songs.

Christina

[~jetjaguar15]

Well, either they release a cover or they appear on a lot of compilation cds. Personally, I prefer a band to appear on compilations, becuase if they start out by doing a cover they could end up with always being thought of as 'wanting to sound like band xxx"

[seraphim]

I agree. I would rather see a band appear on numerous compilation CDs rather than breaking into the "scene" with a cover. The only time I really don't mind a cover is when the band in question obviously takes the song and makes it their own, adding thier own takes on it. It takes and shows little to no imagination for a band to mimic what has already done...anyone can follow instructions. I'm more likely to take a chance on a band after only hearing one song if it's original material.

[~intro]

Hrm... makes me wonder if I should post an MP3 of an original Autumn People song instead of the DM cover people have heard. Anyway.

From the perspective of a new artist... covers are a great way to get your feet wet with making/producing music. You're working with something you already know, so the creative side is taken care of. You can focus solely on the performance. It's really good practice, and a great learning experience.

As for breaking out with a cover, I don't like it (and am now planning to post one of my original songs in just a sec). A band should be able to get out into the world with something of their own, not riding on the coattails of another band.

-Mark
www.djintrovert.com

[~MGun]

If it worked for Soft Cell & Naked Eyes it could work for anyone. These two bands will forever be remembered for the covers they performed as their first hit. Forgive me if I am wrong on Tainted Love being Soft Cell's first song.

[seraphim]

Actually, if I remember my history correctly (it's been ages), the first thing Soft Cell released was a 7" with Potential, Love, Feelings, Metro Mr X and Frustration on it and that was back in 1980. Tainted Love wasn't released until 1981 on its own 7 & 12"

But yeah, that was the so that got them noticed but by far not their best ;)

[Avil]

But as a well known artist I think it can be a nice little break to do someone else´s song into something own.
Not all artist succeed to do something own out of a cover, but there are many that manage to do it (without having to put out a terrible club version)

[Synthpopalooza]

The Soft Cell hit was also a medley with a Supremes remake, Where did our love go?

[Avil]

Originally posted by Synthpopalooza
The Soft Cell hit was also a medley with a Supremes remake, Where did our love go?

Well there you go!

And how about PSB, didn´t they make this you are always on my mind, or did they have hits before it?

[~Grey Area]

"always on my mind" didn't come around until like 1988, after they already had 2 albums out, and already had hits with "west end girls", "opportunities", "it's a sin", and "what have I done..."

[Synthpopalooza]

Covers aren't a bad thing tho ... especially if a band is covering a song from outside the synthpop/new wave scene. In many cases these can be done with fantastic results!!!

Examples which come to mind are: The Red Flag covers of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song and the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK. Add also to this list, Xero-G's amazing electronic remake of the Who's Baba O'reiley (Teenage Wasteland). Best classic rock cover I have ever heard in this scene.

[Avil]

Originally posted by amaxophobic
"always on my mind" didn't come around until like 1988, after they already had 2 albums out, and already had hits with "west end girls", "opportunities", "it's a sin", and "what have I done..."

Hehehe, there you see how much I know.
However, it´s still a great song which made PSB to a huge band...

[~intro]

I like the covers the PSB have done. They always manage to outdo the original. Especially with "Where The Streets Have No Name." That song blows me away.

-Mark
www.djintrovert.com

[~Grey Area]

while we're mentioning bands that have broken out with cover songs, let's not forget Bow Wow Wow's "I Want Candy". I know they're not exactly synthpop, but that was their only hit in the U.S., although I liked one of their follow-up singles "Do You Want To Hold Me?" a lot better.

I agree with seraphim in that if you're going to do a cover, you should make it sound much different than the original, not do an exact copy, that would be stupid, what's the point in doing it at all if it sounds exactly the same? on the other hand, I don't like it when bands [such as Jonathan Sharp's incarnations] do cover songs and you can't even tell what song it's supposed to be because it doesn't sound anything like it. that's also kinda lame.

I'm in the process of kicking out a nice EBM version of Bush's "Glycerine", the guitar chord progressions in the song are just begging for a club version...