The Guess Who-Burton Cummings Fight Is Getting Dirtier But Burton Has Supporr
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I love this channel. I do agree with Burton. It’s not the Guess Who. Guess Who have always been one of my favorite bands. Burton has such a unique voice
Same with Grand Funk Railroad 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Burton and Randy did most of the work.
They're Singing and playing? Made The Guess Who? And they're calling out guess you didn't.
I totally agree that they should change their name. I was fortunate enough to see the fake guess who back in the early nineties in the parking lot of the Palace of Auburn Hills in michigan, they were okay. But then I took my kids to see the reunion back in the early 2000s with Burton and Bachmann. It was a incredible show. Every single song was a hit! Funny part of the story is my kids kept asking me who are we going to see, I would say the guess who, they would say who? I would say the guess who. Then I said forget it you'll see! LMAO my kids are now in their early thirties and late twenties. A night I will never forget.
One of my favorite memories is in 1973 driving to the Colorado River, from Norwalk California, we had 4 8 tracks we listen to all the way. BTO first lp, Guess Who canned Wheat, Machine Head Deep Purple and Abbey Road
If Burton Cummings and Randy bachman if they wrote the songs they own the publishing rights they should have a right to say who can perform those songs and who can't
The “Guess Who” is or was the creative force of Burt Cummings and Randy Bachman. Anything else is at best a tribute band.
enough said after that agree 100%
Great show John! You wouldn’t know this about me but I’m a huge Guess Who fan! My favourite dad rock band and I’m also from Winnipeg. Very sad to hear about all of this, keep up the great work, Will.
I highly respect what Steve Hackett does when he goes on tour. It’s the Steve Hackett Band (not Genesis) and they perform material from his time in Genesis and well as his solo stuff. This is in direct constrast with Steve Howe whose band he still calls Yes. Yet Howe is the only member of the classic lineup, but not one of the original founding members, in the band.
It would be like Ringo touring with three other people and calling themselves The Beatles.
BC's voice was incredible! Excellent singer, songwriter!
It is sad watching these guys trying to keep going when they sound awful.
"Wings of Pegasus."
Lynyard Skynard? It's a tribute. Same as Foreigner. But people buy the tickets. I don't get it.
Now bear with me. . . I was astonished that I was going to see The Guess Who after they reportedly had broken up in Nashua New Hampshire. There was nobody, and I mean nobody in that band that was in the former band The Guess Who. There were a bunch of us in the audience who are absolutely furious that we will end up seeing four or five guys on the stage that there is no resemblance to anyone that were on the albums. They were lucky to be able to get away with their equipment that night. And if you can imagine this, the lead singer pulled out a trumpet! My estimation is it was in the late 70s, possibly in the early 80s.
There is one thing that is being left out and that is what the straw was that broke the camels backs. 3 of the clubs they were playing used Burton Cummings image and version of the songs. Band denied it was them who did it but the clubs said they were given the video by the band. IT cause BC to go nuclear
Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but in an interview I saw with Burton he said that he has terminated his agreement with the publishing company (ASCAP or BMI I assume) which is how he can stop anybody from performing or even playing the song in any form if he wanted to. What this means I think is that he also won't be collecting any royalties at all from radio play or any other source, which given the number of hits they had, is not an insubstantial amount. Many people don't realize this, but radio stations pay a fee to the publishing houses to play the licensed music. So, I think you have to respect that he is doing that because it's costing him money.
Jerry Shirley the former drummer of Humble Pie owns the name but no longer performs and the new line-up is called Humble Pie Legacy, which is at least more truthful.
If it’s not the original members, it’s not the band. I played some gigs years ago billed as Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, and Dion and the Belmonts. Basically John Mastrangelo and hired guns, and Dion DiMucci with hired guns. It wasn’t the Brooklyn Bridge, or the Belmonts because none of the other musicians were in the original band.
And BTW Burton Cummings was one of the great voices of the genre and I support his position.
Wow. I'm going to start by saying that I learned about this type of situation in 1985 via the Guess Who. I was so into them through the years, but being 1985, there was no Internet to research a band. The concert was in Philadelphia at a great club (Chestnut Cabaret) to watch bands in. There I am in the audience, pretty close to the band, and I'm not seeing Burton Cummings. No Randy Bachman. Someone then explains to me that the only real member is the drummer who owns the right to the name. I had a great time, the singer was great, but I didn't see the Guess Who. I felt gypped. I remembered at the time reading about the Yardbirds and how, at the end, Jimmy Page was left holding the name. Led Zeppelin started as the New Yardbirds.
To me, these are tribute bands. It also reminds me of the Beach Boys. Mike Love has the license to use the name. Is it the Beach Boys? Hell no! Especially not without Brian Wilson. It's Mike Love, Bruce Johnston who joined in '65, left in '71, rejoined in '79, but hey, not one of the originals but he's been there for some big moments in their legacy (but yet just "cheerleads" onstage now). So you see Love, Johnston, and a bunch of supporting players. It's a super sad thing, especially since Love's voice has been shot for the last decade at least. The 2012 reunion was the Beach Boys. You had Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, Mike Love, David Marks (who was on the first three albums and toured with them as a member of the group until 10/63), and Bruce Johnston. Carl and Dennis Wilson were deceased by that time, but had the vocals, the exceptional harmonies, and that Brian Wilson music, arrangements, and productions that everyone from Lennon & McCartney, Jack Bruce (called Wilson "the new Bach"), Elton John, Tom Petty, to Bruce Springsteen, and a zillion others, rave about. Brian Wilson touring since 2000 has been Brian Wilson other than that actual Beach Boys 2012 reunion.
You're right. We're paying good money to see a facsimile, a misrepresentation. It's as if I paid big bucks to buy the Mercedes and found Chrysler parts under the hood, the drivetrain, suspension, and the interior.
The craziest one for me is The Headpins without Darby Mills.....Too Loud is dead and Darby sits at home and the "Headpins" still tour.......sad. PS: I support Burton.
This stuff has gone on for years. I saw the Guess Who in Kansas City at the Uptown Theater. I think it was 1985. What a disappointment no Burton Cummings. Jim Cale on lead vocals and Bass Guitar. I don't remember if Randy Bachman was in that line up. It was a lack luster performance.
No, Randy was back with BTO in 84-86.
No Bachman, at that point, he was relaunching (basically) BTO. I saw them open for Van Halen in early 1986.
The played near me in Tulsa, the price was low, so I checked the line-up. No Burt, No Randy so I did not go. Wish they would have listed the line-up.
John Kay of Steppenwolf went through the same experience.
Really enjoying this . 100% behind BC . Have been enjoying him 57 years & have attended many concerts from coast to coast,The Guess Who & Burton as a solo artist & his current line up wit the Carpet Frogs 👍👍🇨🇦✌️🇨🇦✌️🇨🇦👍
You made the comment comparing to a sports team and various players throughout the years. The problem with that comparison is that a sports team is not a creative entity. It is a business with employees that work for the 'named' business. The players don't own the teams nor did they create the team. A band, especially an iconic one, is a creative entity where its individual members, and some more than others, literally built what that band became. While a 'name' may be able to be trademarked, it doesn't cover or replace the human creative elements that put that band where it stands in history. I do believe that there should be a stipulation in trademark law that covers the type of oversight that happened here, where the origin of the IP is easily traceable to a time well before the TM was filed, and to who (members) the originators were. It may not remove the names on the current TM but it would add the names that matter (Cummings/Bachman) and officially give them the rights to shut the current mockery down.
Agree with Burton. Garry should simply rename his group after one of Guess Who's hits. Laughin for example. No more deceit.
I saw Firefall and Pure Prairie League last summer - free tickets. Not many original members there, either, but I never knew the names of the guys in those bands anyway, so it didn't bother me. It was a great show.
The first concert I ever went to was The Guess Who. Portland Oregon 1974
I was just telling a producer friend about this and didn’t know you were live at the time talking about it! Anyway, definitely following this story. 🎉
Great rundown on the band. Thank you. I’ve been a fan since early 70s when I was there in Canada. Now down here in the states this squabble is making some of the news in the music press, which is great. I just feel so bad for Burton who should’ve been able to tour under the brand name For years, but instead, it was owned by Kale. And there’s been plenty of times when Randy would’ve been willing to join up and join in. They did have the tour in 1984, but they could’ve done so much more. Bachman Cummings even put out a couple albums together, which clearly would’ve been under the Guess Who banner if they were allowed to use it it’s just disappointing. I don’t agree with some folks who think that Randy needs to be in the band for to be considered legitimate guess who. Because after he left the band, they had plenty more hits with Burton as the leader. So as far as I’m concerned, if Burton is the band and he wants to call the guess who it’s the guess who
I agree with Burton. When bands without original members but own the name tour. The bands promotion should include sound clips and photos of the current lineup not the originals.
A concert that I remember seeing was the (young) Rascals, re-labeled as the New Rascals. The only member I am sure was performing was Felix. The show was fantastic.
So what happens to Randy Bachman while he's touring as Bachman Turner Overdrive but also playing The Guess Who songs??? Even though a founding member is that allowed or he is banned also from playing Burton's songs?
He was provided a license gratis from Burton for all his shows.
This will affect any band on the planet that wants to play GW songs live, Butch is going to lose a fortune on royalties..arrogance comes at a price. And clarification, they are GW songs, not Burton songs.
Good question.
Bachman was a Guess Who songwriter with Cummings. They continued to perform together live, playing their hits, even when not using the Guess Who name.
Cummins owns the sole right. He has said Bachman has permission. So does Lenny Kravitz to play his own remake of American Woman. Cummins has also said he will gladly license permissions for other artists to record and perform covers from the Guess Who catalog.
Swindler, liar, ripoff artist, & grifter Jim Kale has never gotten, nor paid for, permission and licensing of any songs from that catalog. Cummings has said he will not issue those to Kale now.
Randy & Burton co-wrote all those big Guess Who hits, although Burton owns the catalog. They have filed a lawsuit together against the fake band last Oct. Randy is fully on board with Burtons decision to pull the rights to play their music, to stop the fake band, even tho he'll lose royalties also. Randy can and does play those Guess Who songs at BTO concerts. And Burton also grants individual licences, free of charge, to true tribute bands upon request.
Wayne Nelson, LRB bass player joined the band in the early 80's. He is the closest thing to an original member. He's the leader ...lead vocalist.
I've met Wayne, he's a good guy, actually had very in depth discussion about the albums he played on - The Net, Playing To Win, No Reins...I appreciate that he and Stephen Housden cared enough to spend time with a fan. That said, it's kind of bogus that Housden owns the name but doesn't tour with them. I don't know the new guys at all - last time I saw LRB was 20 years ago, and even from that recently, the lineup is completely different.
blah
It is what it is....BC is 100% correct on the LAW....
I grew up in Winnipeg and always took an interest in The Guess Who. Burton Cummings was not an original member of the band. When they had their first hit, "Shakin' All Over," which sold approximately 250,000 copies, the members were Chad Allen (vocals), Randy Bachman (guitar, background vocals), Jim Kale (bass, background vocals), Gary Peterson (drums, background vocals), and Bob Ashley (piano). Bob quit the band because of the rigors of touring in order to promote their first hit. Burton was his replacement. Then Chad quit because of vocal nodules and he wanted to get his PhD at the University of Manitoba. Then the band members were Burton, Randy, Jim, and Gary. Jim had a greater role than he's often given credit for. When The Guess Who played at our school dance, Jim was the front man. He talked to the audience and introduced the songs. The Guess Who were the best band in Winnipeg, but not the most popular band because Burton's personality sometimes rubbed some people the wrong way. After they had their second major success with "These Eyes," followed by more major successes with "Laughing,"/"Undun," "No Time," and "American Woman," which hit number 1, Randy left the group for various reasons, including personal health reasons and lifestyle differences. Since then there have been many band members come and go, most notably Kurt Winter (lead guitar) and Dominic Troiano (lead guitar). The Guess Who was never Burton's band, although as singer and song writer, he had a major role. However, the band was never called "Burton Cummings and The Guess Who," so Burton was just a band member. And band members come and go. Burton quit to pursue a solo career. Eventually, the band re-formed. Burton, from my viewpoint, is just being difficult. He's super talented, but he can also be difficult.
Shakin All Over was released by Chad Allan and the Expressions. The first album released as Guess Who? (Using the ? as it was the slogan used after Shakin All Over”/ release) was It’s Time. Burton and Chad traded lead vocals. Chad was gone before the album was released. The FIRST album released as The Guess Who under contract with RCA was Wheatfield Soul. Burton was the only lead singer. Your info is not accurate.
Because you have personal, first-hand knowledge that "Burton's personality sometimes rubbed some people the wrong way" and of BC being "difficult." Got it. Tell us you didn't read the lawsuit and what it's about without telling us you didn't read the lawsuit and what it's about.
And gotta love how you downplay BC's role in TGW, without stating once that they would be nothing without his vocals. You try to do a run-around BC's status in the band, in a way that would be like saying that Stevie Nicks and/or Christine McVie and/or Lindsay Buckingham are incidental members of Fleetwood Mac because they weren't there from the beginning. Good grief.
"Trooper" Never heard of them Guess Who is a LEGENDARY band.....
That is an excellent point on Elton John and people not knowing the discography of a band or artist. They never bought albums. I grew up in the 70s and I was the only kid I knew who saved his money to buy albums - at $7.29 a pop back then. Other kids, if they bought anything, bought 45s for $1.49. I would buy 45s if I just had to have something and didn't have the cash for an album - like "Dream On", I bought the 45 for that, but I really wanted everything. The artwork, the notes, the pullouts when included like the stuff that came with Kiss Alive. Growing up in the 70s rocked man!
When I saw Steely Dan, the only original member was Donald Fagen (Walter had tragically passed not too long before the show). I didn't care; the show was awesome.
Burton Cummins is such a great vocalist and song writer. Then Guess who is moving along with only Peterson when he is healthy enough. Of course Randy plays Guess Who songs. these guys have a right to make a living. that is all there is to it. An original member in most cases can tour under the name. Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of Foreigner, has not played with the band regularly since 2022. Jones has said that Parkinson's disease is keeping him from performing, but he is still involved in the band's background. When he has appeared, it's often near the end of concerts to perform a couple of songs.
I work in live entertainment have since I was 18 in 1976 and I'm still very active. I got started as a guitarist and had a job working in a local studio. I have played live for over 20 years but so far into production on a professional level that I was making real money so I pulled away from playing live in the upper Ohio Vaey area just an hr west of Pittsburgh. It is hard to get a hit. Rudy Sarzo was with them for awhile and he has gone to quiet riot again.
Last thing I have to say is going to see the Guess Who is going to see a tribute act as with Skynyrd now, Foreigner and so forth and so onas people pass or retire. I work in a casino showroom and when they first opened they lost money all of the time. Tickets cost to much to bring national acts into a 1000 seat room. We have done big one, Even Cosby Stills and Nash, Michael Bolton etc. Now we just do tributes acts over there with 25 buck tickets and most are vry good musicians. Way better than paying 200 bucks to sit 100 foot from the front of the stage where you can actually see the band and 500 if you want to be real close. when tribute band tickets are 25 bucks They are not using real names but they do have management companies who have lawyers to fight off the cease and desist using a small part of their name that doesn't work in court. Burton and Randy wrote most of those songs.
I remember reading somewhere that Joey Molland addressed the issue of going out as "Badfinger", in that it's easier for him to put people into the seats that way, as they don't know who Joey Molland is, but in his defense, he doesn't have his former bandmates alive to go out with him. He's not Paul and Ringo going out with two other guys, I can at least understand the point of view here.
Then there's the post-Ozzy Black Sabbath, an all-time argument starter where, by the mid-80s, only Tony Iommi remained, after Ronnie James Dio left his fingerprints on the band and giving it a new identity. The band was essentially over and done after "Born Again" (with Ian Gillan), but Iommi was pressured by the record company to label his solo album as "Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi", and in the coming years, he'd settle on Tony Martin as his vocalist -- interrupted by reunions with both Ozzy and Dio -- with the proverbial revolving door of big names like Cozy Powell, Bob Daisley, and Neil Murray.
Unless you're in a situation like Deep Purple, where you change personnel but still manage to produce "viable material" -- and there's the rub -- I wouldn't mind seeing these bands going out under the guise of "celebrating the music of ____." I'm a huge fan of the Guess Who, and I do at least have some of the material they did with Kurt and Jim and Donnie back in the 80s. It was underwhelming, to say the least, and the "go past the tilt-a-whirl" incarnations of the group (including the singer that yodeled) do nothing for me. If that's someone else's bag, hey, it's your money, go for it. As I'm understanding this, the issue isn't so much that the legacy is being tarnished -- Rod Evans got sued and spanked hard by the legitimate owners of the name when he tried to float a bogus Deep Purple in 1980, while three members of the Mark II lineup are out today without two of the band's founders -- it's that Bachman and Cummings claim that the current band has either hinted or flat-out claimed that they're involved. That's in the courts, and for my part, while I'm all for their preserving their legacy, I don't want to see Bachman and Cummings going out as "The Guess Who" -- just as what's out there right now isn't "BTO" to me -- unless they at least involve Donnie and Bill (and Vance Masters on drums ...).
That juvenile name for Burton Cummings had me laughing: Did the guy who coined it stop to consider that Bachman and Cummings (and later, Kurt Winter and even Domenic Troiano) planted the "seeds" that made the band successful enough that these nobodies even have jobs today?
After the passing of Greame Edge Justin Hayward said, of the future of the Moody Blues, that he wasn't interested in being part of a "tribute" band. And this would have still included John Lodge in the band if they HAD continued. Now, knowing that Justin and John were the two members who wrote and sung the majority of the Moodies hits (and deep tracks) this is saying something. So how much more is the current Guess Who a tribute band? Especially when you consider that they only have 1/4 of 1/4 of the original members. (Given that Gary Peterson only performs part-time.)
To me they should be called TRIBUTE BANDS. I love Foghat who only has Rodger Earl. And Sweet has no original members. It is good that The Babys haven't Tony Brock and Walley on lead guitar. And speaking of Firefall Rick Robert's and Firefall is touring as Rick said in a interview with Ambrosia
The same thing happened between Jeff Lynne and ELO Part 2, when Bev Bevan left ELO Part 2 in 1999, he sold his 50% share of the ELO name to Jeff Lynne. Bevan's former band mates wanted to continue using the ELO Part 2 name. Lynne stopped them as he owned 100% of the rights to ELO, the ex-ELO and ELO Part 2 members decided to call themselves "The Orchestra" featuring former members of ELO and ELO Part 2. Lynne tried to sue them over using ELO and ELO Part 2 in their publicity, Lynne lost his case as The Orchestra band members were former members of ELO and ELO Part 2, they still tour using that publicity to this day. Lynne also failed to stop them from performing ELO's classic hits which were written by Lynne.
Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman don't own the rights to the Guess Who name, so I don'e rate their chances of stopping the latest Guess Who outfit from performing the Guess Who classic hits. Kale and Peterson own the rights to The Guess Who name, Cummings and Bachman should have registered the Guess Who name themselves, but they didn't, unfortunately for Cummings and Bachman, it's a case of locking the gate after the horse has bolted.
Little River Band are still playing under that name in your part of the world? I just recently saw a gig with Glenn Shorrock in Oz - the original singer and a driving force of that band during their successful years. Couldn't imagine LRB without him up front.
If you're just a tribute band, just be honest. I see a band locally called Wings 'N' Things - they play Wings, Beatles, McCartney stuff. Great show - in fact, better than what Macca himself can deliver himself these days. 2 lead singers, plus the lead guitarist and drummer sing occasionally, too. They play songs Macca's never done live - Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Medicine Jar, all kinds of stuff.
The name means everything. Look at Yes when they toured as Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford Howe. They performed to empty buildings, couldn't draw anybody out to see them. The original Oak Ridge Boys started in the 30s and they were all gone by the sixties. All of the now famous Oaks were never original members but we didn't know that. I'd imagine the young people today don't know that nobody in Trooper is original. How about the Beach Boys? The guy that wrote all of the songs and sang lead and played instruments is no longer in the band and Mike Love owns the name and doesn't do much but stand around on the stage and sing a few vocal parts. Pretty soon he'll be retired from touring and still own the name and he'll let a replacement band go on tour, play the hits and nobody in the 30 and under set will ever know the difference. What is happening is if you own the name you are legally in the right. But if you go out there and pretend to be the band you are morally wrong in my opinion. I agree with what Burton is doing. Just try to shame them into not using the name.
Foghat, Grandfunk, ccr, are a few examples of bands that should no longer be, without certain members
CCR ex members changed the name from "Revival" to "Revisited" to get away with it. Sneaky SOBs.😅
Same with The Cars, when Todd went with them, they had to be called The New Cars.
John Kay went through the same sort of mess,with several groups calling themselves Steppenwolf,he got sick of it and started touring as John Kay and Steppenwolf
Nice podcast tonight. Besides donating $ or Patreon, what else can we do to help you get $$?
Wow your mic sounds so good on this video. You always have such good content too!
I remember when Jim Kale, Donnie McDougal and Garry Peterson getting together in 1979 with some members of Brother. Vance Masters may have been on for one leg. The name of the album was All This for A Song. They did okay, but absolutely not the Guess Who. It has to be Burton Cummings or Randy Bachman to be the Guess Who. I enjoyed the Kurt Winter (Bachman's Replacement) era, too because they still had Burton. The weird thing is I think Kale and McDougal overlapped a couple of months in 1972. Talented musicians, no doubt, but misrepresented what they were
Imagine if Ringo trademarked the name and started touring with 3 younger guys as The Beatles. Imagine if Paul McCartney asked Ringo repeatedly to shut it down but Ringo refused. That's pretty much the situation with this band that calls itself The Guess Who. Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman are alive and well...and they never told Jim Kale (the bass player who was fired from the band back in 1972) he could trademark the name. Enough is enough!
All these bands like Foreigner The Guess who even journey all these bands are just cover bands now
Just had a gig with TGW canceled because of this subject. Burton put the kibosh on the show, I’m gathering.
Great story. 😊
Jeff Lynne doesn't say it's The Electric Light Orchestra he says Jeff Lynne's ELO.
I'm gong to work with those guys in the current Guess Who in a couple weeks. I'll ask them? What is going on with Cummings.
If i go see a band, i expect to see pretty much the band or some original semblance of the band.Why they don't just present themselves as a tribute band is beyond me...something fishy here...I saw the Guess Who at corporate gig in Chicago around 1989...i was psyched to see them having seen them in '72 while in college ...Well i think only the drummer was an original member..it was a major bummer.No one promoting mentioned it was not the original members or even close to that.sort of scam to a real fan.Be a tribute band and let people know who you are.
I think this is starting to become a bigger problem now that all the legends are getting into their more advanced years. I don't know what the solution should be, a name change or what, but I know they shouldn't be just advertising big gigs under the original band name and charging exorbitant ticket fees as if you are seeing the original band and there be not an original member in sight. I also do not want to be paying those huge ticket prices for lip syncing. That is so false to their fans. If they want to do either of those things it needs to be made obvious to everyone and plainly stated and prices should be significantly lower. I completely side with Burton on this. So glad he is standing up for himself and in the process other musicians and real fans too. I think this is a tipping point for going forward.
So sad... for all...my heart hurts for them.🙏🙏
Every few years Cummings and Bachman get over their issues with one another and reunite for a series of concerts. The fact that Kales Clones were touring never really impacted them or their gigs. They were a nuisance and Cummings would talk about it but that was it. But, that has changed. Post COVID the market for touring classic rock bands has exploded. There is demand and US based Promoters would rather pay $$ to the Guess Who than $$$$ to the two guys that wrote the hits but don’t have the name. So, there is no market for a Bachman and Cummings songbook tour in the US. A coverband with a trademark is touring around instead. Looking at BTO, Randy Bachman can book shows across Canada with his son accompanied by his touring band under his own name. But, Randy Bachman securing the BTO name from his former bandmates and his sibling’s widows allows him, his son and his touring band to play shows across the US and charge more money. The name is so important; it gives greater access to US promoters. Bachman is 80 and the fact that he now uses a stool for most of his concert means there is probably not more than a year or two of touring left. The lawsuit will probably take a couple of years to make its way through the court system. Burton’s actions look to speed a settlement up; designed to get Kale and Peterson to settle sooner rather than later.
They should be categorized as " The band formerly know as " or make them tribute bands legally. A lot of bands today are off the rails and should be accountable legally. That should be true if less than 50 percent are original members.
same as Eric Burdon and John Steel fighting over the use of the Animals -band name-------------Kicks was offered to the Animals first and they turned it down
My feeling is that if it’s just 1 original member it should be billed as his/her name playing the music of -insert band name- ….for a band name to be used I feel it should contain at least 2 identifiable members of the hits.
Good start. BUT the problem is that 99% of bands have other, non-listed "members" who recorded part on the albums, or who performed on tours, who have then, AFTER THE FACT, claimed to be "former members" and have tried this scam of using a band name which did not have all the legal protections.
People are not honorable or honest when it comes to money.
Can you explain how rights work when it comes to performing songs in concert? Does every cover band need to acquire the rights to play all of the songs? I always assumed they just had to pay royalties of some sort.
The bands that just cover one band seem to be plentiful but I would think bands still touring would tell them no.
I saw The Guess Who at Disney in Florida. I kept on yelling and carry on. Where the Guess Who, finally I looked on the web and yes it was the drummer. But the rest of the band were Metal posers.
BC didn’t even appear on the first 3 albums. Both Peterson and Kale are original members. They have a far stronger claim to the name. Bands change lineups all the time. You wouldn’t say Black Sabbath was no longer Black Sabbath after Ozzy left. Or the Doors were no longer the Doors after Jim died and they still put out 2 excellent albums.
After watching most of this video I've concluded that the tribute bands that are going on and on and on after most or all of the original members are gone should call themselves TEAM (insert band's name here).
I have seen Burton a couple of times in the last 5 years or so.
Once with a band and once solo.
With the made up band, at an outdoor show he was great .
A few years later as a solo he was good but not great. Maybe he had an off night.
Who in their right mind would want to see Trooper? 🤫Then or now 🤨
I was unfortunate enough to see Trooper in the Scorpion Lounge in the Vancouver area wat back in the late 70s.
I don't know why they were playing in that small room because they were one of the top Canadian bands at the time.
It was horrible. The band members were drinking at the table next to us and were hammered.
They were like 1 1/2 hours late starting and played one short set (horribly) then got back to drinking at their table.
Disgusting.
I’m sure that there are many painters who could knock out a perfect copy of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” but every single one is a knock off. Similarly, there are probably a few people who could do a fair job honking out Guess Who songs. But if I heard a show advertised using actual recordings of Burton, and I paid to see them, I’d sue. I have no interest in seeing some fakers pretending to be THE Guess Who.
And speaking of GFRR! Don and Mel should be ASHAMED. I won’t go see them even when it’s included with fair admission!
It's very simple, Burton. Just buy the name back from Jim and Garry. You legally own the publishing credits after buying them from Nimbus 9 while they were in bankruptcy (which, to this date you have not given Randy back his publishing credits even though you had a handshake agreement).
Kale and Peterson are co-owners of the trademark. The lawsuit clearly states they BOTH own it now. Peterson does not lease it from him.
I missed out seeing the original line up of Lynyrd Skynyrd when they did Concert on the Green in Oakland when I was in the Navy. Then less than a month later they crashed their plane and members died. I have seen Lynyrd Skynyrd several times with Johnny Van Zant leading. the band. Still awesome shows but only Gary Rossington was only original member. Now he passed and I will still go see Skynyrd even if only a kick ass cover band.
So sometimes a great cover band is all we get.
Several years ago I turned day an opportunity to see the So called Guess Who. No Burt No Randy.
It's a question of honesty. These bands use the original name to fill seats, charge higher prices... otherwise why call yourself what you're not. If it was about your love of the band's music and not money you wouldn't try to hoodwink the fans. Apparently they own use of the name but Burt owns the rights to the songs. To me bands like this are worth tribute band prices. Paying these clowns $200/ticket is laughable. I saw Burt with Ringo's All Stars and he was awesome as was the who's who of musicians backing him. That satisfied my Guess Who jones.
Bob Jovi"s voice is slipping.
The fake GW charged $375 for front row at their recent LA show. It was Ticketmaster Premium pricing but the reason TM set it at that is because they thought it was THE Guess Who.
TM ain't that dumb -- but I'll bet they thought that the audience was/is.
Wings of Pegasus analyzed Don Henley’s lip sync allegations. 😁
Burton Cummings is as akin to guess who as Mark Farner to grand funk railroad .There´s no guess who without Burton and there´s no grand funk without Mark .
My problem with the current Bachman-Turner Overdrive is, Fred Turner's name is in the name of the band - and he's not there. False advertising. Tal Bachman is in the band - call it Bachman-Bachman Overdrive.
Apparently Fred Turner gave Randy his approval to use BTO
In tennis terms.... Advantage Cummings.
But....if Kale "OWNS" the name??
The Glenn Miller Orchestra is still performing, despite Glenn Miller himself having disappeared in 1944. So go figure.
reading the comments I'm like WTF, did you even listen to what was said in the video?
Great conversation! In some cases I can see both sides. Grand Funk is missing Mark Farner, and yes, he wrote and sang most of the hits. Would he have been as successful without Brewer and Schacher? Both are really good musicians and you can use the argument that by saying no Farner, no Grand Funk, you are disrespecting them and their contribution to the band. I will admit that I have not payed too much attention to Grand Funk since Farner left. I loved all incarnations of The Guess Who that had Cummings in it. He has such a unique voice he is just hard to replace. BTO is just BO without Fred Turner, and by BO I mean Bachman Overdrive, not body odor! 😆 If Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr formed a band and called them The Beatles, would that be legitimate? I would say no since The Beatles are held in such a high regard and most would not accept a Beatles band being nobody but John, Paul, George, and Ringo. But that has been impossible since 1980. As far as bands like Foreigner, that one I will agree on since there is no band member there when Jones is not playing that had anything to do with the hits. I do think they sound great though!
Bachman Turner Overdrive touring with no Turner.
Any idiot can start an account on X with a smartphone. They then place their idiocy on full display with their posts. This is just another episode in Canada's longest running soap opera. The adults in the room are not amused.
LET THE EGGS AND TOMATOES DO THE TALKING.
Foreigner can call themselves foreigner because Mick Jones owns the rights and he gets a cut from every show regardless if he plays or not.
Ringo Starr tours with his All Star Band....not the Beatles !!
Love the latest guess who albums. Sound nothing like the original but great.
Bands like the current Little River Band, The Guess Who etc. should have to modify their name to make the general public (who may not know) aware that they are really just a tribute band to all intents & purposes. If they don't, it's false advertising. With ticket prices so high now, it's buyer beware.
Personally, I'm a music nerd; one of those people who reads the lyrics, wants to know who plays which instruments, who writes, who sings etc. So I would never pay to see a band that no longer has the original creative members in it (or at least the majority still in it).
Fleetwood Mac the did the same business without Lindsey Buckingham, and he produced and wrote the majority of the hits. ?? Fickle.
Uh, Lindsey was only one of three songwriters in the "classic" Fleetwood Mac - and he wasn't even an original member. Look up Jeremy Spencer, Peter Green.
It’s completely different with Fleetwood Mac. They had a long history before Lindsey and many albums before him. In truth he may be responsible for 5 percent of the band’s output. Most of the hits were sung by Stevie and Christine. Bob Welch led the band for several years after the first couple of incarnations with Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer.
The Oak Ridge Boys have been around since 1943. So what.
As much as I love Rickey Medlocke and Lynyrd Skynyrd they are just as bad. During the original reunion tour there was a document drafted that said that 3 members from the classic 70's line up had to be there. At the time you still had Gary, Billy, Leon, Ed and ArtimusBwith Allen's blessing as he was still alive. Ronnie's wife Judy who he was going to leave and Gary's handlers became so greedy that she continued to let them tour. It got to the point of being a band with only Gary being a member of the original band. He died what two years ago guess what they are still touring as Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ricky was in the band for about 6 months in 72 but he wasn't even playing guitar he played the drums. Marshall Tucker and Molly Hatchet are just as bad. Don't even get me going about what Don and Mel did to Mark Farner
Hey JOHN HOW ABOUT FOGHAT?
You talk about Foreigner being an cover band. Kelly Hansen is keeping the Foreigner music catalog alive. The music that we grew up is dieing off. I went to see Lou Grahm perform and he just can’t sing like he used to. She and health effects everybody. We should be happy the music is living on.
Canned Heat another example…..
i couldnt get into lsast 2 guess who lp flavours and power in the music diddnt sound the same
What is Randy's take on it ? Randy and Burton should tour as BTO featuring former Guess Who members ... just to stir the pot. They should retire the name and Burton then could let them play the songs, compromise. Kale poked the bear and foolishly didn't see what coming ...Pride goeth before the fall.
Just call these cover bands "tribute bands". There are dozens of them touring for Abba, Queen, Eagles, John Denver, and others. That way you know ahead of time what you are in for. Hearing some great songs, but not from the original artists. Otherwise, look up the band in question BEFORE you buy your tickets to be sure of who you are going to see. I did it with Little River Band...and decided, No Thank You! Appreciate your channel!
It's the pretend Styx. They suck without Dennis!