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mike f

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Posts posted by mike f

    ‘74 Jazz bass and the fear of getting it refretted

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have a 1974 Fender Jazz bass. I’ve had it since 1993 and in that time I’ve gigged and recorded with it and noodled and rehearsed and practiced with it; it is my mainstay, my beloved..., and I think it needs a refret. And that thought, that of such a change, gives me the fear.

    So, good people of Basschat, am I just being daft? Have you done the same? Should I or shouldn’t I? 

    How good was Prince on the bass?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    22 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

    A lot of diehard Prince fans seem to think everything he did was gold. IMO he peaked with Sign of the Times and thereafter his albums were pretty patchy. Even the earlier ones have their duff tracks.

    Diehard Prince fan here. I agree. The run from 1980, the album “Prince” to 1988 with “Lovesexy” is golden to me however I clearly recall my disappointment with the 1989 Batman soundtrack and the start of said patchiness. 

    Thereafter only “Come” from 1994 and “The Rainbow Children” from 2002 did it for me, with maybe “Exodus” from 1995 at a push. Lots of stuff from the 90s by Prince which I find unlistenable.

    That said, Prince & the Revolution era, mid 80s, to my ears anyway, were just the best.

    • Like 1

    How good was Prince on the bass?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 22/11/2020 at 01:06, tauzero said:

    Dunno, he produced a fair amount of musical wallpaper. We do do one of his songs but as it's "Purple Rain", it's not something that really highlights his bass playing ability.

    The track Purple Rain was recorded live by Prince & the Revolution with Brownmark on bass.  Fender Jazz bass through an SVT. Check out more of Brownmark's playing on 17 Days or on America on the Around the World in a Day album.

    The track often referenced as a good example of Prince's bass playing is Let's Work off the Controversy album.

    Here's a few more of my favourites -

    Partyup - Dirty Mind

    She's Always in My Hair - The Hits/The B-Sides

    The Ballad of Dorothy Parker  - Sign O' The Times

    The Sensual Everafter - The Rainbow Children

    777-9311 - What Time Is It? 

    Finally, because I've just been listening to it (!), check out what he's playing on on Alphabet St.

    Cover version beats the original!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Barking Spiders said:

    + another for The Stranglers Walk on By. The original's very good but for me anything with JJ's growling bass and Hugh Cornwall's vocal is a winner

    Gun's take on Word Up might just have the edge on the Cameo original

    Couldn’t agree more.

    Couldn’t agree less. 😁

    • Haha 1

    What sets off your BROCD? (Bass Related OCD)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Mismatched strings on an instrument - when one is clearly not from the same set as the others. Just why?

    Misaligned or unevenly spaced pedals on a pedalboard - aesthetics man, aesthetics!

    Leads that go straight from the instrument to the floor to the amp without being hooked up through the strap - one step away from instant muteness 

    Missing knobs on either instrument, amp or pedal - just looks painful 

    Slack in the string windings - just sloppy

    Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by mike f

    4 hours ago, musicbassman said:

    Ah, that's easy Mike, it's the sound of the very structures of musical cohesion being torn apart , limb by limb. Possibly by an alien being from another dimension.

    (I have absolutely no idea what's going on, only Tim knows, and he might explain this to his followers in the afterlife)

    I thought as much.

     

    It sounds like the bass is breathing.  It is bloody marvellous.

    • Like 2

    Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by mike f

    I saw Cardiacs at the Camden Falcon in 1999. Tim, as part of The Sea Nymphs who supported, played a p bass which had a Boss Octave pedal gaffa taped to the lower horn.  I remember thinking that his bass playing was wonderful.

    Regarding Dazed's comments above, listen to Fairy Mary Mag on Sing to God, I get the impression that that's Tim playing. 

    Also if anyone can enlighten me as to what's going on with the bass on Eat It Up Worms Here (at 0:58) I'd be eternally grateful. It just sounds so good. 

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Survival Studios to close

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I rehearsed there in  the late 90s. Lots of Trace Elliot amplification, you could smoke in the rooms, of which there were fewer, and  then again just a few years ago with the Ashdown amps, cleaner air, more rooms and added sweety machines in reception. Staff were always great, always friendly. Had some good times there. Shame it’s closing.

    Slap bass - no longer mainstream?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by mike f

    [quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1507578824' post='3386547']
    Hmmm...who would you rate as being a good female slapper?
    [/quote]

    Kim Clarke - Defunkt

    Check out their 1982 album, Thermonuclear Sweat.


    I love slap and I prefer the hard hitters; Larry Graham, Prince, Flea, Louis Johnson. Not keen on the short strap, bass under the chin typewritery machine gun stuff!

    I know Sly Stone was talking about sing-alongs but what he said describes how I feel about slap bass;

    [color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]"Now a lot of people don't like to do it, because they feel it might be old fashion. But you must dig that it is not a fashion in the first place, it is a feeling. And if it was good in the past, it's still good".[/font][/color]

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