molan

I've played in a few functions bands (and still do!) And have always tried to set myself a basic ideal that I'd only ever play in a band that I'd want to go and see. Of course I've played the odd song I've not liked much but generally I've been fortunate enough to be in covers bands that play songs I either like per se or enjoy playing for one reason or another - such as they are a bitch to play and I enjoy the challenge. My last band used to throw in slightly obscure songs but made sure they fitted well with other material and were good dance songs. An obvious example was that we played the 'obvious' Stevie of Signed Sealed but ran it straight into I Was Made to Love Her. Always went down a storm despite the fact that few people knew it. The covers bands that I hate are the ones that are so obviously going through the motions and look bored rigid. One band I was in were never musically great but always played with great enthusiasm and we generally got rave reviews and re-bookings.

So there I was scrawling around Basschat on Sunday night (ironically vaguely appropriate!) with the TV playing in the background & nothing much on. Switched channels to BET and up came the Bobby Jones Gospel show. Not normally my cup of rosy but I thought what the heck, it's music, let's give it a try. First act up was the "legendary" Rance Allen Group - that guy could sure wail. Nice sound on the broadcast, really well mixed kick drum and keys forcing the song along. Bass not that exciting but the overall rhythm section playing underneath the soaring vocals was just great. Really good harmonies from the two male backing singers as well. Went out and did some exploring and there's some really excellent musicianship out there in the USA playing on late night. Andrew Gouche seems to be one of the main men for gospel bass from what I can see. As a fairly devout atheist I've never really bothered with gospel before but determined to "open my ears" a little wider and check some of these guys out! Any recommendations anyone?

[quote name='bassman2790' post='206974' date='May 27 2008, 12:01 AM']Possibly soon to be followed by a suitcase full of your clothes and then you perhaps? It is a dangerous game you play[/quote] I think my ex-wife would have echoed your sentiments There was a day when I popped out to buy some new strings and came home with a Laney 300w head, a huge old Fender 1x15 & a 2x10 as well. At the time my only bass amp was a tiny little Peavey - she wasn't impressed. . . . .

[quote name='The Burpster' post='206926' date='May 26 2008, 11:06 PM']Be jeezus, what speakers were they? [/quote] Acoustic Energy - original series and sat in a box for years! Sold to someone in the European Parliament in Brussels, maybe with more money than sense

[quote name='jakesbass' post='206962' date='May 26 2008, 11:44 PM']Modern country is part of a fabulous scene in Nashville. IMO where you get a good music scene it feeds into itself and the results can be amazing (think Motown) There is some really good songwriting going on in the genre and some really great playing. One of my personal favourites is Alison Krauss a beautiful voice and a seriously good fiddle player, most of her output is of the highest quality. And she has Dan Tyminski and Jerry Donaghue in her live band. Can't be bad.[/quote] I bought a guitar from Jerry D once - his signature Strat serial #0001. Hand built in the US Custom shop, beautiful guitar but a good friend fell in love with it and "forced" me to sell it to him, lol.

I did a bit of a deal with my wife recently - I'll sell the odd bass or two to fund something different but ONLY if I sell something first! So how come I've bought a Status Electro today and a Lakland DPLE and nothing has left my house (except for a wedge of cash!)? Couldn't resist the Status as it was such a bargain and I wanted something to sit on the sofa & noddle with in the evenings & had my eyes on a Lakland for a while and thought Dave's funky green DPLE was too cool to miss out on. So, lo & behold In the past week I've added a dinky MarkBass combo & a pair of basses to the stable. I did actually flog a pair of hi-fi speakers which paid for the MarkBass & most of the Status so I guess I can't complain too much

[quote name='ahpook' post='206916' date='May 26 2008, 10:54 PM']that's [i]lovely[/i] fantastic price too...[/quote] Needs a bit of TLC but nothing a good clean, some new strings & a volume pot won't cure (hopefully!)

Sei Flamboyant 4 string headless Flamed bookmatched maple top finished in a dark blueburst Figured birdseye maple neck Twin Lane Poors Active / passive switching Blue fretlights (top only) Some nice abalone or mother of pearl inlays Cost -about £2,750 & available in about a year's time from that very nice Mr Petersen

I've agreed a price on the one attached - may be the one on Loot but I can't see that link now. Seemed like a bit of a steal at just under £250 so agreed a deal quite quickly. Just fancied something to noodle around on at home

This made me smile: Nicht nur für Slapper eine wahre Freude Loosely - not only for slappers, a true joy

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='206743' date='May 26 2008, 07:25 PM']I think its great. Give me some C&W over (modern) R&B any day. And I'm 26, so its not just an age thing. I really need to check out some more contemporary Country. Unfortunately, living in the UK, you need to actively search for it - and I'm pretty lazy.[/quote] I used to regularly listen to Roughstock Country Countdown which played the latest top 40 but the streaming audio seems to have been removed from the site about a year ago. Must be some other good country chart radio stations out there though

[quote name='The Burpster' post='206740' date='May 26 2008, 07:19 PM']I've grown up with a dad who loves Boxcar Willy, Wille Nelson and Jim Reeves so yep I'm a closet fan.... Although as I've developed I've gone more hardcore Blues..... [/quote] I went through a blues spell although I hardly ever seem to listen to any these days - maybe the odd bit of RL Burnside but that's about it.

So let's get some kind of context here: I was bought up on 70's prog & rock & moved to London at the height of the first wave of punk. Went out with a girl who was a major soul freak who converted me into a bit of a soul boy for a while which slowly metamorphosed into serious jazz funker. So my general musical tastes were continually moving around from rock to punk to soul to funk, maybe some world stuff on the side and never really drifting into 'real' jazz or classical. If there was any sort of common theme to all this it was a total hatred of anything country & the slightest whine of a pedal steel would ahve me running for the hills. Then I was lucky enough to get a bit of a career break and decided to ride a Harley across the USA. I rode through the southern states on a big old Electra Glide that just happened to have a radio on board. Lots of nice open road in states without a helmet law gave me hours to tune around the radio but all I could find was country. None of that vaguely hip stuff that's around following 'Oh Brother' just modern day chart material. It just kinda fitted the 'moment' of riding through the real heartland of the south but I thought I'd tire of it once I was home. Downloaded a selection of the top 40 that I heard so many times during the 4-5 weeks on the road & got completely hooked! So here I am in the kitchen listening to downloads on my laptop of the latest Dierks Bently album soon to be followed by Martina McBride. I even try to watch out for the annual Country Music Awards shows - and not just to laugh at the silly hats. . . . So - am I losing my marbles as I approach my 50th year or is there anyone else out there with a sneaking admiration of Rascal Flatts

I really like the look of those sea foam green Attitudes - how cool to have a signed one as well. I saw Billy play with Vai in LA at a big charity gig at the House of Blues. We got to stand a few yards away from him & his playing was awesome. My poor wife endured about 3-4 hours of almost completely instrumental guitar rock - not a single vocal until the second jam session encore. Mind you, it was my birthday and we were on out honeymoon so the poor ever sufferin' thing was generally OK about it all

I have one of the early ones. I used it to take to different rehearsal rooms with amps & cabs of vary quality. I used to run the studio amp as flat as possible, or bypassing the eq if I could, and tweak the Sadowsky to get a decent sound. Worked surprisingly well, not always getting a superb sound but often much nicer then some of the 'house' rigs. It stays in my gig bag for emergencies but I haven't used it for a while. Might work nicely with my new Status Electro, lol. I think I saw one for sale recently at quite a cheap price in the sale section here?

Check this guy out One of my favourite funk/disco songs Totally effortless - watch it through to the 5 min mark when he starts really digging in: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abCW1trDwmQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abCW1trDwmQ[/url]