There have been many nights when I haven’t always been in the mood to sing my heart out, and on one such night several years ago after finishing a set with an almost mocking version of some song I can’t recall, I remember being approached by a stern-faced fan who was clearly disappointed and wanted to let me know.

I’ll never forget what she told me next because I already had my defenses up and was ready to brush her off but was admittedly unprepared for what came next. With teary eyes and an unexpectedly sober composure given the time of night, she told me quite firmly that I didn’t have the right to mock one of her favourite songs. She went on to explain that it had been a devastating week over all for her with problems at work, sick family members, a deceased pet and she had come out hoping to hear us play that song for her to make everything alright and how disappointed she was that we botched it up so carelessly.

The lady was clearly upset and at first I was only mildly affected by her comments, sympathetic yes but not giving it more thought than that … everyone has rough days and in my mind I thought “how does she know that maybe I’m not having a rough day and that’s why I botched and giggled through the song?”. As time went by though, her words stayed on my mind and I had this residual guilt growing inside me that took me some time to figure out.

"... we were acting like a band that cared ..."

Weeks later I started wondering if she’d come back, since I was ready to make sure that we’d offer the poor lady one of the most excellent versions of her favourite song ever and maybe it would cheer her up … and that’s when it hit me. What if we did that all the time, would it make any difference whether we put our hearts into it or not? I’d been playing covers for so long, I almost forgot what the original versions sounded like and the novelty of making them our own had long since gone by. We’d always said, “they’re only covers who cares”, but then I thought to myself it couldn’t hurt to try.

I made it a point to take on a little personal experiment and put everything I had into the very next song regardless of what it was, and see what happened. The first song had little impact on anyone immediately but it deeply affected me, I went searching for feelings I didn’t know existed and was quite emotional by the time the song was over. My guitarist didn’t say anything but I noticed a few curious side glances during the performance as if to check and see if maybe I had gas or something.

The next song was an interesting development all its own as I again poured my heart into the vocal and low and behold one of the most incredible solos from my guitarist that I had heard in years. After our big finish, just a turn and a nod from him with a comment of “fun” to sum up the experience. Fun indeed, and more to come as the night turned our steady stream of casual gatherers into a drunken, messy room full of party-ers who couldn’t get enough of this new found outpouring of wild experimentation and carefully timed musicianship … we were acting like a band that cared for the first time in who knows how long, and it felt amazing.

Ever since that time, I’ll admit to slacking now and then on occasion, but I can honestly say that for the most part I genuinely make it a personal point to put everything I have into each and every performance no matter what. I always make it a point to be “on” and show as much professional musicanship as I can muster with each new performance. That lady was absolutely correct, as a musician on stage, I do not have the right to mock the music I am performing. It is my responsibility to do everything in my power to make the song sound as good as possible and make sure that I’m doing my part to help everyone in the room, even the quiet people all the way in the back, feel the song. I go and get them with the music, I find a way to make that oddball couple in the corner tap their toes, I get that sad looking guy in the corner dancing if I can, and most of all, if I get a request for something we know, we do it credit and send them home feeling like our version was 10 times better than the original … and it works wonders for everyone involved.

If I don’t like the job, or if I’m feeling off that day, I should either shut up or ship out. Everyone has their lot in life and when they come out to drown their sorrows or forget their troubles, what an incredible opportunity and honourable charge to have the chance to remind them that life is amazing, and what better way than to take some of our favourite songs and play them live amongst our friends in such a way that goes beyond sounding “correct” but sounds friggin amazing.

Since taking covers seriously, I have noticed a huge impact on the general public we play for. More and more often people come up to me and ask for advice about finally pursuing otherwise stagnant dreams of becoming amateur musicians, couples that were so moved by our rendition of a song that they want us to play it at their wedding, younger generations actually staying and singing along to songs they always thought of as corny because it just seemed like a “sick version” … I never did see the disappointed lady again, but I understand what she meant and I’ll never forget that my job is important and I will always take it to heart as long as I live.