uk_lefty

So in the 9 month gap, which included some long lock down periods a lot happened and a lot didn't happen. We brought in the singer who the guitarist knew. She was pretty good, loves her 80s music... Then the cracks appear across the band.. That sounds too dramatic really but you get the idea. We have strayed away from the original concept and I'm getting uncomfortable. We are now discussing "modern" covers to add in, and disco... Its all gone a bit wrong. We persevere, conveniently ignore Katy Perry, add some new songs in, get back to the 80s roots. I think the singer is trying to help me steer the ship back on course. We rehearse, we try to learn songs. The guitarist plays synths too. He wants to bring his synth kit in and pre programme everything which pretty much sidelines me and the drummer. The drummer has a way of calmly saying "no" that puts an end to things, I really respect that. Synths arrive but no pre programmed sequencing stuff. We play a song where the guitarist engages an arpeggio with his feet, sounds fantastic. We play a song with him playing keys but he misses a key melodic motif of the song... He plays keys the way I play guitar which is I can do the basic chords but you're not getting lead and widdly bits. This sucks some energy out of big synth songs. I record some of the rehearsals and ask trusted friends "what do you think?" got some good feedback but one comment stuck with me: "does your guitarist ever learn any of the songs?". More rehearsals, frustration at my door for some breaks to the regular bi weekly meet up due to summer, family stuff, etc. Meet up again. We had three easy songs to learn, guitarist has not learned them and has not fully learned most of the other songs we were practicing. It's all a bit flat. Guitarist sits us all down and says for the band to go anywhere we need to rehearse more regularly. I agree. Then I start to think about everything, put it all together in my head. We've been going 9 months and we can fluently play 2 or 3 songs from a list of 12. The others we still need to sort arrangements for or critical parts. I suspect he only learns the songs he wants to do or has done before, but even then they aren't perfect. I haven't been perfect by any means but I've learned my parts adequately to play along with a band, as per my limited dep experience . I just don't think we have gelled enough to get each other through new songs like the band I've been in for 5 years does. I've reflected on it all and sent the note. I need to quit. I don't have the time and energy, and if I did I think it could be wasted. I don't want to blame one other person. We all were a bit ropey on different parts. I like all of these people, which makes it a bit harder. But the excitement wore off and the hard work became too hard with the end result becoming less and less realistic. Lesson learned on starting a band with random people off the Internet.

Well, it's come time to knock this one on the head. Excitement inevitably gave way to frustration. It's a shame because I really wanted this to work... More details to follow...

I was once in a nightclub in Chicago. My mates and I saw a beaded curtain with a small booth behind it, a small table and seating for four people. We said to the bouncer "what's that all about?" "VIP area." "can we go in?" "yeah, sure..." and he pulled the curtains back for us. We sat in there for five minutes then came out again.

The prices of second hand gear are very low at the moment, on the forum and elsewhere. Even then there's not a lot of buyers. I think once more gigs are successfully completed they might creep back up. But then you've got the mega deals on things like TC Electronics 800w amp and 4x10 and all the TC pedals that could just be pulling the *rse out of the market too.

Sometimes too much choice is bad for you! Personally I love black hardware and I think it will help the nicer parts of the bass stand out. A white pearl plate would be lovely.

That is a work of art. Absolutely spectacular. If I had made that I wouldn't let anyone else touch it, let alone sell it!

Not as a VIP but I saw Pearl Jam in Hyde Park at some point in the last 15 years... Best live band I have ever seen. I am not a die hard PJ fan, though Ten was a massive inspiration to me as I was starting out on bass. Best gig I have ever ever seen. I would also consider the VIP thing for this reason, which is also a reason to absolutely not do the VIP thing depending on your slant. When I saw them it was at a Hard Rock Calling event, festival without camping type set up. Saw some of the earlier bands and was quite near the front so just stayed there. Just before PJ came on ten thousand more people came in. As they hit the stage it was like being in the sea when a much bigger wave than you're expecting comes behind you, I was pretty much lifted off my feet and carried forward. Some kids was crowd surfing from back to front and I didn't see him coming, so my hands weren't up and he landed on top of my head, breaking my sunglasses and knackering my neck for days. However, I saw the best concert of my life and being surrounded by die hard fans somehow made the experience better, a bit like being a footy game where everyone is excited and nobody is being a n0b. Towards the end we moved to the side and got a great view and a bit of a calmer experience, but it wasn't the same as being in the thick of it. I am now conflicted about Pearl Jam. I'm scared if I ever watch them again they won't be as good. But I've seen other bands multiple times who just got better and better... Massive conflict!

That neck is heavenly.

I had the case too! Faux leather with a zip. Loved it for the pure 80s-Ness of the whole package.

And at three grand new anything less than 2500 is a bargain. There should be a small market for my Aria, sadly its all Australians and Americans that want it and the cost of shipping prevents me selling it!

Well, over £1200 with still 2 days to go. That's me well, well put of contention. What a bass!

Oooh a fretless precision! Lovely. Glad the cab has a very good new home.

Sadly as I got in to playing gigs the good local originals bands were finding it hard to get gigs, I stead it all became Tribute bands. We had some good covers bands who did the local circuit, but the teenage originals bands were dying out, probably with underage drinking being tightened up on too. I later started working at a pub I had played in with my band and they got me booking acts for them, on all the advertising I included "No Tribute Bands!" because being a bit of a snob at the time I thought it was destroying everything. Really it was just a change of management at the venue every teenager aspired to playing in!

I saw a few of their videos when they came out and just assumed because he's a big unit anyway...!

Yes that confused me a bit, releasing 4 different "signature" variants. I'm not aware of ever seeing him use a short scale but I'm not an avid TC fan, though I do appreciate his work. Not to detract anything from it though, they will be excellent, excellent basses.

In a 1hr set about sixty percent of the photos were of me playing the headless which I only had out for a couple of songs, which is a bit embarrassing. Singers don't like that though, neither do lead guitarists!

I had one and LOVED it. I never got on with the EQ but passive with decent strings it sounded great and was a photographer magnet! Mine had the EMG pickups and not the later stock generic ones. One of my favourite recordings I have with it is actually playing a bit of 12 bar blues, I found the tone really versatile. My only small issue was the string spacing was too tight for me, so great for fingerstyle but I expected it to be a slap machine, sadly not for my terrible technique. Listen to Hoochie Coochie Man by clive mustang on #SoundCloud https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/Fw9Rv

A very classy bass! Love it. These haven't been out long and there aren't many available if I remember rightly, you've done well to snap one up!

Tried to correct my typo, ended up quoting myself... Didn't mean to

Can you play it as the original? I dep occasionally for a friend's band and there's no way I can play like the regular bassist, so I asked them if it's OK if I play it "my way" on fretless bass. They were more than happy with that. I didn't take over the sing and overpower it or anything, just simplified and played my own fills instead of trying and inevitably failing to learn the original and make everything sound rubbish. In my view, if they get a new bassist, they get a new sound. U less there's singles out that people know really well. If you have to play someone else's lines and aren't allowed to write then I'd want paying just for going to rehearsal.

Agree with you here on both paragraphs. While I don't like this new track I'm hoping it's a one off and there will be other new songs I can actually tolerate, better still like.

Is that the one off the Flea instructional video? If it is I had one and sold it, stupidly. Very usable sounds, lots of range to choose from in that little box. They go for silly money now but I think I got mine for 25 quid or something 10plus years back!

I had GAS for an electric guitar a few Christmases ago. I wanted to do some recording etc and the acoustic doesn't quite do the job. I got a very well regarded Squier classic vibe. I can't see what the fuss is about, I'm just glad I got a good deal on it as it largely does nothing. I occasionally GAS for a nicer electric guitar but have absolutely zero need to tie up more money sitting in cases. I've already got 5 spare basses doing that!

Shhhhhh!!!