I, Andy Starkey, lead singer/bass player of Britpop Reunion do make the odd appearance from time to time on radio, podcasts and TV but it was very interesting to be called up the BBC to give my thoughts on tribute bands. I was also asked for my opinion on how ABBA are set to sue ABBA Mania tribute band for the BBC Radio 4 Today Program with Nick Robinson. The best thing about this was that I also got to discuss these topics with famous Britpop Pulp drummer Nick Banks. I’m a huge Pulp fan so this was a great fun for me. The interview was done live on BBC Radio 2 on 8th December 2021.
You can watch a “Fonejacker’ style video I produced to go along with the program below. (It took me 11 long hours to create this video by the way). Now that’s some serious effort don’t you think? Before we get into the ins and outs of it all though if you want to hire a Britpop tribute band then contact me to hire Britpop Reunion for your next live event.
Tribute Bands BBC Radio show featuring Britpop Pulp drummer Nick Banks.
Being a member of a 90’s tribute band I of course had more thoughts on the matter so thought I’d take the time to write them up below…..
I was called up by a researcher from BBC Radio 4 The Today Program and asked if I wouldn’t mind being interviewed the following morning on the show. The researcher stated that we’d be discussing tribute bands with Nick Banks from Pulp so how could I say no being a massive Pulp fan?
Even though the researcher was looking for a Pulp Tribute Band she still thought it was a great idea to speak to myself about tribute bands in general. I explained that we’re not officially a ‘Tribute to Pulp” but we do play a number of their songs including Common People (A superb encore song) and Disco 2000. On occasion I will don my brown Jarvis Cocker suit for live performances which I purchased from a charity shop back in the mid 90’s. Britpop Reunion are a tribute to a music scene in the 90’s based around lad culture and indie pop music. Therefore we perform music by artists such as Oasis, Blur, Supergrass, James and other famous Brit pop bands. We also play music by other 90’s artists like Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, The Rembrandts, Robbie Williams and more.
Tribute bands verses the original band.
It’s worth noting that during the interview I had no idea that they would be comparing Britpop Reunion’s LIVE version of ‘Common People‘ against the actual STUDIO version by Pulp. I think it sounded pretty decent though, don’t you? What other Britpop tribute band have had their songs directly compared to the originals on national radio like this?
Suing tribute bands
I had to look up the subject matter “ABBA to sue tribute band ABBA Mania” as I hadn’t heard about it. I am slightly in two minds about Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad suing the tribute band called ABBA Mania. The main issue seems to be that the tribute group had been using the term “Official” in their blurbs. Which for me is pushing it a little too far. Wording it like this makes it sound as if it’s an endorsement from the ABBA band members themselves. When this is clearly not the case.
But having since been contacted by a member of ABBA Mania he tells me the only reason they use the term “Official” is in relation to their own tribute band, NOT ABBA. It seems that other ABBA tributes have turned up calling themselves the exact same tribute band name ‘ABBA Mania’ trying to win work of the back of “The Original ABBA Mania” name. Thus an imitation of imitation of imitation has been created. Very bizarre eh.
Defending Tribute Bands
In defence of ABBA Mania, they have been together since the late 90’s. So why have ABBA chosen to take this legal action only now and not 21 years ago? Does it have something to do with the fact that after 41 years of NOT touring live themselves they have suddenly come up with this ridiculous and very expensive “Virtual” “Hologram” tour and feel it will impact their own ticket sales? Surely not right? When bands stop touring live, break up, quit or even members die it’s tribute bands that keep the legacy and music of the band alive. Tribute acts can keep solid interest in bands over many, many decades as shown by all the Beatles and Rolling Stones tributes out there.
There are probably as many ABBA tribute bands on the scene as there are Oasis tributes and Queen tributes. If ABBA have decided to take this kind of action then are all other tributes to various artists up for the chop next? To an extent I say good on ABBA Mania for sticking to their guns. All these articles online really are some fantastic promo for this ABBA tribute. As they say “No publicity is bad publicity”. I bet their agents phone is ringing off the hook now with theatres trying to book them.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
The cynical side of me just thinks this is probably designed to get ABBA back in the news again. It’s the PR machine there to freely advertise help sell tickets for their ridiculous virtual live show. There’s also a good chance it’s probably just some lawyer who has contacted ABBAs lawyer and said “I can do this for you” and they’ve just run with it.
To quote Oscar Wilde ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can play to greatness’. So surely this applies here? Of course he never stated whether retribution should be received for “Copying” someone else’s work though did he.
Not the first instance of an original band suing a tribute band.
It is not the first time ABBA lawyers have been on the prowl and it won’t be the last either. I personally know someone who played in an ABBA tribute who were forced to change their name and even had their Facebook page completely removed. She is now in a completely different theatre touring ABBA tribute so I hope they are not plagued by this sort of thing any time soon.
Buying tickets for and seeing a tribute band live.
No person buying a ticket to see a tribute act thinks they are seeing the real band/group. Most of the time no intellectual property is being stolen by a tribute band performing music and dressing up like a successful original band. No one is being fooled into buying tickets. Who on earth would think they are going to see “The Real Beatles”? Nearly 60 years after they stopped touring AND still dressed in Shea Stadium outfits?
Buying tickets to see a tribute band is not like going to see “Dodgy Dave” on the market stall selling counterfeit goods like Fred Perry and Adidas Originals. You’re not being fooled into paying only £15 for something that usually retails at £60.
Tribute bands are an opportunity to see your favourite bands you missed out on. Either because you were too young at the time or just because life got in the way. There’s also a good chance you just couldn’t afford the “Real Thing”. Sure you COULD go and see Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr (If you sold a kidney). But you’re not really seeing “The Beatles” are you. When punters go and see tribute bands like “The Bootleg Beatles” or “Britpop Reunion” it’s the next best thing. And all at a very reasonable price too.
Who is earning money by tribute bands performing at theatres?
I’m sure that 99.99999% of none musical folks out there don’t even realise that when a tribute act plays a theatre they have to list every artists and song they play. The venue then takes a cut from the bands pay which gets paid to the actual original artists as royalties. So tribute bands like ABBA, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Queen , Tina Turner, Oasis etc must be raking it in while sitting comfortably on their bums at home.
Theatres employ a large amount of staff and revenue is generated for the venue not just from ticket sales. But also sales from food, drink and a percentage cut of the merchandise being sold. All of which are taxable and go back into the economy.
Tribute band “Endorsements”
Unfortunately fake endorsements are rife in the tribute industry (Except for ‘Britpop Reunion’) with claims of musicians being:
- The Number One Tribute to Britpop
- The UK’s Best Tribute to Britpop
- The UK’s Premiere Britpop Tribute Band
Of course though, none of these claims can ever be backed up with evidence. What do these statements even mean? WHO has decided these bands are ‘Number One/The Best’ etc? It’s usually just someone in the band giving themselves that monocle. Maybe they have been ‘Voted’ that endorsement by some ‘Industry Awards’? Ha!!!!! Industry awards are an utter scam and mean absolutely nothing. You pay to be entered into a category. Then you pay to attend the awards ceremony. Afterwards you pay for your award. Ergo YOU BUY THE AWARD. In some cases it’s even more ridiculous when an artist states they are “The Best tribute to Oasis”. Yet they’re just a one man show singing along to karaoke tracks.
A funny story about tribute bands and more legal action.
‘The Karpets’ are a tribute to the late 80’s/Early 90’s indie band ‘Inspiral Carpets’ . Nowadays this tribute band actually features the original singer of Inspiral Carpets ‘Tom Hingley’ fronting the tribute band. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of another similar case to this in musical history.
Recently 90’s grunge artists ‘Pearl Jam’ threatened to sue a tribute to them and made them change their band name. Looking back at their website and social media this was no doubt due to the tribute band being stupid. They had used the original artists logo and graphics from their single ‘Alive’. But, again in this tribute bands defence, Pearl Jam actually encouraged their fans to Bootleg (Record the audio from) their live performances. Of which Pearl Jam have sold nearly 14 million copies of various shows from across the world. So them threatening legal action really doesn’t sit well with me either. Considering Pearl Jam make money from these recordings.
In conclusion I firmly believe that tribute bands have the right to exist. They have the right to make money and in turn have the right to make money for the original artists. I really enjoyed my time speaking live on the radio and you can hire me speak about similar things and Britpop/The 90’s in general too. To hire a 90’s tribute band contact Britpop Reunion.
A little information on Nick Banks from Pulp.
Nick Banks was the drummer in Britpop band Pulp from 1986 until the band split up in 2002. He then joined them once again for the Pulp reunion from 2011 to 2013. He is still drumming in a few bands around his home town of Sheffield. Also he runs the family pottery business.