Friday, February 24, 2006

And this is a tribute?

Everywhere you look nowadays there are tribute albums to almost every metal band who was even slightly successful. Perhaps this is an uninformed opinion, but I don't want to waste time money listening to these albums just to know for sure. I am under the belief that about 70% of cover songs by hard rock and metal bands are average or worse. Just my opinion, but having said this, why I would want to purchase an entire album of cover songs? When the Black Sabbath tribute Nativity in black came out like 12 years ago it was sort of a big deal. However it had artists who still had careers outside of doing covers. Nowadays there are a lot of hasbeens and never weres that are spending more time doing songs on tribute albums then they are doing their own originals. I think that's sad because it's like the only recording deal they can get is doing someone else's songs. Neil Peart was asked about a Rush tribute album a few years ago and he had heard it and said something like "it sounds like a bunch bar bands covering Rush songs". That may a little blunt, but it's not far from the truth in many cases. Maybe there are people out there that love cover songs and think tribute albums are fantastic, but I fail to see the point and just see it as a waste or recording time for the most part.

In other news Kiss defeated AC/DC 8-6 in the Battle of the bands. This was such a popular topic that I will do it once a month although I may do it at the middle of the month. So in about two weeks there will two more bands squared off against each other for the March edition of Battle of the bands.

7 Comments:

Blogger UnHoly Diver said...

I have both the Zepplin tribute cd, "Encomium", and the Hendrix one, "Stone Free", I believe the name is. They're not bad, but I don't think I'd buy them again....

9:01 PM  
Blogger Ben O. said...

Found ya through Doomed to Rock . . . check out my current post, I would love to hear what you have been listening to lately.

Nice site - Ben O.

12:15 AM  
Blogger David Amulet said...

I agree, Mark -- most tribute albums suck. There are a few I have enjoyed, when good bands do a real TRIBUTE, like Iced Earth's album honoring the metal gods (and doing pretty well on many tracks) and Great White's Led Zeppelin work.

One great song: Anthrax's cover of "She" (Kiss).

-- david

3:07 AM  
Blogger Metal Mark said...

Sgt. Fluffy- Yes, it's been a real overkill on tribute albums.

Bruce-There might be some good ones, but it's probably a minority.

ben o.-I'll check it out and welcome.

David- I think it can be different when one band puts out an album of all covers as opposed to several bands covering the same artist. Cover song week is a theme that I have thought about and I just might do it some time. Then we can see what bands do good covers and who stinks it up.

4:05 AM  
Blogger :P fuzzbox said...

The strangest tribute album has to be Hayseed Dixie, A tribute to AC/DC. It was original but strange. The cover story was that a car wrecked in the woods and was carrying AC/DC cd's. The driver died and the hillbillies thought that AC/DC had to be the best bluegrass band ever. So they started playing AC/DC with the instruments they had jugs, washboards, juice harp, stand up bass and guitars. It is so strange that it is a kick to listen to but it gets old fairly quick.

7:12 AM  
Blogger Metal Mark said...

I have a cd that a friend gave me because he hated it. It's this one guy who plays a lot of instruments and he calls his act the Nutley Brass and it's all covers of Misfits' songs except it's lounge music versions of Misfits' songs. Apparently he did an ep of Ramones covers done the same way a few years ago as well.

8:49 AM  
Blogger UnHoly Diver said...

Fuzz...funny you should mention Hayseed Dixie; they're going to be in the area in the next week or so to help the local rock station celebrate their 17th "birthday". I've heard them before, and they're not bad.

1:26 PM  

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