How far would you be willing to go to show your love for a band? Do you travel from state to state? Do you purchase even the BAD CDs, and admit it unashamedly? Do you have your favorite band�s official message board bookmarked for hourly visits? Do you talk about long-time crew members (who you may or may not have met) by their first names? Do you have a tattoo that in some way relates to your band of choice? Have you performed in a tribute band?

I�ve done all of these but that last one, which seems to be the ultimate act of fandom. And, honestly, the idea intrigues me. I have never quite understood why a band would prefer to mimic another one, rather than performing their own music, just as I�ve never REALLY understood the appeal of the all-American pastime of baseball. I just don�t GET it. 

�A gift, payment, declaration, or other acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, or admiration� is how the dictionary defines tribute, and the musicians I spoke with
seemed to agree with that sentiment, perceiving �cover band� as somewhat pejorative. �Most cover bands do not take the time to learn and execute the musical detail that tributes do (or at least should). We put the lion�s share of our time into recreating the original recordings as accurately as possible,� says Scott Richards of Grand Illusion (Styx). Victor Synn of multi-artist tribute Hair Force One agrees. �A tribute band compiles a group of artists that love the music they�re doing and want to pay tribute to the people that made the genre what it is. A cover band, to me, is a group of people brought together from different genre types that pick and choose from each genre and compile a set list based on that.�

It�s a sad fact that a tribute act may find it easier to get bookings than the same artist performing their originals. Most clubs are unwilling to book performers without a proven track record, and tribute bands are able to trade on the reputation of the band they are emulating, as much as on their own history. According to Richards, �Generally, diehard fans of the bands we tribute love what we do. They know that we�re in no way trying to �be the band�, but they appreciate the sincerity of our performance and we get comments frequently of how accurately we recreate the music. Interestingly, we have on numerous occasions had people tell us that they were never a fan of the band we tribute, but really got into what we did and now like their music. I guess sometimes a live performance
makes all the difference in music perception.�

Sometimes, working in a tribute band can be a stepping stone to greater successes. Most music fans are aware of the film Rock Star, which was based on the true story of Tim �Ripper� Owens. Although he is no longer with Judas Priest (who have since reunited with Rob Halford), he was able to parlay that notoriety into a slot with Iced Earth. Tommy Thayer, former guitarist with Black and Blue, spent years on the convention circuit in Ace Frehley makeup�which he now dons every night before joining Kiss onstage. To some, this is the highest compliment they can be paid. �Obviously, fans don�t like change. But you better bet that if duty call� I�m insisting. Semper Fi!� jokes Tommy Michaels of Posin. 

Posin have been as aggressive in marketing themselves as their �namesakes�. Due to the nature of their act, which relies on live interaction, they have done what they can to bring their stage show to living rooms everywhere. �We�ve just released a DVD, and our show at the Whisky is going to be streamed over the Internet as a live Pay-Per-View event. Also, we did a mini tour with Vince Neil after he got off a tour with the real Poison!� 

Posin�s costs run upwards of $800 each performance, just in pyro, makeup, hairspray and visual effects. However, it seems to be working for them, as Bret Michaels himself has told them to keep it up and that he loves the whole idea of their project.

Sadly, the very act of performing in a tribute band can lessen the performer�s enjoyment. �Due to the fact that we try and re-create the songs as close to the originals as we can, I tend to critique more than just listen for the enjoyment of listening. But it has also increased my enjoyment based on the fact that it is a monster feat for any band to cover an artist�s songs. People tend to KNOW how a popular song should sound and if you don�t do it as close as possible, you will alienate some of your listeners,� admits Synn. 

As I was finishing up this column, I happened to be flipping through the channels, and for some reason paused on A League of Their Own. There�s a sequence in that film which summarizes the hours the Peaches put into their game, and how it felt for them to play�and for the first time, the sheer joy of playing finally struck me. Sure, they were actresses, but that montage swept me up and made me feel what �sports� should be all about. Somehow, it was oddly familiar.

And then I realised�I had seen that same look of delight on Mark Slaughter�s face as he sang �Hold On� with Rik Emmett. These performers were fans first, and they are making concrete the feeling that those of us in the audience live for. They aren�t trying to �be� the stars they emulate�they just want to give something back and share how this music made THEM feel. Imitation isn�t the sincerest form of flattery at all---but paying tribute just might be.
 
 

antiMUSIC columnist Marie Braden is a veteran rock journalist and photographer who wonders if a Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell tribute act would see the irony in performing �Ain�t Nothin� Like the Real Thing.�   Read Marie's other monthly column for antiMUSIC - Hair Today!