Is there any hope for original songs in pubs??

[parablue74]

Hi guys,
Just did a performance in a pub, just a guest performance... and it was an ordinary night
Did a cover followed by an original.
The cover song had big uproars, but when the original song was played, people started feeling disgrunted or just didn't bother.
And i see it all the time, when original songs are played anywhere, there seems to be lack of interest from the crowd. Whenever cover songs get played, they would sing along and all that.
I know it's quite obvious that people don't know the song so they can't sing along, but is there really no way round it. How then are we original songwriters ever going to put out our songs then? In some pubs, the managers don't even accept original songs at all.
Or is it becos it's just an ordinary night, not a special event for original music or something???
How to make people crave for new things, must it always be that "Only familiar with this, then it's good" rule??
Darn, i feel sad about the situation!! Nostalgism, plain nostalgism.....

Would love to hear your comments on this...

 

[bongman]

but when the original song was played, people started feeling disgrunted or just didn't bother.
when original songs are played anywhere, there seems to be lack of interest from the crowd. Whenever cover songs get played, they would sing along and all that.

Hi Parablue,

Of course it's obvious that no can associate to your song because
they don't know the song and haven't heard it; unless it's a very
good song that upon the first hearing it makes heads turn.

I used to go to BigO concerts in my school days and one of the few
bands that caught my attention with their original songs is the Oddfellows.
The songs are great, they might label themselves as Indie but the songs are radio-friendly.

The only way to reach out to the local audience is to release your songs
and have radio air-play. This is not an easy task nowadays, I doubt local
radio support local acts like they used to. But it's still up to us to make
things change.

Club-E (Leonard Tan and gang) did well in their prime when their songs
were played on the radio and their album promo turn-out in shopping malls
were fantastic. Fans sing along to their songs because their albums were well received and got airplay.

The local scene has its ups and downs. There was a time in the early 90s when almost every month there's a new local English album released. But nowadays less, but all still up to us to make it happen. The major factor
of the local scene is always that the market is just too small and no money
can be made from it. It's business afterall.

I've viewed your website and details, and I must SALUTE YOU !!!
Well done, you persist on your dreams. I'm still in touch with music
but not like the way I used to in my younger days.

I wish you the best and may your music be played on our radios.

errr...... Are you selling off your CS2x ??? I'm looking for one!?
I own a CS1x and AN1x, and I hope to make my collection whole
with a CS2x, pls consider selling it to me. THANK YOU in advance!!!

Cheers!!!

.bongman

 

[parablue74]

Hi Bongman,
Nice to hear from you...
You'll probably right that radio airplay needs to come first before performing in the pubs, just hope i had a better chance testing the songs before throwing the $$ to release.
Like any other songwriter, i come out with songs pretty fast, and really like to test them out. Wonder if there are better ways to get more feedback. If only Singapore had those songwriting workshops like they have it in US, or maybe more free songwriting competitions.
In the past during the 80s and early 90s, bands were more saluted, i used to see those band gigs that was going on in Youth Park, Hotline etc almost every week, all that seems to have passed and nowadays it's all about Top 40s and commercialism.
And the closing down of Passion FM was a pity when they used to play local acts including Leonard T and gang. Though i never bought their album (Can't find!), but i always wish for a bigger platform for fellow original artist locally.
Anyhow, sentiments aside, what do you play, bongman? Keyboardist???

PS: Sorry, I love my CS2x, keeping it like gold!!! But if you want it's sound, i advice you to get the Yamaha Motif, it has both the CS2x sound and more.