molan

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1373535814' post='2138663'] Everybody has their own opinions of course, but for me punk was born out of the prog rock scene, complete anti prog rock if you like and nobody, but nobody strips down rock and roll to the core basics like the Ramones did, that's why for me, if anybody 'invented' punk they did [/quote] I must admit that some punks I knew liked the Ramones but, in London especially, there was a strong anti-American feeling. Admirably summed up by the Clash with "I'm so bored with the USA" which became something of an anthem whenever anyone brought up the Ramones, Television, Richard Hell, Talking Heads etc. Personally I'd always associated the Ramones with the stripped down rock that was growing fast in the UK pre-punk. People like the 101'ers, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood etc. I did go and see the Ramones at the Roundhouse (supporting the Damned I think). They weren't bad but were already veering towards cliche ridden rock posing. They seem to have worn well though. Much of their stuff still sounds good today and is much more listenable than a lot of early punk which has dated pretty badly

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1373537525' post='2138682'] The punk music I grew up with is now considered old school (Bad Religion, NoFX, Suicidal, DK, Poison Idea etc), the youngsters discovering punk music now are more inclined to gravitate towards a band of their generation. In the same way that I considered the first wave of punk music to sound dated and safe, the next generation will look for something that is relevant to them. It's arrogant to think that the music you grew up with is real and everything else is just done by copyists. [/quote] I don't think the music after punk isn't real - it just isn't 'punk'. I think lots of people referred to it as 'post-punk', 'new wave' or even 'oi' and 'hardcore'. And then there's the punk revivalists of the later '80's and early '90's - some of these are still going now! I think anyone who was around during the height of punk 'proper' would acknowledge that anything beyond '79 has to be 'post' punk. Exact timing of punk's demise will always be a source of great debate. Eg A lot of hardcore Clash fans will say that Give 'Em Enough Rope was the end of the Clash as a punk band because of Sandy Pearlman's overtly American rawk mainstream production. Meanwhile others will say London Calling was the last punk album proper and yet more will say the spirit managed to survive Sandinista and continued until Joe Strummer's untimely passing. For me it was the release of Public Image in October '78. Mr Rotten resurfacing as Lydon, Jah Wobble's sinuous bass and Keith Levene's jangling crashing guitars signalled the death knell for me. The flat I lived in had housed Billy Idol for a while and was visited by many a Pistol, future Ants, Pretenders, the odd New York Doll and even the Clash turned up one night on the way to see the Mighty Diamonds in Harlesden (I bummed a free ticket, yay!). By early '79 most of the London crowd were moving in droves to what became the New Romantic nightclub scene. A lot of them, including me, still wearing the same colour nail varnish and mascara and using Krazy Kolor on top of peroxide but with less leather and more lace

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1373531466' post='2138583'] if you're being serious, the Ramones, they practically invented it [/quote] Ramones were never a punk band - just a fast rock band with short songs. If any US band can get any credit for stirring future punk imaginations I guess the New York Dolls could have an honourable mention. Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers were pretty much adopted as punks because they spent so much time over here. The reast of the US bands that tagged along coined the horrible 'new wave' epithet so beloved of Radio 1 and BBC DJ's when they were forced to play things they so obviously detested. Post '79 most genuine punk bands had floundered and/or turned into cheap parodies of themselves. The Americans were merely copping a style of music. Saying that punk lives on is a bit like saying genuine Mod or Ska or Rock 'n' Roll is still with us. Sure, there are bands playing this type of music but they are just copyists not the 'real thing'. I don't have anything against them (I, unashamedly, play in a covers band) I just can't accept that they are 'punk' bands. Maybe you had to 'live the life' in the late '70's to understand it.

[quote name='Prunesquallor' timestamp='1373529883' post='2138552'] Well, thrash is a totally different genre... I believe the genre police called Suicidal Tendencies and the Dead Kennedys 'West coast skatecore' or something, but punk will do for most of us. [/quote] There are no American punk bands. . .

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1373491403' post='2138339'] I'm sorry but anything after 1980 isn't punk, apparently that's how music works. [/quote] I'd say '79 - '80's was just 'power pop with attitude (much of which was 'pretend'). Punk was more than a musical style. People had been playing hard and fast for a long time and will continue to do so for many more years I'm sure. It just ain't 'punk', maybe 'thrash' is a better term

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1373489156' post='2138294'] It stops being a group of mates playing for fun and becomes a professional outfit. [/quote] I think it's sometimes worse than that. From a personally point of view I think any paying gig should be treated as a professional one (but I totally understand what you mean about the differences). My issue with some corporate gigs is simply that you get treated really badly. Arrive early, get bossed around by an organiser who is, way too often, out of his/her depth, little understanding of simple stuff like needing to sound-check and then sometimes loads of crap from the people who hired you that have decided 'Ernie from the post room' is a fantastic singer/drummer/lead guitarist or, heaven forfend, bass player

Forgot to add corporate functions are often a bitch to play - good money but not always that much fun

I've recently booked a 5 piece for my daughter's wedding for the, substantially reduced 'mates rates', price of £1,900. They usually go out for a lot more than this and are pretty busy. One of the very best function bands in he country though. All pro live and session players with a list of credits as long as a very long thing indeed My old 11 piece soul band started at about £1,500 and peaked at £3,500 for function events. We'd sometimes drop to £1,100 for smaller events or £800 for family and friends. My wife sometimes books high end function bands and regularly pays £3K plus.

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1373485820' post='2138231'] Guess it depends what you term Punk? The Ramones, Clash, Ruts to name a few had some decent basslines [/quote] Have to agree with this - most of the nominations so far are not what I'd call 'punk'. As an example Suicidal Tendancies were formed a good 2 years after the last thrashings of punk had finished. . .

Had a 'woodwork project' in for repair recently. I refused to let the owner spend money on it and sorted the worst of the problems for free. Set it up so it was at least playable and then found I had a problem checking intonation and tuning harmonics at the 12th fret. Turned out the fret markers were at 1 : 3 : 5 : 7 : 9 : 11 : 13 : 15 : 17 : 19 : 21 : 23. . .

Brick by the Dazz Band is pretty cool http://youtu.be/kpr9qvuodVA

Gonna have to go some to beat the Carvin monster head - 2050w for just £625 brand new

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1373135560' post='2134097'] . Gassing for the Carvin Allan Holdsworth guitar too. [/quote] In the right colour these look really cool I think. I've helped spec a few up for people but I don't know anyone who's bought one. I'd really like to see one in the flesh

I think there's a few around in sunburst as well as cream?

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1373113349' post='2133837'] Flamed tops are pretty bling to begin with but putting a translucent colour over them makes for a hideous looking bass. [/quote] Better let Paul Reed Smith know he's been making a big mistake in building his, globally successful brand, based on such a bad idea

How about Rickenbacker into a big old Sunn Colloseum head and a pair of matching Sunn 6x12's (plus a Marshall Superbass for distortion on the side) for that classic '70's prog sound? Certainly the rig I always wanted as a teenager

Another quick thing to point out is that most really good vintage Fender J necks are attached to equally nice Fender J bodies I'd be a little wary of buying a neck that's sold as genuine vintage that has been removed for sale. You do see some people 'parting out' vintage basses. Because the potential value of the parts is greater than the complete bass but I've heard a few nightmare tales of supposedly vintage parts that turn out not to be original I've got '63 and used to own a '65 - virtually no difference between them. In fact the similarity between them was so close I decided I didn't need two of them

My vote goes for the Aguilar AGP60. In fact I like it so much I'm putting one in my genuine '64 P bass

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1372868533' post='2130965'] Bassgear have a 2025X going for £1299 - if I liked sunburst I'd be all over it! [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product/5-string-bass-guitars-po/yamaha-bb2025-xvs-vintage-sunburst/"]http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product/5-string-bass-guitars-po/yamaha-bb2025-xvs-vintage-sunburst/[/url] [/quote] I've played this and it really surprised me. I have to own up that I approached it with a very negative head on but then started playing it and really liked the tone and feel. I can imagine it being a great rock bass The sunburst is an ex-demo one and has a few marks on the back (hence the price reduction for what is effectively a new bass with warranty & stuff) and there's a really nice, pre-owned, white 4 string too - the 4 has been calling my name this week. . .

I generally prefer thinner frets and have recently been playing two near identical basses back to back - one has 'jumbo' and the other very thin (but not quite mandolin). I've just found I can play faster and more fluidly on the thin fretted bass and there's virtually no other difference between them.

Bass Gear stock a good range of Carvin amps and combos: http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product-category/bass-amps-and-cabs/carvin-amps/ They are great value for US made kit but the shipping and taxes make a significant dent in the prices. This is especially true if you're shipping just one unit. The shipping cost for an amp or combo is a fair bit and then the customs guys whack 23% on top of both the unit price and the shipping cost I really like the two big power heads. £499 gets you the 1500w with lots of tone shaping options and my fave is the £625 B2000 which has a really muscular powerful tone and will pump our 2050w! They had a few of these in stock but sold them all. Not sure when the next delivery will be in. Carvin hold the smaller combos at a UK warehouse but the big power heads ship directly from the States and need to be brought over in batches simply to hold the competitive pricing (I checked the cost of brining over a single BX1500 recently and it came in £55 higher than current sale prices!). Carvin customer service is great. They even have a guy in San Diego who starts at 6AM every day so he can be online for more of the European working day

It wasn't anyone I've seen with him before (and I've seen him a lot of times!). In fact I didn't recognise any of the band except for Altrinna He had a pretty stable touring band for a long time so maybe this one was either put together for this show (or possibly the Greatest Man tour which I didn't see). I thought he was using an Atelier Z through an Aguilar DB750 & pair of GS 410's. Don't know if that was a hired rig for the festival as I saw at least two other people using the same set up. If it was an Atelier then they are pretty cool basses. Only ever seen one other player with one over here - Francis Hylton of Incognito.