KevB

Never been in a band that was paid before playing nor played a venue where that was the common practice with other bands.

Just out of curiosity, anyone who knows about car stuff have any idea what happens with these companies that make kits to fit over, say a Peugeot, that makes it look like a Ferrari? Do the replica companies pay some sort of licence fee to the original manufacturer or designer? This sort of thing; [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/360_real_fake_nose_to_nose_zps5bfb4944.jpg[/IMG] The fake is on the right incidentally.

I replaced the bridge on my US jazz with a BadassIII but I think the difference in sound is pretty minimal. I just cba to switch it back to the original. If I ever sell it (doubt I will, it's a great player) I'd just include the original bridge as a separate item. I haven't bothered swapping the bridges on the P basses I own, the deluxe in particular with the active circuit will provide as much sustain as anyone would want in a proper gigging situation.

As a bassist you have to take on board the probability that no matter how much you are contributing to the band, unless you also happen to be the frontperson then most punters will barely acknowledge your existence never mind paying real attention to what you are playing. I'm not saying don't put a shift in but don't tie yourself in knots over minutiae either. I sympathise with your problem wrt the set list. I was in a casual functions type band for a while in which I did some lead vox and we also had a female singer as well. We also had a fairly eclectic mix of songs and it can be something of a juggling act to suit all the variables. You are probably doing this already but a good halfway house option before full gigs are open mic/jam nights where you can pick 3 or 4 from your 13 song set each time and over a few of thes enights you will have gone through the whole set in sensible chunks and in front of a real audience.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1363164292' post='2009327'] Soemone I know did a gig with Paul Dianno years after his IM days. He said he saw a roadie lacing him into a corset minutes before going on. Can't verify this of course. [/quote] Wouldn't surprise me. A singer in an old band of mine was good mates with Dianno's manager and met him quite a few times. He was virtually unrecognisable from the Iron Maiden days by the 90's and onward. He woud send his manager out to Europe looking for a half decent IM tribute act, hire them (sans singer) and then book live dates with them backing PD doing older IM songs. He did have his own bands doing original material after IM but none were particularly successful. I've heard quite a few fans say they were a much better live act with PD but I doubt anyone could realistically say that he was a better singer than Bruce. They made a very calculated risk to get a singer they thought would take them to a higher level and it paid off in spades.

I guess you have to put these things into context. Sabbath riffs such as Iron Man were pretty heavy for their time compared with other rock stuff around then.

Cheers guys, there's a set on Transtools site that includes a 1/16th so will probably order a set in from there. If anyone needs an allen key for the grub screws on a strat or telecaster guitar bridge let me know and I'll post it to you FOC.

Don't come on this part of bc too often so sorry if this has come up a thousand times already. I've lost the allen key adjustment tool to get at the screws to adjust saddle height on my [b]USA[/b] Fenders. Anyone have a link to a cheap online source of the correct size tool? Looked in places like Wickes, Maplins etc but either no imperial sized sets or sets that don't go down to a small enough size. Tried a cheap ebay shop but they turned out to be for US Fender six string saddles which are smaller. Thanks in advance.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1362416021' post='1999328'] Poet and Castle in Codnor Derbyshire, I've just fixed the smoke machine so the Drummer decided to give it a good testing, how we didn't set the smoke alarms off I'll never know. [/quote] Never played there but a spin off duo from one of my past bands played it a few years back so I went to watch. If they had you setting up down the end in front of the fireplace bit I'm amazed you actually fitted in, I recall it was a tiny playing area!

My new employers also do Common People and Disco 2000 by Pulp. The latter's not too bad but after only 3 gigs I'm getting a bit bored with Common People. I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing on bass with it, mostly a keyboard song.

Only saw him once in the mid 80's and though it is fair to say his career had probably peaked by then he was still a considerable talent and had the enthusiasm to pull off a terrific gig. We got a bit of all sorts that night - full on electric, acoustic, slide, the lot.

First time for me at the other of the two monthly 'residencies' the band I've hooked up with play. This is the H2O bar in Hucknall, Notts. Very modern one room sports bar, big TV's everywhere showing football etc. Painfully loud in house music system. Had to laugh when we were asked to turn down for the second set (which we did) then they put the in house music on again until closing time which was far louder than we'd been even in the first set. Tiny stage area to set up again. I was considering suggesting me bringing the midi pedals to fill out the sound but on the evidence of the 3 gigs I've done so far I doubt they play stages big enough to sensibly accomodate them. Oh well, their loss. Also due to the frontman wanting to hog centre stage I was continually being shoved closer and closer to one of the PA speakers until I was hitting the headstock againt it while also being blinded by an upfacing LED. Got so distracted with it I muffed the solo to My Generation.

For some reason I read part of Colin's post as ' and massaged me on the offchance' which sounded like some rock'n'roll euphamism if ever I heard one. Meanwhile I was dragged in at short notice to play small pub on the outskirts of Leicester last night. Had to squeeze a 4 piece band into an area which was about suitable for a duo. Ah well, punters seemed to like it and we are playing again tonight so back in the saddle to iron out some of the errors of last night (though none of the band spotted them so I guess joe public was none the wiser eirther!). If anyone reading this is likely to be at the H2O in Hucknall tonight, consider yourselves warned, it'll get noisy.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1362141455' post='1996303'] I 'lost my religion' a long time ago - I hate that song with a passion. The guitarist knows I don't like it. On the odd occasion he decides to do it regardless, I'll still play along for the sake of the 'show', but he knows he's going to get a mouthful as soon as we're out of earshot of the punters Edit: I convinced him to do Fire as an alternative REM number, which is so much better. Still working on What's the Frequency Kenneth - their best track imho. [/quote] Each to their own I guess. I quite like doing 'religion' though I don't play it regularly, only occasionally at jam sessions. I think it's a good bassline that serves the song well.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1362141915' post='1996316'] He looks like the sort of tosser who pretends to be a wild child at the gates of oblivion but then goes out to work as a bank clerk. [/quote] Is that me, the guitarist or both of us? I only lasted 6 months in that band. The band leader (playing guitar in photo) didn't have the balls to phone me up himself, got the keyboard player to tell me it 'wasn't working out'. Maybe it [i]was[/i] the waistcoat...

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1362144502' post='1996371'] If you have to replace him - get a keys player. [/quote] Alternative compromise is keep as a 3 piece and one or both guitarist/bass player dabbles in a bit of midi pedal work like Rush do. It needn't be prog rock, any basic 'washes' of keys that give an extra bit of colour can be supplied by midi pedal work. Of course it is extra gear to haul round and set up, mix and monitor but it can put an extra bit of icing on a performance. Done this in a couple of bands, it really made a difference to the 3 piece I was with a year or so back. I've got very rusty with it though as I found out the other when I dusted them off and had a go after them being in storage for nearly a year!

It was indeed The Lion, it had been my local for years but by the time I played it I didn't live close to it any more. One of those pubs that allow the fire exit to get clearly obstructed on a regular basis!

Ultimately it all depends on how accurate you want to be and what you think you can get away with that is acceptible to the audience and still earn some reasonable money. I've been in 3,4, and 5 piece rock bands. One of 4 piece bands (one guitar) and 5 piece (2 guitars) did the occasional Thin Lizzy song in their set. Now the single guitarist in the 4 piece was a superb musician but I had to confess that the true twin guitar sound of the 5 piece was a step above.

Did someone mention waistcoats? [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/newhat.jpg[/IMG] Look, it was a blues rock band OK?...

I never got to audition for the band I've just joined. The planned rehearsal never happened either so I only met them on the night. They sent me a set list, I learned it, turned up and played the gig. I very much doubt he would have risked this approach with a drummer though. I don't think I would have in his position.

I'm considering letting one of my basses go without remotely thinking of buying another one. Pure heresy I know...

This is where open mic/jam sessions can be useful if they have an audience that overlaps with who you normally play to. One non serious party/functions band I was in (based around people at work put together to do in house xmas parties) would work up a few new tunes and then use the open mic as a final acid test. If they went down well there we'd put them in the set, if they bombed twice we'd usually ditch them. That's the benefit of doing covers, massive choice of potential songs out there. Life's too short to struggle along doing stuff you hate, especially if it doesn't fill the dance floor either.

I'm not saying I like it but if it was a perfect reproduction of the original we would all be moaning that it was a 'pointless cover' and that the band should have put more of their own spin on it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. It just happens that their spin on it comes with vocals that are in a very particular style that appeals to a niche market. I think an earlier post has a point though that it does seem to be a poor mismatch in that the musical backing is close to the original which makes the vocal overlay that much more jarring. Perhaps a more OTT metal backing as well might have actually worked better, dunno.

As with most things in life it's striking a happy balance between doing the things you like to do and enjoy and doing something that is useful to someone else so that they employ you or use your services. If you have a well paid job that results in the money coming in from gigs being a minor thing then obviously you want to do a larger proportion of music that you personally get a kick out of playing. That doesn't always mean it has to be music that is in itself highly rewarding artistically. It can be a source of enjoyment just from the audience reaction. There are songs I get a kick out of from a performing aspect that I wouldn't really listen to for personal musical enjoyment while in the car or cycling to work. I'm sure that's true for a number of people on here. If it gets to the point where you loathe going out to play a set that is going down well then you need to review your position. If it's a set that is getting poor responses then the set needs the review too.

My first gig with a new band last weekend included, among many others: Mr Brightside Sex On Fire Dakota Valerie Feel free to snigger at will. Those of you in pub covers bands would have been pleased to have had the same number of people dancing in front of you and the pub as busy as it was for us. If you're not prepared to be a pole dancing clown whore find another type of gig.