Happy Jack

When you hold it, it actually looks a bit as if it's a piece of carbon fibre that's been inflated. But in a good way. Bizarrely, it also has one of the most "organic", woody tones I've ever heard. Go figure ...

I bought that from Alembic, then sold it to Eubassix. Reckon it was mine when you tried it.

For God's sake man, get a grip!

[quote name='prowla' timestamp='1507905737' post='3388745'] Here's one... [/quote] So "Steampunk" = no strings?

I absolutely love Schools Out. Can I swop you that song for Play That Funky Music?

There was a young fellow called Hall Who died in the spring in the fall T'would have been a bad thing Had he died in the spring But he didn't - he died in the fall.

So Taj Mahal calls you up, says "how'd you like to play bass for me in a pony & trap as I sing a gentle semi-acoustic blues?" and you reply "yup, it's about time I got a chance to play my Warwick 5-string". Erm ... Incidentally kids, don't try that gig in Peckham or Willesden. It's strictly a New Awlins thang, y'dig?

That's a real shame. With just a bit more effort, he could have made quite a nice shovel out of that.

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1507811580' post='3388118'] Carole Kaye told me she deliberately played the major 6th over the minor chord to create tension when she recorded this. [/quote] Was the matter ever resolved?

In all fairness, some drunken idiots can add something to the evening. I'll just leave this here. The fun starts about 40 seconds in ... http://youtu.be/QojmLHWgBMw

http://youtu.be/l7MY_cdUL1E

+1 If you're just starting on bass, then string choice should be very low on your list of priorities, along with scale length, string spacing, nut material, and colour of the knobs.

[quote name='Bigjas' timestamp='1507794790' post='3387944'] Mine is an old and well used shovel, I had to knock of quite a lot of old cement and crud off it before I started. I like the old and worn look..... [/quote] Hmmmm ... I'm not sure about that. You may have been fooled by a piece of relic'ing. Are you sure that's not a brand new spade that has been 'treated'? There's a lot of this about on eBay just now.

And this ^ highlights what this discussion seems to have ignored, which is that the drivers for gigging are (or at least can be) wildly different depending on whether you want to play covers or originals. My own very limited experience is that I've played in several covers bands, and I've played as sideman to several songwriters. I don't actually write any songs myself. Within that very limited experience, covers bands seem to form with the specific intention of playing gigs in exchange for cash, while originals bands are more about "getting our music out there" and tend to be satisfied with a much smaller number of gigs, usually involving payment in the form of three beer tokens for each band member. There's no right or wrong here, no better or worse, but the two approaches are as similar and as different as driving a car -v- riding a motorbike. Personally, I really enjoy rehearsing and I simply love working up new material. Despite that, it would never occur to me to join or form a covers band unless there was a very serious intention to get a significant number of gigs - I'd see one a month as a bare minimum. Rehearsing is fun partly because it is intended to lead to a performance; rehearsing for its own sake would get very stale very quickly. I am still a member of both King Ralph and Karena K - originals bands. Those two bands together have generated maybe 10 gigs in the last two years. That's cool too, but only because I play another 30/40 gigs a year with covers bands!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507724640' post='3387475'] I've seen that, a car hit a traffic island and overturned as I was driving towards it on the other side of the road. One of the wheels came off and bounced towards me. Luckily I was frozen with fear and did nothing - the wheel missed me. [/quote] I do hope that two men in overalls were carrying a large pane of glass across the road at exactly the right moment?

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1507721282' post='3387417'] I actually thought DV247 were based in the UK, so that threw me, but I guess they can probably ship from anywhere. [/quote] +1 ... I had no idea they were German.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-41580280

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1507649233' post='3386979'] I think blue has forgotten that playing an instrument is primarily a hobby in fact some genres have never looked to be profitable, no not jazz! I'm thinking of things like brass bands where the whole point was an evening out in the warm with friends rehearsing, if the gigs covered the cost of rehearsal space and a coach to get them to gigs that was a bonus. [/quote] Damn! Now someone needs to explain [i][b]The Floral Dance[/b][/i] to the people of Milwaukee ... (Blue - do NOT look for this on YouTube. It could be a life-changing experience.)

Harsh, but true ... in a live situation anyway. For home noodling and quiet practice, that's not a bad offer though.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1507488629' post='3385834'] Mine is G. I feel empowered and strong when I play it. It makes me happy What's your fave? [/quote] Staggered to see that it's only Horse and me who realise that G is the well-spring, the motherlode, the key to it all, along with (of course) being The People's Key.

No wonder no one wanted to join their band ...

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1507636774' post='3386875'] Apparently ...........Chuck Rainey who played the bass on Peg, knew the SD guys didn't like slap and had pretty much outlawed it. The band recorded live as a unit BTW. But Chuck said he knew that the chorus just needed it so every time the chorus came about he turned his back to the studio window and tucked himself down behind the screen a bit so he could be heard but not seen. Did the trick and the part stayed. [/quote] [quote name='Rich' timestamp='1507637628' post='3386880'] Yes, I saw that programme too Fascinating stuff. [/quote] Because that's how things are done in professional recording studios by big-name bands and top-level session musicians. I know it's a great story, but does anyone seriously believe for one minute that this sort of nonsense would have got past a pair of infamous control freaks like Becker and Fagen?

It's a good thing that Barefaced are so light ... it makes it easy to load them up with extra heavyweight features.

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1507638161' post='3386884'] And it may be of interest to note that it's not an entirely new phenomenon: Kate Bush is probably the most famous example of someone who decided she didn't much like gigging and just ensconced herself in the recording studio. There are groups like Big Big Train who seem content to play two shows a year. [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507638837' post='3386889'] Both have an established audience who eagerly await any recording or performance. Bit different to rehearsing in a railway arch every week and playing the Dog and Duck twice a year. [/quote] Wasn't there a popular beat combo back in the 60s who did something similar? I think they took over Abbey Road for ages and ages, and then released a record with a silly name? Someone help me out here ...