casapete

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I'd be surprised if it was a faulty DI cable if he used the same cables with your spare amp and it sounded ok. Kinda points towards the GK. I once had a dodgy effects return socket on an amp that caused problems because it sits with the contacts made all the time and never really gets used. If you stick a jumper lead from effects send to effects return it sorts it until you can give the contacts a clean.

Your amp gets a lot of use on the road too so a little bit of dust on contacts.

Dave 

Funnily enough Dave we tried the jumper lead thing but it wasn't that! 
On tonight’s gig we narrowed it down to my bass preamp misbehaving, so that will be getting seen to

in our time off now. Had to use my backup Precision-a-like, which is okay but a tad heavier than the
P-Lyte as you might expect! However looks like the GK is blameless as I’d hoped, so some consolation.
 

2 hours ago, Richard R said:

And surely that is the difference between us amateurs and the professionals. Spare cables, spare DI and even a spare AMP.  (and I'm prepared to bet spare strings, bass, and plectrums)

 

Glad the show went on!

Thanks. I’m a big believer in spare stuff, and have a double of everything apart from carrying another 410 cabinet.

I’ve been really fortunate over the years in little going wrong, but when it does it’s good to have options. 

4 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

Is that it then, Pete, or are you carrying on into next year?

I’m looking to continue with the band until probably April 2024 Paul. 
( That’s assuming we get sorted with my replacement by then.)

6 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Our guitarist despises that song although he's never come up with solid reasoning as to why. I don't mind it, but I don't have a burning desire to play it. 

2 hours ago, Dlew919 said:

The riff and the chord solo at the end are terrific.  

Maybe your guitarist doesn’t like it due to the solo being a bit tricky to play?!!

I sometimes dep in a band that does this song, and the main riff is getting a bit tedious just

as the great solo section arrives and elevates it IMO. Needs to be played at the same tempo as the

original as well, any slower and it loses it’s urgency. Always goes down well with the crowd too.

We were at Chelmsford Civic theatre last night. A 400 mile round trip for us, so a long day.

Sold out crowd of around 500, nice sounding room and good stage. However, about 3 songs

into our first set, I heard a crackling noise from my amp. Went off, then returned next song.

Our brilliant tech Sam quickly swapped my leads (guitar to DI / DI link to amp) and it seemed okay,

then started playing up again. Sam then got my spare amp out and swapped it over and the

problem disappeared. First time I’ve had to use my spare, so glad it was there. Also first

time a GK amp has given me problems, BUT! Our sound tech said it sounded to him more likely

to be a faulty XLR cable from the DI to the desk than the amp. Anyway, finished the gig using

the spare head, and have one more gig to do tomorrow in Penistone before we finish for this year. 
I’m going to get there early and try to pin down what the fault is - it’s a fairly local gig for us (70

miles away) so not a problem. 

3 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

Our drummer basically had other plans/ engagements all of summer 2023. We had two deps we rotated. We we're lucky we didn't have to turn down any gigs.

 

If our drummer has a hike scheduled with his wife he won't play the gig. Everybody is different.  I don't have a life so gigs rule in my world. 

 

Daryl

All I can think Daryl is that he must be an amazing drummer for you to put up with that?

If everyone else treated gigs that way there wouldn’t be a band! 
Pete.

1 minute ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

Much like @EssexBuccaneer last week, I had some good Southend based gig news last night.

 

Last week, the Cow & Telescope, one of the best cover band venues in the area, who we played for the first time last month, asked if we were available on 23 December. Unfortunately, we were already booked at a sports bar elsewhere so did the right thing and turned them down to honour our commitment. 

 

Yesterday, apparently some "top card" boxing matches were announced for 23 December. Being a sports bar, they realise their usual punters would be mightily upset if they didn't show the boxing and had a band playing instead. So they have postponed our booking until next year.

 

We enquired whether the other option was still available, and it's now ours  What a stroke of luck. It's all fallen into place in our favour without upsetting anyone.

 

A coveted spot at one of the best music pubs in Southend on a Saturday evening, two days before Christmas. It's going to be a belter!

Result ! - you did the right thing and then got the rewards. 
Have a great gig.

A nice hotel in Scarborough (on the East Yorkshire coast) with three friends.

Did it last year and was actually okay - decent audience having a gala meal

followed by us playing to around 12.30am. Very civilised and no bother, which

after too doing many in previous years elsewhere which weren’t is just fine with me!

An hour’s drive away, decent pay and an easy set up with just my Fender Rumble 100

combo and Precision bass Lyte to carry in. Small PA provided so happy days. Last year

we took our ladies too and we were all looked after with drinks/ food by the hotel manager. 
I’ll be happy if this year things turn out the same. 

12 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Not having lessons, studying theory, proper notation etc.

 

I didn’t start looking at that until well into my 40s and of course now I understand how damn useful it is.

I would have been able to take far more gigs if I had studied properly.

12 hours ago, jezzaboy said:

Putting up with two utters tossers in the band at different times for far too long.

 

Apart form that, nowt.

These two posts beat me to it really.

Having more theory skills would have undoubtedly been better for me.

Also being in a highly regarded function band for a long time and watching some of the members

gradually wrecking it (drink and other stuff) was quite detrimental to me on a few levels. When I

joined my current band I couldn’t believe how great it is to be surrounded by players with the 

same goals and attitudes. 

1 minute ago, Reggaebass said:

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for someone, I doubt spaces like this come up very often, hope you find someone and all the best with your retirement pete 

Thanks! Hope someone on here may be interested as it’s a lovely band of decent people to work with.

I’m actually going down the ‘semi-retirement’ route, continuing playing in my acoustic duo with

my best mate doing local (ish) gigs, as well as (hopefully) the odd dep or two. Will be strange

not having a regular ‘electric’ gig, first time in decades! 

1 minute ago, shantijoe said:

I guess that's why there's no mention of payment. It doesn't help not to at least make reference to the fees paid. Many of don't only play bass as a hobby..? I'm in Yorkshire too!

I haven’t alluded to the finances as I don’t know them!  I appreciate this may seem strange, but I’ve no idea

how that side of things will pan out. As stated in the advert, I’m just putting this on here to put

the BL in touch with anyone who may be interested in the gig, then he can take it from there with them. 
May be seem a bit long winded, but it’s not my call etc.

Interested people can let me know via PM by Wednesday 15th November, when I will forward stuff to 

the BL, after which it will then be down to him as to how things proceed.

Hope that helps!

Jerry Barnes getting a bit overslaptastic for me , but good stuff nevertheless.

36 minutes ago, eloisa said:

Perry Como - The Most Beautiful Girl

Fabulous song, but the original by Charlie Rich is the killer version IMO.

In my previous band we referred to it as ‘LSD’, lead singer disease. We got through quite a few

singers during my stint, and the pattern was remarkably similar - they started fine ,then gradually

became more assertive ( regarding lots of stuff like song choices / rehearsals etc) and then when

they felt they weren’t getting enough attention or changing the band enough to suit themselves, 

resorted to spitting their dummies out before finally resigning. 

To be fair, they did take a lot of stick which seems a common thing in such scenarios. I think in

order to have the bottle to stand at the front and represent the band, you do need a large 

amount of self belief and this can soon be eroded by some p*ss taking musicians. I’ve also

found that in most cases lead singers who also play an instrument are mostly easier to

get on with, both musically as well as socially.

(Maybe also as a bass player who sings backing vocals I’ve realised how hard it is to do their job?)
 

Mrs CP is currently watching ‘Portrait Artist of the Year 2023’ on Sky Arts.

One of the sitters is Nigel Havers, who has brought with him a Hofner Violin bass.

Said he played a bit in bands a few years ago. Who knew?

16 minutes ago, DJpullchord said:

Does playing in a tribute band pay well? I appreciate it’s a bit of vague question with variables.

It’s probably just the same variables that affect all others types of band - how much of a draw / following / 

how far to travel / size of venue etc. I earn more from my band than I do from when playing local pubs. 🙂

51 minutes ago, vindi said:

Wow that's a nice job!

 

Thanks, it has been great for me.
Could be as good for the right person too!

28 minutes ago, TPJ said:

pm'd

Replied thanks.

9 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

Totally this! The fave one I ever played was How Does It Feel…

That’s a great bass fest Mick, forgotten that one! 

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

As this is a song I used to do in my Dad Rock covers band days, and consequently one I know inside out, I didn't think there was anything particularly wrong with this live version other than the rather sludgy sounds and the fact that it's missing the plethora of overdubs that are on the recorded version - pretty much like any other hit from that era.

For me it’s missing Jim’s rather more interesting original walking bassline - Dave Hill sticking pretty much with

just the root notes ( probably to allow him to stomp about like he does). 
 

2 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

But Jim (also?) played the violin, which IIRC is his "first" instrument and since he can't play both at the same time live someone would have to do the bass.

Absolutely, and that’s why I mentioned it doesn’t maybe sound ‘right’. 

5 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

What's not quite right about it?

I’m guessing because it’s a ‘live’ version? Co-writer Jim Lea played bass on the original, 

and much better than Dave Hill does in this version IMO. I liked a lot of Jim’s bass stuff,

really made many of Slade’s hits for me. 

17 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

What a great opportunity, I’m sure you’ll be sadly missed Pete.

Thanks Loz. I’ve been with them for around 14 years so it’s going to be difficult for me.

Hopefully we can find someone who will enjoy it as much as I have. 😊

4 minutes ago, lowdown said:

 

 

 Good Lord...🤣🤣🤣

So grim I couldn’t recall how to spell his surname too….😆

2 minutes ago, lowdown said:

 

Was going to post this myself, wonderful song. ( Just don’t mention the George Micheal version….)

After 14 years playing with ‘The ELO Experience’ I am looking to retire in the spring of 2024.
 

Subsequently the band are looking for my replacement, and I suggested putting it on here

first to see if anyone is interested? I’ve posted more details in the ‘Bassists Wanted’ section,

so please have a look if you think it may be for you.

Many thanks, Pete.