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So @Dankologyand I have been working on something together. Owing to the demise of my previous band (there’s a post on the acrimonious band split thread)… We’ve been sharing ideas and today we recorded our first single… This is ”Letters He Left” And we’ll be sharing bass/guitar/baritone/Bass Vi duties https://www.facebook.com/share/1BY5pGLUQR/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.instagram.com/lettersheleft?igsh=MXZwY2diNXNja3l4cg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Been there a few times myself . Sacked / replaced from bands . ( too old , too bald ) Watched bands slowly implode. Crazy dictators , deluded musicians . This is when I pack the bass away , blow the dust off my Classical guitar , as long as there is some element of music going on , I live to fight another day .

The annual Ride to the Wall happens today, and as the Wall in question is about 15 miles from Tamworth, some people ride up the day before and stay in hotels. One of those hotels was the Liberal House, where one of my bands (appropriately, The Bonnevilles) finished up playing. I started to set up and realised that I'd managed to forget my amp - I'm used to getting all of the gear out of the garage and as I don't do the PA for The Bonnevilles, I'd got distracted by moving the bits I didn't need out of the way. Still, it was only a 15 minute round trip to pick it up. We had to fit into an alcove so tiny that the guitarist finished up outside it, and the drummer was sitting on the bench seat in the alcove, as was my cab (on its side). I'd brought a headed bass - rather stupidly, I didn't think to pick up a headless when I went back for the amp. Audience was mainly bikers ("They like both kinds of music - rhythm AND blues"), a large proportion of whom were wearing fleeces/trackies with RCT RIDERS emblazoned on them - Royal Corps of Transport. Mrs Zero sat and talked with some of them - it was the first time she'd seen me with The Bonnevilles, her hip replacement had rather interfered with coming to see us before. All went well, though because the bikers had to get up early, a lot of them buggered off to bed before we finished at spot on 11. Gear: Antoniotsai 5-string dragon bass -> Lekato WS-90 -> Zoom MS-60B+ -> Tecamp Puma 900 -> supine GR Bass AT212. Footwear as usual but damper than normal.

Happy to pay up on the day. If it hasn't already been considered, can I also suggest that powered gear goes around the hall walls and instrument-only exhibitors take the central tables? David

I've strung up a couple of basses with DR DDT and Pure Blues strings respectively and really like them for their soft feel and low finger noise. Unfortunately, what I also notice is that they seem to go very dead very quickly and very suddenly - much more so that, for example, D'Addarios which seem to stay bright forever. Is this just my imagination or has anyone else here noticed this, too? Can anyone recommend a string has the smoothness of a DR string but stays bright like a D'Addario? Cheers! Chris

Mmm... Tea..!

Monday Monday - the Mamas & the Papas

Well, I did order one of these and it arrived a few weeks ago. I have to say I'm delighted with the bass - the sound has a depth that my Jazz doesn't and the neck is very compelling, even if it is a bit thicker that I would have chosen, given the choice. It seems to be my new favourite bass!

Pub beer garden solo gig - yes it was outdoors - for a local Oktoberfest in the village. Despite the best efforts of Storm Amy all day the rain stayed away although the high winds didn’t do any favours to my sound and I was playing in the dark by the end. It was also a test of my lyrics knowledge as any paper cheat sheets blew off the stand within the first song and I had to step on them until the tune finished to save them ending up in the stream behind. Seemed to go down really well to be honest. I was set up a bit away from the main crowd who were busy with German sausages and proper German beer so I can’t fault them for staying where they were. But a few collared me afterwards to say how good they thought it was etc also that’s a bit of a result. The landlord has assured me I will progress next time to the hallowed ground of “indoors.” Gear was my Simon and Patrick with the Seymour Duncan woody, my A&H desk, Shure SM58 and a pair of Mackie SRM350s. Effects were a tuner, a compressor and a Boss EQ pedal. Earl Grey Tea was by Twinings.

https://origineffects.com/product/bassrig-super-vintage/

Sunday Sunday - Blur

Exactly what I thought 👍

Congrats on your new bass I hope you, have many happy years with it they are great basses. I had a 1992 Fireglo 4003 for £650 which I slightly modified, totally gutted when I had to let it go instant regret. Fast forward to this February I too had a Ric itch but I honestly couldn't justify the prices secondhand, so I looked for a good copy of the 4001/4003. I found a 1990 Greco RB-85 for roughly what I paid for the 4003. The strap buttons & the control knobs from my 4003, are now on the Greco.

Let someone else take the hit. Some anonymous hero took the fall for me when I missed out on an amp on eBay by £5!

Coming Around Again - Carly Simon