Funkmaster

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='221510' date='Jun 18 2008, 04:32 PM']I just did this gig last weekend. It's you, Dave ,that'll need an after show party esp if you get the pregnant farting woman in !!![/quote] Sounds like a usual Welsh T venue then Dave! Dave

Soory I won't be able to make this one as I'm booked on a gig. The gig is actually not too far away with The Welsh T Band in Skipton and it's a 5 o'clock start. Possible opportunity for the after-show party! It's at The Craven Hotel, Craven Street, Skipton, BD23 2AP More info on www.welsh-t.co.uk Hope the YorksBash is a great afternoon! David

I'd be in for it - depending on date and bookings elsewhere. Could bring a few Warwick Thumbs and a Triumph... David

Hey - nice one from me too! I've always loved that song but never got anywhere near nailing that funky bit! David

[quote name='SMART' post='191917' date='May 4 2008, 11:09 PM']Yep, Denis is a great guy and really knows his stuff. He kindly lent us one of his valve heads for our first trade show which we demoed via BAG END speakers. One of the best valve guys in Europe period. Ciao Ian[/quote] Another + 1 for Denis. My Cornell Romany Plus needed repair and moding so it can switch down to 1/4 watt and I took it down to his place in Southend. He welcomed the amp back like a long lost son and talked really enthusiastically about it. He even told me who he thought I'd bought the amp off! (and got it right). I got to try out a prototype bass combo (very nice) using his very old and well used and re-necked Jazz bass (he's a bass player - maybe he should be invited to join basschat!) It's great that small producers like Denis keep going - producing stuff of such quality. David

Sincere apologies to all concerned. David

Got this from Bassplayer mag this morning... Thought it might be of interest to some here - hope the link works! [url="http://www.bassplayer.com/article/jacos-1962-fender/mar-08/34267"]http://www.bassplayer.com/article/jacos-19...er/mar-08/34267[/url] David

[quote name='cheddatom' post='169049' date='Apr 3 2008, 11:51 AM']Yes please David![/quote] OK - I'll sort that out - later today all being well.

I've always thought bass solos deadly boring - and lets face it have never really considered myself good enough to do them! But in one of the bands I play for me and the singer do a version of Elvis Costello's 'Alison', just bass and voice which even thouigh I say so myself, I think is pretty cool. And is handy when the guitarist breaks a string! Should post up a recording of it sometime perhaps. We do 'Fever' bass and vox too (useful for the next time the guitarist breaks a string). David

I'm in three - 2 of which are R&B/rock/blues/covers - one ceilidh band. I run the diary for the two rock covers band so clashes are rare but when they do happen one band at least will happily use a stand in. There's a group of bass players who they call on when I'm not available. It works out OK mostly. David

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='50852' date='Aug 26 2007, 11:08 AM']I've been playing bass in local bands since I was 17. I'm now 45. Although I've tried 5 strings and fretless I'm essentially at home on a fretted 4. I sing too so playing being second nature is important and it never happens with a 5. These days I play fingerstyle almost 100%. In earlier rock band years I used a pick. I've done a little slapping on demos and home recordings but it just doesn't excite me. I have huge admiration for those who took the trouble to become competent slappers but I didn't. I'm in 2 bands , featuring the same 3 people. A blues band that tries not to be just another pub blues band , and a ZZ Top trib band. I'm a huge fan of the music we play - or I wouldn't be involved - but my musical taste is usually more towards intelligent , adult pop. My technique isn't brilliant - I'm right hand heavy and my left hand isn't open enough (I play right handed). I've been around a long time though and , like anyone who's done anything for a long time , I'm pretty good at what I do. I do not have a 'gift' for it. I worked and practised hard esp in the early years and if I have a lay off of a few weeks my playing suffers. I'm an advocate of first and foremost supporting the song I'm playing. I left being flash behind in my toy box years ago but I'm glad I learned enough to be flash - I still show off an odd trick when my mates are in though! if I have a problem it's with concentration. I tend to get carried away being an entertainer and often drop a howler because of it. I've never been one to stand still at the back of the stage and never will be. My influences tend to be musicians , entertainers and songwriters - it's that that got me interested in playing myself - so I'm not one for bass playing heros. I did however learn much from watching and listening to Jim Lea of Slade , Geddy Lee and certainly not least steady old John McVie. The fact that other musicians that I admire rate my playing enough to want to make music with me has been one of the best ongoing experiences in my life , and the fact that my hobby/interest/life choice , whatever you want to call it , has made me money over the years is a wonderful bonus for which I consider myself blessed. It feels like a tangible reward for the efforts I've made and a 'thankyou' from the people I've entertained. My advice to young players would be - if you're being paid (even is it's just a tenner and a free pint) , that makes you a professional ..so act like one. And , if you stay fit and well . don't stop. Ever.[/quote] + 1 for everything Dave says. (Hello Dave!) Dave once called me the 2nd best bass player in Wakefield and it's a good call. I'm perhaps a bit more of a 'back row' player than Dave but agree absolutely on the 'supporting the song ethic'. I'm in three bands regularly and take anything else that comes along. I'm busy enough - I've got 20 gigs this month. I'm a 4 stringer - fretted or fretless. I do have a 5 string but haven't really had the time or inclination to get with it yet. They are all Warwick Thumbs and I've got a Warwick Triumph DB too. I played for 25 years with a pick - due to a need for a quick start to my playing ability - I did a gig on the first day I got a bass (I was 15 and stupid - I'm 50 not and probably still nearly as stupid.) Didn't really get stuck into technique until I'd been playing about 25 years when a college course tempted me. Now 100% finger style. Still can't keep the blisters away though on my plucking hand. After this months run of gigs is finished I will have pretty bomb proof fingers - but as soon as I get a few days off the fingers will be soft again - and the blisters will be back! Still I've been playing with a harp player over the last week - (concert harp rather than harmonica!) and her hands are covered in blisters all the time! Made me feel much better! Cheers Dave

+1 for bass central. Beaver is a top bloke and sorted me out with a fretless Jack Bruce Sig Warwick Thumb #11/109.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='127779' date='Jan 25 2008, 02:54 PM']Dave hasn't got anything too heavy - he manages very well with a little GK mb150 combo and extension - walks in with the full rig slung over his shoulder!![/quote] Hi Dave! I've had a lot of interest in the GK gear at a couple of recent gigs - from bass players of a certain age who are begining to think about looking after their backs! I should get an endorsement deal with them! [quote name='Mobius' post='127768' date='Jan 25 2008, 02:34 PM']That's quite near me, what sort of music do you guys play?[/quote] It's Blues/R&B Mobius. All done with a certain amount of gusto. It'd be great to see you if you can get there. [quote name='tauzero' post='127601' date='Jan 25 2008, 10:27 AM']I might get down there - I play there every Thursday (but as yet haven't been down of a Friday). You'll be glad to know that they rewired the monitor desk a couple of weeks ago, just for you. [/quote] Would be great to see you on Friday if you can get there, Tauzero. Monitors will be novel. We do without them on our usual gigging PA!

Hi Homer I thought that might be a strange one to be honest! We're on the Sunday afternoon slot - and will no doubt have to be away prompt to let some 'fabulous boy-girl duo' set up! I'll let you knwo how we get on. Or better still - come down and see!, if you're not too far away. It would be good to have at least one friendly face there! Cheers Dave

Just a 'heads-up' that the Welsh T Band are on an occaisional trip to Birmingham next weekend. The Saturday night gig is a private party but Friday night (1 Feb) is at the Roadhouse Venue - [url="http://www.roadhousevenue.co.uk"]http://www.roadhousevenue.co.uk[/url] If any Birmingham based Basschatters have not got your Friday night planned next week it would be great to see you at the Roadhouse Venue! David

Just in case no one has said this before... DO IT! (Only joking I know everyone is saying this!) It'll give you experience in different directions, plus it'll give you experience in juggling various time and band commitiments. Important stuff for a working muso. David

[quote name='Jamesemt' post='118566' date='Jan 11 2008, 02:45 PM']I must appologise for the rambling [/quote] Interesting rambling never the less, Jamesemt. I gues like lots of us, for me just playing the bass just makes life better - and what better excuse than that do you need! I'm a band player, committed to it too. The coming year is starting to look stupid busy - but would I ever say no to a gig- I doubt it! Its one of the aspects of playing I really enjoy. The getting to gether with band mates (whichever band it is!) and trying to convert an audience into accepting that they are watching a half decent band. I work too, busy or not music just doesn't seem to pay the bills for me - but always at the back of my mind when the job throws up its streses from time to time I can think - never mind, I'm going to be doing something much more enjoyable tonight! David

Certainly 70 with THe Welsh T Band, plus about 30 with other bands so about 100 altogether I'd think. David

I was invited to join the band from my year in school as bass player when I was 15. I got the invite cause I could play a bit of piano and 'knew a bit about music'. I went to Leeds with my new band mates the following Saturday and got my first bass, a horrible Jedson short scale thing. On the bus on the way home the band told me that they had a gig that night and I could play if I wanted. I'd got the basics of 'Sunshine of your love' off by the time the bus pulled into Ossett station and was force fed a basic idea of the 12 bar sequence by the end of the afternoon. So I did the gig that night. It was chaotic rubbish of course. I'm not sure that it was entirely a good thing to do as the need to make an effective noise led me to use a pick, which I stuck with for the next 25 years. I've only learned finger style in the last 10 years or so. But one thing doing a gig on the first day playing did do I think was that it got rid of 'stage fright' for life. David The 'second best bass player in Wakefield'! (Happy New Year Dr Dave - if you read this - I hope 2008 is a great one!)

My Rickenbacker 4001. I bought it new in 1975 and 'retired' it about 8 years ago after 25 years of constant giging. All the hardware's rusty and caked in muck and sweat. And for a fretted guitar it's almost fretless! But when I shuffle off this mortal coil it's definitely coming with me! David

+5 = 398

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='97849' date='Dec 2 2007, 10:58 PM']So Dave Grossman is going to play Bach sonata in G minor, what's wrong with that, you don't want to hear it then fair enough, stay home and listen to Dr feelgood, but don't make fun of the bloke, he wants to play it, and there will be people there to watch him and appreciate what he's doing.[/quote] I have to admit to being a bit partial to the Prelude to the Back cello suites myself. I just wish I could play it better! For me - well I'm a groove guy and I think Bach grooves with the best of em! I've also thoroughly enjoyed Dr Feelgood when I've been on the same bill as them. (And also thoroughly enjoyed the Pigeon Detectives a couple of weeks ago at the London Forum. It's all music. Some of it we may like and some of it we may not. David

Andy Good to meet you on Thursday at the Forum. Top show from the Pigeons! And a nice surprise for me to do a spot of guitar wrangling for Micky P Kerr and the Dudes! (Took some back stage pass juggling that!) May get to the Doncaster gig too. Dave

Hi Andy I'm hoping to be at the Thursday night gig at the Forum next week. Getting in on the coat tails of Micky P Kerr and the Dudes all being well. I'll say Hi if I do get there! Dave

Hi Grinn Just another hello from the Wakefield area! Nice set of gear you've got! I'm a confirmed Warwick player myself - but it's Thumbs for me. (And a Triumph!) Dave (Not the Dr though!)