There are tribute rock bands and then there is Tributosaurus, the symphony orchestra of rock. Rather than imitating the same artist over and over, these musical chameleons cover a new band every month. Chris Neville and Curt Morrison, two of the group’s founders who live in Oak Park, are currently working to capture the epic sound of Queen for an upcoming concert at The Vic Theater.
The band just finished a tribute to Elton John at their home base, Martyrs. As usual, the nightclub at 3855 N. Lincoln was sold out for the show. Keyboardist Jim Olson donned rhinestone glasses before launching into “Bennie and the Jets.”
For the next three and a half hours, Tributosaurus played song after song for the enthusiastic throng. The ensemble contracted or expanded, depending on the material. During the climactic “Philadelphia Freedom,” 13 musicians crowded the stage.
Tributosaurus doesn’t “cheat” with synthesizers. They employ the same instruments that the rock gods used in the studio. For Elton John, they had three violinists, three guitarists and several keyboard players, not to mention a brawny paleolithic horn section, featuring saxes, flutes and trumpets.
The blues-tinged songs inspired graybeards to sing alongside 20-somethings as the generous set continued. In addition to John’s many hits, the group also indulged in some “deep tracks” like “Love Song.” Occasionally, they segued into other groups. While re-enacting “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” they updated the audience on their ongoing project to cover every Beatle’s song in the order it was recorded.
“We’re up to Sgt. Pepper!” they announced to cheers.
Tributosaurus first sold out Martyrs in September 2003. The band was the brainchild of WSCR radio personality Matt Spiegel, who also came up with the name. He pitched the concept to Neville and Morrison, who met as roommates at the University of Illinois in Champaign.
“We were standing around, when Matt said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to start a band that plays a new band every month?'” Neville recalled.
With Spiegel on vocals, Neville on keyboards and Morrison on guitar, the nucleus of the band was formed. The inner circle was later expanded to include John Paul, a bass player from Oak Park and drummer Dan Lealin.
This core group decides which band they’ll do next. “After we agree on a band,” Neville said, “We each get to pick three songs — no veto allowed.” After researching what instrumentation will be needed, they reach out to Chicago’s musical community to recruit players. They might need anything from a mandolin to a French horn.
Tributosaurus members study their parts on their own.
“I listen to the band constantly all month,” Paul said. “Then I sit down and learn the music.” It takes him about a half hour per song to become skilled at the bass line. For most band members, Tributosaurus is a part-time job that requires 12-20 hours per week.
Before putting on the new show, the band holds a dress rehearsal at their “home away from home” FitzGerald’s Night Club in Berwyn.
“Everyone’s a pro, so the rehearsal is good quality,” Morrison said. “We’re looking for something that needs to be tweaked. We’re also getting the music into our muscle memory.”
Pretending to be a new band each month keeps the music fresh.
“It’s a blast,” Paul said, “In August, we played Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; the Who; Bruce Springsteen; and Elton John.” The band was all over the geographical as well as the musical map: Gigs were played respectively in Beverly, Skokie, Berwyn and Chicago.
It’s especially fun for Paul when he’s not well versed in the flavor of the month. “I always find something enjoyable. I wasn’t too familiar with Bruce Springsteen, but I became a huge fan.” He described their recent Bruce tribute at FitzGerald’s as one of their best shows ever.
Neville believes they are “unique in this country.” There are scores of tribute bands but none like Tributosaurus. So far, the group has covered over 90 bands. Neville singled out Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Yes as among their most memorable shows.
Though primarily a keyboardist, Neville is proud that he’s the only player to “hit for the cycle” with the band. He’s played every instrument in the ensemble. He also does the vocal arranging.
Neville has been a musician his entire life. He studied music composition at the U. of I. and does some composing in his home studio. The heavy workload of being a Tributosaurus stalwart, he said, has made him a better songwriter. He estimated they have learned 2,000-2,500 songs.
Neville moved to Oak Park in 2003 at the urging of Morrison. Two of the band members live within blocks of him. He loves the village, and it’s been a great place for him and his wife to raise their young daughters.
Referring to his Oak Park band mates, Neville said, “We’re all tremendous friends. There’s not a lot of politics in the band. We sometimes might fight like brothers, but we really enjoy playing together.” Having a ball is infectious for Tributosaurus fans. “They can see we’re having fun,” John said, “Plus, we’re incredibly serious about getting the music right.”
How serious? They’re recruiting a symphony orchestra to collaborate on the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” For Queen, they plan to have 22 singers on stage. They had three keyboards cooking simultaneously on “Madman Across the Water.”
“It requires an unbelievable amount of preparation,” Morrison said, after playing keyboard, harmonica and guitar at Martyrs. “We play every song in its original key and reproduce it note for note.” He found Steely Dan and Yes to be the toughest bands to learn. “They were ‘on purpose’ difficult.”
In addition to playing with the band, Morrison has taught guitar lessons in Oak Park since 1994. He’s also recorded for TV commercials for McDonald’s, Coors and Toyota.
Tributosaurus has been a modest moneymaker for the players. “We didn’t get into it for the money,” Paul said. “We did it because we respect the music.” So far, Paul has enjoyed the long and winding road through the Beatles catalogue the most. He plans to campaign for U2, Parliament Funk and Iron Maiden in the future.
Besides covering rock legends, Tributosaurus has done “One Hit Wonder” shows featuring 30 songs by otherwise forgotten artists. “We’re going to do ‘Two Hit Wonders’ next,” Neville said, citing Sammy Davis, Jr. and Gilbert O’Sullivan for starters. Now that the band has covered Ray Charles and Johnny Cash, he’s hoping for a Willie Nelson night.
“People get a high at our shows,” Neville added. “The music is mind-expanding.” Learning music is also beneficial to the players. “It opens up new pathways of thinking. It influences how you solve problems.”
He is passing that influence down to his daughters, who are learning to play drums and keyboard. They also enjoy attending the band’s kids shows, featuring the Monkees, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
Tributosaurus has been a life-changing experience for Neville. “To be able to interact with so many musicians and singers has made me a better musician. I feel like I’m part of a musical family.”
The Tributosaurus family will become Queen on Oct. 8 at The Vic Theater, 3145 N. Sheffield. Tickets are available online or at through the box office.