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Hi gang Just part-way through Trevor Horn's new autobiog, and it's blummin' marvellous. He's a humble, likeable bloke, and his journey from the pit villages of County Durham to the global pinnacle of polished pop via dancehall bands and Yes is remarkable. There's a reasonable amount of bass content in there too. Well recommended.

My current 3. 1975 Rickenbacker 4001, a 1969 Fender Precision and a 1980 Musicman Sabre.

I can't recall if I've posted this before on this thread, but here is my original 1969 Precision with a B neck, c/w original case, both covers (one shown), thumb rest and even the original Fender strap.

Well, Friday wasn't the finest evening in our gigging career! We had a feeling it was going to be a bit iffy when we noticed on Thursday that the "Band Night" event posts on the FB page for the village hall we were playing at had all disappeared. After a quick message to the chairman of the committee, the event appeared again, but without anything much in the way of interest being shown. Anyway, after the usual rigmarole of tracing and eliminating various odd hums and buzzes (which invariably seem to emanate from Mr Singer's crappy acoustic amp and pedalboard... 🙄 ), we managed to get a decent sound, though unusually I had to ask to be turned up quite a lot in the mix - looks like our resident poultrygeist (don't ask... ) has been fiddling with the desk again. So, there we are, all set to kick off, when the hall folks announce they're going to start serving food now, so could we hang on? We do, and eventually launch into the first set half an hour later than planned, to a rather disinterested (but well-fed) audience of thirty or so people. On the plus side, that was more than the eight who turned up for the last band who played there, and the two new numbers we'd thrown together at rehearsal on Thursday went well, so we'll be treating them to a bit more polish before the next gig. Other than that, the first set felt a bit like hard work - they're all songs we (mostly) like individually, and they do usually seem to go down well, but there's a growing feeling that they just don't work as a set, so we're going to rip up the list and do a bit of set-bashing in the next couple of weeks. After a short break, the second set was, as ever, an absolute delight to bash through, though the delayed start meant we had to drop a couple of songs (in addition to the one I'd inadvertantly managed to leave off the list for the first set - oops!). The audience response remained muted, though at least they did applaud after each number rather than just carry on talking, and we got several compliments at the end so it would appear they were actually listening after all. Honourable mention goes to the two people who I noticed were actually watching us and tapping their feet all night! From a personal point of view, the onstage sound was great as was the FoH, and it was one of those nights where everything just seemed to flow without really thinking about it - in fact, the couple of times I did think about it was when the minor flubs occurred. We've another gig booked at the same hall in December for a birthday event, but after that I suspect we'll not be playing there again - apparently there have been several changes on the committee, and it looks like live music isn't particularly part of the scene there any longer. Oh well, plus ça change an' all that...

Earlier this year i got Jaydee to strip this bass and refinish it to show the natural wood. I didn't dislike the original colour it but preferred the natural quilt maple finish. I left the back of the headstock in the original colour.

Sort it out Ashdown n reissue the hyperdrive in a small package... Please 😁

Eat to the beak. Blondie

Get a contract next time and they cant argue about it. We do that for any new gigs with the Glam covers band. To be asked to play something completely different or you dont get paid is a threat in my book. To be honest i wouldn't go back. I guess i wouldn't have got paid that night. It amazes me how some people think you have a set list for every eventuallity up your cuff is simply ridiculous. No pay, sore face i reckon. Dave

French Fishes in the USA - Debbie Harry

My Youtube lesson last week on the Noel Redding bass lines from Red House went down really well. Since then I've had some requests to compare these bass lines with the Billy Cox bass line from Red House live at Woodstock. If you're unaware of Billy Cox, he was Jimi Hendrix's long time friend who joined him in the band after Noel Redding left. The version of Red House at Woodstock is really iconic and it's interesting to see what Billy Cox played after I’ve looked at Noel Redding's bass lines. The two bass players are very different, not least because Noel Redding was first and foremost a guitarist. But personally, I see merits in both of their bass lines and enjoy all the contrasting versions of Red House. I’ve made a full transcription of Billy Cox’s bass line and you’ll find this under the video lesson. It’s in standard notation and Tab. Enjoy, and it would be interesting to hear which version of Red House you prefer. https://youtu.be/Et4vV7Vpnqo

So I used the combo at rehearsal last night (could have used the supplied Ampeg SVTIII through matching 6x10). All I can say is one is a happy boy this morning - two guitars playing through small valve combos plus acoustic drums and the Ashdown was hardly ticking over. Big fat authoritative tone, but the mids from my fretless were cutting through beautifully (unlike when using said Ampeg rig). Looking forward to gigging with the rig now.

Aston Familyman Barrett first then later Stanley Clarke.

Yesterday I picked up this Yamaha bb BP35 bass after wanting one for a long time in this colour. It really is a fabulous bass, and you can play pretty much any style on it. The slap tone is fantastic and it's passive. I'm not really a 5-string player, but love the B string power, so was using it a bit here, but this bass was local to me, so i got my hands on it. Please use headphones, the bass is removed from the track, you get them from karaoke version, great for this sort of thing. thanks

Jean Jaques Burnel for me. I'd heard lots before him but would never had said they had a particular sound or 'tone' that was so different. His sound and style hooked me from the off

Will get that, thanks for the heads up. First month of my Electronic Music Technology course at ELP and we were marched round to Sarm East where we had the pleasure of seeing Trevor Horn recording ABC’s Lexicon of Love. At the time I was into Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Hawkwind, and Fischer-Z so wasn’t as impressed as I would be now 🤔

Here's my rig. Epifani Performance Series PS400 head and 2 x 2x10 Epifunky cabs. Also shown is my 1978 Electro Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress Flanger pedal. I've had this rig for a while now it's seen a lot of gigs.

Newcastle City Hall last night. Quite a big one for our singist, as he grew up in Morpeth, so he was pretty thrilled to be playing there. There's been enough of my rubbish pictures, so instead, here's a nice review. https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23087116.review-kiefer-sutherland-impresses-newcastle-city-hall-2022-tour/

I have played in the following tributes in order: Phoenix Rising (Wishbone Ash), In For The Kill (Budgie), Hell Bent For Priest (Judas Priest), DIIO (Ronnie James Dio) and I've played dep gigs in Sack Sabbath (Black Sabbath) and Black Angus (AC/DC). So to answer the questions: Do you have to be a fan of the original artist, or maybe you become one? Not necessarily but I think it helps. I love all of the bands I've covered above. The Budgie tribute was my idea as Ive been a fan since I was at school. How important is it to be visually/musically identical? How much latitude are you allowed? Our guitarist thought it very important to dress up and try to look the part. Not really in Budgie and Wishbone. I guess if you play in something like Kiss then it's pretty essential. Musically I think you should try to be accurate where possible. Do you ‘get into character’ or is it just a gig? I tried to get into character. I always tried to put in 100% so it's more than just a gig. Does it feel musically limiting, or is it fulfilling your needs? (Maybe you have a side band?) No not necessarily limiting as I played in a covers band as well. It fulfilled my needs of wanting to play in larger venues with the tributes. I've played a ton of gigs since 2006 from postage stamp pubs to festivals and everything in between. Do you have any qualms about tributes ‘stifling original music’? Non whatsoever. There's a place for originals, tributes and covers. Tributes are basically covers anyway right?. A lot of people can't afford to watch some originals so the tributes are an option. If you play to a good standard then its all good. It also promotes the original band as maybe some people may not have heard of the original band. This happened a lot with Wishbone and Budgie so it got them more sales hopefully. Have you ever met or been seen by a member of the ‘originals’? What did they say? Yes. We had members of Martin Turners Wishbone Ash see us in the Wishbone tribute and they loved it and they came again to another gig. I also become friends with them. Ray Philips from Budgie saw our Dio tribute and enjoyed it. Pete Boot from Budgie saw our Budgie tribute and he enjoyed that. Simon Lees from Budgie even joined us for an encore jam in the Budgie tribute. Les Binks saw our Judas Priest tribute apparently but I don't know what he thought. Andy Sneap saw our warm up debut Priest gig and he enjoyed it according to a friend. What is the overriding thing being in a tribute act has taught you? I think just to play as accurately as possible and be as professional as you can. Having done it once, would you do it again? If so, would the musical angle be very different? Yeah I'd probably do it again but I've no idea to what tribute. I mean, I've played in all these bands so what's left? I'd still want the music to be accurate as possible.

This is my favourite UFO track. I love the guitar solo in this by Paul 'Tonka' Chapman and the bass intro.

Features a young (21 ish) Marcus

I played one fairly recently. It wasn’t massively heavy but definitely solid. Beautifully finished but it is covered in a thick gloss finish, which together with the ebony board tends to give it a pingy sound, a bit like a Ken Smith. Neck felt OK but not particularly sleek or fast. The bridge pickup and blended it sounded great but the neck pickup solo’ed was a bit disappointing. Fit and finish was perfect but not something I’d want to drop £3.5K on - for that money in the Yamaha range I’d much prefer the TRB-PII series, which is also a gloss coffee table finish but more characterful and versatile.

Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis C.

One Way or An Author - Blondie

I got the 54 in for reviewing for De Bassist (Dutch Bass magazine), very excited. It certainly looks the part.

That sounds great!

Aha he does mention its not that light however, but he will weigh it for a future review.

Who made you King ? Not some watery tart I hope

Tweeters don't hiss, amps do. That said, the response of the BGH25-8 rolls off above 8kHz, where there's no useful electric bass content, but plenty of hiss.

Much of the anger has either dissolved into depression or is projected onto "others". Then you have the culture and normalisation of pathological narcissism, 'The Century of the Self', so that is obviously going to produce lean results. Just as the last of the native Indians were kept quiet on reservations with rough whiskey and baubles and bangles, we took to the comforters too... https://www.highexistence.com/amusing-ourselves-to-death-huxley-vs-orwell/ “Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” Aldous Huxley - Brave New World.

You're better than me! I ended up enjoying to the track, rather than listening to your playing. And that, to me, means that your playing is good.

Nice one! I think a tort pick guard would really improve the low mids and help it sit in the mix just right.

That’s lovely 👌

can you measure the string gauges Ti G string is 043 most others are 040 or 045

Agreed. Try to get as tight a fit as possible and seal with silicon. It's an excellent glue. As @GlamBass74 says, don't worry about the holes in the battens.