Tribute band?

Tiptoes.

Member
Just wondering is there a Smiths /Moz tribute band in the UK? I remember seeing one in the 90's called Still ill's, they were great.
 
Well known tribute bands are The Smyths and These Charming Men.

However, I haven't heard about the latter recently.
 
I am off to see the smyths in leicester soon.. but i would love to set up my own smiths tribute band ! I have been playing the smiths on guitar for years.. i just need to find a bass player who can do andy rourke's lines... is there anybody out there ? !!
 
Sounds great, have you thought of a name?

I have to find band members that live in my area ! I would love to do it but the chances of me finding local people who are musicians and into forming a smiths tribute are pretty slim !
If it ever did happen maybe i could call the band - ' The Quiffs ' !
 
Just wondering is there a Smiths /Moz tribute band in the UK? I remember seeing one in the 90's called Still ill's, they were great.
I seen The Smyths a few times.On their day they can be very entertaining.I think they're in Oxford next month.
I might well pop down.
 
Great name. Could you put word out on here? Good luck

I could put word out on here but i'm looking for musicians from the leicester area... i have played in bands for years and know alot of musicians but they are not into forming a smiths or any tribute band unfortunately !..
I can do a pretty good moz myself but i can't be johnny marr at the same time !
Maybe a smiths 'unplugged' act is the way to go..
A smiths 'mtv unplugged' would have been amazing don't you think ?
 
A smiths 'mtv unplugged' would have been amazing don't you think ?

I have put something forth quite similar before here. Portishead Live at the Roseland incorporated a string section into their concert that added an incredible amount of depth and richness to the music:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseland_NYC_Live

I can imagine how wonderful it would be to see Moz perform a live set of his best strings influenced songs. This one comes to mind immediately:

 
I have put something forth quite similar before here. Portishead Live at the Roseland incorporated a string section into their concert that added an incredible amount of depth and richness to the music:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseland_NYC_Live

I can imagine how wonderful it would be to see Moz perform a live set of his best strings influenced songs. This one comes to mind immediately:



Yes, good idea- that would be very nice to see.. Angel,angel is a favourite solo moz track of mine ...but i was just thinking how great it would have been to have seen the smiths do an mtv unplugged like nirvana, AIC etc ... imagine how great it could have been !
 
Yes, good idea- that would be very nice to see.. Angel,angel is a favourite solo moz track of mine ...but i was just thinking how great it would have been to have seen the smiths do an mtv unplugged like nirvana, AIC etc ... imagine how great it could have been !

Yes! Nirvana unplugged was amazing. So much so I purchased the CD (back when such things existed ;)). And Alice in Chains was another great one! Stripped down their music shined through and was raised to a whole new level.

The Smiths would have been nice to see as it would have opened up their music to a wider audience. Can only imagine how Marr would have sounded on acoustic guitar.
Morrissey would have been mesmerizing in such an intimate setting.
 
Yes! Nirvana unplugged was amazing. So much so I purchased the CD (back when such things existed ;)). And Alice in Chains was another great one! Stripped down their music shined through and was raised to a whole new level.

The Smiths would have been nice to see as it would have opened up their music to a wider audience. Can only imagine how Marr would have sounded on acoustic guitar.
Morrissey would have been mesmerizing in such an intimate setting.

Its just a shame that Staley's better days were behind him when AIC did the unplugged.. his voice was still great but a pale shadow of what it once was..
Yeah, morrissey would have sounded great on a smiths unplugged show. It would be fascinating to see Marr perform smiths songs acoustically alongside the underrated Rourke on bass..
Sadly We will never know how it would have sounded - but we can fantasize !
Imagine the set list !
 
I am off to see the smyths in leicester soon.. but i would love to set up my own smiths tribute band ! I have been playing the smiths on guitar for years.. i just need to find a bass player who can do andy rourke's lines... is there anybody out there ? !!

I would love to join your band, but I live across the pond and have no musical talent whatsoever so that might pose a problem. :) Perhaps I could be a Sid Vicious type and pick up the bass as we went along. ;) However, when I was a kid I learned how to play the chords to Country Roads by John Denver on acoustic guitar so there is that. :guitar: :D
 
I would love to join your band, but I live across the pond and have no musical talent whatsoever so that might pose a problem. :) Perhaps I could be a Sid Vicious type and pick up the bass as we went along. ;) However, when I was a kid I learned how to play the chords to Country Roads by John Denver on acoustic guitar so there is that. :guitar: :D

Yep, the distance would make band practice quite difficult and expensive and i dont think sid vicious' style would complement marrs guitar lines very well !
I never thought in a million years that i would be able to play the smiths on guitar.. when i was 14 years old johnny marr made me want to learn the guitar and i made the foolish mistake of trying to play the smiths as a beginner ! It was impossible so i gave up... then nirvana came along and i tried learning the guitar again and this time it was much easier and i stuck with it..( i owe kurt cobain everything !) i eventually got round to trying to play the smiths again and it took me months to master 'this charming man'. That was the first one i learnt - and then it became an obsession to learn the rest.. i'm still learning !
Attempting johnny marr's smiths guitar work makes you realise just how great he was at such a young age.. its unreal to think he was only 23 when the smiths split up !
Even though i can do a fairly good job of his guitar work i will never ever be on marr's level. But learning it has definitely made me a better player...
I am sure you could learn guitar or bass if you really put your mind to it. These things take time !
 
Yep, the distance would make band practice quite difficult and expensive and i dont think sid vicious' style would complement marrs guitar lines very well !
I never thought in a million years that i would be able to play the smiths on guitar.. when i was 14 years old johnny marr made me want to learn the guitar and i made the foolish mistake of trying to play the smiths as a beginner ! It was impossible so i gave up... then nirvana came along and i tried learning the guitar again and this time it was much easier and i stuck with it..( i owe kurt cobain everything !) i eventually got round to trying to play the smiths again and it took me months to master 'this charming man'. That was the first one i learnt - and then it became an obsession to learn the rest.. i'm still learning !
Attempting johnny marr's smiths guitar work makes you realise just how great he was at such a young age.. its unreal to think he was only 23 when the smiths split up !
Even though i can do a fairly good job of his guitar work i will never ever be on marr's level. But learning it has definitely made me a better player...
I am sure you could learn guitar or bass if you really put your mind to it. These things take time !

Still...you have a great skill that few possess and some here would say that includes Jesse Tobias. Camera Obscura wrote something similar:

You saved for a bass guitar
You knew you'd made a mistake when you first saw Marr
With your pen and notebook you've blown me away
It's the smallest words we cannot say

I think that most people can learn anything, but to be a true master like Marr to the guitar, Stevie Wonder to the piano, John Bonham to the drums, etc. you have to be born with a special talent/gift. Many musicians can be technically proficient, but lack the ability to create an emotional connection with the listener.

I would submit the same is true for Morrissey and his singing. Anyone who attempts to cover his songs is out of their depth from the start because the emotional connection is not there, which is why I don't really care to listen to their cover bands or song covers. They all pale in comparison to the original.
 
Still...you have a great skill that few possess and some here would say that includes Jesse Tobias. Camera Obscura wrote something similar:

You saved for a bass guitar
You knew you'd made a mistake when you first saw Marr
With your pen and notebook you've blown me away
It's the smallest words we cannot say

I think that most people can learn anything, but to be a true master like Marr to the guitar, Stevie Wonder to the piano, John Bonham to the drums, etc. you have to be born with a special talent/gift. Many musicians can be technically proficient, but lack the ability to create an emotional connection with the listener.

I would submit the same is true for Morrissey and his singing. Anyone who attempts to cover his songs is out of their depth from the start because the emotional connection is not there, which is why I don't really care to listen to their cover bands or song covers. They all pale in comparison to the original.

Agree totally with you evennow.
I am trying to be a singer myself but refuse to do covers of The Smiths and Morrissey.
I know the songs and am inspired but I have a totally different singing voice.
I try to write the lyrics as well.

I am very critical of myself and sometimes I despise the outcome.
Until now only one song satisfied me more or less.

And there is another thing: I am scared to death to go on stage.
Especially as a singer, you feel completely naked and vulnerable on stage.
You can't hide behind an instrument.

That's why I feel a great respect for singers and frontmen (from any musical style),
Because the focus is automatically on them. You have to be brave and stare the public in the face.
Confront them, please them, persuade them, and to get yourself the satisfaction out of that contact in an artistic sense.
It's just nice to read people are enthusiast to form a band and want to play.
Cheers
 
Agree totally with you evennow.
I am trying to be a singer myself but refuse to do covers of The Smiths and Morrissey.
I know the songs and am inspired but I have a totally different singing voice.
I try to write the lyrics as well.

I am very critical of myself and sometimes I despise the outcome.
Until now only one song satisfied me more or less.

And there is another thing: I am scared to death to go on stage.
Especially as a singer, you feel completely naked and vulnerable on stage.
You can't hide behind an instrument.

That's why I feel a great respect for singers and frontmen (from any musical style),
Because the focus is automatically on them. You have to be brave and stare the public in the face.
Confront them, please them, persuade them, and to get yourself the satisfaction out of that contact in an artistic sense.
It's just nice to read people are enthusiast to form a band and want to play.
Cheers

Nothing wrong at all with being scared. It is a natural feeling that many, many artists experience. Theater actors and singers alike. Feeling scared or nervous means you care and without that your performance wouldn't be as real.

Jim Morrison when The Doors first starting playing live concerts used to sing with his back to the audience until he turned around and let the audience in. What you need to keep in mind is that everyone you perform in front of wants you to succeed and not fail. They are there to be entertained not to point and laugh. This truth comes with experience and or age.

Use your nervousness as a tool. Channel that energy into your performance. Sing to the audience not at them. Make a connection with them and they will be yours for the taking. As long as you are doing something you love and enjoy, then anything else is below consideration.
 
Thank you so much!
Very helpful and sounds so true! :thumb:
 
Agree totally with you evennow.
I am trying to be a singer myself but refuse to do covers of The Smiths and Morrissey.
I know the songs and am inspired but I have a totally different singing voice.
I try to write the lyrics as well.

I am very critical of myself and sometimes I despise the outcome.
Until now only one song satisfied me more or less.

And there is another thing: I am scared to death to go on stage.
Especially as a singer, you feel completely naked and vulnerable on stage.
You can't hide behind an instrument.

That's why I feel a great respect for singers and frontmen (from any musical style),
Because the focus is automatically on them. You have to be brave and stare the public in the face.
Confront them, please them, persuade them, and to get yourself the satisfaction out of that contact in an artistic sense.
It's just nice to read people are enthusiast to form a band and want to play.
Cheers

In the bands i've played in I have always been a singer/songwriter first and a guitarist second.. i played rhythm guitar as i sang...singing was my passion from a young age long before i picked up a guitar.. I can remember how nervous i was before my first gig ! I was shaking like a leaf and felt sick, but by the end of the night they couldnt shut me up !
After half a dozen gigs - nerves were a thing of the past and i couldnt wait to get on stage...we eventually went on to play to big audiences on the same bill as signed bands.. we came so close.. I still do solo acoustic gigs ...But now I would love to sell my songs or write for other artists - that is my dream..
But it would be great to play guitar in a smiths tribute - i've always wanted to be johnny marr ! I know tribute bands can never come close to the original but it would still be a fun thing to do.. if i ever did a smiths tribute band i would do an unplugged/ acoustic version because it would be a different and original concept.. i think the smiths music would sound amazing with an acoustic vibe and marr's guitar lines would sound so cool..
If you need any advice on singing - training your voice, excercises, building up vocal stamina etc then i can help in that department..
Singing is all about confidence.. you have to let yourself go. If you hold back because of nerves when you come to a difficult note then it will sound bad.. ( i found that out a few times !). You have to go all out for it..

Morrissey's vocal notes are not hard to hit for a singer, its much easier than doing a chris cornell cover ! But you are correct - nobody can capture the emotion or the passion of mozza's delivery..
Last night i dreamt that somebody loved me - an easy song to sing - but can i capture the emotion or depth of mozza's voice ? - not a chance..
 
Still...you have a great skill that few possess and some here would say that includes Jesse Tobias. Camera Obscura wrote something similar:

You saved for a bass guitar
You knew you'd made a mistake when you first saw Marr
With your pen and notebook you've blown me away
It's the smallest words we cannot say

I think that most people can learn anything, but to be a true master like Marr to the guitar, Stevie Wonder to the piano, John Bonham to the drums, etc. you have to be born with a special talent/gift. Many musicians can be technically proficient, but lack the ability to create an emotional connection with the listener.

I would submit the same is true for Morrissey and his singing. Anyone who attempts to cover his songs is out of their depth from the start because the emotional connection is not there, which is why I don't really care to listen to their cover bands or song covers. They all pale in comparison to the original.

Johnny marr will always be better than anybody else at playing smiths songs because he wrote them !
There are thousands of amazing session musicians out there who can play anything you ask of them - but nobody can capture the feeling or emotion of the original artist..even if the original artist is a lesser talented musician..
You could put together the best singer, the best guitarist, the best drummer and the best bass player in the world and still they wouldnt be able to recreate what the smiths had together..
But fair play to those tribute bands who can capture just a tiny bit of the smiths magic. They obviously love the band and i salute them for trying...
 
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