BassTractor

IMLE, no hassle at all. Bass kept on its leash, and fretting arm stretched over bass neck - unless bass is "hung" very vertically. As to what to buy, instruments exist that contain gazillions of presets that can be regarded as a travel through the history of hits. These can be modules, requiring a MIDI keyboard, or stand-alone instruments with built-in keyboard. One example of a great one, bought used, is the Alesis Micron, which later was bettered and re-released as Akai Miniak. You won't find better for the money, but its user interface with few knobs and buttons needs some getting used to. The Miniak in this is already much better than the Micron. A more expensive alternative, exactly as unique for the money, and again bought used, is the Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard. One should get the "Keyboard" version rather than the tiny module, for several reasons. It's less of a travel through hit history, but IMHO makes up for that through a very powerful synth engine. There may also be examples in the class of instruments that bewilderingly is called "keyboard" or "keyboard instrument". These are the often cheap instruments that beginners buy when wanting to start playing keyboards. They'll have built in rhythms as well as auto-accompaniment, and in the cheap end of the market sound incredibly cheesy. If you go that way, then maybe get a second-hand Yamaha, as they're the most secure brand to buy. Then get one that was 1,000 quid new or more. Roughly. Of course you might be able to find a model from another brand that's equally good. It's just that Yamaha have been consistent.

😀 True dat, but I hide behind the parapet of "novelty" as there is a certain novelty aspect to Würm - at least as seen from the hill of traditional rock. I mean, we have just learned that Maurice Ravel came first! 😉

Huh? Do you mean Sheila's "Spacer" by any chance ("he's a spacer, a star chaser" etc), or "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper" by Sarah Brightman and Hot Gossip? Or does Sheila have a "Starship Trooper" as well? This got my interest as reading your post I thought of "Starship Trooper" by Yes. Its "Würm" part might fall in the novelty category.

Ha! Didn't even remember that, and referred to a really recent thread, but I'm struck by the level of general wisdom expressed in the thread you linked to. I wish I was as smart as myself.

Quite understandable. I grew up with it and hated it thoroughly. Then something happened. Maybe it was my stroke. 😀

Twas essential info for those not yet aware of these things. Good you posted it.

Recently mentioned in another thread, but stuff like "Livin' it Up" by Bert Kaempfert. Easy Listening in style, incredibly cheesy, and still just wow. Also this Mantovani thing called "Charmaine". ...and since I now speak of what is essentially ballroom or lounge music: almost the complete output by Max Raabe, with songs like "In meiner Badewanne bin ich Kapitän" (in my bathtub, I am the captain 😀 )

No no no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no Superma'an ...

Laurie Anderson: "O Superman (for Massenet)"

Focus: "Hocus Pocus"

I offer you: Ekseption. Half their output were pop songs based on classical themes, with jazz impros in the middle. Based on tackiness, they still knew what music was, and were great players to boot. Have no sound on my laptop, and can only hope the vid shows the correct song, IMHO a well-crafted reworking of a Beethoven melody. BTW, the other half of their output, their own songs, to me are sometimes very forgettable, and sometimes as intensely beautiful today as they were fifty years ago.

Gail Ann Dorsey - simply the greatest haircut in bass. IMHO

IMHO the phenomenon "spice girls" is one thing, but the actual compositions is something else. I still think their first album had a few cracking pop songs. Don't remember which ones, and I haven't played it for years, but still. Their second album OTOH bored me to tears.

Not necessary though. In my municipality, they solved this without even trying: 😀 This is a pic from 1968 from a local "beat festival". Along one side of a 100 yards long cattle market hall, a stage was raised, and each band got their allotted yards of it. The audience just moved from band to band. Incidentally, the band playing in the pic, Spacial Concept (not Special Concept), has bass player Cyriel Havermans, who later joined Focus and at some point started to use the Cyril moniker. Edit: first now I see the stage was on more sides. Never saw the drum set.

Demn you! I clicked the first link. It ruined my life!

Following the pattern set out in the OP, I didn't buy: Steve Morse: "Stand Up" (didn't know about it until a few years ago) Art Zoyd: "Le mariage du ciel et de l'enfer" (should've been autobuy after "Les espaces inquiets") Sonic Youth: "Bad Moon Rising" (still haven't heard it, which is weird) Megadeth: "Killing Is My Business ..." (dunno why not) Metallica: "Ride the Lightning" (bought later than "...and Justice for All") ... but did buy: Dire Straits: "Brothers in Arms" Phil Collins: "No Jacket Required" The latter two became insufferable to me after just a few listens, but happily, good relationships with the record shop meant I was allowed to swap them. Nice.

In 1985 I had trouble finding good-to-me new music, and I felt the 80s were becoming a lost decade. Then this arrived: Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti. Decade saved (and I found a lot more after this, like Propaganda's A Secret Wish ).

Not helpful either, but if one likes "A Swingin' Safari" then one might also like "Zambezi" and "Africaan Beat" off the same album, and at any rate I'd direct one's attention to "Living it up" from "Living it up!". On the positive side, this stuff isn't hard to listen to, and you'll be well-protected from anything artsy. 😀 I lurve it.

With those plectra, it probably plays itself.

Renault Projet 900. Haven't read up on them, but it seems there was to be a V8 in that rear (won't work on Projet 900, won't work on Projet 901, won't work on ... .. but might work on Projet 911 😉). Different prototypes exist(ed), so you get to choose looks and colour. Give them a call. 😀 Back to the OP though, maybe it was thought of as an instrument for the rarity seekers or for the musician on a leash. The flipping doesn't seem problematic to me. Just sit down. Also, with two band members owning instruments like this, you at the very least can shift roles during songs and make a big point out of it, giving the audience a tiny chuckle. I can see how that could work in the right atmosphere.

Fantastic! I'm ordering. Only question is whether it will fit in my car.

Good thinking. Don't remember whether we too did this or just contemplated doing it, but I do remember we used a set of names depending on the music. Possibly not really an alter ego, but IIRC Ian Anderson told that in the old days they normally were allowed to play at each venue only once, so kept returning to venues by using many different band names - and I think that actually none of those was "Jethro Toe" (possibly Derek Lawrence's attempt to avoid paying for rights).

OK, some googling and we now have following rock bands: Æ is for Ændal Å is for Årabrot

Waidaminnet. If individual artists are allowed, we do have: Æ is for Æ. Yup.

Ø is for Østenfor Sol Sorry, can't remember ones for Æ or Å. ...but I did prolong the thread to at least some degree, didden I?