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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.

Contents

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 most well-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 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): [link]

* Supertzar [link]
Playing music by Blondie:
* Bootleg Blondie
* Once More Into The Bleach [link]
Playing music by Bon Jovi:
* Bon Giovi [link]
* By Jovi
* The Keep On Rockin' Tour [link] (tribute to Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard each night)
* Keep The Faith [link] (performed in front of 50 000 witnesses in a F-1 grand prix)
Playing music by Cheap Trick:
* Cheap Chick
Playing music by The Clash:
* Take The 5th [link]
Playing music by Coldplay:
* Coolplay [link]
Playing music by Creedence Clearwater Revival:
* Creedence Clearwater Revisted
* Creedence Again [link]
Playing music by The Darkness:
* The Likeness [link]
Playing music by David Bowie:
* Space Oddity
* Young Americans
Playing music by Def Leppard:
* The Keep On Rockin' Tour [link] (tribute to Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard each night)
* Pyromania
* Rock This Way [link]
Playing music by Deep Purple:
* Cheap Purple
* Fireball
* The Stormbringers
Playing music by The Doors:
* The Australian Doors Show
* Doors Alive [link]
* Mojo Risin [link]
playing music by Earth Wind & Fire:
* Ultimate Earth Wind & Fire [link]
Playing music by Eric Clapton:
* Slowhand [link] (based in Ohio, USA)
Playing music by Faith No More:
* The Fake Thing
Playing music by Fleetwood Mac:
* Fleetwood Bac [link]
* Fleetfoot Mike [link]
* Mirage
* Rumours of Fleetwood Mac [link]
Playing music by Front 242:
* Volvo 242
Playing music by Genesis:
* In the Cage
* The Musical Box [link]
* Regenesis
* Robbie Cooper and Seconds Out [link]
Playing music by Grateful Dead:
* Dark Star Orchestra
* Cubensis [link]
Playing music by Guns N' Roses:
* Appetite For Destruction
* Gunz N Roses [link]
* Paradise City [link]
* Rocket Queen [link]
Playing music by Jimi Hendrix:
* Purple Haze [link]
Playing music by Judas Priest:
* Lawbreakers [link]
* Nudist Priest [link]
Playing music by Iron Maiden:
* Irn Maiden
* The Iron Maidens [link]
Playing music by The Jam:
* The Gift [link] (featuring Rick Buckler)
* The Jamm [link]
* Sounds of the Jam [link]
Playing music by Janis Joplin:
* Southern Comfort Blues Band [link] (tribute to Janis Joplin, and Big Brother and the Holding Company)
Playing music by Kiss:
* Alive!
* Creatures of the Night
* Deuce
* The Kissfits [link] (tribute to Kiss and The Misfits)
* Mini Kiss (a little person band)
* Psycho Circus
* Strutter
Playing music by Led Zeppelin:
* Black Dog [link] (Dutch tribute band)
* Dread Zeppelin [link] (reggae tribute)
* Fred Zeppelin [link]
* Get The Led Out [link]
* In The Light [link] (US Midwest)
* Led Zepagain [link] (Los Angeles based international tribute band)
* Led Zep Too [link]
* Letz Zep [link]
* Lez Zeppelin
* Stairway to Zeppelin
* Swan Song [link]
* Whole Lotta Led
* Zoso [link]
Playing music by Madness:
* One Step Behind
Playing music by Madonna:
* Mad'House [link]
* Mandonna (all-male band)
Playing music by Marc Bolan:
* T.Rextasy [link]
Playing music by Megadeth:
* Hangar 18 [link]
Playing music by Metallica:
* Battery [link] (tribute act of Disaster Area)
* Beatallica (combining Metallica and Beatles songs)
* Creeping Death [link]
* Damage Inc [link]
* Disposable Heroes [link]
* Sad But True [link]
* Trapped Under Ice
Playing music by The Misfits:
* Devils Whorehouse
* The Kissfits [link] (tribute to Kiss and The Misfits)
* The Misfats [link]
Playing music by Motörhead:
* Ace of Spades
* Motörheadache
* We're not Motörhead
Playing music by Neil Diamond:
* Lightning and Thunder [link] (duo performing tributes to ABBA and Neil Diamond)
* Super Diamond [link]
Playing music by Nirvana:
* Cobain [link]
Playing music by Paul Weller:
* The Paul Weller Connexion [link]
* Wellalive [link]
Playing music by the Pet Shop Boys:
* Pet Shop Noise
* West End Girls
Playing music by Pink Floyd:
→ See List of Pink Floyd tribute bands
Playing music by Poison:
* Hollyweird [link]
* Posin'
* Posin' Web [link]
Playing music by Queen:
* Ga-Ga
* Kween [link] (Japan)
* Magic, "A Kind of Queen" [link] [link]
* Mercury [link]
* Miracle [link] (Dutch Queen cover band)
* Queer [link] (Sweden)
* The Royal Family
Playing music by R.E.M.
* Stipe [link] (U.K.)
Playing music by The Ramones [[external list]]:
* Acid Eaters
* Animal Boys
* Cabrones
* 53rd & 3rd
* Gabba (performing songs of Abba in the style of The Ramones)
* Havana A Go Go [link]
* 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 [link]
* Unauthorized Rolling Stones
Playing music by Santana:
* Caravanserai [link]
Playing music by Scorpions:
* In Trance [link] (officially endorsed by Scorpions)
Playing music by the Sex Pistols:
* Never Mind the Trossachs
* The Sex Pistols Experience
Playing music by The Shadows [[external list]]:
* Legend
* Nivram
Playing music by Skid Row:
* Big Guns [link]
Playing music by Slayer:
* Dead Skin Mask [link]
Playing music by Styx:
* What Not To Do To Your Roboto [link]
Playing music by Sublime
* Badfish
Playing music by Téléphone:
* Mégaphone [link]
Playing music by The Tragically Hip:
* Practically Hip
Playing music by T-Rex:
* T-Rextasy [link]
Playing music by The Who:
* The Ohm [link]
* The Who Show [link]
Playing music by Thin Lizzy:
* Dizzy Lizzy [link]
* Limehouse Lizzy [link]
Playing music by U2 [[external list]]:
* 2U [link]
* Achtung Babies [link]
* Elevation [link] (Toronto-based international tribute show)
* NEU2 [link]
* NU2 [link]
* October [link] (Toronto-based international tribute show)
* Unforgettable Fire [link] (New York based tribute show)
* UV [link] (Florida-based international tribute show)
* Vertigo USA [link] (Chicago-based international tribute show)
Playing music by Uriah Heep:
* FireFly
Playing music by XTC:
* The Bowlermen [link]
* Drummed And Wired [link]
* The Dukes of Simpleton [link]
* X-Static [link]
Playing music by Yes:
* Fragile
* Roundabout
* Yessongs - Brazil
Playing music by Frank Zappa:
* The Muffin Men
* The Zappatistas [link]
Playing music by ZZ Top:
* El Loco [link]

See also

External links

 

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