I'm with the band!

The Shaman

The Shaman

First Post
Okay, so me and a couple of friends have long kicked around the idea of forming a band, and I think we may actually do it this summer. I suggested doing Eighties covers with a political slant, under the name Viva Los Contras!, and I'm trying to put together a set list. Here are some possibilities -

The Police, Invisible Sun
The Clash, Rock the Casbah
Nena, 99 Luftballons
U2, Sunday Bloody Sunday
Midnight Oil, Beds Are Burning, Blue Sky Mine
Jesus Jones, Right Here Right Now
Dead Kennedys, Holiday in Cambodia, California über Alles, many others!
X, The New World
Sting, Russians
Peter Gabriel, Biko
Rush, Red Barchetta, Between the Wheels
Heaven 17, Fascist Groove Thing
Don Henley, All She Wants to Do Is Dance
The Pogues, Lorca’s Novena
Warren Zevon, Lawyers, Guns, and Money
Elvis Costello, Goon Squad, What’s So Funny ‘bout Peace, Love, and Understanding? (definitely the encore!)
Simple Minds, Belfast Child
Free Nelson Mandela (artist?)
REM, It’s the End of the World as We Know It, many others!
Bronski Beat, Why?
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Two Tribes
Human League, The Lebanon
Faith No More, We Care a Lot
Genesis, Illegal Alien

This is just brainstorming, in no particular order yet. I'd be happy getting up there and playing Dead Kennedys songs all night, but we've gotta have some danceable numbers to get gigs. Can you name some other songs I should be considering?
 

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First, will you play my wedding?

Second, the list looks good, though I'll admit my experience of the artists listed is almost exclusively what played on mainstream radio then and now (80's on 8 on XM Radio, yum).

If you are looking for lots o' gigs, I'd lean towards a more accesible list. You obviously have some respect for the artists mentioned, but I'd rework it to 1) not include the same artist more than once, and 2) Greatest Hits, baby! Your average 80's fan would much rather hear Relax over Two Tribes or All This Time over Russians.
 

I'll second that. If you want to form a covers band and you want to be successful, play what people know and like. Accessibility is the key to success (that and a sense of fun). Speaking from professional experience here :). Oh, and you have to be able to play your instruments too...
 

Sounds interesting. Its always good to try out other peoples stuff before making your own just to get the hang of it. Linky some stuff if you get around to recording.
 

The Shaman said:
U2, Sunday Bloody Sunday
Click to expand...
I used to busk this one, in a duo - it went down fine. Not sure how it would go with the full band experience, but I see no reason why it shouldn't in fact be *more* effective. Early U2 at least had passion.

And you can't go wrong with Midnight Oil. Great stuff.

Sounds like fun! Best of luck with it. :)
 

If you want the political bent...
Drop Jesus Jones' Right Here, Right Now
Change Rush from Red Barchetta to Red Sector A and add Subdivisions, The Big Money or the Manhatten Project
Add Modern English's I'll Stop the World (And Melt With You) and Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule The World

But if you're looking to do the regular circuit, then you need to re-think your direction and go more mainstream. Personally I would have a blast with most of the songs in your set and would book you in a New York Minute...
Speaking of which...Also add Don Henley's Dirty Laundry and All She Wants to Do Is Dance Very political and fairly popular as well. :)
 

Bob Dylan Subterranean Homesick Blues
Ritchie Havens Freedom
Bruce Springsteen Ghost of Tom Joad
Country Joe and the Fish Vietnam Song
Dixie Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice
Peter Gabriel Games without frontiers
Robert Plant Dirt in a Hole
Europe Final Countdown
Slayer War Ensemble

...and, of course, 99% of everything written by Consolidated.
 



Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Warren Zevon

The Black Seam - Sting

If you're REALLY ambitious, try out:
Loss and Curse of Reverence - Emperor (if you can play that, you've got some awesome talent)
Thus Spake the Nightspirit - Emperor
Repined Bastard Nation - Satyricon
Wooden Pint - Korpiklanni
Trollhammaren - Finntroll
Svartberg - Finntroll
Reign of Chaos - Diary of Dreams (requires a really good keyboardist)
O' Brother Sleep - Diary of Dreams
Haus Der Stille - Diary of Dreams (lots of synthesizsers)
Progenies of the Great Apocalypse - Dimmu Borgir
Remains of an Unholy Past - Sargeist
The Dawn of Battle - Manowar
 
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