Clarebear68

I'm going to see him on 29th in Manchester - I can't wait

One of my all time favourite bands RIP

[quote name='Bass-Driver' timestamp='1367791465' post='2069552'] But if I were you, I'd just get a Status, I really like those things. Rhino and Chris Wolstenholme play them so they are good for rock. [/quote] I just got a Series 2 5-string - it's the best thing I've played - even response across the neck and sounds great for rock, pop, funk, you name it.

I took a ten year break so I know how you feel. I kept thinking I'd get on stage and not be able to remember a single tune but it was fine after the first note - I'm sure you'll be ok. Best of luck.

I thought it was a great version.

Sting's bass playing was the main reason I picked up a bass and is probably still the biggest influence on how I play.

http://m1318.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/clarebear68/photo_zps77da923a.jpg.html?o=0

I booked one of the rooms at my rehearsal space last night to try it out ... It sounds every bit as good as I hoped - it's just a shame I'm not as good as it is!!!

http://m1318.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/clarebear68/photo_zpsc843a276.jpg.html?o=0

It's a good job we're not doing any of that stuff then!

There will be as soon as I work out how to upload one

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1366231971' post='2050031'] any band avoiding the over-done 80's stuff gets off on the right foot as far as I am concerned [/quote] JTUK - what would you define as over done 80s stuff? I'm asking as we've been asked to do a couple of sets of 80s covers at a gig alongside a DJ for an 80s night.

I am now the proud owner of a Status S2 5 string!!! And it's every bit as good as I hoped! Just saying

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365678038' post='2042674'] I have also read from an expert on Gibsons that many players go for higher gauges on their Gibbos to get better tone, but if you have a great guitar in the first place it will sound great with even 8-40s, only poor guitars need heavier gauges. [/quote] I read an interview with Billy Gibbons where he said he uses really light gauge strings (eg a 7 gauge on the E) and to my ears he has a great sound.

Atoms for Peace - Amok Little Roy - Battle for Seattle David Bowie - The Next Day The Police - Certifiable Muse - the 2nd Law Duran Duran - Notorious

Copeland/Sting Thompson/Edwards Reni/Mani Joe Morello/Eugene Wright R. Taylor/J. Taylor Phil Selway/Colin Greenwood Omar Hakim/Daryl Jones

Duran, Janes Addiction, Radiohead, Stone Roses or The Smiths

I had a feeling starting this topic might stir up some heated but friendly debate - it's great to see so many people passionate about what we do. I'm happy to admit that having had a break of ten years between gigs and two of the band never having played gigs before; we were probably too eager to get more gigs under our belts than to think through what recompense we were getting for filling two venues. However, the reason I named the topic 'why do we gig' was to see what people's opinions were - how much do we do it to make money or is it just a bonus to doing something we love? I guess it's the old amateur v pro question. I know I really enjoyed both gigs but not getting anything for doing them made it a bittersweet experience. I also appreciate that if we all took not being paid for gigs lightly, the bar owners would stop paying everyone (don't you just love Capitalism ). Incidentally, being based around Manchester and West Yorkshire... Is anyone around here getting £200+ for gigs (this seems to be the benchmark looking at all the posts)? I've spoken to a couple of other bands I know around here and they were saying they were struggling to get that much and and gig regularly.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1363538468' post='2013780'] For the OP are you doing covers or originals? For me personally playing music that I have had a hand in creating in front of an appreciative audience is what I live for. My life would be infinitely poorer if I didn't do that. No matter how crap everything else has been, that 30 minutes when I am on stage and the band is rocking I feel like the king of the world. [/quote] We play covers - although we do change them quite a bit. We did an hour and forty minutes last night as well - so they can't complain they wouldn't get their money's worth!

Apologies as this is quite a big post. The band I'm in, gigged Friday and Saturday this weekend (I've never done that before and is probably a topic on it's own bearing in mind the difference in performance over two nights); however, I digress from my point... The first gig on the Friday was in Manchester at a little bar and while we were aware we wouldn't be paid, we were under the impression that we were at least getting free drinks and so we agrred to play kind of like a 'loss leader' to try and pick up some extra fans for our next paid gig. We sound-checked early, popped out for food etc came back in time for the gig and tried to get some drinks, only to be told we'd have to pay, as the manager hadn't authorised any free drinks for the band and wouldn't be in the bar until much later! Now we'd invited a lot of people, who had invited friends etc, so to cancelling was out of the question by that point, not to mention the bad impression it would cause. So we did the gig. Just from the people we invited, I reckon they must have taken at least £500+ over the bar. The singer/guitarist had got us the gig on Saturday night with the agreement that we would be paid out of the money taken on the door. Again, we invited a lot of people. We did the gig and the crowd seemed to really enjoy themselves. I had to leave before the rest of the guys after the gig but I got a text when I got home saying that we didn't get paid! Apparently, they only charge on the door after 9pm and the majority of the crowd arrived before then! Again they easily took £500+ from the people we invited. And if we hadn't invited people, I think the only people in the place would have been the owner, the doorman and the Bar staff! Last night I was fuming about it - over two gigs, I'd spent about £100 on new string, drinks for me and friends etc. However, in the cold light of day, I'm more confused than angry. I really enjoyed both gigs. I play gigs because I love playing bass in a band playing songs I like to play and love it when an audience get a buzz from hearing us play those songs (we play covers by the way). I don't really do it for the money. What I do object to though, is having the p*ss taken out of us by bar owners who see bands as free entertainment for them to make money out of. What's the answer?

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1363529463' post='2013659'] Once you are enjoying what you do and are having fun, do labels really matter ? [/quote] +1

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1362854696' post='2005451'] Miles, I admire his creativity and his work in pushing Jazz ridiculously far from the mid-50s to his death. Also, I love the musicality in his solo [/quote] +1

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1356708740' post='1912744'] +1 on this comment on Michael Anthony of Van Halen . He's a superb hard rock bass player who is no slouch when the mood takes him . Listen to the first VH album and Michael plays some clever stuff throughout without ever cramping EVHs style or getting in the way . An underrated player in my estimation , and not poor by any stretch of the imagination . [/quote] I read an interview with him this year where he said he was careful not to overplay in Van Halen because it was all about Eddie's guitar playing and he was supporting that and the song.

[quote name='Jon B' timestamp='1355593109' post='1900372'] if the drummer sucks, then you all suck, no matter how good the rest of you actually are, sad but true [/quote] Totally agree - I spent the first 6 months with the band I'm in now trying to lock in with a drummer who changed tempo half a dozen times in a song - that's if he ever got to the end of them without stopping because he'd got it totally wrong! I think we'd learnt less than 6 songs in 6 months. Luckily he decided that being in a band wasn't for him - we found another drummer and got a dozen songs down in less than a month! In my experience a great drummer can make even a bad band sound decent - a bad drummer can make great musicians sound awful.

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1355514769' post='1899581'] I love this bass line though I don't do it justice[/quote] Ditto ... we've just started playing this live ... And it doesn't help that the drummer keeps playing it much faster than the original tempo