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100%. Also there might be a couple of people who like it and ask who the tune is by, thus getting turned on to looking into Fela, his work and message more deeply. I'm sure the man himself would have approved of this.

This is going to go straight into Reform UK, political correctness gone mad BS so I’m out. Have a good gig whatever you decide.

Not at all. In my Chicago blues band we play a song called “little schoolgirl”. The singer explains that the lyrics are a bit dodgy, but it’s a fun song. World has changed and it’s worth reflecting on that.

Yeah, definitely do not copy the accent and appearance, that would be pretty seriously cringe.

He welcomed Ginger Baker into his band on many occasions. I went to see the Fela Kuti show at Sadler’s Wells and Femi got up and sang a few songs. the audience was predominately white British and the band was white French. None of which mattered a jot to anyone present.

It seems to me that more often than not it isn't the ones that are 'appropriated' that get offended - it is other people getting offended on their behalf. I think the biggest risk is if it is a straight-up copy (including accents and clothes etc) it starts to obviously not be genuine and seems a bit naff. 'Keep it real' and all that.

Got Mercalli from Geoff - great communication and shipping - packed great and great little bass - great BCer

Yes, Sandberg has made several of these in the early 00's. Most I've seen had the Basic Ken Taylor electronics package (2 MM humbuckers, active 3-band) and many had a flamed maple top. I missed out on a lefty 5-string in trans blackburst a few years ago. I think they look tremendously cool!

I will actually take this if its still going , i've just done a Clean " FORCED " windows 11 install on my old Surface Pro 4 ( would be Chrome OS flex if it didn't brick the touch screen ) Its only getting used for dinner table Iplayer / youtube duties at the moment but it would be good to have a spare . Drop me a PM

Quite on the contrary, music is an universal language, and I would call it a racist decision if fear of cultural-appropriation is the reason not to play it. But then again I am not a zealot woke, you'll have to ask one of them how it is even supposed to make sense. I am almost certain that Fela Kuti would be really happy about a British white person playing his music. Culture is if any just a social construct, break down some barriers!

From Alan Lomax protesting electricity at Newport folk festival, Santana fusing Latin rhythms with rock, Cream taking the blues to a new level, British SKA, Northern Soul, Heavy metal in Delhi, Katmandu and Tokyo. Cultural Appropriation, dilution, desecration or just art? I am all for culture NOT being either sacred or static. That’s the death of creativity. I don’t think Dylan should have apologised to Lomax or Cream apologised or Santana etc. I think George Harrison had as much right to pick up a Sitar as any young lad in Delhi has to wear cowboy boots and sing country music and if working class white lads in Wigan have a passion for US Soul music and are inspired to dance please do.

Dear all, I hope everyone in the bass world is doing well! Please can anyone help me find replacement old tuners? (Must be old not new) I need one baker style one french style one hat peg tuner if anyone has any of these, please please please get in touch. thank you!

I find the same with my '95 ash Stingray with Aguilar pickups/preamp. For a simple 9v bass it sounds huge with sustain for days. It actually leaves my 2023 18v Stingray Special 5 in the dust tone-wise. I think I used to be an 'eq-hooligan' once upon a time as well. Now with the Rays I tend to boost the treble and bass about 30-40%. That gives me all the shove and sparkle I need. The other little known thing about the Stingray preamps is that when you back off the treble a little from your 'sizzle point', the sound thickens considerably. Yes, the Jazz is a more polite and even-tempered beast, but the Stingray's chewy thickness and sparkle is hard to beat with anything this side of a Status.

Without blackface make up, I trust?

it's also the most middle class thing ever! If the OP feels that he has to apologise before playing a song that you might not expect them to, then perhaps they could jokingly announce the song as 'some might think it strange that five white guys from the south east of England could play a song about the struggles of people in a land far away that we know very little about... but we're gonna do it anyway! It's a great song and I hope that we can do it justice'...

Thunderstruck - AC/DC