dmccombe7

Its all about the prep Daryl. Good prep = confidence. Dave

I envy and respect guys that can work like that. The stress of learning full sets at short notice has been enough that i tend not to do it these days. Its a hobby for me and i'd prefer it not to become a job as such where i feel i have to do it. Dave

That's a good observation and i agree up to a certain point, however i've left bands and when i was persuaded to return the comments were that i was providing a drive that other bassists weren't. What i took from that was down to confidence in what i bring to a band. I learn my parts well enough i can drive a rock song with a bit of aggressive attack. I think other bassists were what i call more "club" bass players. Other things that may affect why i am asked to join bands is that i learn my bass parts note for note or as near as possible. Our guitarist has regularly commented on the fact he has never needed to show me any bass part and that's a first for him. When i turn up to a rehearsal i make sure i know my part of a new song inside out that i'm confident playing it. To sum it up i guess i'm quite a confident player but that comes with a lot of time and effort learning things. Dave

WOW Chris 18 band / projects in 2024. That's impressive. No idea how you can find the time. I struggle finding time for the 3 bands i'm in let alone 18. Appreciate some are projects tho. Are some of them depping ? Depping is an art form in itself. Dave

Its amazing how just one personnel change can make such a dramatic change in a band but its good when it does and works out for the best for everyone in the band. Dave

Yep i like that too. Not the part where you got replaced tho I did replace a guy recently who was continually showboating even tho he apparently wasn't that good at it. A Death Metal bassist doing 80's rock really isn't a good combination IME. Dave

Remember age is just a number. Its a life hurdle so just get over it and enjoy what you're doing for what it is. Appreciate its a bit more for you Daryl. To be honest i have become accustomed to the extra income from the Glam band these days so i understand your point of view a lot more now than when i first joined BC many moons ago and was full time employed with a good salary and bands were a hobby where money had no baring on it at all for me. How things change with retirement 👍 Dave

You do need to keep a documented register of the equipment. Lucky enough our singer is PAT trained thru his work but we've never been asked. Dave

Think that's the mature and sensible way to go about it. Dave

Both my current bands work as a "family" unit so depping has never been an option. We enjoy what we do and working together. Dave

Would depend on how it was put to me. If a valid reason for replacing me then i'd walk away and offer any help i could. If changing direction and i didn't agree with it i would walk away if it didn't suit me. Dave

Depping is something we've all agreed not to do. If someone can't make it we would cancel the gig and offer up another date possibly at a reduced rate. I think that might mean the band wouldn't like to play with a different bass player so i guess i'm safe Dave

That just pisses me right off when i hear about it. Dave

Its not all about your ability on bass and what you bring to the band musically. There's more to working band than the mechanics. Its how you gel with the others, sense of humour, knowledge on gear, how you cope when there's a problem, so many other little things that come into it. Don't get me wrong if a band is solely in it to make money and nothing else then you are probably just a paid employee and they won't bat an eye-lid in replacing you but for most of us on BC its not a contracted band and a big part of it is friendship to a degree. If the band are all relaxed with each other it just seems to work better. I quite believe i could be replaced. I'm just a bass player, its not rocket science. I'm good at what i do but there are better players out there who could easily do what i do. In the glam band there is the image thing that i bring to the band. The band might miss me as a person and how i play but they'd get used to someone else and just carry on i reckon. They wouldn't have anywhere to store the PA right enough so i'm safe The punk band has gone thru so many people i'd be easily replaced there too. The one thing they did say after i joined was that i have a more aggressive style and that comes thru in the punk so that's a bonus. Dave

Dodgy oven element somewhere by sounds of it. Have a wonderful Christmas. Dave

i'll have a listen on youtube now as i'm not too sure i've listened to them. Thanks for the heads up on it tho Mickey. You have a wonderful Christmas and a busy 2025. Dave

I've found in smaller venues i struggle to hear the bass because i'm so close to the cabs. Was wondering if anyone has tried the Headrush FRFR112 for bass more as a monitor angled towards myself either on the floor or possibly on top of my existing cabs. I could quite easily fit it in front of my effects pedals. Any thoughts ? Dave

I first came across him on the Live Record by Camel and have listened to his other bands but i am a fan of Camel. Dave

Bass players :- Geddy Lee Jack Bruce Neil Murray Richard Sinclair (Camel) Jeff Berlin Guitarists :- Brian Robertson Alex Lifeson Allan Houldsworth Andy Latimer Steve Hackett

My 2nd home. Love it. So many nice people on here. Dave

Thank you so much @Lozz196. We just love doing what we do. We all get on so well together. We have talked about widening our wings a bit and maybe looking Newcastle, Yorkshire and Northumberland areas but will discuss that in more detail after the festive period. Not sure we'd get as far down as your area but you never know. We did get asked to play Brighton earlier this year but financially didn't make sense for us. We are planning to widen our gig base South thru 2025 but will see how that goes. Dave

Hope you guys don't mind but i had to share this local reviewers comments from Sat nights gig courtesy of Big Hastie (Alex Hastings) Just makes me feel good knowing that people enjoy what we do for fun. Dave "On entering the Dreadnought on Saturday it was obvious there was going to be a 'bit of a party', as the tinsel wearers and battery operated plastic glasses wearers were in evidence, in amongst the 'doon the fronters'. Blockbustarz were in town for their customary Christmas Soiree, and it was going to be a belter going by the number of folk in the house.... Before we start, let's not kid ourselves, Glam Rock must be one of the most uplifting genres of music ever . No twenty minute guitar solos, no meaningful lyrics, just in and out 3 minute simplistically written songs, Before you could say "Pass me my tinsel please", we were all hand jiving and giving it some fancy footwork. Within seconds I was the proud wearer of a pair of the aforementioned lit up glasses.. ... All the classics were here as you'd expect... 20th Century Boy/T-Rex, Ballroom Blitz/Sweet, The Cat Crept In/Mud... (Best lyrics EVER in my book...) "The Cat Crept in, crept out again..."....Beat that Chris Martin.. .... "Hey Rock and Roll" sang the masses as Micky Blitz and Lynn led the way on vocals... Barry 'Bazza' Haywood was in his element, clattering his glammed up drum kit and suitably attired in silvery /gold garb , Colin was in 'full disguise' mode also glammed up assisted by a belter of a wig, playing some incredible guitar riffs. David too was in "Who's that playing bass??" mode. Barely recognisable from the lad I was speaking to before kick off... And how does Mike look 6 foot 8?... Oh wait, the 9 inch heels are a give away.. The long blonde haired Lynn doesn't need a wig gimmick but she was also tinselled and glittered up . We had Sailor/Glass of Champagne, Devil Gate Drive, Suzi Quatro and Roxy Music/Virginia Plain all added to by the folk 'going for it' doon the front.. None more so than my good mate Chris who is a one man 'what's what' of music in his choice of clobber. Rock and roll beetle crusher shoes, punk drain pipe trousers, a Rod Stewart leopard skin top, Elton John sparkly glasses, a Bing Crosby Hat, and a Wattie from the Exploited Red mohawk underneath the titfer.. Remarkable . We had Bowie/Rebel Rebel, Mud /Rocket, Elton/Saturday Night and a sing along rendition to Let it Snow! , Let it Snow! , Let it Snow! Great stuff.. "School's out for summer! " yell the punters as Micky Blitz spins his baton. .Who let the horses in?, here come the Osmonds.. "Crazy Horses" roar the crowd. Hell Raiser from Sweet takes us to the interval and a well deserved break for the band.. (I'm knackered just reading that back and that's only the first half of the gig. )...Part two began with Waterloo/Abba, Little Willy (who's been talking?) /Sweet, and my all time favourite up beat song, Tell Him by Hello..What a song!. It was a case of "Hold my pint please" while I had a wee jump around (for the 40th year in a row to this song going back to Thursday nights in the Greentree in 1984!)... Joan Jett/ I Love Rock and Roll and Suzi Quattro/ Can the Can took us to our first Christmas song..."It'll be lonely this Christmas" sang a swaying crowd to the Mud classic.. Brilliant... We had more Bowie and more Roxy Music before another Christmas Classic, Here it is Merry Christmas from Slade... "Are you hanging up your stocking on the wall?" sang everyone in unison.. ....More Sweet , T-Rex and another Alice Cooper number Elected, took us into the Mud classic (Have you noticed how many times the word classic has neen used so far. ) Tiger Feet which was followed in turn by Blockbuster.. "Does anyone know the way.... TO BLOCKBUSTER!". Class.. Now it was time for our third Christmas Cracker, Wizzard's, "I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day".... More crowd participation as my mate Chris turned from being Johnny Rotten to Bing Crosby by just putting his hat back on .. "Let the bells ring out for Christmas" sang the tinsel wearing crowd.... A spine tingling Loch Lomond /Shang a lang ended the night.. No Scottish person and I mean NO Scottish person doesn't have a wee tear in their eye listening to Loch Lomond, especially a rousing Shang a Lang assisted rendition.. Tremendous.. .. What a gig, what a band, and what a crowd .. Thanks to all concerned in making this another great night. Band, staff sound engineers etc.... Big Hastie over and out from the dread... "How was your night bigman.?"... "It was a classic!"

Many many thanks for sharing the pics. Some great ones there. Great when you have a fellow BC'er in the audience cause they take pics of the bass player. Cheers @grapefruitmoon Dave

Now that made me laugh a lot. Dave