KevB

Almond looked like he'd passed away some time before Bowie, then been stuffed, reanimated and forced back on stage.

I hadn't noticed before how latter-day Bowie-esque Neil Hannon's voice is now.

Here's some cheaply recorded on the fly stuff from one of our gigs at the weekend. Warning, 80's rock content and dodgy trousers... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1zW1grD6nw&feature=em-subs_digest

Couple of back to back gigs, Friday was a quiet pub gig. New management there and I think they have lost a few regulars and are building up business again. Those there enjoyed it though. More folks around next night in Nottm city centre pub but technically it was a private party so it was just down to whoever invited turned up (MC club summer party). Could have done with a few more bodies but again we got good feedback from those there. We even filmed some of the gig for a bit of low tech promo. Mic on camera not great so usual semi distorted racket you get from those things but it was just about OK for youtoob. If I can find the appropriate thread I'll post a link.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1469899583' post='3101913'] I've seen the black and white striped ones, and I'm still recovering! :-) [/quote] Guilty as charged, taken earlier this evening (OK technically last night now) [URL=http://s30.photobucket.com/user/KevB64/media/salutation_zpsemfdhavx.jpg.html][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/salutation_zpsemfdhavx.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

My latest stage shirt came from here: [url="https://www.voidclothing.net/"]https://www.voidclothing.net/[/url] Also had some shocking jeans from the likes of Run & Fly brand via Amazon. Shocking as in really shouldnt be worn by someone my build & age

I went the other way, the more I played with bands the fewer effects I found I genually needed for what I wanted to play. Been using just a tuner and tone shaper for years, neither would really be described as an out and out 'effect' in most people's definition. I only got back into having something else at my feet when I took on a bit of pseudo-keyboardy bits with midi pedals but they are entirely separate from the bass chain.

Isn't Bowie singing bv's on the Mott version? If he was around in the studio maybe he could have just guided them through it personally on the day? I'm not suggesting this actually happened but it would be a way of them picking it up without referring to a recorded demo.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1469513295' post='3098825'] Yup. Troo dat. If you ignore all those pesky blues musicians who didn't just repeat what Robert Johnson played. Oh, you meant pop music only? In that case, troo dat. If you ignore the exceptions. Like 'Move It' by The Shadows, written by Ian Samwell, of The Shadows. [/quote] Think Billy Fury wrote most of his own stuff too but it's true they were more the exceptions than the norm. It was mostly pop stars having songs picked for them by management and producers that thought they suited the act. Often worked very successfully but you can see the potential frustration for those acts that were convinced they could write as well as perform. For some it worked in reverse such as already mentioned Carole King, Neil Sedaka etc who started out primarily as writers for other people before getting out there and performing their own material themselves.

At home it's nearly always sitting down (unless I'm using midi pedals), in band rehearsals and public performances it is always standing up. Never had much of an issue swapping between the two. I've got short legs though, not sure if it makes a difference posture wise?

So after a no show on Friday we then had an agency gig at a miners welfare on Sat. Usual boomy wodden stage wghich was very long but about 6ft deep so the drum kit was miles forward of where it should be, caused sound problems all night. We were just a side show to the bingo like any other act that plays there, you just do it and move on. Last night we werent at our best, me in particular (had a bad back all weekend) but the punters were loving it and lots of very positive feedback from experienced guys we know in other bands who happened to come along which is more reassuring than the 'youre the best band weve had in ages' from the drunk in the gents which you naturally take with a pinch of salt. The main point was the venue immediately rebooked us (at a higher fee) for October, which was nice.

Frustrating day yesterday. Our singer and her other half had provided music as a duo at her departmental annual summer party (marquee on university campus) but this year asked for the full band. Set up, sound checked and then we knew there was a big gap before our set (only wanted 1 hour in between quizzes and stuff). Had to set up early so I had to take the full day off work (and I work for same Uni as the singer but in a different building). Then we get a message that one of the vice chancellors has an office nearby and doesn't want the noise, vetos the whole gig. Much to-ing and fro-ing going ever up the greasy pole of seniority but the final outcome was no show so we just had the break it all back down again. Lots of grumbling from the guests when it was announced we couldnt play. They didnt have the money on them either so singer will have to chase that up next week. Ah well, gigs tonight and tomorrow so it's all history now.

Ooh that's posh they've got decking and everything...Got an outdoor gig tomorrow. I can guarantee there won't be decking.

My Trace combo was probably built in the 90's but I've not had it quite that long, about 12 years. No signs of imminent cone meltdown yet though fortunately. Don't think I've had it above vol 4 yet, plenty loud enough for pubs n clubs.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1469020991' post='3095136'] Sorry, not impressed. It just sounded like a long winded advert for Peavey with "Bernard Edwards gave me his Stingray" chucked in the middle. [b]He doesn't seem to have much of a clue what's going on in his signal chain either.[/b] [/quote] I don't watch many of these sorts of things but from what I've seen he's not unique in this. You tend to get some of them calling their tech over and asking 'what does this bit do again?' I think they sometimes develope them with other peoples input over tours and then lose track of what it all does. Others are different, for eg Sheehan seems pretty clued in as to what he wants and what genuinely does what in his rig from what I recall.

So what do they call bands in the US that predominantly cover other peoples music then Blue?

No Precision? bloody amateur.

OP's in Nottingham, I will have to keep an eye out in car parks before I [s]run my keys down it[/s], I mean gaze on in awe

I hate saying a flat 'no' to people so when I once auditioned for a band that seemed hopelessly disorganised and had actually chosen to audition both bass and drums at the same time, the room they planned to audition us in wasn't available and we ended up in someone's front room. Then one of the two vocalists was on holiday so half the stuff I'd learned wasn't needed. I was so worried they would offer me the job I pulled over halfway home to text them that I didn't think it was for me if they were considering me.

Get in get paid and get out. Anyone watching that moans should be directed toward whoever made the stipulations about sound and take it up with them.

Did a few with the outfit a couple of bands back. From what I recall it was always paid on the night, much as mr hackenbacker has detailed above. It wasn't our main business though. We didn't advertise ourselves as a 'wedding band' per se, we just picked up a few off the back of pub gigs. No horror stories though.

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1468848063' post='3093726'] One thing I have noticed though is that a Jazz neck pickup sounds a little deeper than a Precision which sounds slightly more middy. That's not that noticable when the band's at full tilt so it matters very little to me. Maybe if you're recording it would matter more? Frank. [/quote] Did you try an S1 jazz at all? I play mine with the parallel/series switch engaged and it does give it some oomph.

One of mine is in DGCF and I usually tune the lower 2 strings (D & G) at the 7th fret, tuner copes fine with open C and F strings. No one has complained yet that it sounds out of tune.

I don't know whether they still do it but at one time if you turned up at Flightcase Warehouse and paid cash you got a 'discount' compared with the online price. Got a flightcase for my PK-5 pedals from them as there was nothing officially available at the time for something that shape. Very robust, though it could do with having the carry handle replaced now.

P bass now my main gigging bass and has been for a few years. Before that it was a jazz but it was an S1 jazz which I always used with the S1 switch depressed so almost a P anyway. Current band does a few songs in lowered tunings so I now have the jazz back, tuned D-G-C-F, to cover those and the majority of the set still on the P. They are both butterscotch blonde so I doubt most of the audience notice I've even swapped. I prefer tone tweaks with the bass tone knob rather than amp fiddling, quicker and easier. I need the change in tone to be heard, we don't play subtle stuff