While others might find that covering songs is not their cup of tea, not everyone can be creative especially if you lack the knowledge on theory like me.
But if you are gonna cover songs, then better to learn it by ear. I used to resort to tabs and when youtube came, video lessons, but I realized that you'll have better retention when you discovered it on your own.
If you'll join a band, be yourself and don't be scared to disappoint your bandmates. don't try to be somebody you're not. We learn more from failure than success. So have fun
Lastly, invest on good gear. Price is subjective and what's good for me might not be good for you/others but what's important is you feel good about what you play and it inspires you.
It's a journey, I mainly play blues now (SRV, Hendrix, John Mayer) but 15 years ago we were covering Blink 182, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit