mentalextra

On your journey to becoming a 'pro' player, at what point do you know you've arrived? Or did you start the journey as a pro and expect to arrive as a wealthy pro? I'm honestly not a 'hater' Mark, I just find the whole 'definition of a pro' an interesting debate.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1464821424' post='3062995'] .............................these guys who would tell you that they were pro musicians, when really they were signing on and playing a couple of gigs a month!................................... [/quote] This is the problem with defining 'pro' in mostly financial terms. Guys that have low overheads, or living with parents will find it easier to describe themselves as 'pro' in that respect. Plenty of guys on here get plenty of playing time and earn nicely but don't/can't cover the running costs of a family

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1464809166' post='3062838'] .................... I’ve got a straight 9 to 5 office job and can’t be considered a pro musician in any reasonable way, yet have been playing upwards of 40 pub gigs a year for most of the past 25 years – ever since I stopped trying to be a professional musician in fact! I make a fair few quid out of doing so, but certainly nowhere near what I would consider making a living. If you were to play 150 such gigs a year (3 a week), you would struggle to even cover your rent in London, so I don’t think that pros really do really make a living playing gigs ‘exactly like’ the one you describe. [/quote] Interesting. There are a lot of guys, convinced they are 'pro', still living with their parents for financial reasons, but who don't even play as much as you?

Don't worry, if you're not being paid, you're not 'pro' anyway

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1464181031' post='3057288'] .................There's definitely a niche in the BC market for a bespoke luxury courier service by bass players for bass players. I've got a car and loads of time on my hands! Trouble is, I don't think my rates would be very competitive - and there's the rub. [/quote] Spot on!

Gender fluid?

[quote name='Bassmonkey' timestamp='1461597305' post='3035967'] Is the holder a "she?" [/quote] She's got big hands for a girl?

A jokes a joke but who would want to play something that looked like that

[quote name='ProfJames' timestamp='1462823964' post='3046083'] Would you recommend to learn on a fretless? [/quote] I had an ex girlfriend that thought Mick Karn played a "boingy thing" not a bass? The average guy in the street probably doesn't get/understand the difference as much as the player does. I have heard some perfectly decent renditions of "wherever I lay my hat" and "tear your playhouse down" on fretted instruments, but.....? I am an average player, but I love playing my fretless and its good for my soul

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1461615788' post='3036212'] I trawled for one yesterday and couldn't find one. As has already been mentioned, this is a bass that's never been associated with Pino. [/quote] I'm guessing that, if Roger Daltrey happened to find a 'stack knob' laying about in the basement of one of his homes 'Pino' would get it? Didn't Guy Pratt acquire his stack knob after coverting one from a famous colleague? I know nothing about Pino's personal guitar collection, but I'm assuming that he must have people throwing guitars at him left, right and centre?

Just out of interest, is there a pic of Pino playing this?

It seems that I have a guardian angel, as "Mr D'addario" has seen my post and is dealing with this issue. Very impressive customer service from Andrew Needham and worthy of a mention!

Are 'loop end' banjo strings more susceptable to snapping? Second time I've changed the strings on my dads banjo and one of the loops has snapped before its up to pitch. The strings were D'addario lights if it matters?

I've finally decided that I need to make a permanent repair to the loose fitting scres that hold on the control plate on my jazz. Other than slightly adjusting he angle they screw in at, and jamming matches in the holes, what is the solution?

Maybe just save the smiles for when the audience are applauding and go 'mean and moody' when you're playing.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1457488012' post='2999077'] oh yes!!! [/quote] Can I also add an "oh yes!!!"

No 'size zero' nonsense there!

Shame he's not on this website, he could have "dished the dirt"

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1457050889' post='2994942'] Martin is one of a number of musicians that has been used and discarded by the Mael brothers - He had a lot of input into arrangements on their first Island album and was edged out and ended up being made to sign future royalties away. [url="http://montesnewblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/a-conversation-with-martin-gordon.html"]http://montesnewblog...tin-gordon.html[/url] [url="http://www.axs.com/news/bassist-songwriter-martin-gordon-talks-musical-career-during-and-after-29778#slide=1"]http://www.axs.com/n...r-29778#slide=1[/url] [url="http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/martin_gordon/"]http://www.songfacts.../martin_gordon/[/url] [/quote] Thanks, that makes very interesting reading.

Good stuff! Yeah, its the vocal style that gives it the 70s feel. Am I the only one that finds the current 'flowery/warbling' vocal's tiresome. And while I'm on the subject, Rihanna's 'work' single features Drake who appears to be singing a strange collection of notes that has nothing to do with her song;he must have recorded that piece before he heard the actual track?

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1457030029' post='2994679'] That could be Martin Gordon. He was a Ric man. [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Gordon"]https://en.wikipedia...i/Martin_Gordon[/url] [/quote] "Gordon and Sparks parted company?", it's never good when you 'part company'?

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1457028590' post='2994659'] The only time I saw them live I found their drummer to be very interesting when they were promoting the album that featured....... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HSlNHNZuQ[/media] I also caught Ron's eye and tried to out-stare him - I lost. [/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08DFrY4ig_c[/media] Great lyrics!

[quote name='cytania' timestamp='1457026122' post='2994619'] Sounds suspect. When they went disco it was the full deal with Giorgio Moroder producing the whole 'No1 Song In Heaven' album with synths throughout. Sounded stunning back in the day. [/quote] Good luck to them, they've worked with some 'big' names. I was wondering if anyone could shine a light on the bass player story?

Although [i]Sparks[/i] were/are not my 'thing', I was interested to read about how apparently, when they moved to the UK and hired a bass player, with a distinctive 'rick' type sound, and he wouldn't change his tone when they went all 'disco', that he lost the gig? I know that the BC collective is a mine of information and I'm interested to know if the story is true?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3SePcZg1iY Dave's done a group test