KevB

Private party last night so the usual hit or miss as far as crowd enthusiasm is concerned, just like weddings really. I was first to turn up and they had also hired a DJ as well. Despite having a fairly modest setup he managed to place it bang centre of the stage so there was no space to put the bad on it as well, with a bit more consideration we could have both got on there and made more of a show of it, instead we just set up in front of stage on dance floor, not that many guests so still enough room for dancing and meant we could pack up and go while he was still doing his thing (rather amateurishly n my view). He also interrupted us and effectively finished our first set for us before we actually played our last song in the set by cutting in his PA over ours and telling everyone we'd be taking a break and would be back later. Oh well, we got payed twice our usual pub fee and were packed and off by midnight, hosts were happy enough so job done.

Well I grew up in a small town not a million miles away from Batley so he was always the local lad who made good. Think his parents ran a B&B on the Yorks east coast for a while, Brid or Scarborough?. Very clever at reinterpreting others songs that weren't necessarily hit material and turning them into commercial successes (like Andy Fraser's 'Every Kind of People') as well as writing stuff himself.

...And i aint got no money and I aint got no hair Bowie - Ashes to Ashes OK here's a new one: The grey and plastic retards all floating in circles

And it's moving relative to me (Hawkwind, master of the universe)

The new one is growing on me. Not particularly complex musically, more pop-rock than prog but some good tunes on there. Some of them worked better live than I would have expected.

Caught Caravan last night on their current tour promoting their first original album in about 10 years. Yes they are all getting on a bit (apart from the newish drummer who's replaced the sadly now late Richard Coghlan) but by crikey can they all still play. Thoroughly recommended for anyone into the 'Canterbury' bands. Played for a tad over 2 hours too so all in all good value and in a nice intimate little venue. Remaining tour dates [url="http://officialcaravan.co.uk/"]here[/url]. Would avise a listen to the new album in advance though, they are doing several tracks from it.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1397215478' post='2421851']And all in the same shirts and suits is a look I would really avoid. [/quote] That whirring sound is Brian Epstein spinning in his grave... Seriously its all a bit horses for courses but I do like to see bands make some effort. I never want to see another beer bellied over 40's rock covers band in spandex again though. I've always tried not to gig in whatever I would normally wear in the street and to make some effort to fit the genre of the band if it has one. The ethic of my current employer seems to be 'wear black and don't take anyone's attention away from the front man' so that's what I do, and don't. As it were. Some types of band seem to always go for matching or semi matching kit. In particular it seems the 'done thing' on the Rockabilly/Rock n Roll circiut where matching bowling shirts with the name of the band embroidered over the breast pocket or on the back seems to be the norm. If anyone talks me into one of those they might just as well take me round the back during the interval and put me down like a lame dog. I did try to make an effort for crimbo parties though, which is more than the rest of the miserable bastards in my lot did.. [URL=http://s30.photobucket.com/user/KevB64/media/valexmas13_zps43c32631.jpg.html][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/valexmas13_zps43c32631.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Hot tub, drugs and hookers.

Thought I'd better look them up as I hadn't heard of them. Not surprised - active for 2 years early 80's, got a record deal but split up before even finishing the single. Not exactly a major act were they? There used to be NWOBHM cmpilation albums that came out at the time with dozens of these sorts of band on them that never made it despite being popular in their home towns. I'm sure they are all more than decent players but it's hardly Diamond Head is it?

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1396958285' post='2419068'] I picked up a Squier P-bass Special on here for about £150 and it's a fantastic bass for the money. P body, J neck & P-J pups. If you get one make sure you play it a bit before changing anything. I've never felt the need to 'upgrade' the pickups as the stock Squier ones are actually pretty good IMHO. [/quote] Concur with Norris, had one of the Indonesian made ones for a while and it was only about £180 new at that time, very good value for the money. The PU's were a bit weak but quite acceptable through a decent rig.

Had the USA built version for sale on here recently but no takers. No great hurry to sell, nice bass.

Not much to add except you can stick me in the Joni huggers camp too. A fine body of work over a long period and some of my favourite Jaco performances too, on the whole I think I like his stuff on the JM albums more than Weather report or solo. I must have most of her albums by now in some format or another.

Played one of our usual regular venues where we get stuck in a pokey little corner, I'm in a particularly awkward spot jammed up against the side of one of the PA cabs. Having a jar during the interval stood in front of the gear one punter comes up to me and asks 'Does the venue pay you to stand watch over their gear or the band themselves?' Talk about being the invisible bassist...

Looks like it started out as a Hendrix lookalike contest and somehow a funk gig broke out...

...To lonely arcade mannequins. We're back to Fish again but this is Marillion, Warm Wet Circles? OK how about ; Catholic schoolgirls have thrown away their mascara...

[quote name='2wheeler' timestamp='1396530986' post='2414716'] I agree. I am horrified when I see that people are advertising their basses and amps as "ungigged". What on earth did they get it for then? Did they steal it from a shop window? [/quote] Some people are happy just doing recording stuff at home, doesn't mean to say it is unused just not hauled in and out of pubs/clubs/theatres/major stadia etc. I got my rickenbacker that way at a very sensible price, not a mark on it when i got my filthy gigging hands on it...

Probably start seeing a lot of 'buyer collects, cash on collection' arrangements being made. I've tried to do all my recent eBay sales that way but I don't buy/sell much any more in general.

Saw them at Rock City in Nottingham on the Appetite For Destruction tour with the classic lineup, I'll settle for that. Rose was up himself even then, refused to do an encore.

It's only 5 shows due to regular bassist having previous commitments, not quite the story it first looks.

I'm not sure how people make it work purely as recording artists any more (unless they are part time). The same internet/multimedia approach that is giving them the freedom to do their own thing independently of major labels is also giving others a medium for distributing those recording for nothing. The higher your profile and bigger the fanbase then the more chances are that your material will end up on a free download site. BRX summed it up in post #16

Is it 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me?' ? - bugger, beaten to it and i couldn't recall the next line anyway.

Worth getting in touch with these guys, they might put something on their website for you highlighting your campaign; [url="http://www.progrock.co.uk/"]http://www.progrock.co.uk/[/url] Best of luck with it, I bought an Abel Ganz compilation CD from them so they do know of you. As for forums, I'd start here; [url="http://www.progarchives.com/forum/"]http://www.progarchives.com/forum/[/url]

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1396434767' post='2413455'] We basically had a band meeting after we had almost a full set of songs and ready gig with. The meeting turned into a few guys saying that they wernt really liking a few of the songs. I was cast out by a majority vote of throwing out half an hours worth of songs - just because some songs were 'boring' to play for certain people. [/quote] As you say, you always end up playing stuff you aren't that keen on. I'd happily dump a third of my current set list but the rest of them wouldn't know enough extra material to fill the rest of the gig anyway! Summarily deciding to throw out about a third of your full set just sounds like people getting twitchy about the prospect of actual live performing and putting it off by backtracking you to an earlier stage in the band's progress whne you were 'getting the set together'. This can just end up being repeated so that 'the gig' never materialises. Get out and gig with what you have (assuming it is enough to cover 2x45min sets) [i]then [/i]start looking at alternative songs to replace the ones you aren't that keen on.