KevB

Chinese rather than Korean? If you click on the Rick 4003 copy in customer videos the guy who's bought it seems under no illusion as to what he's ordered anyway. John Hall probably turning a funny colour as we speak...

[quote name='peety' timestamp='1478531168' post='3169637'] Yes sort of my original feelings to be honest [/quote] Make it clear to future bookers what they are getting. We make it pretty clear that for what they are typically paying us they will get 2x45 min sets maybe a few mins more for pub gigs. We sometimes extend to 2x60min if it is a well paying agency gig at a wmc etc but this is rare. It is up to the venue to decide when they want us to finish and if they want to fill the down time with other acts or background music.

Now I think of it, I don't think any of the songs in my current band's set are originally by female vocalists (80's/90's rock). It's surprising how far into the female range a lot of those classic 80's male vox go. In fact we have to play some of them a tone lower even with a female lead vox.

Patti Smith? OK it's got piano in it but could probably be arranged for a guitar picking style intro? good guitar solo in there too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0peTfMOdDoo

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1478036745' post='3166323'] And blessed with a full head of hair without a grey in sight just like Macca, must be the healthy living? [/quote] Was thinking more about still being able to hold a tune and general mobility on stage. Not that I'm planning still going on stage at that age if I ever get there.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1478120718' post='3166967'] I'm with Sausage, but given a choice between the two I'd plump for 5/4 every time [/quote] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8

Well she certainly didn't like that one, slags it off at the end and gives it away. The manufacturers will be well chuffed...

If I'm in as good nick physically at 75 I'll be well chuffed.

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1477645073' post='3163500'] And on the other hand I've turned up later for a regular gig where there is only a cab size space for me, no room to put it elsewhere, and the drummer has set up right across it. Looked a bit grumpy when I told him he'd have to move over a couple of feet! Gets me a bit miffed it does!! [/quote] Get them to set up on a rug. Half decent chance of being able to slide the whole (or most of) kit over a couple of feet in one go, then tape the rug back down so it doesn't slip during playing.

Enjoy themselves? perish the thought. They spend half the set looking at each other and wondering if they were first, second or third choice on JT's roster to get in his all star band...

Not been regularly gigging as long as some here despite my ago so I'm pretty much still with my original proper set up of TE combo with or without extension cab. Refinements : switching from TE combo which couldnt take an ext cab to basically the same one but which did (ie operates at 4ohm) when some bigger pub gigs came in, then later switching from a 4x10 ext cab to a 2x10 ext cab (saves car space and the surgical truss). Never expected the combo to be still performing so well by now, thought it would have gone pop before now. To some extent I've been influenced by playing lots of other rigs at jam nights and in rehearsal rooms to know what I don't want and it's not all been tat. Played through Markbass, Ampegs, Mesa and Genz Benz among others but I'm still carrying old faithful around and still getting some good feedback on my bass sound. But then I'm not doing jazz and funk gigs so do I need anything too sophisticated?

After a cracking party gig last night it was back to reality today. 4:30pm start to a half empty WMC. Agent (who turned up to the gig to pick up his commission) had given us the impression it was a 2x45 min gig, the concert sec informs us on arrival its 2x60 min, finish at 7pm. Great. Admittedly once we were up and doing it more folks filtered in from the lounge and it was a decent crowd for set 2 but its hard getting them going early evening on a Sunday, not sure why some clubs opt for this slot. We are booked in here for xmas eve as well so at least we know what we are up against when we come back. Still got some positive feedback but all in all an inevitable damp squib after the previous night.

Great night at a motorcycle club's halloween party last night, good sized room and a stage we could set up properly on, use our PA to its full effect and an excuse to dress up (like I need an excuse?) Lots of compliments after and they are already considering us for one of their rallies next year. Nice family atmosphere for a bunch of hairy bikers, nearly everyone in fancy dress including the kids. Excellent atmosphere. After the bar in the function room closed and we ended our 2nd set they just moved the party downstairs to carry on drinking. If I hadn't been driving and due to play again from 4:30 this afternoon I'd have probably hung around. [URL=http://s30.photobucket.com/user/KevB64/media/SOM%20MCC_zpsnohdxwls.jpg.html][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/SOM%20MCC_zpsnohdxwls.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Except the ones on Sundays

I created a google calendar for the band i was in before current one. From me mentioning upcoming gigs during gear breakdown and being met with vacant stares it became obvious they couldnt be arsed to actually look at it. I left within a year of joining.

Pretty good comms in current band, though we are taking bookings well in advance so there's a chance that come the gig one of us might not be available anymore through unforseen circumstances. Def one in the book for next June that will need a dep drummer. I don't dwell on it, migh tbe sacked long before then so it becomes moot. Usually its a quick flurry of texts when a new date come sup then its in the book or not. We took a gig booking sometime around August for a date in Oct 2017! The gtr and singer are a couple so they both know at same time then me and drummer get back to them pretty sharpish generally.

Regular in our current set list. NM did indeed pop along here a while back and at one point it looked like he might even generate a chart or online video lesson for the song but don't think he got round to it in the end. I did try to go through all the hoops when first learning it (orig vs in G) about 10 yrs ago for another band but I've now cut back to the 'economy' version that is still recognisable and seems bearable for the punters. I was going to post a youtube clip of us doing it but the bass is so low in the mix I could have been playing anything...

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1477498410' post='3162623'] When I say "playing what the punters want to hear", I certain don't mean they pick and choose the set list, but every function band is providing a service and doing a job. You are there to fill the dancefloor and entertain the guests, not to serve yourself. The OP was talking about a working function band and in my experience the use of tracks to fill out additional keys, horns, electronics etc is not at all uncommon. [/quote] Bang on

I try to prioritise [i]me. [/i]If I'm not in the right mindset it'll sound like a bag o' shoit irrespective of which bass or rig I'm using.

I always help the drummer bring his gear in, same with PA, once I'm set up myself. If the playing area is small I will put my gear to one side, help bring the drum kit then help out elsewhere until the drum kit is in place then set up my gear last, doesn't take long. Otherwise you all end up fighting over the same space and it gets in a mess.

Our drummer sometimes loses his way in the middle section of Jump (VH) but if I stayed with him that would mean we would both be out of time with the gtr solo and subsequent keys solo part so I've had to decide to remain in time and hope he listens and picks it back up again from me so we all end up in the right place at the right time. It's not really a flexible gtr solo so the gtr is pretty much locked in to a particular pattern. On other stuff I've done with other errant drummers i can usually adapt to keep in with them, even put a brief pause in if necessary to let them catch up if they have gone off too far.

If he does it a lot I certainly don't notice and it doesn't interfere with the flow of the gig. I suspect he doesn't retune that much during a set. Mind you, he makes his own guitars...

[quote name='grayn' timestamp='1476792801' post='3157239'] For me it's got to be Chris Squire, particularly on Close To The Edge. Driving, counter-melodic, with a wonderful tone and just plain brilliant. [/quote] Other stand outs are on Heart of the Sunrise (for the opening few bars alone but Its all good), Yours Is No Disgrace (a masterclass for rock bassists) and Gates of Delerium (just brilliant and showcases what a one off he was).

Sent them pics today, they say they will send a replacement FOC. Result. Can always keep the iffy one as an emergency spare I guess.

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1475447052' post='3146042'] I host a jam night and take a bass for myself and one for the mortals. Tonight I let two guys I know play a Rickenbacker - but only because I know them very well. Random people get the Squier. [/quote] Took my Ric to a jam session once and let a guy who I sort of knew have a go on it. Came offstage beaming, he'd always wanted to play one and never had a chance in years of playing. Made his day and handed it back over almost reverentially. As others have said, it's a judgement call as to the trustworthyness of the borrower. I did a warm up spot at some lad's birthday party years ago and took the Ric, it was still on its stand when birthday boy's band took to the stage and their bass player (who had brought a cheap bass of his own) wandered over to it, took it off the stand and gave me that 'can I use this' look and I propmptly gestured him to put it down, step away and bloody well use his own. They then went to do a set with lots of leaping about and tomfoolery.