cheddatom

I was just messing about the other day. I often keep my kit mic'd up so I sent all of the mics through to one of the auxiliary channels and on through some effects pedals. I put that in my headphones so I could play along, recorded the lot, and mixed it

Surely you're playing a lot quieter at home? Which would obviously reduce feedback

I played a festival yesterday and found the whole thing baffling. They'd set up two stages on each half of a double lorry type outdoor stage. There was a drum kit and monitors on each side, but only one set of mics. They asked each band to set up as the other was playing, but then spent 20 minutes micing the drum kit. They looked to have a digital desk (which can save settings etc) but they checked each individual drum, even though they'd not changed. Then once the band started the sound man left his position at the desk to go and hang out back stage, meaning that if someone turned up or down on stage, the mix out front was wrong. To be fair to them it sounded brilliant so maybe there was method to this madness?

too much gain on the pedal? Or yeh maybe your pickups are going, are they microphonic at all?

That's a hell of a trip! We just went 1.5hrs up the road to Doncaster for a festival yesterday. It's only a small affair but great fun

Saturday was Bearded Theory. It's a big one and a load of my friends and family had got me over excited and pretty nervous about it. I woke up at 5AM and couldn't get back to sleep. I only had to go to the studio, pack up my drums, bring them home, and wait for the van to arrive at 11:30, but it seemed like such a big task. So after lying there for an hour I decided to forget trying to sleep and get my sh*t together. They picked me up at 11:30 and we got to the Woodland Stage an hour later. A couple of hours nervously hanging around and soaking in the atmosphere (and passively smoking some very pungent skunk!) and we were on. The adrenaline kicked in and all my fatigue was washed away by the hundreds (maybe more than 1000?) people singing our songs back at us and cheering us on. 45 minutes later, soaked with sweat, I couldn't stop grinning as I packed away my drums. Best gig for ages!!! A bit of a crap photo bit I don't have a lot of time between songs to have a drink of water, grab a photo, and count in the next one After that we had to hang around until we played a small tent at 10PM. I crashed pretty hard in between so went for a lie down in the van for an hour or two and that seemed to sort me out. The tent was absolutely packed with people. We were parked right next to a side door in the tent, but the staff wouldn't let us load through that door. We had to go right around, through a fence, and then fight our way through 200 people to the stage. They seemed really anal about the rules for a bunch of crusty types smoking massive joints. Maybe the hi-vis vests gave them a power trip? Or maybe there was a real safety concern. Anyway the gig was OK. Their bass drum was seriously lacking in volume, and although I could see a mic in it, I couldn't hear it, so to get the mix right I was kicking at full power. Unfortunately this meant the beater went right through the head during the penultimate song. Ooooops! Still, the reception was great Early Sunday morning I got a call - "Are you OK to play Nice 'n' Sleazy Festival in Morcambe tonight? It's good money". We'd already got a slot at Strummercamp in Oldham that afternoon so it'd be another 2 gig day, but I was still buzzing from Bearded Theory so I agreed, as did the others. Strummercamp was good but I don't think we impressed the crowd. There were a lot more in the main tent for the ska band (very good btw) on before us. I guess we weren't their cup of tea? Nice 'n' Sleazy was another belter though. Packed room, great reception, and some great banter with some well oiled punks.

I like it! Some great playing on that

I'd never heard of it and I live in Staffs! I'm just having a look online. Is it all reggae?

I sent a message to a seller asking if his marching snare drum was still for sale. He replied instantly with a yes. I asked if he could arrange postage and how much that might be? He didn't respond and it's still listed for sale

A friend of mine used to refer to his "equipment" as his "Hefty Langer"

So when you get home late at night after a gig, what's your routine? Do you wind down with a drink and then wash the pants? Or do you wash the pants and then wind down pantless? [It's OK we don't need the answer]

I hope you don't gig on consecutive days! I play drums and I've played 4 gigs over 3 days loads of times. I'd hate to imagine what my lucky pants would be like after that lot (if I had them)

another funk jam I had with myself. I added a loop of my cats fighting because obviously no-one's going to stick around for the music

hah, indeed. It's interesting to me though. I started on basses with very high action and just learned to fret and pluck very hard to get the sound I wanted. I assume that technique is what's given me the problems I have now. Having said that it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume it'd also given me more strength than if I'd started on a low action bass.

If you try to hit the ball hard with a heavy club, you will put more force on your body than if you try to hit the ball hard with a light club, more force = more chance of injury? I dunno, I've never played golf

of course! But if they're learning without instruction and they have the heaviest club, they'll put a lot of effort in, as that's required by the weight of the club. If they have the lightest club, they'll put less effort in. This is just my assumption, but I would have thought, the less effort, the less chance of injury, as there's less force involved overall

I just imagine that playing too hard is how I ended up with lots of pain in my hands and wrists, and that if I'd started on a bass with a lower action I might have developed a better technique than the neanderthal one I've adopted

I played nothing but 6 string basses for about 5 years. My bass broke at a gig and so I begged a bass from another bassist and he loaned me a 4 string for our set. I was instantly way faster on my left hand ...but I don't think it's a good idea to recommend beginners use a bass that's very difficult to play, because it might put them off, and more importantly might give them RSI or some other injury

Saturday night at the Birds Nest in Deptford. We'd not been before so I had no idea what to expect. We set off from Stoke at 3pm and got there around 6:30 which isn't too bad. I had to set up the drums for the other bands to use, but leave off my cymbals and snare. All standard stuff, except the only place to store gear was in the pool room behind the stage. I was a little nervous leaving my fancy cymbals alone in a pub I don't know. Thankfully they were safe enough. The support bands were pretty good, as was the beer, and we played well and went down well so it should have been a good night, even if it was a late one (to bed at 3:30AM). However, one idiot put a massive downer on my night. He was clearly far too drunk and coming on to one of our fans in a way that can only be described as sexual harassment. I asked him very politely to leave her alone, that did seem to calm him down, and she said she could take care of herself, but I couldn't shake the anger and it killed the atmosphere for me.

If I struggle do sleep I do slow, deep breathing, really focusing on it. I guess it's a kind of meditation. It always works

Friday night I played a Metal To The Masses heat in Stoke with my heavy band CreepJoint. It's a battle of the bands but I expected we didn't have a chance. We are a good band but one of the other bands on the bill is brand new and I was super excited to see them and fully expected them to win, which they did. Still, they were really complimentary about my band and hopefully we won some new fans. Our frontman somehow persuaded his fiancee to film the whole set so we watched it back at his house later, and we were super tight. I hope he uploads it at some point and if he does I'll share it on here Saturday night was Rock Off Fibro - a charity event in Chester to raise money for Fibromyalgia. This is an annual event. We did the first one 3 years ago at the Live Rooms which is an ace venue. Saturday night was the back room of a pub with a tiny little PA and no soundman. The mics were plugged in with XLR>Jack leads and there was no mic for the bass drum. If I'd had the room I'd have switched the house kit for mine (which would have been loud enough) but there was no way that'd happen, so I played the entire hour long set kicking sh*t out of the house bass drum while tickling the snare and cymbals, just to try and get the mix right out front. My right leg was feeling it yesterday! Still, all good fun.

I just bought a Mackie Big Knob from John and it couldn't have gone better. Highly recommended seller. Cheers!

I played the Brudenell in Leeds on Thursday, The Rigger in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Friday, and The Maze in Nottingham on Saturday. All three gigs were with Steve Ignorant's Slice Of Life who are absolutely awesome. I'm sure it's the only time I've seen a band without a drummer and still got that feeling I get when the music is "heavy". Interrobang were on these dates too. They're quite cool. I'm still undecided if I like the music but they're nice people and good players. The first two nights were awesome, really packed venues, great sound, great atmosphere etc. Saturday I'd been in the studio all day long and not had chance to eat. As soon as I got to Nottingham I went to the closest place I could to find some food - a dodgy kebab shop of course. I'm not sure if the food was bad or (as others have suggested to me) it was some sort of blood sugar thing, but about an hour after I'd eaten I started to sweat buckets and went very faint. I had to be walked out of the venue and upstairs to the dressing room where I promptly threw up and then sat there for another 2 hours feeling awful, waiting to get on stage. When I finally got on there I was feeling a little better, and I played fine, but the sound was absolutely terrible, lots of feedback from a dodgy vocal channel. Lots of people had left the venue too, which was disappointing. Maybe we went on too late - 11:15 ish. Afterwards it was obvious that everyone left in the venue somehow knew I'd been sick and they all thought it was from booze, which was frustrating and embarrassing in equal measures. Sunday night I played with my heavy band CreepJoint at a local venue. We were supporting a great local band called Clay Lake. I'd have been at this gig to watch them anyway, but they asked us to support and it was brilliant! Only 6 songs so I could go full pelt on the drum kit and it felt good!!!

I love this. Awesome playing too

A bit late on this but Saturday night I played at a pub in Ashby De LA Zouche. Great gig, playing to loads of fans so easy really, got to let loose a bit but I had to reign it in - I'm on drums and when I do any sort of fill that without a big snare hit on the 3rd beat it really puts off our singer. After our set I got harassed by a couple of meatheads who didn't like the length of my hair. One guy kept pulling it, demanding that I shave it off. I asked him to stop, first politely and then with my authoritative tone (I used to be a manager) and that seemed to work. I was absolutely terrified on the inside though! Sunday night was a new venue local to me. They normally just do classic rock covers and tributes but this was a charity event and they had some originals bands on. The venue is in a weird location - basically industrial area - but it's been extremely well put together. The stage and sound were great, so we played really well and got loads of compliments afterwards. No gigs this weekend which is very rare for us but I'll find myself jamming in the studio no doubt