bassninja

Cool Saw Edgar with Yo-Yo Ma and Mark O'Connor years ago, great touch. Loved this comment on the YouTube page about the 'who's best' arguments though... [i] Some of these comments I've read sound like they were written by people who measure their penis daily.[/i]

The cat on the mixer>the gas almost works by Fairport (7/4 > 5/4) Smeceno Horo by Planxty (christ knows the sig, but rockin the uillean pipes...) [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LTeV7RUPnM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LTeV7RUPnM[/url] I hung my head by Sting is pretty cool IMO.

Not easy. I've always thought, [i]when I stop enjoying it, I'll stop doing it[/i]. Even if you did ride it out as a band with him, would it be worth the hassle, tension, strained silences..? Gotta be able to rely on your hombres, and have confidence in them... Get another guitard, IMHO.

[quote name='sshorepunk' post='624297' date='Oct 12 2009, 07:31 PM']From the Jam are touring soon![/quote] I gather that Rick Buckler has the hump with Bruce and has left FTJ because Bruce agreed to play on the new Weller album, however. Shame... [url="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/pandora/pandora-bucklers-not-from-the-jam-anymore-1792294.html"]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/p...re-1792294.html[/url]

The first time I ever saw Big Jim Sullivan play in a local boozer, I was so blown away I kept sucking at a bottle of Newcastle Brown absent mindedly while marvelling at his prowess. Come the end of the gig, the Broon had caught up with me. I was so awestruck that I shambled up to him and couldn't do anything but repeat "Mishterr Sullivan..." over and over while shaking my head in bemusement. He smiled kindly and eventually said "Jim will do, son". I ended up gigging with him for a while and even did a couple of albums, but never sought to remind him of our first meeting. However, on the plus side, the first time I met my hero Dave Pegg I must have kept it together, because when I asked if I could tape the show, he offered me a line from the mixer instead. Top geezer all round. Oh, and Tony Hadley (we love him madly) wee'd on my shoe once. Probably by mistake. *EDIT* A 'line from the mixer' merely refers to a stereo audio output, your honour...

...but Al, you looked so calm on the day... Bloody good job though, mate. It was one of the best organised and thought-out local fests we've done, so hats off to you all. Was anyone there from R*x picking up tips?

[quote name='7string' post='588179' date='Sep 2 2009, 11:48 PM']I grabbed a Behringer DI and it's really given a boost to my bass sound. It's like a steroid switch, just beefs everything up a little and I'm just using the suggested settings. I was playing bass with a friend of mine after I got it and he just laughed as the bass just sounded so good. Best £30 I've spent in a long while.[/quote] +1, Good bang/buck ratio for the £, but plastic casing is pretty rubbish.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='459287' date='Apr 10 2009, 01:55 PM']Not sure if you want to hear it Michael, but I actually prefer the sound of the Franklin. I didn't think I would but it just has more growl which is what I go for.[/quote] What he said. Sorry dude...

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='450578' date='Mar 31 2009, 03:07 PM']If I hear the phrase "passable Marcus Miller/Jaco impression" one more time, I'm heading up the bell tower with the sniper rifle.[/quote] I also feel the writing could be a little more gritty and 3D. For me its the regularly unimaginative questions along the lines of: [i]i) Why do/don't you play slap? ii) Why do/don't you play 5 or 6 string?[/i] But I always end up buying it and giving it [i]one more chance[/i]...

[i]God, I can't believe I'm about to say such an anoracky thing, but (deep breath)...[/i] The Vanden is really like the one Dave Pegg played in the summer of 1987, 'cos I remember it from that years Cropredy festival (one of the few things I can actually remember, though). It should be on the cover of their album 'In real time'. Looks like its been defretted though.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='407657' date='Feb 12 2009, 03:13 PM']I really, really like the stuff he did with Joni Mitchell ... The rest of his stuff I can take or leave however.[/quote] +1 I've listened to loads of Jaco for years, and there are bits that I still find amazing ("Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" off Shadows & Light esp.) But this thread has really made me reconsider. I think its that "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up" nonsense coming through his, admittedly pretty groundbreaking, playing. That's the Marmite factor for me, and on the whole, I'd rather not, thank you. I'd imagine that very thing might be the clincher for some folks, though, who find his arrogance inspiring or edgy in some way. But I don't hear him as a 'generous' player. I feel the same way about Frank Zappa, now I come to think of it...

[quote name='Low Down Dave' post='408699' date='Feb 13 2009, 03:38 PM']Personally I like quiet a bit of country music… in the same way I like quite a bit of jazz, and quite a bit of reggae But I do know country music (including Blue Grass) has some of the most incredibly talented musicians.[/quote] Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Bryan Sutton, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas etc etc all jam and improvise and stretch what 'country' or 'bluegrass' means. If you can play like that with only a mic pointing at your instrument (oo er..) then you are a man, my son... Improvising their little rhinestones off... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afzl3A8o7vE"]Chris Thile and Mike Marshall: The Fishers hornpipe[/url]

By the hats if I can...

Big Jim Sullivan. The Don, 'nuff said...

A couple of recent ones... The usual monthly gig in the boondocks. Joined by superduper fiddle & mando player again due to our usual buddy's incapacitation with what we now know to be a disease he got from an infected deer tick bite (Lyme disease). He'd thought it was carpal tunnel syndrome flaring up, but it took visits to 4 separate doctors to convince one of them that it was, indeed, Lyme's. He's a luthier/repairer too, so he's lost a load of £s in gigs and other work due to the hassle he's had being heard by his GP and our local hospital. Winkers. Anyway, I happened to get a really nice MD recording of this one by randomly dangling the mic on an old beam about 10' from the PA. A couple of fabulous furry freak brothers turned out too, so there was lots of stuff we hadn't done for years/ever. Nice to see everyone stand up with glasses raised after we did 'May you never' (it was the night after John Martyn died). Last night was a country gig in the Tivloi Theatre, Wimborne (near Bournemouth), a proper small independent theatre. It was a seated 'do', and it went really well. No real hassle, just bangin' out the R>V most of the time. I think The Peter Donegan Band are there soon, so WoT (if you're playing): the King's Head just down the road does a lovely pint of Abbot, and the resident crew are really helpful. A bit of a bizarre one, btw: I had an appointment with a cardiologist yesterday too. I went in to the consulting room and he looked at me a bit reservedly and said "I know you..." Then he turned to the medical student and nurse who were also attending and said "This gentleman is the finest bass player I've ever seen" and told me the various venues he's seen my jammy band over the years! Good news is I'm discharged with no further problems. Turns out he's a bit of a player too, and he asked for my number if he needs a dep! Its a funny old game, Saint...

[quote name='Ray' post='390308' date='Jan 24 2009, 12:11 PM']I still can't believe I played with Bernard Purdie last night![/quote] Tip o' the hat, geezer...

Thanks for the above, Nik, really good to see you (& posse). Its always nice to get some specific feedback from someone who knows what they're listening for... Anyways, I have a little catching up to do for the last few gigs as things have been manic and... well you know how it can be at this time of year. I had a surprise gig organised for me by Mrs Bassninja on my 40th birthday. It was great. Many of the people I played with and depped for in the last 20 odd years came along and we jammed. No pressure, lots of Hoegaarden and a real loose happy vibe. Fender Precision birthday cake included (made in the Sussex Custom Shop, 2008, very fat flour-based composite neck). Don't remember getting home Another folk club date with buddy Willy Austen (local hardcore pub music geezer) at which I found out that mutual buddy and geetar superstar Big Jim Sullivan is not too well at present, so thinking good thoughts for him. Then The Eagle, Arundel (mentioned by Sliverfoxnik above). Hot sweaty and packed with dancing 'heads' whom we eventually had to politely deflect from the micstands towards the end in order to preserve our dentures. Good natured and enthusiastic, though. Friday the Royal Oak, Hooksway. Our monthly 'secret' gig in the middle of nowhere. Mandocat had a flare up of what we suspect to be carpal-tunnel syndrome after the previous nights Arundel gig, so a bit worried as it seems to be getting worse. Anyway, last minute call to violin/mandolin ace and 'fifth Beatle' Jon Wigg who knows every piece of music ever played who graciously depped for us. We dug up stuff we haven't played for 20 odd years, and generally had a terrific time. Not driving, Speckled Hen, slept in Saturday Tuesday another folk club gig and then not around until after Xmas, so have a lowdown time everybody and I hope you all get your stockings filled generously

The New Inn, Littlehampton. Rough looking boozer, but salt of the earth really. [quote name='WalMan' post='347690' date='Dec 7 2008, 04:43 AM']Pretty much my local,[/quote] Present company excepted, o'course...

The New Inn, Littlehampton. Rough looking boozer, but salt of the earth really. Pretty good fun overall. Our drummer knows everyone in Littlehampton, it seems, so all was nice and friendly. Griping from mandolin player about '[i]can't get a sound, man[/i]', so I explained - with diagrams, anecdotes and hand gestures - (i) how important it is to know your kit inside out (ii) not to just expect it to sound great because you paid a lot of moolah for it, and (iii) that the 'great' sound you get at volume 1 in your living room is very different from what you need at volume 11, battle stations. It took me about 3 mins to sort his whinging out and work up a sound he was more or less comfy with, and he harrumphed a grudging 'thanks'. So first set awful; second set, much better. Warwick NT V Thumb through the PA was nice, and my new(ish) EBS octaver sounded superb with the help of the sub. Oh, and Alan Minter was there, digging it. Maybe that's why it didn't kick off...

[quote name='johnnylager' post='184489' date='Apr 24 2008, 12:19 PM']Waterloovile social club.[/quote] (([i]shudder[/i]))

The Fox goes free at Charlton. A regular gig for us, and good fun. First gig with a new 8 ohm spkr in my old Peavey Databass, much better than the old one. How Peavey got away with putting a 350w spkr in a combo delivering the full 450w load I can only guess... Nevertheless, a few folks came specifically to see us, so that was cool. Much humiliation of our [i]ultra [/i]organised gtrist, who discovered that he'd forgotten a strap and we rigged one out of a lead and some cable ties.

[quote name='Sean' post='341078' date='Nov 30 2008, 01:01 PM']I wonder if there's a proper term for a cheese merchant.[/quote] Cheesemonger?

Nice country pub. Got a lift. Went well. Beer was brought for us. Oh dearrrr....

Did a kind of unplugged gig with the former main band (the one I don't gig with much anymore). Good to see all the fellas again and everyone was up for it, band and audience alike. Our drummer was playing standing up with snare & brushes in a rockabilly sytlee, and I dusted of my lovely old Precision for the night. The setlist was made up on the spot, more or less. We did all the stuff we used to really enjoy: Little Feat, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, The Band, Dylan, Stones, Beatles etc etc. Lots of cool jams and "hittin' the note" nicely. By chance we have another gig next weekend with the same band in its electric format. Its a couple of days before my 40th, and the start of a potentially very messy week off work. Can't wait. Out tonight at a remote country pub, rather like a really cool living room with a good bar in. And I'm not driving

One year anniversary