The
main point about tribute bands is that they tend to make money. They're
easy to sell and easy to explain and the punters seem to love them. Who
wants or needs original music? Or, in fact, music? The tribute band is
not so much about music as about nostalgia – for an era you lived
through, or for an era you wish you could have lived through.
I
once enquired about playing with an established Eagles tribute band –
yes, I admit I did fancy the gigs and the money, and I confess that I
really admire the Eagles – and was told that every drum break would have
to be note for note the same as on the original records, because the
audience would notice if it wasn't. It sounded a terribly sad experience
for musicians and audience alike. Trainspotting would be more
interesting.
A
band called the Fab Beatles are due to play the album Revolver in full
at a gig in Brighton to mark the record's 50th anniversary. I'm sure
they are a wonderful band but the point of all this seems elusive. If
you want to listen to Revolver (the first album I bought, and to my
mind, better than its follow-up), listen to Revolver.