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Tribute bands...a quick thought

The other night I was on a long drive, going back and forth listening to both the new Steve Earle tribute to TVZ, and early Byrds tracks from their box set. Shoot me if you will and I'm sure some might, but beyond the few Dylan and Seeger tunes they hit with, those first two or three albums were pretty weak...and they come off after all these years sounding like a tribute band.

I have a long and personal history with tribute bands and labels....which I'll save for another time and place. But this morning I heard that Bon Jovi is in the process of suing an all female tribute band in LA called Blonde Jovi...so I'm inspired to post a tribute to tribute bands.

Here's just a short list of some of my faves...feel free to add:

The Hee Bee Gee Bees
Bjorn Again (ABBA)
GABBA (ABBA as the Ramones..oh my)
Nearvana
AC/D-She
Ms. Fits
No Way Sis
Fan Halen
Pink Fraud
No Duh
Mandonna
The Joshua Tree (that's for you Grant)
Food Fighters
Mac Sabbath

Tags: bands, tribute

Comment by Elvis Fontenot on April 8, 2009 at 11:48am: One of my acquaintances plays in Nearly Dan (Steely Dan trib)
I also know of -
Fred Zeppelin
Bi Jovi (Wonder if they'll get sued...)
Guns'n'Oatcakes
This venue, the Limelight in Crewe, puts on loads of tribute bands.

Comment by RP N10 on April 8, 2009 at 3:04pm: Easy Ed: listening to early Byrds tracks from their box set. Shoot me if you will and I'm sure some might, but beyond the few Dylan and Seeger tunes they hit with, those first two or three albums were pretty weak...and they come off after all these years sounding like a tribute band.

The first had some excellent Gene Clark songs (Feel A Whole Lot Better, Knew I'd Want You) and the third - 5D - has 8 Miles High, Mr Spaceman and the title track. The covers they did were as new in their way as was the Animals take on House Of The Rising Sun even if they were stil covers. Byrdmaniax and Farther Along were where they (or to be more precise) McGuinn got into recycling the sound without the songs.

The nearest I've come to liking a tribute band is the Raspberries who paid tribute to an awful lot of those who'd gone before.

Comment by Easy Ed on April 8, 2009 at 4:11pm: See...I knew someone would take me to task for that. Thanks RPN10...I deserved it. I think I'm just a little cranky today cause the mixes in the box set suck. Love those guys....or the American Beatles as they were promoted as. Want to hear about when Crosby taught me the 8 Mile High riff while Joni was picking out a new Martin at the Guitar Workshop about an hour before her show at the Second Fret in 67? Yeah...didn't think so.