Raymondo

I have always tried to do backing vocals but I could never play anything other than a root note bass line at the same time . A few years ago I ended up gigging ,on average,four nights a week ;pretty soon two things happened .....(1) my vocals improved dramatically and (2) I was able to play any bass line. In fact I remember one time in particular when I was singing,thinking up and playing a new bass line and working out what I was going to have for supper all at the same time! Unfortunately now that I hardly ever gig I am back to the non confident "can't sing and play at the same time" me of old. The moral of the story.....PRACTICE. I was just lucky enough to be gigging whilst doing my practice.

I would love to have to learn those song.....I'd even buy a Ric...well ..a copy maybe ....but Nottingham is too far away sadly. Fabulous stuff on the website....can't see you having trouble finding a replacement.Good luck with whatever you do mate.

I once mimed keyboards in an act for two and a half years......the agents knew and anyone who asked was told .In all that time only one person asked me if I was miming,most of the time I didn't even bother plugging the keyboard in! We supported an ABBA tribute once,we were on £200 they were on £1500.....all their band mimed,the Keyboard player had a rack of three keyboards on stage but just "vamped" on the bottom one all night! It's not something I am particularly "proud "of but people loved what we did...the singer is now a professional singer songwriter and we made a bit of money so no harm done.....oh....I did play my bass on some of the songs!!

Signed. Developer should be forced to soundproof the building,pay for any extra soundproofing needed at the Fleece and made to inform all purchasers that there is a music venue close by that they cannot complain about!

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1400765088' post='2456770'] funniest tribute I ever saw was in Tenerife, billed as a Karen Carpenter tribute, her voice wasn't bad but she must have been at least 15 stone [/quote] Maybe she ate Mamma cass' sandwich?............ I'll get me coat! Oh and ....when I lived in Tenerife I knew a Tina Turner tribute ....she was white

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1400705626' post='2456354'] I saw that same line-up the night before, or after, at the King's Hall Derby (actually the municipal swimming pool with a lid on). 1974??? I thought Judas Priest were shyte...... Back on topic, there's a very successful pub venue in my town. Speaking to them, it's the sell-out tribute act gigs that allow them to take the financial hits on up-and-coming original material acts. [/quote] Yes it must have been about 1974. I didn't think Judas Priest were .shyte but they were no where near as good as Budgie....if you had to bet on who was going to have hits around the world and sell gazillions of albums your money would have been on Budgie that's for sure!.

Tony. You need to support your Budgie band with the Judas Priest one and re-create a gig I saw in Nottingham, at the Sherwood rooms I think it was ,....who'd have thunk it ...Budgie supported by Judas priest......my head never stopped banging all night!

I've played in an "originals" band and a Stereophonics tribute band at the same time...sometimes even "supporting" the Phonics tribute with the originals band at the same gig...exhausting!!! I enjoyed both very much I did have the luxury of playing my own version of the phonics bass lines though,as the original ones are pretty boring root note affairs to pander to Kelly Jones' whims it would seem. Weirdly the singer in the Originals band looked exactly like Kelly Jones (same height ,hair colour etc) but didn't sound like him....the singer in the tribute band looked nothing like him but sounded the same......if only we could have swapped them ,the tribute band would have made much more money as a look alike band Playing the main stage at Nottinghams' Rock city remains the "biggest gig" of my time as a bass player ....that was with the tribute act.

[quote name='clauster' timestamp='1397559787' post='2425081'] Did similar a while back. My last covers band had a decent PA - 32 Channel desk, various processors, 4.5K of power amps and Turbosound subs and mid-tops. A little Ashdown EB180 was sufficient for rehearsals and at gigs worked well as a personal monitor with a DI out to the PA for FOH. [/quote] +1 from me ....When I lived and worked in Tenerife I worked with a drummer with an electric kit and the EB 180 was more than enough to help me hear myself in the bigger venues.

I know the guy whom wrote/developed the bass lines on Jakes first album....unfortunately the usual happened....Record label likes fresh new artist ...couldn't give a flying f''k for the so called backing band and just whisk of said artist to record album with session players.....didn't even bother changing the bass lines at all....and no....he didn't get a writing credit. That taints my opinion of young Mr Bugg a little ( I know he didn't really have much choice ...it would have been nice if he had tried to stick up for his band a little though) but all in all I like his songs and am pleased he has had some success.

My first amp was a Laney 100w "Klipp" bought from a kays catalogue. I also ordered a Fal speaker cab too but when I got it I thought it looked cheap and lacked "street cred" (it had a 15" Fane speaker inside) so I sent it back .... I went to a Carlsbro dealer in Mansfield and bought a second hand 2x15" Carlsbro cab for £90 instead.....it weighed a ton and was a nightmare to get upstairs to my bedroom!!!! This was in !975 by the way if anyone was wondering!

That's lovely Debs.There are lots of great singer guitarists in Nottingham Steve Mcgill, a good friend of mine is fabulous ......there are one or two half decent bass players here too

Was payed not to play once....... We played a gig one Saturday night after sacking our singer/lead guitarist after the friday night gig! We got a replacement for the gig though...unfortunately he wouldn't turn up either his guitar or his voice(I kept turning up his mic and he just kept getting quieter and quieter!).... We muddled through two sets leaving our "best" for last ..... Landlord asked us not to go on! Somehow I don't think that is quite as good as Molans' experience though!

Back in the 90s' the band I was in supported The Animals....Animals11 as they were called then without Mr Burdon and Mr Chandler!....We played the venue every month and when the manageress told us how miserable the "animals" were being we said we would help out for a few beers and another giig later in the month. The aforesaid famous group insisted that they would only play 10.30 to 11.30 ...the venue had a late licence untill 1.00 am so needed entertainment to keep the crowd in to make the night pay. When we arrived they hogged the dressing room ,refused to share the stage or P.A and were generally unfriendly. We set up on the floor at the end of the room and did a short set before they went on and then went on for a long set when they finished. Half way through the second set they came out of the dressingroom and started to take the piss out of us....shouting things like "bingo" after each song...now I am the first to admit that we were pretty crap ...and did indeed play workingmens clubs inbetween the bingo...but there was no need to be so rude ... So, we went into our version of we gotta get out of this place,...the crowd loved it and danced the night away to us having a ball untill the early hours whilst the Animals crew packed away their gear. They never said another word after we played their song and we enjoyed our free beer and profound thanks from the venues management fior making the night.

Oh joy.....I am 14 again!! Thanks for this, I am off to amazon now to try to buy it If you believe these on line retailers "number in stock " comments ...I got the last one I think you may have started a bit of a rush on sales Clarky

Well I had one of the best nights of my life! It was fantastic,sure,the strokes have meant that Tony doesn't sing very much now but his wife jo did brilliantly.I got to chat to all the band members and even got asked to play in the jam session that followed the gig. Dave Anderson (ex Hawkwind) the bass player kindly let me use his gear,unfortunately Tony didn't join in on the songs I played but he was very appreciative and encouraging. Tony and his wife run an open Mic session at the pub every Tuesday...I intened driving over to join in a few times in the new year. Yes I know I am suddenly calling him Tony but they were all so friendly (and amazing musicians!) that I felt like a friend.

oops meant to say known etc for forty years....first time I've used my phone to post and don't know how to edit!.....if you are at the gig come say hi....I am at the bar...tall guy,big nose,glasses and a green shirt!!!!

I am at the wrekin inn,Wellington,shropshire ....waiting to see a gig by The Groundhogs.I have known about / watched/bought the records of this band (in fact hogwash was the very first album I owned!).....Its very weird to see the tiny stage gear Set up in a pub.....I used tp see them in big halls and at festivals.....not sure how I feel about seeing one of my heros playing a pub.....anyone else been to see their heros in a small venue (I don't mean big bands doing warm up gigs )? how did you feel?

Bloody hell Kev,it makes you wonder why some of us bother!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1379428996' post='2212581'] My band supported Dumpy at the Marquee a couple of times at the end of the 80's. [/quote] The Band I was in supported Dumpy at the Mardi Gras pub/club in Nottingham in 1985....Massive PA (filled the back of an Artic' truck with their gear!) in a tiny venue. They were really nice guys,gave us a full sound check and made us sound awesome for the gig. One of my favourite memories!

Like a few others on here it's the little holes in my shirts that irritate me...my bass was bought new 20+ years ago,has dents ,chips and buckle rash. It did bother me when the first marks were made but after so long and so many gigs it doesn't bother me at all now.

After months (if not YEARS ) of trying to play along to my records one glorious night I actually managed to play the (to me at the time)fast bit of Budgies version of Baby please don't go.....I remember, distinctly, thinking, "if I can play this surely the rest is easy?" and instantly worked out how to play the song ....and a few more besides! It was a real Eureka moment for me!

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1378204421' post='2196904'] Ha ha, very well put! [b]Yeah, rigs ought to be thought out so that they don't blow themselves up,[/b] I reckon even if the gain and volume are maxed with the bass up full, not that that should ever really be occurring. The thing I used to fix the most? The input jack. Some people have trouble plugging into an amp without yanking the socket out of place. [/quote] In the early Nineties I bought .....brand new ....a Trace Elliot 7515****222 (something or other i can't remember) combo .....!5" speaker ,many watts ...cost a bloody fortune ,was the first "new bit of kit I had ever bought. I used it for three months,we were a "pub band" ,never turned it above "7"......long story short ...it stopped working ...went back under warranty...Trace refused to repair the blown speaker because "Ihad turned it up too loud" !!!!!...I asked "How the hell can you design a combo that can melt it's own speaker coil?"...They just refused to repair it...I ended up being given a Peavey TNT by the shop to replace it as they were embarrassed by the service from Trace.....The Peavey lasted me years! Back on topic ...I loaned my rig out to a friend a couple of weeks back ...he loved it ...I was amazed at how good it sounded .....everybody happy!

[quote name='bassist_lewis' timestamp='1377891783' post='2193411'] Does it have to guys in famous bands? There's a couple of local guys in Edinburgh that are incredible players, easily up there with the big names. [/quote] +1 from me! The guy that plays for Bedford Falls at the Barony inn (and most other bands that play there it seems!) is awesome. I was told he played with the proclaimers in the early days? can't remember his name unfortunately ....probably because I have usually had one or two beers when i go there ;-) but he sure does take some beating.

Pino Palladino Andy Fraser Stuart Zender. Nick Fyffe. Paul Turner Sting Geezer Butler John Deacon Jean Jacques Burnell Paul McCartney Lemmy Jack Bruce Steve Harris Dougie Poynter Norman Watt-Roy Boz Burrell John Paul Jones Rick Laird Ric Grech Percy Jones Roy Babbington Boz Burrell Dave Holland Jeff Clyne Mo Foster Hugh Hopper Yolanda Charles John "rhino" Edwards Chris squire John Entwistle Danny Thompson Mani Andy Rourke Herbie Flowers Roger Waters Guy Pratt Mike Rutherford Peter Hook Mick Karn Roger glover Pete Cruikshank Barry Adamson John Wetton Paul Gardiner Greg Lake John Giblin Neil Murray Trevor Bolder Roger Waters Rick Kemp Cliff Williams Martin Turner John Taylor Kev Hopper Roy Wainwright Alan Spenner Bruce Thomas Burke Shelly.......He certainly inspired me!