steve-bbb

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1401271386' post='2461804'] These sort of events are not just about the music are they? It's a whole visual and social experience as well. Also, 'fans' will already know the song and will internally enhance what they are actually hearing with their memories from listening to it many times before, so the mix quality doesn't really matter and even bum notes will probably be missed as well while the brain is dealing with all that visual input. Bottom line is that loads of people are enjoying the experience so, for them, it's all good. [/quote] i didnt find it all that visually entertaining either - but then it was in daylight so no flashy multicouloured lighting effects some people just have low (or no) standards i guess

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1401273454' post='2461835'] I've left quite a number of bands because one (or more) of the members turned out to be lazy bastards. I'm not going to put effort into a team thing if one or other of the team aren't putting in at least the same (if not more) effort. Two rehearsals in fifteen months? That band only exists as a concept! I can understand infrequent rehearsals if you're gigging a lot, though? [/quote] you were not 'Happy' then?

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1401266245' post='2461725'] I think this version of "Happy" is close to become the modern day Mustang Sally [/quote] this and locked out of heaven

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1401264537' post='2461699'] "they are having fun, what's the problem?" [/quote] seems to work for Simon Talltrousers yes i am hip and we do play this chooon in our set but i draw the line at smiling or looking vaguely interested - people might confuse me for a singer dallying with an instrument

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1401263268' post='2461679'] I think it's Pharrell Williams. 'Good' means different things to different people. There are some songs that people rave about, and I can't fathom why. Conversely, I was playing an album which I see as quirky and funky, and a chap walks in from the next unit and says "This music is sh*te - it's the sort of depressing crap that smack heads sit round all day nodding their heads to" - an utterly bizarre viewpoint to me. Perhaps the others are more into the overall vibe and atmosphere, and are therefore more forgiving of a weak vocal performance? [/quote] difficult to quantify but not talking about virtuoso performance per se , more that intangible quality that you perceive when watching a performance that the artist is really putting something into it to reach out to the audience rather than just going through the motions i hope you complimented him on his expert appraisal and comprehensive knowledge of all things 'smack-related' ... but dont go so far as asking him to suggest an alternative ... you might end up with U2 or Coldsore or something

[quote name='stingraybassman' timestamp='1401263456' post='2461680'] I thought it was ok Steve, not too bad, not amazing......somewhere in the middle. Some of the performances were pretty bad from what I've seen. I think the song was written for Ce-lo Green originally, its on the Despicable me soundtrack. But he passed on it; bet he is regretting that decision. [/quote] i agree yes i read that too recently - somehow cant quite picture him singing it after 'f*** you' maybe we are being conditioned to expect nothing but the best from the top names which then adds to the delicious schadenfreude of a bad performance when the media lays into them - makes for more colourful journalism perhaps? (not to mention the social media aspect too)

the clue is 'Happy' that Pharrell chappy i love the song and big credit to him if he wrote it but....

am i being too critical? this weekend our singist and guitarer says to me .... check out the live version of Happy from the Radio1 live thingy raving about it they were so i did .... abject indifference was my reaction is he being lazy with his vocals? is it onstage monitoring? is it currently trendy not to use autotune any more? or am i just being a miserable old hyper-critical cynic? mehh ... i thought .. am i the only one who thinks he is a bit rubbish? i said to them they replied... oh its just you then and its not just this one particular instance and artist - i surely cant be alone in expecting big name professional artists to deliver a good performance only to be patronised with an offering that is merely paying lip service for them to pick up a fat pay cheque? im not expecting absolute technical virtuoso perfection but is it the integrity that just doesnt come across with some artists? must dash ... matron is doing the rounds with the multivitamins

i think i broke a bass string once some time in the late 70s but cant be totally sure - broken plenty of skinny cheese wires though luckily this last sunday evening i had a back up with my - amp started farting like mad so i swapped from my active to passive and it stopped - i also noticed that there was a curtain across back of my rack case blocking airflow - moved that so not sure if it was the battery in the guitar or the amp cooling down that sorted the problem this is main reason i hardly gig my TRB any more because it seems to eat batteries!

vee nice - been a fan for ages he's a great songwriter

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1400964375' post='2458721'] I think it is hugely significant...images are highly symbolic. [/quote] Symbols rule the world

i wonder where this will be leading

[quote name='stingraybassman' timestamp='1400762557' post='2456730'] Are you not the type to get involved.......... Sorry, sorry that was awful... [/quote] bold !

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400932380' post='2458283'] Won't shoot you down for being sexist, but WILL shoot you down for being jealous... [/quote] yes indeed am just sooooo jealous that i havent got long curly hairly like shirley temple and have a bass rig that is taller than me

more is more

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1400785567' post='2457064'] Danny Boy, FFS! [/quote] do people actually listen to him still? this strange vibrato technique he seems to favour recently sounds like listening to an old tape deck with the belt playing up shoot me down for being sexist but he seems to me to be more concerned with adorning himself with young strumpet bass playerettes

we have a nice corporate function gig next month so hopefully there will be some good quality vid of us playing to the crowd and if we can manage to get a reasonable audio live recording that should just about do it and for me this is much more preferrable than a studio demo not a big fan of demos for the sake of it especially when potential bookers ask for them - at local band level ive yet to see a live band that were frankly anything like their studio demo on their website and even if it is a good demo, it's stil not live - im a firm believer in getting bookings from people who have seen us live as then they know exactly what they are getting after all you could spend hours and take after take and even more hours of post production trying to achieve that elusive studio demo, and if you cant deliver it live you can bet the booker who hired you for their gig wont book you again or recommend you to others

you can never have too many tuners

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1400750282' post='2456556'] But you don't need to be a talented musician to do that [/quote] this cannot be true as surely more guitarists would be playing bass?

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1400705390' post='2456351'] ....Being an excellent bass player isn't a massive benefit to most bands..... .....Also as a bass player you probably have the least influence of the whole ensemble over whether the band sounds any good or not... [/quote] maybe i wont bother with sunday night's gig and just send a txt to the keyboard player tell him to wiggle his left hand about a bit more

easy peasy squeezy lemon cheesy you are ALL in soooo much denial it is unreal

[quote name='stingraybassman' timestamp='1400685097' post='2456098'] Have you seen the Helvetica movie? [/quote] or the iphone app game for spotting the difference between helvetica and arial ?

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1400659616' post='2455795'] I'd charge £25 per hr, but you'd also be considerate of many many factors. If the band use it well, it will be money well spent and they could split the cost over many years of use. [/quote] John what if it is a major client with big budget and expectations to match? if you didnt quote the job and pitch your tender accordingly you wouldnt be in with any chance big spenders like to feel the exclusivity of knowing that you are tailoring everything to 'their demands' and that includes not being charged the same flat rate as everybody else small spenders might even baulk at the idea of 25p/h and hint after whether you could knock something up for them in 20 mins! (at which point you suggest they go to talk to relatives kids doing A level art who wants to do it for their portfolio)