Making Money Making Music: the Musician's Guide to Cover Gigs. - book review

American Music Teacher, June-July, 2003 by Bill McKay

by Quint Randle and Bill Evans. Backbeat Books (600 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94107), 2002. 180pp., $14.95.

Quint Randle and Bill Evans's book, Making Money Making Music: The Musician's Guide to Cover Gigs, is intended to educate musicians on the many aspects involved in starting or joining a "cover band"--that is, a band that "concentrates on interpreting and performing songs written and recorded by others." Basically, they are referring to the groups one might hear playing at everything from wedding receptions, social engagements, high school proms, hotel circuits and so forth. This book also would be very useful for all private studio teachers to have on the shelf for loan to any student who might utter, "I am going to be in a rock band."

The book is divided into three primary sections: Sweat, Biz and Tech. "Sweat" covers many of the issues involved in getting started, preparing for the first gigs and so on. The "Biz" section relates to issues such as marketing, bookings and "intra-band issues," for example personnel problems and how the band/leader might handle them. "Tech" addresses the "gear," things like PAs, sound checking, recording and rehearsal space.

I found this book to be a great deal of fun to read. Having lived through many of the situations Randle and Evans address, I found myself laughing at the commentary and, at the same time, wishing I would have had something like this to read twenty (or more) years ago. They discuss aspects of the "band gig" that most of us, who have done cover jobs, probably never really thought through before beginning.

My only criticism is a desire for a particular appendix. Although it would be substantial, I would like to see a list of tunes the authors think players should know how to play or be aware of. Not that these tunes should necessarily be a part of the regular set-list, but to have in the hip pocket for the occasional request. Out of my own curiosity, I asked a number of my colleagues for ten tunes they most often get requested, and found there seems to be a general "body of repertoire" out there. Sure, the list may be over 500 tunes, but I found it amazing that we all seem to receive the same general requests.

The book gives great, professional advice to those who are starting down the "cover band" path.

Bill McKay, Pasco, Washington.