Totally agree: play a song in whatever key works best.  It's not always what's best for the singer, either.

Case in point:

When THEE DIRTYBEATS covered The 13th Floor Elevators' "Fire Engine", we did it "B". 

Now, the original version, in "E", is very cool;  but we really admired the intro Television added (see their 1978 live album "Blow Up"), with that insane chromatic chordal build.  And Television's version was in "Bb".   

As we worked up the song in Bb, we found a terrifically vicious downslash effect could be achieved on the I-IV transition if the IV chord was actually an open E rather than a barred F.  So we transposed the song again, this time *up* a half-step, from Bb -> B.

You can hear that guitar downslash at 0:54 (it's wonderfully noisy, if you're into that sort of thing) at http://theedirtybeats.bandcamp.com/track/fire-engine.  Changing the IV to E also freed Jamie to add a soaring thing to his fuzz solo.  While the higher key forced me out of my comfort zone as singer, it kept me on edge and reaching, which for a highly charged rock performance isn't necessarily a bad thing.     
 
We similarly fooled with "Shape Of Things To Come", originally recorded in F# by Max Frost & The Troopers.  We did it in E, because my guitar solo just fell out that way.

-A

THEE DIRTYBEATS maximum vintage garage
http://www.theedirtybeats.com

It depends. If you're playing in a covers band, try to sound like who you're covering, that's what the sots want. If it's a one-off cover in an otherwise original band, express yourself.

I agree with Bunt agreeing with Shaun. I do think though, that some songs are written in the key they were meant to be played in. But like Shaun mentioned. You'll know if it works or not just by listening as you play.
The other important thing about covers is to play them as you remember them and not necessarily as they actually were recorded.

I agree with Shaun. Make it your own song.

Do what ever you want with a song.  Why limit yourself to a preconceived notion of what the song is supposed to sound like.  The key of a song is generally written where the previous singer was most comfortable or to accommodate bad horn players.  Sometimes a song won't sound good if the key is changed but that is rare and you will be able to tell.

Hello friends,

Do you change the key of your covers or do you think if you cannot sing it in the original key, the song must not be covered ?

Just wondering,
AL.

My band's current setup/gear is:

Fender Jazzmaster plugged into a Fender Frontman 212r. Treble and mid up to 10, Bass down to 2, REVERB all the way up.

Rheem Mark IV organ plugged into the same amp.

Epiphone Eb-0 plugged into a 100w Crate, bass is up, mids in the middle, treble is below the line.

Tama Rockstar Drums, two floor toms, one tom-tom, 20' ride, 16' crash, 14' hi-hats, bass drum head is off, the toms are semi-loose and the Yamaha snare is fairly tight, it sounds like a jazz snare.

I plug the mic into a fender frontman 25r, the eq is flat with the drive on and the reverb all the way up.

I also forgot, I plug my guitar into a Danelectro French Toast Fuzz/Octave and a Boss TR-2 Tremolo.

Mics- AT 4033, Sennheiser MD421, Shure 7B, Aventone CV-12 tube mic, Audix D6, Audix i5, Heil PR20, a few shure 57s, 58's, bullet mic, and a few other vintage no name mics.

Channel strips/ preamp /compressors: Universal Audio LA610, DBX Quantum, summit audio 2ba-211, Mindprint En-voice

Organ: Vox Jaguar, rebuilt custom job!

Guitars: mostly resissues, Gibson LP gold top, Gibson melody maker, Dan Electro U2, and Univox custom 67 hollowbody

Amps: 64-65 Fender Bassman (pre CBS), Bogen 18 watt tube amp made from turntable, Ashdown 100 watt guitar head super rare handwired version -100 made, Gibson Hawk, Eden bass head, Ampeg SVT Pro, Acoustic bass head 

Weird stuff: Elite tone Fuzz Monster pedal original prototype, Fender Echo chamber 66' tape delay unit

Record into Tascam 2488

Very sorry to hear Reg Presley died.I was pleased to see him in Cambridge Ma in 1981 or so.May his music live on forever.Miss you Reg.

Dave

Weird how losing someone like Reg can make you rediscover songs you hadn't thought about in a while.  Sad reason but positive results.  I've been bombarding myself exclusively with Troggs music for the last three days and I don't feel done yet.  They were a hell of a band.

Trash Freak , I got about as far as The Troggs' popularity lasting 18 months , hitting a Forty  year sticky patch. After their two big hits , here , and 2 or 3 lesser hits , The Troggs continued charting in Britain , Germany , France, South Africa , probably many other countries . They were always a popular live act in Europe , and , here , when they capitalized on Their status as Godfathers of The Punk MOVEMENT , because they played every gig like it was their last , with the freshness of it being their first....    You can talk to people who don't even like this kind of music , and they at least know The Troggs , and "Wild Thing".

I AM STEPPING BACK FROM THE ARTICLE , AND WILL READ IT , LATER . IT DOES LOOK LIKE SOME OF IT IS (UNINTENTIONALLY?) FUNNY.
  
Trash Freak said:

I wouldn't normally read The Telegraph, & to be honest its not exactly a celebration of his life, but this article has some interesting & funny bits. Like his descriptions of the little bastards, with their tackle, nosin' around the fields...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music...

No , it is'nt , mate , but , somehow , it will make more sense , to you , why some of us had to check out of this life when they had so much more great work ahead. Is there a reason or a rhyme ? I doubt it ,bu t, that does'nt mean he's not still here with you , and guiding your life , insipiring you to make it something better. That much , I can assure you , will make itself known.
 
Mark George Harrison said:

Thanks John, he had a great send off, it was a proper celebration of a life. 56 is no age though.

John Battles said:

Yeah, and sadly for us , not for them , Wilko will be joining your friend and Reg , soon , but, remember , they'll be having a better time than we are.

My condolences about your friend.

 

I wouldn't normally read The Telegraph, & to be honest its not exactly a celebration of his life, but this article has some interesting & funny bits. Like his descriptions of the little bastards, with their tackle, nosin' around the fields...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music...

Fuck-a-duck! You musta racked up some righteous Karma-Points! I don't think anyone here has had the run of good luck like you have, congrats!

First show - something called the Met Center Rock Festival. The bands were: The Litter, Brownsville Station, either Sweetwater or SRC, The Amboy Dukes, The Stooges, Grand Funk Railroad & Canned Heat. Not bad for $5.00!

First punk show - Ramones at Kelly's Pub in downtown St Paul on their first tour. Joey got out of a cab right in front of me & his sking was the color of glow-in-the-dark plastic. I went out & bought a motorcycle jacket the next day.

Best show - New York Dolls at the Mind Odyssey at the MN State Fair. The building was packed at the start of the show, but people kept leaving & I kept moving forward. I ended up right in front of the stage with Johnny Thunder's stage monitor right next to my ear. I went deaf in my right ear for about a week.

Many I've seen suck, but recently I've stumbled across a couple of high quality ones. 
Here's a good one!  Show your faves!  Discuss!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=W3dQTWmjtMs

Wobbly Lamps new 7" EP "Drella" will be out very soon on our label Polyvinyl Craftsmen Records, they have already picked up airplay on garage shows in France and Germany and this week actually got some BBC 6Music action in the UK.

You can hear the new songs on Soundcloud and follow Wobbly Lamps and Polyvinyl Craftsmen Records on Facebook.

If you like a bit of Sonics/Cramps/Oh Sees/Billy Childish/Country Teasers/Fall influenced shit you'll enjoy the Wobbly Lamps.

The Anthem for 70's Slackers was BTO's hit , "Taking Care of Business" , tho' it's actually about WORKING in an INDUSTRY "The Music Scene" , but , beating the 9 to 5.

The Clash tried to explain that , yes , they're in the BUSINESS , but not above having a beer and playing pool at the pub in "Cheapskates" and "All The Young Punks".

Well, the anthem for slackers and people who don't wanna work was "Longview," by Green Day.

"I sit around and watch the phone, but no one's calling
Call me pathetic, call me what you will
My mother says to get a job
But she don't like the one she's got"...

"16 Tons" Tennessee Ernie Ford. The ultimate working man's ballad. But , the only comeuppance is death.

Off the top of my head, Big Sugar's "Sleep In Late" is one song that comes to mind. It fits my current mindset.

Howdy!

I know a ton of you are already familiar with his work, but I found out about him only a few months ago, and I can't get enough. He's the total package when it comes to illustration and graphic design, and I hope to attain at least a tenth of his awesomeness in my own career.

All of this stuff he came up with for the Wachina Wachina Festival is outstanding!
http://mikbaroblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/wachina-wachina-festival-vol2-2013.html

We got our drums for $75 at a garage sale up the road - then bought good $$ cymbals and kick pedal. Our drummer has never played drums before and none of us know how to tune it properly. The kit is a 70's mass produced cheapy.

That said -- we're really happy with how it sounds and after gigs we get real proper drummers complimenting our drummer on her drum tone. Maybe we got lucky ... maybe setting up the kit trusting our ears was the way to go ... ?? ...

90 min. cassettes are good but 60 min cassettes are the best quality.  Tape stretches with each use.  The longer the length the thinning the tape.  Avoid 120 mins.

Chrome or high is a good bias.  Normal bias has a lot of ‘white noise’.  The best bias is METAL but it is not compatible with all player/recorders.

thanks, thats a really great site

Dusty Mush said:

Hey,

You should take a look at this website:
https://tapeline.info/v2/
And they also do custom cassettes tapes:
https://tapeline.info/v2/custom-wound-blank-cassettes.html

Cheers!