Happy Jack

The Nitty Gritty Funk Soul Band

Speak for yourself!

Yadig? You get the picture? You don't drink, you don't smoke, what do you do? Shall I tell you about my life? Don't you think the joker laughs at you?

Strewth and gorblimey, not to mention jeepers creepers.

Musically, really very little. If there's a dozen decent music pubs in the area described I'd be surprised. I think you're down to one pub in Harrow, a couple in (North) Greenford, maybe one in Ruislip, not sure about Uxbridge - there used to be several but precious little left now. That's the A40 done. The M4 corridor is not much better. A couple of pubs in Brentford & Isleworth, a couple in Hounslow, and a couple in Hayes. The only area where music pubs seem relatively healthy still is the triangle below Heathrow stretching down to the A316. It's not great. I'm sure things improve once you get outside the M25 though.

Do remember to wrap it in tin foil first ...

[URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/WorstNightmare_zps719e7cfd.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/WorstNightmare_zps719e7cfd.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I find that hard to answer because, in the main, I just don't do that. I'm in the happy position of being able to do this purely for fun. If it ain't fun, I don't do it.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1439797508' post='2845740'] I get cramp quite often and always towards the end of a gig ... [/quote] Try doing some simple and unobtrusive stretches of the fingers between numbers - just casually push each finger back until you feel the web stretching at the bass of the finger, nothing painful. Then let your arms hang loose at you sides and rapidly rotate your wrists so that your hands and fingers 'flap'. The whole process takes about 20 seconds, less time than it takes for your singer to have a slurp from his beer. It also helps if you play without any sort of jewellery, rings obviously, but also the many types of bracelet that have become fashionable, and especially heavy watches.

Dirty Mojo Cramp In Hand String Donations

In my (unfortunately extensive) experience of this issue, I've yet to come across a magic bullet - your problem is far more likely to be a bunch of inter-related issues, not something that can be fixed by a visit to a physio or osteopath. That's definitely a good place to start of course, but I finally got things under control by obsessing about lighter basses and rigs, changing the way I play, visits to the osteopath, and (above all) doing Pilates for the last four years. The majority of my problems were related to my posture and to how I stand and hold myself (don't start with the ooo-er missus). If you want a brief taster, follow the link in my sig to my YouTube channel and watch the presentation I did to two Bassbashes last year. Good luck.

There's a very old joke about a bicycle repair guy charging £10.05 to repair a puncture. The customer says "£10.05 for a bit of rubber and some glue? That's outrageous!" Repair guy says "5p for a bit of rubber and some glue, £10 for knowing what to do with them." Seems fair enough to me.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HH-V-S-Bassamp-amplifier-good-working-condition-100-watts-/221845914749?hash=item33a70c047d [color=#000000]"It is rated at 100 watts into 4 Ohms but speakers with a combined impedance of up to 16 ohms can [/color][color=#000000]be connected to it."[/color]

It used to be that the (new) Fishman Fission Bass pedal did everything the (vintage) Unibass did, only better and cheaper. I sold my Unibass and bought the Fission. I see that the Fission now lists at over £300 (ulp!) which is a LOT more than I paid a few years back. I suspect that this has something to do with Unibass prices remaining silly high ... there's not a lot of choice available if that's what you need.

Is it Spinachglo?

Getting back OT, I'm appalled at the notion that anyone could have been influenced by Roger Moore in a Lotus. The only possible candidate would be Sean Connery in an Aston Martin DB5. Now that led to Roger Moore in a Volvo (The Saint), a far more acceptable combination. Just don't get me started on Lord Peter Wimsey ...

Excellent! Shame you started with a Framus of course ... being of the discerning persuasion meself, I started with a Hofner. So ... these "Beatles" guys ... any good were they?

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1439546365' post='2843709'] Two weeks later, I made a snap decision and packed in my job to start my own company. [/quote] Outstanding. I never had the balls to do that. Things have turned out OK for me anyway, but you do find yourself wondering "what if I had ...". Good luck Chris.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-John-Horn-by-Skewes-Bass-guitar-/261995785046?hash=item3d002a6b56

And I don't look a day over 80 ...

Oh yeh? Now identify these ... [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/snake-579682_640_zpscnkkryru.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/snake-579682_640_zpscnkkryru.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/scales-36417_640_zpswapjvzpy.png.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Sundry/scales-36417_640_zpswapjvzpy.png[/IMG][/URL]

I picked up a bass for the first time in my life on my 49th birthday ...

Meteor Shower

Actually, no he didn't. He started on trumpet when he was given one on his 14th birthday. Pedantic? Moi?

Mmmmmmm ... wood-smoked ....