The chance of The Smiths reforming is as likely as
Morrissey devouring a Hog roast. So when an avid fan is faced with the prospect
of seeing their idols diminish with their youthful looks; why not turn to the
alternative – the tribute band. They aren’t something to be sneered at but
bands that are becoming increasingly prevalent and not all of them have
ridiculous names; that’s just Slack Babbath, probably with shaven heads
nestling under their unconvincing wigs. Surprisingly, they successfully encapsulate
the raucous and chaotic energy of Ozzy and co.
But what happens when the band that you’ve been
gushing about for years, the one you missed out on the first time round
because you wasn’t even born or just
regrettably never managed to get tickets reconcile their differences? “As tempting as it is, I don’t think I’d want
to see The Stone Roses. I have saw them once before and they were mind blowing.
But then knowing what they were like at Reading festival, I’d be so disappointed
if that were to happen again,” says Derek Gannon, a regular attendee at tribute
band concerts. “I just wouldn’t want to take that risk to build up my
expectations. The memories I have are great and I’d like to preserve them
rather than ruin them. They could be absolutely phenomenal and I’m missing out
but I can get my Roses fix through various other means.”
The Stone Roses return is one that has the potential
to go terribly wrong, as is the risk with all reforms, but they have something
extra to prove, as they didn’t leave with a bang, more like a sparkler coming
to the end of its inadequate fizz. Would you even risk spending your money to
see them? With tribute bands it can be an unprecedented experience for the eyes
and ears when a band has the art of imitation down to a t, displaying a glowing
performance that sounds musically sound and even more so, mannerisms of act they’re emulating are so convincing. “I’ve saw The Smiths Indeed who are probably
the best tribute out there, he just oozes Morrissey and it’s like watching the
real thing,” Derek enthuses. “I’ve seen the Clone Roses too. I don’t
necessarily think they sound as similar to the band but sometimes I don’t even
think it’s whether they sound like them or not that creates such an uproar.”
There’s a uniting factor and a sense of solidarity
when chanting along to a song you love amongst a crowd of like-minded people.
“I think if you’re with mates singing along to a shared interest, you have a
sense of camaraderie. It’s like going on a night out, but you’ve got control of
the DJ booth, you put your favourite albums on and it’s just a bonus that
there’s someone on stage sauntering about like Ian Brown.”
However, the most successful bands are the ones who
have that sound, the one where if you were to close your eyes for a second, they
so sound hauntingly close. You can layer the guy liner on and you can wear a
wig to transform the look but that authentic sound is a lot harder to unearth
than many of these bands think. You shouldn’t discount them either for not
being the real thing. There isn’t this whole comedy value aesthetic which can
often be the impression. They have to be a skilled musician to pull it off anyway; or in the case of the Mathew Street Festival you may envisage a hoard of The Beatles imitators with the bad mop
top wigs. If that isn’t your thing, never, ever go.
It will be hell.
There’s a huge market for tribute bands. Aside from the
devotees wanting to cling on to something they love, there is money to be made
and clearly still a demand. The Clone Roses have supported The Happy Mondays
and The Complete Stone Roses even have their own record deal with Pet Lamb
Records. Similarly, The Australian Pink Floyd have embraced a comparable amount
of successes, having toured extensively across the world, and every August in Driffield,
East Yorkshire, there’s an invasion from The Police Academy, Meet Loaf,
Coldplace, Green Date, Musest and Snow Control for Tribfest.
A band in their prime will always be superior and
it would be outrageous to contest this but the tribute band is becoming an
increasingly popular option for some. Why not pay the miniscule ticket price to
see an act that are musically just as competent, instead of dishing out an
extortionate fee for a band to hobble on stage and then give a lacklustre
performance? Undoubtedly, they will lack the presence and spark that the
original band has but they can give it a fine attempt and in the process be
treated as if they were the true heroes, except without the egos. Derek
recounts, “When watching The Clone Roses, everyone goes mad for ‘I Wanna Be
Adored,’ same goes for the Smiths Indeed with ‘This Charming Man,’ there’s just
an eruption of hysteria and chanting as if it were the real Morrissey, Johnny
Marr or Ian Brown.”
It’s probably for the best that bands such as The
Smiths don’t reform; Morrissey could sulk off stage in protest like he did when
a bottle careered off his head in Liverpool. So, save your money and pay a
visit to the tribute bands instead. After all, what difference does it make? It
makes none.
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