JapanAxe

Remind me what band you're doing a tribute to...

Given the number of bands you play in or have played in, I'd have bet money that you'd been in Rush at some point!

ThorpyFX Pulse Doppler - far and away the best phaser I have ever owned or played. https://thorpyfx.com/products/pulse-doppler-analog-phaser-vibrato-trem

For a couple of years I was 'Keef Rockhard' in a Rolling Stones tribute, and I currently play with Bowie tribute Rebel Heroes, originally on bass but now on second guitar. I have also depped with tributes to Dire Straits and Slade (in two different bands, in case you were wondering!) Do you have to be a fan of the original artist, or maybe you become one? I am a lifelong Bowie nut so it is an absolute treat to be playing his songs in front of appreciative audiences. The singer is likewise Bowie obsessed, the other band members not so much. It definitely helps to have a deeper knowledge of the material and its various live versions. I already loved the Rolling Stones but got to know and appreciate their material a lot better from learning to play it note-for-note. How important is it to be visually/musically identical? How much latitude are you allowed? Depends on the band's USP. Our 'Bowie' doesn't look much like the man himself, we are more about faithfully reproducing the music. We generally play the songs as per the original studio recording, or choose a great live version to replicate. Bowie has had any number of backing musicians. There are Bowie tributes that do a wig and costume change for, say, a Ziggy-era set and an 80s set. We don't, but we do dress for the stage. In the Stones tribute, the singer was a convincing look-alike and we all adopted stage dress, make-up and wigs to look as much like our real-life counterparts as possible. Do you ‘get into character’ or is it just a gig? It's not 'just a gig' to me, it's the privileged position of being paid (usually) to play your favourite music. I'm told that it's evident that I'm in my happy place when I'm playing. As 'Keef', yes, and I spent a lot of time learning his stage moves. I sometimes used to put a Jim Beam bottle containing apple juice on top of my amp and swig from it between numbers. Does it feel musically limiting, or is it fulfilling your needs? (Maybe you have a side band?) Not limiting at all. I do play in a few bands but even if I didn't I wouldn't consider it limiting. Bowie's music covers a huge range of styles and can be pretty challenging. Do you have any qualms about tributes ‘stifling original music’? No, tributes are a different market for a start. Have you ever met or been seen by a member of the ‘originals’? What did they say? Yes. Rebel Heroes played the Bowie Fan Convention in Liverpool earlier this year, and Spiders From Mars drummer Woody Woodmansey was a guest speaker. He saw our show and loved it so much that he came back stage to tell us so and spent 40 minutes chatting with us. I was beside myself with joy to meet the guy who played on four fantastic Bowie albums as well as touring with him. What is the overriding thing being in a tribute act has taught you? Music is deep and contains incredible detail. When you start listening in depth to recorded parts, you hear much more nuance than you get from a transcription/tab book. Having done it once, would you do it again? If so, would the musical angle be very different? In a heartbeat, but it would have to be the right artist. I was once asked if I wanted to try out for the bass position in a Pink Floyd tribute. I knew some of the band members already, I had seen the band and knew they were excellent, and I like a bit of Floyd - but I don't love the band. I'm happy with Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and maybe Animals, but I can't stand most of The Wall, so that was never going to work.

Also: 4. Doesn't lean a fully-loaded cymbal bag against the grille cloth of your speaker cab.

1. Understands the difference between ‘dynamics’ and ‘loud as possible ‘. 2. Keeps steady time. 3. Already has his kit in place and is setting up his cymbals when you arrive at the venue.

Rock’n’roll in a nice suburban pub. All went well until I was asked to sing a song the guitarist didn’t know. I had set up the singer’s spare guitar via a pedal into the PA, which gave a barely acceptable sound. But a combination of no bass, unfamiliar guitar, and out-of-tune 2nd guitar from the singer made for a performance I found excruciatingly embarrassing. I won’t be doing that again!

Plenty here who own and play Dingwalls, myself included. I live in the ‘real world’ of gigs in pubs, clubs and hotels. Mine is a PZ5 and I use it on any gigs where a 5-string is called for (and often when it’s not). For me that encompasses pop, rock, soul, and disco. It is basically a Precision at heart, with the tonal range that you would expect. I can’t speak to the preamp as mine is passive. The spread of scale length (32in high G to 35in low B) works well and improves string balance, and I have had no problems using standard long-scale (34in) string sets. I have little interest in metal, clangy or otherwise. PRS guitars are also popular among metal players, but they are by no means ‘metal’ instruments, and neither are Dingwalls.

I have built a few pedals (and indeed a few amps!) but it has never occurred to me to try a multi fx, other than perhaps housing the innards of 3 or 4 pedals in a single mahoosive enclosure. The whole digital thing is well outside my comfort zone as a builder. I don’t know any programming but I seem to recall there are some people here who do. I currently own one (1) bass-specific pedal, which I use as a recording preamp or silent stage solution so I’m not at the front of the queue of people dreaming of bass multi fx. In the past I have used overdrive, phasing, and envelope filter on bass, but the one bass effect I miss is the PWM synth sound on my old Boss ME-8B - do you reckon you can replicate that with decent tracking?

Some reasons I have left bands (in no particular order): Really didn’t enjoy the gigs; Only joined as a dep while they looked for someone permanent, had to remind them of this; Joined another band; Got fed up carting most of the PA around. Times I have regretted moving on: 0

I came to bass from guitar and brought with me the idea that more than one pickup had to be a good thing. I worked my way through various 2-pickup basses until I tried and bought a MIJ Precision. Ps have been home ever since, they just work for me. Also since then I have had my ears opened to the joys of a single-pickup skinny-string in the form of a Les Paul Junior.

VPF is anathema to me. VLE is redundant - that’s what passive tone controls are for.

I’m sorry but this thread is making me feel quite nauseous. Single coil pickup mounted right next to the bridge? It’s a BASS guitar goddammit! *shuffles off clutching well-worn Precision, disturbing small birds nesting in beard* Hope you love it @Beedster!

Behringer Super Fuzz, typically £20-£25. 2 flavours of fuzz plus clean boost, with 2-band EQ.

Presumably you have a sound in your head that you’re trying to get with the equipment you have. Obviously we’re not party to what goes on in your head, but a few points of reference could help - songs, artists, or even genres where that sound can be heard.

I’ve been the guitarist who was apparently playing too loud, except the person saying so was hearing the bass. I also once told myself not to buy a Dingwall because it wouldn’t look ‘right’ in a country band.

One of us! One of us!

I re-capped and re-valved a friend’s Sound City PA head last year. I can’t say I was over-impressed with the build quality. I seem to recall them being nicknamed ‘Sounds Sh!tty’ but I think that was unfair, it sounded fine.

Elf on the shelf?