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Strange Brew - Cream

Sarum’s Lot played at Qudos Bar in Salisbury last night, quiet-ish when we got there, but filled up to the gun holes as we set up, played okay, a few minor screw ups from all of us (which is unusual) but the crowd were very kind to us, partaking in lots of singing and dancing.😎 We must have done alright because the land lady booked us for NYE 2026, so that’s a right result, Qudos is our favourite venue to play in Salisbury. Next up we are at The Bull Hotel in Downton on the 31st for a Halloween party, fancy dress is the order of the day, our guitarist is taking things very seriously:

I'm in contact with Colin, been trying to get him in for the 2025 SE Bass Basheroonie. He's declined - which is a huge shame - and I get the distinct feeling he finds the adoration a bit uncomfortable and bothersome. XTC are a weird one for me. I loved the singles back in the day, but they were more a guilty pleasure as musically my head was elsewhere. Sadly it was only after they called time that I really got into them; I suppose it was great to just go through the entire catalogue over a short period of time and appreciate how they evolved. It kind of saddens to read a comment like @Dad3353 giving the four minutes. While people obviously cite The Beatles as being the quintessential British band, XTC should also be seen as a national treasure, there's so much depth in the writing and arrangements, from the quirky angular punk/pop of White Music and Go 2 through to the majesty of Apple Venus and Wasp Star. The band were lyrically and musically smart. Andy Partridge once remarked something along the lines of the band being 'clever and from Swindon' which aptly characterised the struggle they were always going to face for exposure. Had it been New York, another story. The whole backstory is fascinating (try an watch the This Is Pop documentary for a quick deep dive to the withdrawal from touring, which just adds to the enigma). @Dad3353The whole catalogue is on Spotify; get yourself a coffee and listen to the Fossil Fuel collection; it's a decent entry point. Identify the tracks that light your candle and do an album - I'm not going to say you won't be disappointed (even though I just did), because you possibly will. Each to their own. They really were (and still are) a fantastic, fantastic band.

Sounds like a good decision. You’ve got a lot going on there, and well done for realising the need to take care of yourself in the mix. You can’t help other people if you’re already burnt out yourself etc. I hope things improve and get back on track. We are all replaceable in bands/gigs etc but not replaceable in our own families and lives.

Wedding gig at the Mythe Barn near Atherstone on the Warwickshire/ Leicestershire border. After a few weeks of modding and gigging with my Squier P + flatwounds, I grabbed two active Yamahas + round wounds for tonight’s gig. No doubt it was a wider, more complex and detailed bass sound, but I missed hearing the way that the burpy, woody P + flats sat in the overall mix at previous gigs. Was glad of the Yamahas for the few songs that needed slap bass etc though. Cool venue, lovely catering courtesy of a pizza oven in the beautifully illuminated courtyard just outside, plenty of people up dancing and a very decent gig all in. Rig was a single Markbass STD102HF cab, Little Mark lll head and my usual pedal board (Boss chorus and octave, a Korg tuner, Vintage Microtubes overdrive and a Cali76 compressor).

Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday

I find that no matter how much time I spend on nailing a bassline, run fill etc at home, it takes two or three (or sometimes more) run throughs with the band before I can play it as well as I could in personal practice.

It is now working again AND I have 9 spares! Thanks again.

They probably mean it actually is Squier, not Squire.

I was chatting to @Mike Brooks on WhatsApp about this latest L42 tour the other day. He was saying that the Pink JayDee sounded a little hollow and flat, but when the red JayDee came out, it sounded immense. I haven't heard it in the flesh yet, but I've never liked traditional/vintage instruments through the ultra-processed MarkBass amps. They just don't sound right to me. (I have one and only use it due to the light weight. I much prefer my TC RH750.) By all means tell me if I have weird ears, but the JayDees through the MB rig always sound as if they 'Quack' like a Duck... 🙉

Agreed. The Mexican £1400 signatures are very good in isolation (I had the Flea Jazz with the Pure Vintage 64's for a while), but when you put them next to the American Original, there's no comparison. There was just something about them that gave them an organic sound. Mine is also very light, so I guess it's a very high quality piece of Alder too.

Maybe tap to a larger size thread and fit a Helicoil?

Completely agree, it’s great. I honestly cannot see how something like this would even get close for the same money!

Blimey, he needs those big boots to find his way around that big pedal board...

It’s an always on ‘tone-shaper’ kind of pedal for me, so I’m using it more like a preamp. However, I don’t run it last in my chain. It’s currently sitting after my compressor and octave pedals, but before my Rat clone. It’s worthwhile experimenting with it in different spots in your chain as it can do some cool things to gain pedals.

Andy, you must do what's right for you. You've given fair notice so they'll be ok. Don't stress about it, you have enough going on