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Playing music by [[The Beatles]]:
Playing music by [[The Beatles]]:
* [[1964 the Tribute]]
* [[1964 the Tribute]]
* [[Backbeat Beatles]] (Devon UK based tribute)
* [[Backbeat]] (Devon UK based tribute)
* [[Beatallica]] (combining Beatles and Metallica songs)
* [[Beatallica]] (combining Beatles and Metallica songs)
* [[Beatlemania (musical)|Beatlemania]]
* [[Beatlemania (musical)|Beatlemania]]

Revision as of 16:13, 30 November 2007

A tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act, often one which has disbanded or ceased touring. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style of Elvis Presley; however, most tribute acts are groups (tribute band or tribute group) and are tributes to a group. For example The Iron Maidens are an all female band that pays tribute to Iron Maiden. A tribute band rarely includes any members of the original band whose music is being honored, although guest appearances occur.

The main way in which a tribute band differs from a cover band that simply plays songs by other artists, is that it strives 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. There are also individuals who are tributes of a group, and vice versa.

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 Black Sabbath, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Kiss, Madonna, The Misfits, The Grateful Dead, Van Halen, ABBA, The Rolling Stones, The Who 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 members of a tribute band is Tim "Ripper" Owens, who went from singing in a Judas Priest tribute band to becoming the group's actual lead singer in 1996. This story was used as the basis for the 2001 movie Rock Star starring Mark Wahlberg, although neither Owens nor Judas Priest assisted in the film's production. Owens recorded two studio albums and a live album with Judas Priest before leaving in 2003 to make way for the band's reunion with former frontman Rob Halford. Owens would later become the singer for the band Iced Earth.

In 1998 two men who were in a Blues Brothers tribute band changed their names officially by deed poll to Joliet Jake Blues and Elwood Jake Blues. They also are the only men in the UK to have their sunglasses on their passports and driver's licences.

In 1997 the British journalist Tony Barrell wrote a major feature for The Sunday Times about the UK tribute-band scene, which mentioned bands including Pink Fraud, the Pretend Pretenders and Clouded House. In the piece, Barrell asserted that "the main cradle of the tribute band... is Australia. Starved of big names, owing to their reluctance to put Oz on their tour itineraries, Australians were quite unembarrassed about creating home-grown versions. Then, like an airborne seed, one of these bands just happened to drift to Britain." The band in question was Björn Again, who staged a successful publicity stunt in the early 1990s, arriving at Heathrow airport in white one-piece outfits similar to the ones worn by ABBA on the cover of their 1976 album, Arrival.

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. In 2007, producers Allison Grace and Michelle Metivier produced a four-part documentary series called "Tribute Bands" for Global TV which features tributes to The Police, Queen, Rush and The Tragically Hip.

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 2002, the first biography of a tribute band was published by SAF in London. Entitled "Being John Lennon", the book is a humorous account of life on the road in The Beatles' tribute "Sgt. Pepper's Only Dart Board Band", written by the group's founder- Martin Dimery.

In 2005, tribute band Beatallica received attention when they were threatened with a lawsuit over their unique interpretation of Beatles songs done in a Metallica style. They won their legal battle, and still record and tour today.

Oasis tribute band No Way Sis took the notion of tribute bands a step further in 1997 by achieving a UK, top 20 hit single with their rendition of 'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing'. In addition to this, the band were asked to step in for Oasis and play to a sell out audience in Paris after Oasis cancelled.

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]:

Playing music by AC/DC:

Playing music by Aerosmith:

Playing music by Barenaked Ladies

Playing music by Be-Bop Deluxe:

  • Re-Bop Deluxe

Playing music by The Beach Boys

  • Still Surfin'

Playing music by The Beatles:

Playing music by Blondie:

Playing music by Johnny Cash:

Playing music by Cheap Trick:

Playing music by Crowded House:

  • Crowded Scouse
  • Clouded House

Playing music by Deep Purple:

Playing music by Die Plankton

Playing music by Depeche Mode:

Playing music by The Eagles:

Playing music by Grateful Dead:

Playing music by Guns N' Roses:

Playing music by In Flames

Playing music by Iron Maiden:

Playing music by Jethro Tull:

Playing music by Jimi Hendrix

Playing music by Judas Priest

Playing music by KISS:

Playing music by Led Zeppelin:

Playing music by Madness:

Playing music by Mötley Crüe:

Playing music by Pink Floyd:

Playing music by Paul Weller:

Playing music by Madonna:

Playing music by Metallica:

  • Beatallica (combining Metallica and Beatles songs)

Playing music by Oasis:

Playing music by Queen:

Playing music by Robbie Williams:

  • Matthew Holbrook Millennium

Playing music by the Pet Shop Boys:

Playing music by Pink Floyd:

→ See List of Pink Floyd tribute bands

Playing music by R.E.M. [external list]:

  • Stipe

Playing music by The Ramones [external list]:

  • Gabba (performing songs of Abba in the style of The Ramones)
  • The Ramainz (formerly The Ramains, featured two Ramones members)
  • The Osaka Ramones (tribute act of Shonen Knife)

Playing music by the Rolling Stones:

  • Rolling Clones

Playing music by The Shadows [external list]:

Playing the music of The Smiths

Playing the music of Steely Dan

  • The Steely Damned (San Diego -- The Steely Damned are discussed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagan in their Plush DVD)

Playing the music of The Stone Roses

Playing music by T. Rex:

Playing the music of Turbonegro

Playing music by Shania Twain:

  • Katie Rocks This Country
  • Shania's Twin

Playing music by U2:

Playing music by UFO:

References

See also

References

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