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The Earl Haig in Cardiff. Great venue, big stage, full lights (Focus are playing there on thursday). Audience was bigger than our usual although it wasn't packed out as its 250 capacity. A bit nervous as loads of musicians in there! But we had an awesome time, much dancing and due to a watch misfunction we went 20 minutes over... Thanks to Barry Morris for photos.

Seems like I developed Superpowers at A New Day festival on Friday!

So Many Roads.

Yep, Barry does a reel every time there's a gig at the EH. Means you get some great pics.

Vosene Dolly Parton

I’ve had this for about twenty years now , and keep fairly fresh rounds on it. I’m mostly a flatwound thumper , but this has such a gorgeous top end.

Great multi-band line up yesterday. I managed to play three times with different bands - a couple of songs to support a drummer whose guitarist and bassist/singer had pulled out at the last minute (all new to playing and never played live and I think the nerves took a hold). I played three songs with the band of 13 year olds I'd been mentoring all week (they were brilliant) and a couple of tunes with ex-band mates in a jam at the end. I was using my Gretsch Electromatic shorty - first outing on a stage for her - through a Laney RB2 (the communal bass amp) DI'd to FOH. The rest of the day I was on sound duties - with around 20 acts and varying levels of professionalism (from 0-100% 😀) it was quite a challenge. But no complaints, and several compliments from people I respect so I'm happy. And the students from the Rock School performed really well and all went home as happy rockstars! No photos of the kids (of course) but here are a few of the acts. As I was also the photographer, sadly no photos of me either. Today is a day of rest, calm and quiet. 😀

Saw Gov't Mule Thursday night. "Big Time" production ( 5 tour buses and 7 Semi Trucks.)Warren's voice was fantastic and every note, riff or chord he played was hot. Blue

She's Right- I'm Left THIS SATURDAY! Hopefully Ma’ Nature cooperates! But if she’s in a mood, fear not, the show will go on indoors! It’d be great to see YOU! LIVE @ King Pin Bowl & Ale House West Bend WI That was last night. It was a 7-10 acoustic gig. Not bad, not great and kind of weird. Blue

You alright hun?

Played at a party yesterday, depping with some old friends. It was in the garden of a cottage in a small village in Holderness, and is an annual event where everyone knows each other and really enjoy themelves . A lovely do with great punters and ace food and drink too! Used my bitsa Jazz bass, with a GKMB800 into my old 'Loud Inc' 4x10 cab, which still sounds as strong as ever. Glad I didn't sell it on when I got my BF Compact, as occasionally it's great to have a change. The band play 'Dad rock' stuff which always goes down well with the gigs they get. The drummer is John 'Cambo' Cambridge, who played in David Bowie's early band 'The Hype' and then on the 'Space Oddity' era stuff. John actually introduced Bowie to Mick Ronson following playing with Mick in top local band 'The Rats'. He's a top bloke, great company and a wonderful drummer so it's always a pleasure (and an honour) to get to play with him, even though I've known him for over 40 years. ( John has recently written a book about his early days with Bowie and Ronson - for anyone interested it's called 'Bowie, Cambo and all the Hype' , is available in paperback and a fascinating read.)

I love this little DC Jr ! I was going to change the bridge , but haven’t gotten around to it. I was able to quickly set the three point exactly where I wanted things , but I do like the look of the Hipshot drop in replacement. I thought the Jr might fit in my SG case , but it does not.

Music in the Embankment Meadow Bedford, 2 - 5pm...great weather, sound and big audience...wonderful

Chile Love Songs ～ Macca

After 11 years our jazz standards quartet played our final gig (number 150) last night at a brewery where we have played many times. Not a full house but very appreciative and we played well but we were all very aware of the end of our little band. As usual our Bose PA worked perfectly, I go directly into it and we don't need monitors. The singer/keyboard player is moving to another city and since we have developed a band image and personality over the years we won't try to replace her and carry on, we will have to start from zero and maybe take another direction. The three of us are in a seven piece jazz band and that will be our main musical outlet while we decide what to do, I may look around for another band that needs a DB player maybe jazz or folk or bluegrass or ???. It's been a good run and we are all still friends, quite an accomplishment after 11 years. At 76 with about 60 years of gigging I'm hoping something comes along soon, the clock is ticking but I'm hoping to carry on for as long as possible.😊

As most people who’ve been to the country know Cows are nosey buggers, they’ll head your way and surround you before you can blink an eye. want to get rid of them? Bass Solo!!!

I want to buy a '67 Rickenbacker, because obviously it matches my IQ.

Looks nice to me, I wouldn’t think about changing anything before you’ve spent some time with it , the Japanese fenders have a good reputation , I’m sure it will be great

Don't go into it thinking "what should I upgrade?" Upgrades should only be a consideration if you have played it for a while and found something to be deficient. Japanese Fenders are generally superb. Play it for a while and get to know it. Only then decode if you need to mutilate it.

I have never felt the need to buy a 1957 Precision bass - and if I did, I would expect it to look as old and worn out as I am!

This might be the year I break down and get a Monique, I’ve been threatening to do so for a while now. I mostly play mid sized rooms and often am not in the PA so I have to fill the room. I’ve been using a Bergantino rig , a little Forte head and two HDN cabs , a 112 & 210 , we’re not loud so I often just use a single cab.

The scratchplate is the least of the design problems there 😂

The most successful band I’ve been in was an originals band which I joined at 48 and left at 54, played 50+ gigs a year, festivals, toured overseas, albums released by record companies (tho not signed to them) etc. It’s never too late, tho at 56 I now acknowledge my limits a bit better - hence why I left the above, but I’m still in an originals band. So don’t give up hope, and even if taking a few years off if you have a bass you really connect with put it in its case under the bed/on top of the wardrobe, at some point you’ll most likely get the urge to play again.

Love those fender fleas, they play and sound so good

..until you stop with the boomp boomp boomp and all of a sudden the band sounds like half the members went to the bar.

Daydream Bolivia - The residents

I do love a maple fretboard, 🤔 maybe my next goal for stingray and sterling 🍻

Please stop selling nice gear and basses I’ve got enough to last a lifetime 😲 that is all thank you cheers 🍻

me Ar$e ! what sort of pish is this 🙂 if you pack in you will end up on the coutch watchin tv with the Missus 😞 do you really want that ? i would do ANYTHING than watch tv, and i would do ABSOLUTLY ANYTHING than sit and watch tv with her. Fu@k all that, im 58, as well as playing in a 80s tribute show, i write all the songs for my 8 piece funk band and record them all thats my love thang, and i cant imagine a world where i could not do this, i would hate it, im in my studio having a break right now typing this. get some recording gear, cheap now days, skol has done a great thred in the Recording section called BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO HOME RECORDING. Dont wast that good sound you have been striving to get, get it down, create if that does not convince you then this might.... creating songs and releasing them, dead easy nowdays, will be one of the only things you can leave here when your gone, your name will always be attached with them songs, you will never die, also to learn all them songs over the years you will have gained alot of skill and knowledge, you going to let all that just go ? years of work ? with nothing to show for it ? no reward ? NOTHING ? Naaarrrrrr, what a wast. If you have not tried then maybe think about writing, get some chunes out there and when you have done enough, you can decide if you want to surround your self with good players to play them live ! Because there is no Buzz on the planet like it. Packin in ?? me Ar$e. comone... chin up a tv bum ...or... a creative soul. Tonight matthew,, i am going to be............

Uninterestingly, Lemonsole, Blake & Farmer were originally called Follow The Ostrich and unfortunately their first album of bland psychedelia was called the same. Bonus Fun Fact... Wantage is in Oxfordshire.

'I Believe It' from Saturday night at The Golden Age Festival in Liege. For once, a sound engineer who doesn't pull all the top out and swamp the sound with deep bass. This is the Sire V9 I recently withdrew from sale on here - glad I did!

@Richard R Your prayers worked, my request for more bass weeks has been granted. I did have 10 Sunday’s on acoustic guitar but, now I’ve got 5 on acoustic and 5 on bass 😄, Sardonicus is happy. I’m happy to serve where I’m needed but I still want to enjoy it.

I've tried both the Behringer 205 and the TC VoiceSolo, they both work after a fashion. They are built to work on a mic stand but that is a bit of a nonsense as they make the stand too top heavy for anything but the most tame of gigs. They both are loud enough to cause feedback so extra volume isn't useful. The Behringer sounds like a very loud portable radio the TC is much cleaner sounding but as a practical proposition for vocals only the behringer works better as the mids are what you need and you will get early high frequency feedback from the TC IME. I sold my Behringer to my drummer so he could hear the vocalist and he liked it, with no vocal mic he could position it close and no feedback. For monitoring my backing vocals they are only OK if your drummer is loud. The gain you need to hear yourself over the drums is enough for anything that close to the mic to cause feedback issues. It's just good enough to pitch but that's it once you've cut it to stop it howling. (some say my bv's are howling) I lost them when I started using an RCF ART310 as a floor monitor. The much flatter response and the floor positioning allow all the gain you need. I'm losing my hearing, too much exposure to high levels of sound. Too late I'm turning to IEM's they don't just give you the sound they cut the sound level at your ears to levels that don't cause damage. Using earplugs is a matter of fit, I struggled with poor bass, falling out and tight uncomfortable plugs. All of these are cured by well fitting in-ears. I thought I'd feel cut off from the audience, you'll be amazed just how much audience sound comes through the vocal mics. On a good day I get hi-fi/studio sound through my in-ears and my playing has improved because I can hear everything. I wish I'd done this when I started gigging and if I could pay £20,000 to get my hearing bck to where it was 15 years ago I'd take your arm off. Do yourself a favour and try some nice comfortable over-ears in rehearsal where no-one cares what you look like. Once you get that set up how you like it you will want that at a gig. Even those little Behringers are going to damage your hearing.

I'm 48 and write my own stuff. Don't give up, if you enjoy playing. Adapt to the situation and find a way to make it work for you.

Bedazzled - Drimble Wedge and The Vegetations

Having heard that I'm wishing I'd actually based my lyrics on a station announcement - in particular the reported utterrings of Jah Wobble "I used to be somebody. Repeat. I used to be somebody"

While the Gene Simmons 'solo' posted earlier would instantly take uncontested #1 slot in a 'worst actual thing of any sort anywhere' thread. I felt embarrassed just watching it.

That could skip over a 'worst bass solo' thread and take the top spot in a 'worst piece overall' thread 🤣

Depped last night for a 5 piece (bass drums git sax and vocals). Since doing Bandeoke my approach to dep work has changed. I'm no longer bothered at having to read chord charts or improvise a whole set as I'm used to three hours of not knowing what we'll be asked to play, often with musicians who haven't met before and not knowing if anyone actually knows the song. So depping where all the people on stage know each other and know the set is a doddle. Last night was at a social club with a nice stage, friendly staff, typical social club crowd. The band had a reasonable sax player, an ok drummer and a singer with an incredibly good voice. Oh and a guitarist. I got paid, enjoyed playing and was tucked up in bed at 20 past 1 with a cuppa. Result!

...if only for the ironic title of their inevitable acoustic album. Welder Boys, unplugged.