Tribute Bands

Summary

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Flightless Bird: "Tribute Bands"

Host: David Farrier
Date: January 13, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, David Farrier dives into the strange, thriving world of tribute bands—groups who meticulously re-create the music, stage presence, and production of iconic acts, often outlasting the originals themselves. David, a New Zealander marooned in America, sets out to unravel the appeal of tribute bands, what sets them apart from cover bands, their unique culture, and why so many musicians find their home performing as someone else. The episode mainly follows the story of Dirty Deeds, a highly successful ACDC tribute band based in Massachusetts, and explores the broader tribute scene through interviews with its members.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Tribute Bands vs. Cover Bands

• Tribute bands aim not only to perform the songs but to inhabit the original band/artist's persona, sound, and theatrical style.
• Cover bands play a broader selection of songs, often casually, and aren't focused on faithfully re-creating a single act.
• Notable quote:
  • Jimmy (Dirty Deeds, 22:18):

    "A cover band... just for the drunken people at the bar. A tribute band, to me, is when you're each playing a real person's role in the original band or you're trying to replicate the sound of the album. So it's like you're tributing something that exists in a way that you’re familiar with versus just throwing the music out there."

2. The Origin and Popularity of Tribute Bands

• Tribute bands started to thrive in places like Australia and New Zealand, where access to global acts was rare.
• The phenomenon has exploded in America, especially as classic acts retire or certain members pass away, growing into a lucrative, organized circuit with dedicated rosters and fans.
• Notable quote:
  • David (3:48):

    "Tribute bands have always fascinated me. I think they're almost more interesting than the actual bands because there's just so much weird stuff going on."

3. Dirty Deeds: Inside a Professional Tribute Band

• Jimmy, the 30-year-old rhythm guitarist, entered the world via another tribute band ("ADHD"), before getting tapped for Dirty Deeds after being seen in a Facebook video.
• Dirty Deeds is marked by a wide age range—from Jimmy to their founder and frontman Bob, age 76.
• The band averages 50–70 shows a year in 500–1,000 seat theaters, mostly on the US East Coast and Midwest.
• Performance is theatrical and immersive, likened to a Broadway production, involving media, pyrotechnics, and careful recreation of ACDC’s live feel.
• Notable quote:
  • Jimmy (23:03):

    "We think of it more of a Broadway production... there's media, there's pyrotechnics, there's things that go along with each song. So it's like a flow from the beginning to the end of ACDC’s career."

4. The Bizarre, Competitive, and Emotional World of Tributes

• The tribute scene is "booming," featuring festivals composed exclusively of tribute acts for every major band.
• The ecosystem: Some tribute bands are now tributes to other tribute bands; others combine two classic bands in one (e.g., "Foreigner's Journey").
• Competition can be fierce and sometimes comical, with rival bands seeking each other's proprietary stage designs.
• Even original members like Mick Fleetwood have started tribute acts to their own bands for business reasons.
• Notable quote:
  • Jimmy (31:02):

    "Some tribute bands are not tributing the original band, but they're tributing another tribute."

5. Why Musicians Choose the Tribute Path

• There’s an external perception that playing in a tribute band means you're not "good enough" for original music.
• Many, however, are passionate musicians, turned to tribute work for stability, joy, and love of the music, often after close brushes with wider fame that didn’t pan out.
• Chris (in his 50s) and Bob (late 70s) both came from original band backgrounds and highlight how tribute work has sustained their careers and love for performing.
• Notable quote:
  • Chris (34:16):

    "When you love to play...[music] motivates us to just...be better. Because his band [Bob’s] was so good, you know, it just blew us away."

6. Audience & Community

• Tribute bands often perform in restored, community-run theaters in small towns, bringing classic music to people otherwise unable to see the real deal.
• The crowds range from die-hard fans who never got to see the originals to families introducing the next generation.
• The band sees their role almost as ambassadors, connecting music with overlooked communities.

7. The Art of Imitation & Fandom

• Tribute musicians obsessively study their counterparts—not just the notes, but the on-stage mannerisms and even “genetic similarity” in vocalists.
• There's pride in perfecting "the moves" to delight dedicated fans, sometimes to the point of neurotic commitment.
• Memorable story:
  • Jimmy (41:26):
    A mishap with a stage wig leads Jimmy to knock over an entire wall of amps at a festival—he recovers, keeps playing through the chaos, guitar intact.

8. The Elusive Bob: Legacy and Philosophy

• The band’s founder, Bob, is depicted by others as a “mythical legend,” difficult to pin down for an interview, but the heart of Dirty Deeds.
• Ultimately, David corners Bob in the tour van, who emphasizes that real tribute requires love and care for both music and persona—you can't fake it.
• Bob wants the band to outlast him, continuing the tradition and spirit long after he's gone.
• Notable quotes:
  • Bob (46:42):

    "To be a tribute band, you’ve got to be into the people you’re doing, the character, the music, what they stand for...what makes you a good tribute band is everyone...cares about who they’re doing and why."

  • Bob (49:42):

    "I want this band to continue when I’m done...when I pass this on, pass the torch, they’re all younger, and I want to keep bringing younger people in...I want them to continue for another 10, 20 years."

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On why tribute bands exist:

  • David (3:35):

    "Tribute bands are more than just cover bands. They exist to encapsulate not just the music, but also the personalities and stage presence and production of the real band. Sometimes they exist while the actual band still exists. Others live on after..."

• Jimmy on skill vs. imitation:

  • Jimmy (24:00):

    "There's a difference between playing the song, and playing it like the artist...if you don’t play it like Malcolm Young, with the ferocity of his pick attack...it just sounds boring. You have to really put the effort in to get those little things down."

• Chris on highs and lows:

  • Chris (34:16):

    "I've been in a huge studio with a Grammy Award winning producer...And to watch it all just go away and then be right back to square one...but you pick up the pieces, because if you love to play..."

• On the emotional endurance of performance:

  • Chris (45:15):

    “When we’re on stage, our age dynamic doesn’t matter... we’re all 20, we’re all kids. You just feel like a kid when you play.”

• Jimmy on audience reaction:

  • Jimmy (42:24):

    "We do get a fair share of kids, which is cool...but definitely people that like, love AC/DC and always did...It's the best. Like, people, you know, seeing these people let loose..."

• Bob’s view on the band’s future:

  • Bob (49:44):

    "I’m hoping that they get the experience from me that I’ve dealt with all these years. So when I pass this on, pass the torch, they’re all younger...I want it to continue..."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:25–04:56: Opening banter; What even is a tribute band?
• 05:25–13:09: David and Rob’s initial take on tribute bands, American/LA experience, and snobbery factor
• 16:01–24:38: Chapter 1: Sunderstruck — Jimmy's introduction to ACDC and early tributes
• 27:30–32:43: The touring/venue circuit and the parallel universe of tribute band festivals
• 32:43–37:00: Chris’s career trajectory and reflections on fame, failure, and tribute
• 38:02–40:17: The elusive Bob and the band’s age-range dynamic
• 40:17–45:09: Living as "Malcolm Young" and audience/fan impact in small town America
• 45:53–50:27: Interview with Bob; philosophy, passion, legacy
• 53:54–63:06: David and Rob’s analysis, reactions, personal experiences, and business questions
• 63:06–64:54: Tributes, the business model, and the future—plus on franchised tributes (like The Hives)
• 65:05–67:20: The “un-AI-able” human element in performance and podcasting
• 67:56–End: Closing banter, Patreon announcements, community building

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Tone and Language

• The episode is curious, irreverent, self-aware, and empathetic, with David’s signature blend of fascination and Kiwi dry humor.
• There’s a mix of playful ribbing, personal anecdote, and deep respect for both the weirdness and the heart of the tribute band scene.

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Conclusion

Flightless Bird’s "Tribute Bands" episode explores how tribute acts offer more than nostalgia—they are vibrant communities, creative outlets, and in many cases, the glue connecting legendary music to fans in every corner of America. For Dirty Deeds and their peers, it's both passion and profession, sustained by pride in the act of perfect emulation and the joy of giving a crowd what they want—even if it’s just a little bit of borrowed thunder.

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For fans of live music, pop culture oddities, and the strange American ecosystems between icon, imitator, and audience, this episode is both a fun ride and unexpectedly moving.

Transcript

[A]

David. Hi, Rosabelle. How are you? I'm good.

[B]

How are you?

[A]

I'm good. I'd give my day a 7 out of 10. What about you?

[B]

I. I would give it a 6 out of 10.

[A]

Have you had something go wrong or has it just been boring?

[B]

It got rained on.

[A]

I'm sorry, I. I don't mean to make your day worse by throwing an annoying question at you, but today's topic, we're looking at tribute bands. Quite a bizarre sort of territory we get into, but I'm wondering if you could see any band you know that wasn't the band or the artist, but was someone pretending to be said band or artist. Who would you want to see?

[B]

Oh, that's such a good question.

[A]

You know, it's sort of almost like you don't want to fork out top dollar for the actual band, but you kind of want to be in the zone and pay less for someone who is not quite the real band.

[B]

Okay, so you mean the. The band is still alive? Like you could go see them. They're not dead.

[A]

In this scenario, the. The band is still alive. They have not passed on.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

So you have the real band or artist touring, and then you have the tribute also touring for a much cheaper price. But they're very professional. If you close your eyes, you might not be able to tell the difference.

[B]

Don't you think this is a good loophole? If you have an artist who you really like and they get cancelled, can you give them money to this tribute artist instead?

[A]

Can I go guilt free to a Michael Jackson tribute act?

[B]

Where does the money go? Does the money go to this impersonator or.

[A]

It goes. Generally it does all go to the tribute. It doesn't go to the original artist. They're separate worlds.

[B]

Okay, so this is actually a trick question about who is my most cancelled favorite artist?

[A]

Yeah, that's what we're secretly getting to.

[B]

Someone once told me about this really popular band who. They didn't want to play their old music anymore, but a lot of people who loved them really wanted to come and hear their old music. And the way that they addressed it is that they got a tribute band to open for them and the opening band would play all their old music and then they would come on and play the music they wanted to play.

[A]

God, that's good.

[B]

Which I. I thought that was very clever.

[A]

Well, I was thinking about this. When I get sick of doing this podcast and talking to you, I can just get someone to sub in for me. It wouldn't be hard to do Maybe.

[B]

Would you ever have a tribute person tribute? David Farrier.

[A]

It'S food for thought. Flightless bird 2026. Not me anymore. Someone else.

[B]

Well, we've already done that in our personal lives, so why not professionally?

[A]

David I'm David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America, and I want to figure out what makes this country tick. Now, back at Christmas, a music biopic. Biopic. Biopic. Can never say that word was released called Song Sung Blue. Now, I'm of the belief that no music biopics ever need to be made again after Walk Hard. If you don't know that film, please go and watch it now. But Song Sung Blue caught my attention because it was about a tribute band called Lightning and Thunder. A tribute band who toured around performing as Neil Diamond. Tribute bands have always fascinated me. I think they're almost more interesting than the actual bands or artists they're tributing because there's just so much weird stuff going on with them. Tribute bands are more than just cover bands. They exist to encapsulate not just the music, but also the personalities and stage presence and production of the real band. Sometimes they exist while the actual band still exists. Others live on after the original artist has passed away, as if the most of the artists have simply refused to leave this mortal plane. And who do we have to thank for the tribute band? Well, probably Australia. Sure, there have always been Elvis impersonators, but for the tribute band, I'm pretty sure it was Australia. Back in the day, places like Australia and New Zealand as well were so far away. Big groups with big shows from America and the UK never made it that far. So Australia just invented their own versions. So instead of Pink Floyd, Australia had the Australian Pink Floyd Floyd show. And instead of abba, they had Bjorn again from Australia. The idea of tribute bands being a real viable thing stuck. And they got bigger everywhere else, including America. And so when I heard about an American tribute band tributing the music of an Australian band, it just seemed like such a wonderful full circle moment. I wanted to make a Flightless Bird episode about it. So get ready to see your favorite band perform. But they're not actually your favorite band because they're a tribute band. But does it really matter if you can't even tell the difference? Because this is the tribute band episode.

[C]

New Year, same extra value meals at McDonald's. So now get two snack wraps plus fries and a medium soft drink for just $8 for a limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska And California.

[D]

And for delivery.

[A]

Flav. Flightless. Flightless bird.

[C]

Touchdown in America.

[A]

I'm a flyless bird Touchdown in America. Rob, how are you?

[D]

Good. David, how are you? You're in New Zealand.

[C]

I'm good.

[A]

I'm still in New Zealand. Which made the opening line of the show saying I'm orange in America seem completely diabolical. But, hey, you gotta give that iconic line, don't you, for the show that you always open with. You can never change it.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, because you're a dark tourist.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Thank you. And life's crazy and unpredictable when you're a dark tourist. Now, Rob, you're a music lover.

[D]

Yep.

[A]

And I'm sort of deeply curious, you know, growing up in America, whether the sort of idea of a tribute band was sort of a thing you've brushed up against. Because, you know, in New Zealand growing up, there were tribute bands here all the time, either Kiwi made or coming in from Australia or. There was always a thing.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, I think, like Chicago suburbs, there was always smaller tribute and cover bands going around. Like, I think there are some pretty well known or heavily pushed ones in the suburbs of Chicago. Yeah.

[A]

I don't.

[D]

What was the question?

[A]

No, I think this is such a. It's such an interesting area because I think there's this. Your kind of reaction when you hear tribute band is like, oh, it's not the real band. So, like, why would I be interested?

[D]

It was never something I would ever go see. I will say, but. But I will say there is a little bit of contradiction there. I do like a good cover. Like, I do like a band doing a great cover of a song. But I think the difference there is that I'm not going to see this band because of their cover. I'm going because of their original music. But then I love the rendition of this cover that they do.

[A]

Yeah, I guess a band doing a cover of a song, they're not saying, we are trying to be this band. They're like, we're still the band. We are, but we're temporarily embodying the song in some way or doing their.

[D]

Own take on it. I will say, I don't know if there's anything to do with it either. None of the bands I really listen to would have a tribute or cover band.

[A]

Because that's the other thing. If you're listening to sort of smaller indie bands, they're not going to have tribute bands. You've got to be listening to incredibly big sort of mainstream acts to even have a tribute Band around them.

[D]

Yeah. Which could change my mind. Like, I. I could see being slightly more interested in seeing a good Radiohead cover band or tribute band.

[A]

Ah.

[D]

If. But even then, like, I think immediately I go to. They're not gonna be as good.

[A]

Mm.

[D]

Like, musically, they're not gonna be as good. So why maybe wouldn't either bother doing that?

[A]

And I also think that comes from. We're both super lucky to currently spend most of our time in Los Angeles, where we get access to every single band imaginable. And so we have that. And I think, obviously, for people that are out in the waps, tribute bands become this thing where it's like, this might be their only opportunity to hear this kind of music done. Because Radiohead isn't going to come to Joshua Tree. American Town, Joshua Tree.

[D]

I mean, which I do get, though. Like, if it's a band that, like, is never going to tour again, like, I. I do love the magic of live music and I can understand that.

[A]

Because that's the other thing. Does it alter in your mind, you know, is there a difference between a tribute band that is tributing a band that is currently existing? Or is it different if the band they are tributing is no longer either touring or their members have all passed away? You know, like, how does that, like, factor into the. The. The math of it mean?

[D]

I think that definitely factor.

[A]

Dear God.

[D]

I think that definitely factors quite a bit where, like. And then I think you have to go even further when. When you get it on the scale of, like, Vegas and Vegas having, like, yeah, Beatles, Cirque du Soleil with, like. That's cool. I. I don't mind that.

[A]

Yes. Like, you get far enough away from the band, the original band performing, somehow it becomes more palatable to listen to someone else doing that music and performing those songs.

[D]

Yeah. There's not enough, like, Queen, like, there's that dude. That's Freddie Mercury now on those tours. I don't have any problem with that. Like, especially they're investing in, like, the production of those shows. Again, I don't think it's like a replacement for Queen, but if you enjoy those songs and, like, it's. There's like a weird business aspect to that, though, of, like, the label or whoever still owns that catalog and the licensing for that music. So they're just gonna plug in a new frontman to perform it and monetize something.

[A]

And this is maybe a little bit niche, but when I ever. I think about tribute bands, I've been thinking about this. I love Linkin park. Grew up loving Linkin Park. Big fan of Chester. So you've got this sort of new metal rock band. That frontman, Chester, he passed away. God, it's probably going back years now. Probably 2017 or 2018. He passes away. There are a bunch of Lincoln Band, Linkin park cover bands. Right. Lincoln park, the actual band now has a new female singer, Scientologist, famously very funny.

[D]

From the band Dead Sarah.

[A]

From the band Dead Sarah. And so you've got. Linkin park is still touring and doing their thing, but different vocalists. You either like, then you sort of singer or you're more skeptical of it, I guess. There's a tribute band, a Linkin park tribute band that is now doubled down, basically going, we. Their frontman sort of looks like Chester and sounds like Chester. And they're basically now in all their marketing, and I find it kind of grimy. Their marketing is like, no, we are more like the original Linkin park than the actual Lincoln park is now. Because we have a singer that is more genetically similar.

[E]

Well, that's insane.

[A]

To the original singer. And I find that concept a combination of hilarious and also quite weird.

[D]

That's insane. That's. There's no. I mean, when a band just replaces the singer because they died. Like, I also don't. They don't then become a tribute band because they no longer have.

[A]

I fully agree. I fully agree with you.

[D]

But, yeah, another layer of this cover band and saying they're more of the. No, that's not true at all. Because you've all. I've also seen so much, like, the magic of all of the people in the band coming together and, like, the lead singer leaving and being like, I can do this on my own. And it's. That magic's gone. Like, it is this. The sum of all parts is very real in a band.

[A]

Totally. And that's the magic of, like, the music, right?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. And I just. I find that concept sort of hilarious and awful, and I just, I think, oh, very, like, deeply sexist. It's like, what a woman. No, that's not Linkin Park. It needs to be for, like, it needs to be all Dick's House. It's not gonna. It's not gonna work. Okay. So for my little audio documentary today, I really enjoyed putting this.

[D]

How do you feel about tribute bands and cover bands? Do you, like. Do you want to go see a 9 inch nail cover band?

[A]

No. So that's a good question. I'm very similar to you in that if I had access to the band that I loved I would go and see them. I feel like I came out of putting this little audio documentary together thinking a bit differently about it. So before I went into this, in my brain, cover bands and tribute bands were kind of the same thing. The idea of seeing a band doing covers at a bar wasn't that different in my mind to the tribute scene. And I think that's purely because I haven't been to see a lot of big tribute bands perform. I just haven't been plugged into that world. And so in putting this particular story together, I think my perception shifted and I went in feeling skeptical, I think, and a bit snobbish about the whole tribute scene. I think I came away from it going, oh, I get it. I feel my. My perspective of why people get involved in this scene shifted dramatically and I found that really interesting.

[D]

Yeah, I will say I do have a friend. My friend Thomas plays in this. Like, I feel like we get a little spoiled in LA, but they have this like,'80s cover band called the Good Time Boys, which I think it's my friend Thomas and then like a guy from Maroon 5. And it's just all these crazy musicians that are this band. So it's much more for fun and for the love of music. And I think the assumption on a lot of COVID bands and tribute bands is that they're musicians that couldn't cut it writing original stuff. So they're right. They're performing other people's music.

[A]

Stereotype haunts everyone right in that scene.

[D]

But I do think if, like, no, these are just musicians who really love this band. They do have their own stuff. Like, I have seen that happen where, like, yeah, I know musicians that are in successful bands that like, yeah, they're going to go play this bar every third Thursday in L. A. And they're just having fun. Like that whole nother aspect to a cover band.

[A]

Yeah. And I think, yeah, the intent and the reason people are doing it as well factors so heavily into that side of things.

[D]

Yeah, I think there's like this weird assumption of some, like, sadness that is like, yeah, if you're in a cover band or a tribute band, you weren't good enough to be in a band making original music.

[A]

And the band I'm about to talk to now, they understand that, like, very, very well.

[D]

Let's hear it.

[A]

Chapter one, Sunderstruck. If you somehow managed to miss the music of acdc. Well, I don't really know what to say. Where have you been? ACDC was founded by two brothers in Sydney, Australia, in 1973. Angus Young played lead guitar and older brother Malcolm was on rhythm guitar. ACDC had a few different vocalists in the early years. Bon Scott tragically passing away from alcohol poisoning after a massive drinking binge. Brian Johnson took over on vocals in 1980 and is probably the voice you most associate with ACDC.

[D]

I was called in the Middle of the Railroad.

[A]

The Australian songs are huge and they got huge all over the world, including here in faraway America where a boy called Jimmy was transfixed.

[E]

Well, it's funny because none of my family members, my parents, they love music but they're not musicians, they don't really play anything. But there was always music on in the house when I was a little, little K. And I have this distinct memory of like an 80s style like boombox, like a big one that you'd have on your shoulder in this room. I'm at my parents house now. So there was, you know, I found this white cassette tape and I threw it in there and it was the Back in Black album.

[A]

Back in Black, When Physical Media Was a Thing, was the second highest selling album of all time, beaten only by Michael Jackson's Thriller.

[E]

And I didn't know who it was or what it was, but I heard it and I was like, fuck man. Like, this is, this is incredible. And I just listened to that cassette tape so many times. I wore the thing out. And eventually I finally, you know, when I kind of had more access to the Internet, I watched videos of Angus Young in his costume running around on stage and I'm like, this is like, I have to do that. So it wasn't that I wanted to be him, but I just was like, I need to do music, I have to do it.

[A]

For Jimmy, who's recently turned 30, ACDC was his gateway into music. But it wasn't just a band that got him interested in listening to music. It was the first band that gave him the confidence to perform in front of other people. The songs were that good. It led him to being on stage for the first time.

[E]

I'm 30 now. I've been playing since I was around 10, so I had just always been doing it. The first ever opportunity I had to play live in front of anyone was with a tribute band called ADHD, a play on the name ACDC.

[A]

He was 21, he could play in bars and ADHD, an objectively very good name for an AC DC cover band, did okay.

[E]

People turned up so I joined as a bass player. I was not a bass player, but they needed one and it was literally like dive Bars playing to five or six people, the drunk moms that go there on a Wednesday night, that sort of thing. Like that's what it was. And I was playing bass and then I eventually finally was able to slide into the guitar role where I belong and where I love. And so people would film videos and post them on Facebook or whatever, like Instagram. And they were just out there, the.

[A]

Videos were out there and they ended up being watched by another ACDC tribute band. Yes, there are lots of tribute bands out there. But the good thing about this tribute band is that it was on its way to becoming one of the best AC DC tribute bands around.

[E]

I had heard the name of this band, Dirty Deeds, like around they're like, this is the. This is like the pinnacle of a tribute band in this area.

[A]

Dirty Deeds, named after an AC DC song, wanted Jimmy in their band.

[E]

That was how this current band found me. But just a random person's video on Facebook.

[A]

So four years ago, Jimmy joined America's best ACDC tribute. That music is Dirty Deeds, by the way, not AC dc.

[E]

So I'm playing Malcolm Young's role, who's the brother of Angus. When you think acdc, the schoolboy suit, that's Angus Young's the lead guitarist. I am the other guy in the background playing rhythm, which I love. I think it's an underappreciated role. I think a lot of the die hard fans love Malcolm Young and I think since he passed a couple, maybe five or six years ago, longer than that now, but since he passed, he's gained a lot more appreciation. So the diehards love him and that's what I do.

[A]

At 30 years old, Jimmy is the youngest in the band. The oldest member in the band is Bob, their founder. He's 76. We'll get to Bob in a little bit. But first, the world of the tribute band.

[E]

The world of the tribute bands has opened up in a way that I never would have expected. It's just so bizarre.

[A]

Chapter 2 A Bizarre World Shortly after joining Dirty Deeds, Jimmy realized he'd entered this whole scene he hadn't really thought a lot about before.

[E]

The world kind of opened up in a bizarre way. And I realized that the tribute band market is insane right now. Like it's booming in such a big way. And I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of these bands are dying off or are like retired. Best way I can describe it is on our management roster it's only tributes, so there's no original bands. It's like, just these tribute bands. There's the Eagles, there's Led Zeppelin, there's Tom Petty. Any, like, classic band that you could think of, Fleetwood Mac. They're all on the roster. And we all are playing the same circuit of venues in the same general area. So it's like there's literally like just a market for these bands that exist. And it's so bizarre to me, but I appreciate that it does exist.

[A]

Jimmy says there's still a lot of confusion out there over a cover band versus a tribute band. When I bring up some of the COVID bands I've seen playing in tiny bars in New Zealand, Jimmy stops me right there wanting to clear it up.

[E]

So this is a point that I wanted to make. And it's something that people say all the time, tribute band versus cover band. I think of them as two different things. I think of a cover band as the guys that are getting together at the bar, goofing around, playing, like multiple bands songs, modern pop songs, whatever it is. They're doing their thing just for the drunken people at the bar. A tribute band, to me, is when you're each playing a real person's role in the original band or you're trying to replicate the sound of the album. So it's like you're tributing something that exists in a way that you're familiar with versus just throwing the music out there. And the way Dirty Deeds does it is. And I think that it makes us a little bit unique amongst other AC DC tributes is we think of it more of a Broadway production than a gig, than a show or than a. Than a concert. There's media, there's pyrotechnics, there's things that go along with each song. So it's like a flow from the beginning to the end of ACDC's career.

[A]

So you're seeing like, oh, amazing.

[E]

The whole thing, which is kind of like what the Beatles bands do. A lot of bands do it, but it makes it a little bit more than you're just going to experience the music, which I think can work really well too, if the band does it well. But, you know, you're trying to give the people a show. You're trying to, you know, get them their money's worth.

[A]

And.

[E]

And we all love acdc, so it feels like a great way to show the love for him. You know, I think that is a big misstep is to think it's too easy, because there's a difference between playing the song and playing it like the artist and it's like the ACDC is a great example because they're just simple music. It's not many chords, it's straight ahead rock and roll. But if you don't play it like Malcolm Young with the ferocity of his pick attack, if you don't play it the same way, it just sounds like boring. You know, you have to really put the effort in to get those little things down. And you have to perform too. You have to be a great performer. You can't just phone it in. You know, you gotta really work the crown even more than the real band. I think, just because they're like coming in, seeing someone who's not the real band.

[A]

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[A]

And tell me about where, what kind of venues you guys are playing and where in America this takes you.

[E]

So I'm in Boston. The band's based in Massachusetts, but we're kind of all over the state. Our management agency is in New Jersey, so we're taken to, let's say, between 500 and 1000 seat venues. Indoor theaters in the tri state area. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, down the east coast and out to the Midwest.

[A]

They play around 50 to 70 gigs a year, mostly in the summer. And over the last few years, Jimmy's become both charmed and fascinated by the scene in general. He's deeply aware that it's slightly bizarre to be in a tribute band. There's just an uncanniness about the whole thing, especially when you start playing at festivals that are just tribute bands. It's like this parallel universe where bands that have broken up, never broke up, where singers and drummers and guitarists have retired or were buried long ago, are walking around backstage eating a sandwich. What kind of bands are you playing with? Is it other tributes? Is it bands playing originals?

[E]

Well, this is the funny thing of the. The world that opens up is it is mainly other tributes. And so we're in a lucky position where, well, we're headlining generally, which is nice, and we'll have like other bands come in and that are tribute bands to any band, you name it.

[A]

But a lot of give me like a good, a real, like stellar lineup that you've seen at one of these things.

[E]

Well, we Played with a band called Cathedral, which was a Van Halen tribute. They were very good. We've even. A Doors band has opened for us, which is an interesting mix. ACDC and the Doors, I wouldn't say jive super well in my mind, but they're a great band. They sound incredible. They're called through the Doors, but, man, this is a funny talking point because there are some tribute bands out there. They're hilarious. Like, they're hilarious. There's. For some reason, in the last, like, five years, I've seen multiple bands pop up. The biggest one is called Foreigner's Journey, and they're tributing the band Foreigner and the band Journey in one. And then I've seen, like, five other bands pop up that are doing this same exact thing. And I'm like, what? I don't even get why it doesn't mix in my head at all. Like, I guess they're like both rock bands. But you'll see this. Like, people mix their. It, mix it. And there's another great one. Wild, isn't it? Bizarre. But listen to this one and there's a good example. The Magical Mystery Doors. They're a Beatles Doors tribute. It sounds ridiculous, but they're an incredible band and they mix, like, the Doors and Beatles music in one. So the songs are like, even mixed together, which is cool. But a lot of them are just like, you know, what is going on here? We've gone. We've jumped the shark a bit here with a lot of these.

[A]

Why tribute one band? When you contribute two, why not do it all at once? You've already messed with reality, so why not mess with it some more?

[E]

It happens everywhere in the Foreigner's Journey band. Why does there need to be five of those bands? Like, there doesn't need to be one of them. There doesn't need to be five of them. So it definitely happens. And it gets crazy.

[A]

I suppose in a way, it's a testament to the quality of the music. Supply and demand. And if the demand's there, a tribute band will appear and another man, another. But it does get Russian Nesting Dolls level of intense. Jimmy says the scene can get so packed, some tribute bands are not tributing the original band, but they're tributing another tribute.

[E]

We've had a competing band actually call a company that has made stage designs for us, asking for, like, the proprietary designs.

[A]

Once you go down the rabbit hole of tribute bands, there's so much to unpack. Some members of tribute bands get so good at playing the music, the Actual band recruits them to join. This has happened with bands like Judas Priest and Kiss. Then there are the original musicians that see the market for tribute bands. So they start their own tribute band that are tributing their band. I told you, this gets weird.

[E]

Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, the real drummer of Fleetwood Mac, has created his own tribute band. He's not in it, but he manages it. And they're a Fleetwood Mac tribute. So it's like he probably had this thought like, these people are making money off of my music in my name, so why don't I just do it for them and just make the money myself? So it is an interesting thought.

[A]

I think it's fair to say the world of the tribute band can be pretty bizarre. Past lives. There's this thought that can creep in when you start to think about tribute bands and it's this snobby kind of idea that bubbles under the surface. Why aren't you doing your own music? I think there's an inherent mean spiritedness to that thought. Like saying, those that can't do teach teachers are cool. Stop giving them shit. Jimmy's all too aware of this, having played in two ACDC cover bands now while also writing his own songs and doing his own stuff on the side.

[E]

It's not necessarily what you would dream of doing when you think of being a professional musician. Like you want to be playing your own music, you want to be doing your own thing. But when an opportunity comes along, you kind of have to grab onto it if it's a good opportunity. Especially in the music business. It's just a nightmare to have anything. So a lot of my fellow musicians and people in the tribute game have like stumbled into this and are just riding the wave right now. You know, it's like you can't turn away a good opportunity. So it may not be the dream per se, but it pays the bills. And we all get to play music we love. So it's definitely one way to go.

[A]

About it, you know, I was curious to get the perspective of someone else in the band about this too. Chris isn't the oldest member in Dirty deets in his 50s. He's somewhere in the middle.

[C]

I'd have to say most of the best times in my life have been because of this business. But also there's the other side where the disappointment and the heartbreak and being so close because I was extremely. I was in a band that did really well, had a record deal, a development deal, and getting that close to where you are, like, okay, this is it. I'm doing it. I'm in a huge studio with a Grammy Award winning producer and. And all my friends are like, dude, you did it. Everything's great. And to watch it all just go away and then be right back to square one, I was like, man, that was. It was very harsh and cruel and. But you pick up the pieces because if you love to play.

[A]

That band was called God's Little Joke. They're still around, still writing. But all that hype came and went in the early 2000s with that band, Chris experienced the massive ups and massive downs of the music industry.

[C]

It was a huge opportunity. And to see it be so close and literally being in, you know, one of the biggest studios in la. And I'll never forget the day that we were in there recording and Paul McCartney wanted the studio and they would. Yeah, it was crazy. And they told him, no, it's busy. Well, they wound up calling the president of Universal at the time and they said, listen, Paul wants the studio. And he said, you tell him my new band is in there. And I called my mom. I was like, this is it, right? Like stuff. And that was probably the best day. And it all went downhill from after that.

[A]

But Chris went and played with other bands after that. Like Jimmy, he just loves music. He wouldn't ever do anything else. And then he started thinking about Bob.

[C]

I grew up with Bob. He's older than me, but I've known Bob since I was 15.

[A]

Chris first saw Bob onstage performing. And what blew his mind wasn't just that Bob was an amazing musician, but that he was just some local guy. He wasn't a visiting superstar, he was just a musician from his town.

[C]

I saw Bob open for Rick Derringer, and I was probably about 14 years old, and I remember, actually, believe it or not, I was already starting to play music. But I went home depressed because I realized that day that there were local musicians in my backyard that were as good as the guys that I admired. That I don't know why I was so naive about that going. And I remember thinking, how the heck am I going to get out of here if there's. The bass player in his band was amazing. And I remember thinking, how am I going to get through that guy and develop myself around if there's guys that good in my backyard? And then my best friend said to me, the next day we just got up and we started practicing. It motivated us to just, we need to be better. Cause his band was so good, you know, it just blew us away.

[A]

Like Chris, Bob's career Also went through its ups and downs over the next few decades. And at some point, Bob decided to start an ACDC tribute band called Dirty Deeds.

[C]

Both of our careers kind of, we've chased a dragon and, you know, come really close. And then it led me, really, it led me to Dirty Deeds now, because he started this band, like, almost 25 years ago.

[A]

Back when Bob started Dirty Deeds, it was a bar band playing a bunch of rock clubs in New England. Ten years after it started, Chris crossed paths with Bob again. And Bob said, well, do you want to join my band? Tribute band, that is.

[C]

I had started to think about, well, I'm getting older. What's the next thing you know, I'm not going to compete with these young kids for gigs, you know, that I'm just getting too old to get. But I'm young enough that I can certainly. I'm in my 50s. I can work in the music business and. But, you know, so I started looking at the tribute thing as an option because it was. I remember the days where I used to say, I'll never play in a tribute band. But then it's changed a lot in the last 20 years. I met with Bob and him, and we. We said, okay. Bob said to me, do it for a year. He said, don't take off on some tour. You know, give me a year. And then. And I even said to my wife at the time, I said, I'll do it for a while. We'll see how it goes. And I'm going on 10 years now, so it's gone pretty well.

[A]

Chapter four. Where's Bob? I should probably mention that at this point, yes, I have been trying to find an interview. Interview Bob. When you're telling the story of a band where the youngest member has just turned 30 and the oldest member is in their late 70s, you have to talk to both. But to level with you, Bob is just really fucking hard to nail down. When I first interviewed Jimmy months ago, he promised to bring Bob, but there was no Bob.

[E]

I'll give you Nate's information who's our direct manager and our sound guy, and he should easily be able to connect you with Bob.

[A]

I talked to Nate, but nothing came of it. Emails back and forth, nothing. A month after that, Jimmy promised Bob again. But again, Bob was nowhere to be found.

[E]

If you talk to Nate, I think he would be able to get Bob.

[A]

Nate would get me Bob. Cool, cool, cool, cool. And in my own mind, I found that Bob started to turn into this sort of mythical legend, especially in the way Jimmy and Chris both talked about him.

[E]

He is like a bastion of what I want to be when I'm his age. It's unbelievable. He's 76 years old. He's a year younger than the real singer of acdc, which is hilarious. And he always, without fail, has more energy than any of us in the band. Like, the show will be over and I'm like, oh God, I gotta sit down. And he's like, I could do another one right now. He could just go all night.

[C]

Bob's been around. He's like, probably one of the best kept secrets around here. He's a legend in this area.

[A]

Well, he's a legend. That's very hard to find. So with 76 year old Bob Mia, I return to 30 year old Jimmy for my final questions about the tribute scene. We talked about this earlier, but when you look at a lot of the tribute bands doing their thing, they're increasingly doing it in a world where the original bands are either getting older or members are dying or a combination of both. I wanted to know what that's like, to inhabit the world of a dead icon, to play that role. For fans still seeking the same musical rush. Jimmy's whole thing is being ACDC's Malcolm Young, who died from dementia in November of 2017 at the age of 64.

[E]

I just have such a respect for him and it's, it's funny because I still listen to those songs and I try to get them down perfectly and I'm still learning stuff new. Like I've been doing it for a decade trying to play like him and I'll isolate his track and I'm like, what the fuck is he doing, man? Like, how did he think of this shit?

[A]

What Jimmy's left to do is try and figure it out. And not just the music, but the whole package.

[E]

I think if you're going to be a performer on stage, you have to practice performing as much as you do playing. And so I watch. We all are like neurotic lunatics about this. Like, we watch videos of them and learn their moves. And like I practiced his moves without a guitar in front of a mirror just to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing. And like he had. He might not look like much, he's kind of just tapping his leg and bouncing a little bit. But the Die Hards know it when they see it and they can tell when it's right or wrong. So that's the type of stuff that we are like neurotic about. And that's part of the Fun of it. It's like it's always a battle to.

[A]

Get closer, you know, and getting closer to the real thing can come packaged with his own kind of chaos.

[E]

Part of the. The act is to wear a wig. You can see my hair. It's long, but it's not that long. Malcolm's hair is, like, way longer. So I have a wig, and it covers a lot of my face. And I was walking back towards the amps. Huge outdoor show. There may have been 10,000 people there, like, legitimately. And I just did not stop walking when I should have. And I just went right through the amps. I took the whole wall out and knocked them all over. At the Charlestown Seafood Fest in Rhode Island. And I got up and I kept playing. It was fine, but it was one of the. That was one of the worst ones. Yeah, the guitar survived. That's all that matters. This guy.

[A]

I'm curious what kind of reactions you're getting in the. In the crowd, because I imagine you've got very passionate fans. Yeah, the band, they're sort of there for something quite special. They might not have never gotten to see the original AC dc And you're a point where they can experience that. What's the audience like?

[E]

Well, it's definitely an older crowd. It ranges to. You know, we do get a fair share of kids, which is cool, parents bringing their kids. But it's definitely people that, like, love AC DC and always did in their entire life and want to rock out. So it's funny because we go into these theaters that are generally very ornate and nicely appointed, and we're just playing rowdy rock and roll and people are getting up and dancing. It's a great. It's just the best. Like people, you know, seeing these people let loose and they're generally. We have positive reactions. We really try to do the music justice, and I think we do a good job of it. And the die hard people, they. They can see what you put into it. You know, they know what to look for and they know what they want to hear. And so if we do it well, the crowd goes wild. And it's always so funny to me to go into these beautiful old theaters and just get it cracked, blow the roof off the place. You know, it's fun. It's the best. And that's usually the vibe we go for. If people are up and dancing, then we've done our job. A lot of these places that we're playing are places, and I don't want this to sound disparaging. Because I end up loving every single one of them. But they're places that I would never go, like, ever. We're talking like the middle of West Virginia, some random town in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, wherever it may be out. I just don't even know they exist. You can't find them on a map. But a lot of these theaters have. Or these, these towns have had old, like abandoned movie theaters or old, like vaudeville theaters from way back in the day. And they've been renovated by like the local community and they're upkept by volunteers and these tribute bands. A lot of these bands are in the circuit of playing those places. So we go in there and I find it exciting to be able to bring something to like this community that for a long time didn't have anything like this. And a lot of the theaters are incredible and they treat the acts so well. It's just a cool thing to see. I mean, some of the places we see are like, you know, some incredible vintage stores, cool little mom and pop shops. And it's like you just don't really get that in a big city as much. And you know, like, it's cool to see that that still exists out there. And that's the beauty of playing in those types of towns and those theaters. It's like those people are probably the biggest fan, fans of the bands like, and they never get to see them. They just love them. They're the die hards, you know, that make up the places that you may never think of. So to bring it to them and to get them up on their feet is what makes it worth it, you know, for sure.

[A]

And as I finish talking to Jimmy and Chris, I realize that this music gets them on their feet too.

[C]

But you know, it's crazy when you get on stage though. That doesn't matter because we don't. When we're on stage, our age dynamic doesn't. Bob and I are the oldest, but there's 20 years between us. But man, when we play this music, it's that we're all 20, we're all kids. Cause you know, you just feel like a kid when you play.

[A]

I thought this is where the episode was going to end. And the ending would have been fine, I guess, but there would always have been that annoying niggle. Where the fuck was Bob? Well, just as I was about to put this episode to bed, I got a call. Months after I'd started this whole thing. It was Jimmy. Hey, how are you doing?

[E]

I'm good. How are you doing? I have the man the myth, the legend here.

[A]

And that brings us to our final Short Chapter. Chapter 5. Bob Dirty Deeds was about to play a show to an adoring bunch of fans, fans of ACDC and fans of Dirty Deeds. And what do you need for a Dirty Deed show? You need one frontman called Bob. And Jimmy had bailed him up on the tour van, essentially trapping him on the phone with one annoying podcast host on the other end of the line.

[E]

He's hard to wrangle, but I got.

[A]

Him for you, so thank you.

[E]

I will hand the phone over you, Bob Conti, our band leader and lead singer.

[A]

Here he is. Our conversation was brief but worthwhile. Bob was lovely, a man who deeply loves his job.

[F]

Okay, here's is what exactly what it is. A lot of bands, you know, the band business got tough and a lot of bands, as it got tough, figured, well, if you're a tribute band, you'll do good. And it's not necessarily so, because to be a tribute band, you've got to be into the people you're doing, the character, the music, what they stand for. And a lot of bands and fans, them just want to work because the business got tough. But that doesn't make you a good tribute band. What makes you a good tribute band is everyone that you pick to be in your band has to really care about who they're doing and why they're doing it. And that's the downfall for some of the tribute bands and the positive for the ones that care. ACDC are legends anyway, but I feel like it doesn't hurt to be part of that and do it at the best. You can do it and pay homage to them. That's why I do it. I do it for that reason. The ACDC thing for the past 25.

[A]

Years, actually, Bob says for him, the other thing that's a big driver is just getting to see different parts of the United States and to meet other people like him. ACDC fans meeting new faces.

[F]

Like, for instance, you're from a certain area, we're from Massachusetts. So if everyone tonight says, oh, great, good to see you, you guys still sound great, but it feels so much better when you're in Wisconsin or you're in Ohio and someone says, you guys are phenomenal, you're such great people. Because what we do is we meet and greet all the time. So that is what keeps me going to realize that no matter where we go, not only myself, but everybody in the band, everybody in the band gets accepted real well and conducts themselves really well and professional. So that's what keeps me going with that.

[A]

I think back to something Jimmy had told me a few months back about Bob's energy, about how Bob just kept.

[E]

Going and he grew up in the. You know, he was making his moves in the 80s with his old bands that did get relatively famous in the local area. And so he's just a child of being a savage musician, of just performing. He would perform six days a week, you know, and every day. And it's just like, that's who he is. He just breathes it. And like, he broke his ankle a year ago and the morning of a show he broke his ankle and he performed that night on a fucking broken ankle. And then he couldn't really heal because we just had the schedule. So he was like, I'll just, you know, I'll be fine. I'll just sit down after the show. And I'm like, dude, he's an animal.

[A]

With that in mind, and before I leave the animal, Bob, to go and play what will be one of many shows this year. I wonder what he makes of the rest of his band, why he picked who he picked, why the age range is so wide. You've got this big age range in the group as well. Do you enjoy that aspect of things?

[F]

Yeah, I do. I'll tell you why I do. Because I want this band to continue when I'm done.

[C]

I'm a lot older than them.

[F]

I'm hoping that they get the experience for me that I've dealt with for all these years. So when I pass this on, pass the torch, they're all younger and I want to keep bringing younger people in. And it'll be theirs because I want it to continue. I want them to continue for another 10, 20 years. That's up to them. When I finally retire from it.

[A]

He pauses for a moment and LAUGHS. See, technically, it's a really good plan. The perfect plan for a tribute band. To outlast the band they're tributing and to outlast their own founder. But there might be a small flaw in his plan.

[F]

I don't know if they can make it, these guys, they're younger than me, but sometimes I got the energy and.

[A]

They were out of gas. It's funny. Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors. Support for Flightless Bird comes from Shopify. Now, if you've been wondering about starting that new business, but you've sort of been toing and froing about it, the new year is the best time to actually click go on the whole thing. You might have heard this idea floating around your head for a while about a website. You want to sell stuff. You want to do things. This is the year to do it. January is short. It flies by. Don't let Feb arrive and have the same old story of not getting this thing off the ground. And the most powerful move to make this all happen in 2026 is to start your own business with Shopify. This is a year you launch your business. Shopify gives you everything you need to sell online and in person. Millions of entrepreneurs have already made this leap from household names to first time business owners just getting started. Shopify gives you all the tools you need to easily build your dream store. Choose from hundreds of beautiful templates and you can customize to match your brand. Marketing is built in as well. You can create email and social campaigns that reach customers wherever they scroll. And as you grow, Shopify grows with you. Handle more orders, expand to new markets and do it all from the same dashboard that you're already used to. I'm a big coffee drinker. Death wish coffee that is on Shopify that enhances my life. And if you've got a brand that you want to get into the world, Shopify is the way to do it in 2026. Stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.combird go to shopify.combird that shopify.combird here. Your first this new year with Shopify by your side.

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[A]

So look, Rob, that was, that was Dirty Deeds who I came out with, sort of, sort of an appreciation for. I just, I like their whole vibe and I love that they've been doing it for as long as they have. And I love that Bob just plans to keep this going, you know, when he's long gone, keep it going for another couple of decades. It kind of rules.

[D]

I will say. I don't think I ever realized or associated ACDC as an Australian band.

[A]

Oh, get out. Was it, was it British or American in your head.

[D]

I don't. I mean, it was all.

[A]

It was just like a big band.

[D]

From somewhere before my time that I'm like, I can't speak.

[A]

Yeah, no, very, very deeply, deeply, deeply Australian in every conceivable way.

[D]

I mean, just because I think I learned of them as a kid. So then, like, there weren't really borders as kids.

[A]

No, it's just. It's just music that's on the radio and there it is. And here they are.

[D]

Yeah. I did find the perspective of how cover bands are friends at a bar playing music in tribute bands are more a Broadway play. I did find that to be a good kind of description for what a tribute band is.

[A]

Yeah, no, completely. Because I'd said cover bands when I was interviewing Jimmy, the younger guy in the band. I bought that up a few times and I hadn't noticed him probably correct slightly whenever I said it. And then he was like. At one point he was like, hey, let's just like, because you're a real dummy, let's go over the difference between the two. And I just. I did really like that distinction because in my mind they were the same thing.

[D]

Well, it totally changes how you experience it too. Like, it's very different going to a Broadway play, seeing something and being like, oh, well, this isn't Shakespeare or completely.

[A]

The original cast. It reminded me a bit like the way they talked about it as well. It's almost. I think we've had similar discussions when we're talking about doing our live show where if we are expecting people to pay and come and see us, we want to put on more than just, you know, two people yapping on stage. So, like, we put in a lot of effort and they were saying the same thing, like, if people are going to pay for us, we don't just want to be limping through these songs. We want video and fireworks and we want to, like put effort into how we're moving and how we're playing. And I appreciated that. That as well.

[D]

I mean, the thing that I think is. I'm curious about is it's a little chicken or the egg, though. You can't start a cover. A tribute. You can't start a tribute band and be like, we're going to do pyrotechnics and all of this stage stuff and then go play this arena that can house this.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So it's this weird situation where in order for not to feel like a cover band, you need to have tribute band level production. Production as part of it.

[A]

No Totally. And I think, yeah, Bob was saying your dirty deed started, you know, over two decades ago and they were playing in bars. Like it started as a smaller thing and then it just got built and built over the years. And it sounds like Nate, who manages the band, who I believe is Bob's son, he kind of bought in that extra, extra production because he dealt with other tribute bands as well. I also love that they're all on a similar roster. Like I sort of pictured it being like a one off thing, but similar venues, similar rosters. I feel like there's this whole world going on that I've just never really thought about before.

[D]

Yeah, it's crazy. I do like the idea of members of tribute band since they're playing these characters of real life, people taking on the ego and Personas of who they're playing. And just I could see it very quickly like, or at least like a movie about someone becoming delusional and thinking that they're Jim Morrison, the band. Yeah. And treating the people around them like that.

[A]

It feels like the plot for an A24 film where, you know, you go out on stage and you have fans of that band reacting to you in the way they do and kind of going, oh yeah, I am.

[D]

Yeah. Malcolm Young version of the Wrestler with Mickey Rourke.

[A]

But dark take on that entire world. Yes.

[D]

Which I like. I like the idea of that very much.

[A]

Also really love something I didn't know happened where you've got a tribute band who are fusing different bands into the one like Foreigners Journey. That is just deeply funny to me because that's kind of. You're breaking the illusion then that you are sort of being the one thing. Like it's quite a mad thing to transition between those two. It's very funny. And I wonder now the audience for that whether. Because it's like you've got a band playing, it's like, are you there for the opener or the main act? It's like that. But you've got a band that's the two bands in one. It's very funny.

[D]

I mean, I guess it makes sense though if you're just a tribute, like and you want to go see a band play a two hour set. Like most of the time if you're gonna. I don't know if that's an assumption but like you, a lot of concert goers just want to see the hits anyways.

[A]

Yeah. So why not give them the hits of two bands? Yeah.

[D]

It just gives them more versus like if you're only covering acd, I Guess some of these bands that have tribute bands have enough of a catalog where they could play the hits for two hours and you wouldn't have a song that you. That doesn't hit.

[A]

But ACDC is very much like that.

[D]

Yeah, but if you fuse two bands, then you just have more. More to pick from. And if they're similar enough of a genre or a tour together. I am very curious though, of just like the monetary and business side of what a tribute band can do. Just like how. Yeah. How much can you. Can you make a career of doing this full time? Clearly you can.

[A]

Yeah, no, totally. I think it purely depends on the level, I believe.

[D]

Like, what size venues are they playing? He did say it's like, yes, so.

[A]

They'Re playing 500 to 1,000 seaters, those kind of size venues. And then it sounds like this year they'll play between 50 and 70 shows. Okay, so they do. I mean, they are making a living from it. Like, for them it works. But I imagine there's a huge difference between a scrappy tribute that's just starting and one that is known and is being booked on those circuits they talked about. Right. Where they're doing like regular gigs at certain theaters.

[D]

Yeah, well, because it is a thing of music now too. Like, you make most of your money on tour anyways. At least a lot of like indie bands. Like, most of what they're making is from tour. So because they're. They can't be selling CDs, right. They don't have publishing or license.

[A]

That's actually a really good question. No, totally. They're not selling. They're not selling their music. Yeah, they're just purely. It's the live show and merch. I guess I don't even.

[D]

I don't know how they get around the logistics of covering, I guess, is that you're allowed to do that.

[A]

Look, I. I didn't do a big deep dive into it, but from what I can tell, it's kind of. Bands aren't suing tribute bands. Like, it's not really happening. So I don't know if it's something to do with like lore around, like, like parody law, even something like that. Whether if you're not, you know, you're not tricking people into turning up thinking it's the real deal.

[D]

Gallagher.

[A]

And there just don't seem to be. There's not like no one's being an about it and actively trying to destroy these bands. And, you know, as he brought up Mick Fleetwood, you know, Fleetwood Max Trauma apparently was just Like, I'm gonna start my own tribute and take a little cut from this, which I think is just kind of remarkable. That's so cool.

[D]

It reminds me of the Gallagher story a little bit, too.

[A]

Yeah. I imagine if there was a tribute band that somehow manage, you know, say, say, say a Beyonce tribute band started, and this band suddenly got so big, Beyonce's crowd was suddenly, like, listening and halving. I imagine Beyonce would take some kind of legal action, but I guess that's just not happening. Right. Like, the tribute scene isn't big enough that it's wiping out an existing audience. And the other thing that I hadn't thought about before is it is a way of, you know, if you're a huge fan of AC DC today, a you. If you see them, they're not quite in the state they are in. Like, they're much older now and they're struggling. And also, tickets are probably pretty expensive. So it's this accessibility thing where, like, you can see this. The best version that you can afford of a dream band is now available to you. And I really like that as well.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, I did like that. That kind of community aspect they were bringing to places that are otherwise overlooked, that they're saying they're going through to these towns that aren't getting kind of these mainstream tours.

[A]

Yeah. They're not people that are gonna drive to Los Angeles and fork out. You know, gigs are expensive now as well. Right. Like, you've got. You got, like, $400 tickets for things now, which is inaccessible for so many people, which.

[D]

Which I will say, like, having been on tour before with bands like it, some of those towns are the best shows where, like, people don't come here, so they're gonna go to whatever's plain and they're the most hungry to experience something fun. So it makes sense that, like, yeah, we're. We'll see a tribute band here and enjoy the show.

[A]

It's almost. It's the opposite to what you see in Los Angeles. And I will have been guilty about this as well, where you're at the most amazing show of your life and you look around and you've got people, like, taking a selfie or, like, emailing someone, and it's like, that's the opposite of what you were just talking about. The energy. Yes. Seeing bands in small towns is amazing because they want it, they're hungry for it.

[D]

Well. And the snobbery is just not there that you would get in LA going to a live show.

[A]

Yeah. No one's posing. No One's thinking about what they look like. They're there to just, like, lose themselves to the music, which is a whole different, yet different thing.

[D]

I will say one other fun thing that this reminded me of is the Hives. On this last album and tour that they did, they did this thing where they were franchising the Hives and telling people to just start tribute bands to them, and they would pick them in the city to come open their shows.

[A]

Oh, this is, though. This is very on point. So they're essentially. They're looking for a tribute band to.

[D]

Open their own show of them, and they were like, saying, like, oh, franchise the Hives and start a band and send in your videos and will have you come up in our show.

[A]

That's really, really fun. I really, really like that.

[D]

Yeah. Because they also. Do you know much about the Hives?

[A]

No, not a lot. I saw them play in New Zealand a long time ago, but I know very little.

[D]

They're incredible in the singer. There's a Swedish band, and he very much plays up, like, having a massive ego and thinking they're the best band in the world, but it's like, clearly a character, so they lean into that of, like, we're the best band in the world. Franchise us and be part of it.

[A]

And also, clearly, there will be thousands of people out there that love our music. So of course there'll be all these people, like, flooding to tribute.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. Like, they just have this. This level, intentional level of arrogance on that they're doing as part of the character. That's really fun.

[A]

That's really good. I really, really like that. Well, maybe. Maybe this year we need to try and get to a hive show, or we need to get to a Dirty Deed show. Like, Dirty Deeds have welcomed us to go and see any of their shows in the US that they're performing this year. So it'll be kind of fun. I know. We'll find one of those towns that they're in that has some other story we can explore as well. And maybe we go.

[D]

I thought you were going to say the goal for this year was to get someone to franchise our podcast and do a tribute. A tribute episode to Flightless Bird. That's where you're going.

[A]

Where would that be? I think. Yeah. I mean, it's funny, isn't it? I was talking with my brother about the podcasting and AI and stuff, and whether AI will ever replace the podcast, and I keep thinking about that actually, like, yeah, could it happen? Different topic.

[D]

I just feel like there's not enough heart and like, intentionality behind it.

[A]

That's it. And the humor as well.

[D]

And strategy. Like, yeah, even if we were like, I write us episodes of this show, we would have to figure out the direction. Yeah, it would, it wouldn't work.

[A]

Also, like, if you're interviewing real people, like, to get the real people, you have to have real humans interacting with those people and figuring all that stuff out.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, that, that part can't go. That's like such, such a piece of. The heart of this show is the real people that are being interviewed.

[A]

I'm curious about those podcasts where it's just, you know, there are the certain podcasts I listen to where it's literally just hosts, no guests, just hosts talking. And they've got, you know, 800 episodes banked. And I'm so curious if, like, the rhythm of that could be thrown in. It's like I listen to a movie review podcast that I love and it's the same formula every week. Could you just feed all those, you know, 800 hours in and then kind of go, okay, the movie this week is Jurassic Park 10. Go. And it manages to replicate those three hosts, rhythm and humor. I'm curious how good that that will get and whether that will become possible. I fucking hope not.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, and I think at the end of the day, I think the drain on resources is still the bigger problem with all of this. Whether it can do it or not and output the same creative, creative piece, which I don't think it can do.

[A]

I agree.

[D]

Just the amount of energy that. And water and.

[A]

Well, yeah. Whether the planet will still be here to support that.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

An audience wants people. That's the other thing. Like there's that audience choice thing as well, where I think the concept of listening to someone, something, you know, as a machine versus a flesh and blood human that you've. That you have that connection with very different things and saying that people are dating and fucking robots and AI. So, yeah, what do I know?

[D]

There's been some more and more stories about that coming out, but at the end of the day, we're going to say it here. We're not. We're not going to AI Flightless Bird. Don't worry.

[A]

We're not. Just to be clear. Okay, sorry, that was a tangent I took us on because we're doing this remotely. Do not have feedback, because we're recording this a little bit in advance. But I did want to say, as always, any feedback. Flightless bird chat gmail.com. i'm very excited that the Farrier's feet picks over on our flightless bread. Patreon are doing really well. Every week, I'm uploading a fresh, creative photo of one of my tootsies. Are you.

[D]

Are you keeping up with the every week part of it?

[A]

Look, it's inconsistent, but it's close to every week. I don't want to overwhelm people with the attraction of the. Each individual toe. But it's been fun. People's responses have been very, very fun to that.

[D]

Do you want to maybe. Do you want to maybe make a New Year's resolution that you will do one every week?

[A]

Look, the Farrier family, we're not big into resolutions, but I'll take it under consideration. We don't like to be tied down. You know, when you're a dark tourist, you like to live on the edge. You don't like to be told what to do. But I'll try my best. So, yeah, Patreon bonus episodes weekly, if you're not over there already. And a lot of feet.

[D]

Exciting news. We did hit a thousand subscribers on Patreon over a while.

[A]

Exciting, I say. I'm very stressed about this.

[D]

Well, this means one, you get a egg broken over your head.

[A]

Yes.

[D]

Two, we get to do Lord of the Rings at the Alamo in LA soon. So when you get back to la.

[A]

Yep.

[D]

We're gonna book an Alamo, and you're gonna have your first journey to Middle Earth.

[A]

Look, I'm excited. People are excited about it. I'm excited to hang out with our Patreons in a cinema. I love the cinema. I'm deeply annoyed that it is Lord of the Rings. No offense to people that love that. That film, the franchise, but just for me, I really struggle with it. It will be the first time watching it, I feel scared and worried, but I'm also. Look, we'll get there. Deep breaths.

[D]

It'll be fun. I think it's the 25th anniversary of it, too, of the fellowship. And, I mean, Calvin hasn't seen it in the theater, so maybe I'll bring him out for it.

[A]

Yeah, we'll do it. We'll do a. A first and surf first served for tickets for Patreon members. For that. I am. Look, I'm excited we reached a goal of a thousand Patreon members. But I'm also. What it means is deeply stressful for me. But I'm also. Look, I like to complain. It'll be fun.

[D]

Well, I guess with that said, if you're in LA and you're not on our Patreon. And you want to come to the screening, you gotta go. Sign up, sign up, sign up.

[A]

There are fun things happening over there. And again, our members are so. I love our members. The chats are fun. Everything's very good over there.

[D]

The other exciting thing is that we're nearing Rosabelle's visit.

[A]

That I'm excited about. Rosabelle in la. Holy shit. That I'm down for. Thanks for anyone that's come and supporting us there. It helps us make the show. It builds a community. So thanks to anyone who signed up to our Patreon. We will see you over there with bonus content always. Otherwise, email in flight. The spreadshowmail.com if you have any cover slash tribute band feedback. Deeply curious what you make of that particular scene. And I imagine a lot of you listening will have experienced a tribute band at some point. And I'm curious if you have any stories about those experiences. We're on Instagram now. Flightless Bird Pod. Come and follow us on YouTube, all the places like and subscribe and we will see you next week.

[D]

And here's a preview of this week's bonus Patreon episode.

[A]

We could do a little update for our Patreon listeners about a holiday time. Who has had the best or the worst time? As you can see, I'm incredibly tanned right now.

[D]

Your trip's been much more tropical.

[A]

It's opposite of your. Of your experience.

[D]

My wintry wonderland.

[A]

Your wintry wonderland.

[D]

We had a Chipotle lunch in honor of Flightless Bird.

[A]

Beautiful.

[D]

And an Olive Garden dinner.

[A]

Holy Rob. It's like in my absence, you have morphed into me.

[D]

I don't even know how to describe it.

[A]

Amazing, satisfying, delicious. All those things. I am spending a bit more time in nz. We'll do some more Patreon updates from New Zealand and then, yeah, I sort of head back if your wonderful Border Protection Agency lets me back in. That's the moment. The moment of truth.

[D]

Yeah. And if anyone wants to meet David at lax.

[A]

Yeah, don't need that.

[D]

I mean, you need a ride probably from the airport, right?

[A]

Won't you be there?

[D]

For what?

[A]

Me?