Looking for Song Ideas

[ScottyTooHotty]

All right fellas and gals, I just got into a new band and it's a bit different from those in the past. We've only been together a few weeks and are getting set list together. What we're (well at least I am)trying to do is get a broad spectrum of sets to kindof grab everyone's taste (one note....no country). The problem I'm finding is that the singer is way more old school than myself (I'm 31). Right now we're doing more older songs than modern (ie..Mustang Sally, Cuts Like a Knife, Honky Tonk Woman, Gloria, No Matter What, Proud Mary). I'm trying to steer us towards playing things that will attract the younger crowd right now, but alas, I'm getting older and a bit out of touch. I've already convinced them to add "Bad Day" by Fuel and the "99 Red Balloons" remake by Goldfinger. Any other suggestions that you folks would hear if you were in a club listening to a band? I'd love some suggestions.

[educatedfilm]

if you wanna get in touch with the young 'uns, then something like Nirvana (cos it's easy and not too taxing pedal wise.. just fuzz face and chorus)...
I've go to got have my food now... I'll be back to finish this later..

[ScottyTooHotty]

Well, no offense man, but I'm a firm believer that Curt Cobain is the most overrated, non talent individual in the world (dead or alive). haha. Seriously, I might not be as out of touch as I thought because I was big into the grunge scene. The problem I'm gonna have is selling it to the singer and possibly the bass player. They're both older than I am and I don't think the grunge thing would work with them. Here's some of the ideas I was thinking of selling:

Should I Stay or Should I Go?-The Clash
Kryptonite-3 Doors Down
Creep-Radiohead
Johnny B Goode-A faster, overdriven version
How You Remind Me-Nickleback
Move It On Over-George Thorogood
Pretty Woman-Van Halen

The singer (since he was the one who basically formed the band) presented me with a set list like this (*=songs I want to keep):

Gimme Three Steps-Skynyrd*
Hang on Sloopy-(can't remember who does this)
Cuts Like a Knife-Bryan Adams*
No Matter What-BadFinger*
Evil Ways-Santana
Mustang Sally*(we spiced it up with some overdriven guitars and leads)
Honky Tonk Woman*-Stones
Proud Mary-CCR (I can take or leave this one)
Centerfield-John Fogerty*
Love Potion #9 (don't ask me..I hate this one)
Walking The Dog-Aerosmith*(I like this one..but it's an obscure Aerosmith tune..not many people know it)
Lodi-CCR (I can take or leave this one too)
Something-Beatles

I'm sure I'm missing a couple more..but you should get the gist. We did do "Wonderful Tonight" yesterday with me singing to add another slow song. So pick it apart, I could use some constructive (and that's UNDERLINED) criticism. Would you listen to a band playing a set like that or would it bore you??


[Edited by ScottyTooHotty on 02-11-2002 at 11:36 AM]

[educatedfilm]

it's all good brother (except nickel back, I really despise them with a passion, they seem to oppitimise all i hate in simple face value lyrics, which dont go any where, and the "bonjovi" element, it's hard to describe, but some where down the line it sounds very insinsire (sp), that's all just my oppinion, so no body get upset please)... i dont understand why you've not chosen "bad to the bone" (I know it's obvious, but it's great, and easy to play, and your hardly seeking to expands these poeple's vast intellect, or are you?).
About Cobain, it doesn't matter what YOU think, it's what your audience does, and if it means a better response for your live show then so be it... and really that goes for the glossy nickle back stuff.

[Azrael]

Well, no offense man, but I'm a firm believer that Curt Cobain is the most overrated, non talent individual in the world (dead or alive).

HAHAAA!! DEFINITELY! the same goes for the doors! They are not worth HALF of their fame. All they did was shocking the peeps with their behaviour - not with their music.

And if not Cobain and Morrison died, they would not be as popular.

....hmm.. so maybe i just hae to die?.. and to get some attention i´ll die in a blaze of glory and with me the half worlds population *subscribes a contract in afghanistan*

*LOL*

-=[Azrael]=-

[educatedfilm]

have you heard LA WOMAN (the album)? I wouldn't say the doors are over rated, for the simple fact I haven't heard many poeple raving about them, but LA WOMAN and THE DOORS are great album, I mean really amazing stufff (would definetly be in my top 10 albums)... I must admit i didn't think that much of STRANGE DAYS, or SOFT PARADE...

[river]

watch mtv and pick ya a few songs from there. pick
some songs outta the top 40. and slowly replace those
dinosaur songs( unless yer playin at retirement homes)
if you want to please the younger crowd then play
what the younger crowd listens to. and the doors were
great.

[ScottyTooHotty]

I gotta agree, the Doors were ahead of their time. LA Woman, was not only a good album, but the title track was great too. Anyway, I appreciate everyone's inputs. I might want to note to River, that I know alot of the stuff that's out there (Korn, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot), but we're just not that kindof band. I was trying to steer it towards your typical "bar" music. I've checked out alot of local bands in the area, but I don't want to copy them either, so I'm trying to find something that is along that lines, but different than what most are doing. I'm sure it's a futile attempt but I'm trying anyway.

For Educated: I picked "Move it on Over" because of the beat. I never considered Bad to the Bone because well, quite frankly I was scarred by it in my younger days! haha..long story. You are right though. I have a very bad habit of playing what I like, instead of what the crowd wants to hear. I've been lucky with past bands and had successful set lists, but ran into cases where people wanted to hear a song (ie..Margaritiville, some Garth Brooks song and Sweet Home Alabama seem to be the most requested) that I never learned because I didn't like it. I also realize that as a guitarist, I may like a song because of certain licks that others may not even give a second thought about.

[top hatted]

I don't think is a bad habit playing what you like. You should play what you like cause I'm almost sure you started to play guitar to be able to play your favourite tunes and that' what's make you enjoy playing, not because you wanted to satisfy the crowd. That's the problem with music nowadays, everyone plays what the people wants to hear and what's "cool", finally all we got are bands like linkin park or limp bizkit.

[educatedfilm]

I dont know, there are some great "oldie" songs you could play... I mean "satisfaction" by the rollin stones, that always goes down well...
Newer stuff, well i think it's sound advice to watch mtv.. and that crap...

[ScottyTooHotty]

We're already doing "Honky Tonk Woman", and we do have "Satisfaction" in our reprotoire (sp?), but we're trying to keep from doing too many songs by one band. As far as the newer stuff, I do like groups like Sum 41, but unfortunately our singer has a limited range and I couldn't see him doing "Fat Lip". LOL I was looking towards more of a Fuel sound, something melodic but harder. One thing I do like doing is "remaking" songs and putting a harder edge to them. I was thinking of something like "Blue Suede Shoes" but edgier. Anyone have an opinion on that one??

[Azrael]

Well... we might be talking and talking an come to no result at all for everyone of us has a different knowledge about music. One (well - not me) says the doors where great composers and another one disagrees. It depends on everyone´s musical education and experience.
I don´t knowe if you know those bands i´m into... they are very old and unique:

"Gentle Giant"
"The Moody Blues"
"Cream"
etc

as you can see, i´m used to realy DIFFERENT stuff so i use other yardsticks for rating bands and musicians.

-=[Azrael]=-

[educatedfilm]

I've heard of the other two, but I've not heard of GENTLE GAINT...
There is alot of great unique stuff out there... alot of which isn't guitar based... heheh.. the number of time I've told poeple to listen to non-guitar based stuff... oh well..