Tribute band
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A tribute band (sometimes tribute group) is a musical group created in order to specifically play the music of a well-known band, often one which has disbanded or ceased touring. A tribute band rarely includes any members of the original band whose music is being honoured.
The typical tribute band differs from a cover band that simply plays songs by other artists by striving to capture every nuance of the imitated artist's actions and appearance for a perfect imitation. Some tribute bands imitate the appearance but re-interpret the original works in a particular genre or for comic effect. For example Dread Zeppelin plays Led Zeppelin songs in a reggae style with a lead singer who looks like Elvis Presley, while Gabba perform the songs of ABBA in the style of The Ramones.
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History
The first tribute bands to emerge may have been Beatles tribute bands, who attempt to look and sound like The Beatles while playing their songs. However, one might argue that Elvis impersonators qualify as well.
Although initially created to honour the original bands, many tribute bands have grown to have their own fan base. Tribute band names are often a pun on the original name or the names of band members, or are derived from a famous track or record album released by the original band.
Those bands and artists that have inspired a cult following in their fans tend to have a significant tribute band presence as well, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Madonna, The Grateful Dead, Van Halen, ABBA, The Rolling Stones, and Neil Diamond. At the 2003 Edinburgh Fringe Festival the Japanese Beatles appeared, accompanied on a few songs by someone billed as the Japanese Eric Clapton. It made for an incongruous sight, since the former wore the familiar Beatle suits while their guest dressed in contemporary clothes.
One of the best known tribute band members is Tim "Ripper" Owens, who went from singing in a Judas Priest tribute band to becoming their actual singer in 1996. This story was used as the basis for the movie Rock Star, though neither Owens nor Judas Priest assisted in the film's production. Owens recorded 2 studio albums and a live album with Priest before leaving in 2003 to make way for Priest's reunion with old singer Rob Halford. Owens would later become the singer for the band Iced Earth.
In 2000, filmmakers Jeff Economy and Darren Hacker produced a documentary film ...An Incredible Simulation that examined the tribute band phenomenon. Produced separately and independently in 2001 was the documentary Tribute by directors Kris Curry and Rich Fox which also covered the movement.
An exception to the impersonation style are The Muffin Men, who play the music of Frank Zappa in their own style, do not look like, or attempt to look like original members, and often tour with former band members. Jimmy Carl Black is a regular in the band, and they have in the past played, recorded and toured with Ike Willis, Bunk Gardner, and Don Preston.
In 2004, tribute band Beatallica received attention when they were sued over their unique interpretation of Beatles songs done in a Metallica style. They won their legal battle, and still record and tour today.
List of well-known tribute bands
Some well-known tribute bands include (alphabetically by covered band, and alphabetically for each):
Playing music by ABBA [external list]:
- Babba [1]
- Björn Again
- Gabba (band) [2] (performing songs of Abba in the style of The Ramones)
- Lightning and Thunder [3] (duo that performs tributes to ABBA and Neil Diamond)
- Voulez-Vous [4]
Playing music by AC/DC:
- AC/DShe [5](an all-female tribute group)
- Back In Black [6]
- Hayseed Dixie (country tribute)
- Live Wire
Playing music by Aerosmith:
Playing music by Alice Cooper:
- Alike Cooper
Playing music by the Barenaked Ladies:
- Fully Clothed Gents [10]
Playing music by The Beach Boys as well as classic rock
- Papa Doo Run Run [11]
Playing music by The Beatles:
- 1964 - The Tribute [12]
- Beatallica (combining Beatles and Metallica songs)
- Beatlemania
- The Beats [13]
- The Bootleg Beatles
- The Cast of Beatlemania (former members of the Beatlemania musical)
- The Counterfeit Beatles [14]
- The Fab Faux [15]
- The Fabfour [16]
- The Mahoney Brothers [17]
- The Rabeats [18]
- Britishmania! [19]
- Rain
- The Silver Beatles [20]
- Yesterday [21]
Playing music by Black Sabbath:
- Supertzar [22]
Playing music by Bon Jovi:
Playing music by Cheap Trick:
Playing music by Creedence Clearwater Revival:
- Creedence Clearwater Revisted
Playing music by David Bowie:
- Space Oddity
- Young Americans
Playing music by Def Leppard:
Playing music by Deep Purple:
- Cheap Purple
- Fireball
Playing music by The Doors:
- Doors Alive [28]
- The Australian Doors Show
Playing music by Eric Clapton:
Playing music by Faith No More:
- The Fake Thing
Playing music by Fleetwood Mac:
Playing music by Genesis:
Playing music by Grateful Dead:
- Dark Star Orchestra
- Cubensis [35]
Playing music by Guns N' Roses:
- Gunz N Roses [36]
- Paradise City [37]
- Rocket Queen [38]
Playing music by Jimi Hendrix:
- Purple Haze [39]
Playing music by Judas Priest:
- Lawbreakers [40]
Playing music by Iron Maiden:
- The Iron Maidens [41]
Playing music by The Jam:
Playing music by Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company:
- Southern Comfort Blues Band[44]
Playing music by Kiss:
Playing music by Led Zeppelin:
- Black Dog [46] (Dutch tribute band)
- Dread Zeppelin [47] (reggae tribute)
- Fred Zeppelin [48]
- Get The Led Out [49]
- In The Light [50] (US: Chicago and the Midwest)
- Led Zepagain [51] (US: Los Angeles and the World)
- Led Zep Too [52]
- Letz Zep [53]
- Lez Zeppelin [54]
- Stairway to Zeppelin
- Swan Song - A Tribute to Led Zeppelin [55]
- Whole Lotta Led
- Zoso [56]
Playing music by Madness:
Playing music by Madonna:
Playing music by Metallica:
- Beatallica (combining Beatles and Metallica songs)
- Creeping Death [58]
- Disposable Heroes [59]
- Sad But True [60]
- Trapped Under Ice
Playing music by The Misfits:
- Devils Whorehouse
- The Kissfits [61] (tribute to Kiss and The Misfits)
Playing music by Motörhead:
- Ace of Spades
- Motörheadache
- We're not Motörhead
Playing music by Neil Diamond:
Playing music by Paul Weller:
Playing music by the Pet Shop Boys:
- Pet Shop Noise
- West End Girls
Playing music by Pink Floyd:
Playing music by Poison:
- Posin'
- Posin' Web [66]
Playing music by Queen:
Playing music by The Ramones [external list]:
- Acid Eaters
- Animal Boys
- Cabrones
- 53rd & 3rd
- Gabba (band) [69] (performing songs of Abba in the style of The Ramones)
- The Ramainz (formerly The Ramains, featured two Ramones members)
- Ramones Mania
- Ramonettes
- Rämouns
- Shock Treatment
- The Osaka Ramones (tribute act of Shonen Knife)
Playing music by the Rolling Stones:
- The Blushing Brides [70]
- Unauthorized Rolling Stones
Playing music by Santana:
- Caravanserai - the Santana Tribute [71]
Playing music by the Sex Pistols:
- Never Mind the Trossachs
- The Sex Pistols Experience
Playing music by The Shadows:
Playing music by Skid Row:
- Big Guns [72]
Playing music by Slayer:
- Dead Skin Mask [73]
Playing music by Styx:
- What Not To Do To Your Roboto[74]
Playing music by Téléphone:
- Mégaphone [75]
Playing music by The Tragically Hip:
- Practically Hip
Playing music by T-Rex:
- T-Rextasy
Playing music by The Who:
Playing music by Thin Lizzy:
- Limehouse Lizzy
Playing music by U2 [external list]:
Playing music by Uriah Heep:
- FireFly
Playing music by Yes:
- Fragile
- Roundabout
- Yessongs - Brazil
Playing music by Frank Zappa:
- The Muffin Men
Playing music by ZZ Top:
- El Loco [86]
See also
External links
- ...An Incredible Simulation - Tribute band documentary website
- ... Tribute City - Tribute band website with band listings, reviews, etc.
- ... MySpace Tribute Band Group - MySpace Tribute Band Group -- members include tribute bands worldwidede:Tribute Band