upside downer

Just got myself an audio interface. It'll take me an age to get my head around all the recording nuances but thought I'd jump in feet first and have a go. Used a Westfield violin bass, an Epiphone Special Gibson guitar, half a drum sample courtesy of Looperman, both Audacity and Wavepad Sound Editor to put it all together. Bags of enthusiasm far outweighs any sophistication. Or talent.

Anywhere convenient I can see it. And always print one LIKE THIS for our Mr.Magoo-alike drummer.

There's usually a handful of songs in our set (rock and pop) that feel a bit 'meh' to me yet are considered mainstays. Take Whole Lotta Rosie. I hate playing it with a passion and would happily drop it if it were my choice, yet when we play it near the end it always takes the roof off. It's a case of grit your teeth and get it over with. One man's meat is another man's mushroom. Or something like that.

This sounds very similar to my bass playing life. Self taught punk DIY ethic, played in mainly covers bands since '91 with a huge 10 year gap in there. Here's my lucky 7. Public Image - Public Image Ltd Moon Over Marin - Dead Kennedys Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin Step Right Up - Tom Waits I Am the Resurrection - Stone Roses Under the Bridge - RHCP Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who (and going full Entwistle by varying it every time it's played live)

Good for you. Youtube can be a great resource for everyone, from beginners to players with much experience. I wish it had been around when I first started 30-odd years ago. Enjoy!

He married her when she was 18. Although he had 'known' her since she was 13.

So interesting to read the various posts on this topic. With Gary Glitter, Ian Watkins and the like it's been found in a court of law that they were guilty of the crimes. With others (MJ, and it would appear, a smorgasbord of 60s and 70s rock favourites) either dead or uncharged it's down to a moral call which will be swayed by your own judgement on that person's character, music, haircut or some other triviality. Certainly a moral minefield.

Maybe they were there to help him control the mad, midnight mood swings of his mean and moody monkey, Bubbles?

I dread to think what 'Come On Eileen' is about 😲

Spot on. I'm a Sunday morning centre half of a bassist.

Sounds like fun, I'm sure they won't force you to do anything you feel uncomfortable with. Good luck with it! Only problem I've got with it is the question on the registration form saying, 'Any other instruments (Can guitarists fill in on bass if required for example)' Yeah, cus anyone can play bass, eh? Bah!

This news is no good. Start the dance. RIP Firestarter 😞

It was either Public Image by PiL or Stepping Stone by The Sex Pistols (Monkees cover).

Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who. Taking the Entwistle approach by subtle changes every time. Under the Bridge by RHCP. Rumbles along nicely. I Am the Resurrection by Stone Roses. Love it when you hit the bass riff at 3:38 in and the punters give it some "Yeeaahhh!" 😁

Well said. Although I do like some things from before the 20s 😁

I agree, unfortunately the decision has been taken. Our singer is quite impulsive at the best of times and it can be hard to reason with him, and it's even harder now seeing as it's his daughter who came out of it all with a bad injury. He's understandably angry. I bet the incident is running over and over in his mind, the 'could I have done more?' scenario. I tried to talk about putting the future of the band aside for a few days but he's not listening. And I get that. I just wish that he wasn't using his frustration to have a go at the band members.

I was hoping to post a little more regularly this year in the 'How was your gig last night?' topic, unfortunately events last Friday have put paid to that. We played at one of our regular haunts last weekend, it's a pub that has a band night every Friday, long established. We'd just started the second set when a fella comes up and asks our singer (one of my long time friends) if he can sing. I recognise the chap as a member of the travelling community who lives on a site nearby. They'd been a traveller's funeral the day before in the next town. I notice he's with around 10 or so of his cohorts. Our singer politely deals with him yet he comes up twice more asking the same question. He goes away after the third time, an atmosphere develops in the room and soon there's a scuffle in front of us. The singer's wife and daughters are caught up in the melee and within seconds punches are thrown. A woman is hit on the head and staggers toward me. As I'm checking if she's OK pint glasses start flying toward us. The playing area is covered with broken glass and one of the singer's daughters falls to the floor, blood pouring from a wound. The perpetrators vacate the pub, the poor girl has a nasty looking gash in her forehead. Some chaps caught up in it have black eyes and bruises but nothing too serious. Police and ambulance there 5 minutes later. Pub evacuated, we clear and clean up in near silence, shock and disbelief the overriding emotion. We agree to let the dust settle for a few days before deciding on what to do next. The following day the singer and drummer decide to quit. Drummer worried about repercussions, singer angry the band members didn't do more to protect his family. He's emotional, it's not the right time to point out it's difficult to steam in with potentially blinding shards of glass flying around your head. They and the guitarist want to play one more gig (a big one for us) in seven months time. I say I'm not sure, I'm still processing the events of the previous 24 hours. Singer furious with me, "We'll get a dep" etc. What a horrible evening. 18 year old girl likely to have a nasty scar, band over and a falling out with my friend.

We're old enough to remember Mr Blobby getting to number 1, perhaps?

Fill the B side with this then spectoremg, I wanna hear that electric balalaika!

Cheers chaps, just realised this is from the early 70s. Pounds and pence, not pounds, shillings and pence! Excuse me, I have been foolish.

I guess this counts, propulsive in a laid-back, fractured way.

The other day at work (I'm a bookbinder) some philistinic, twisted firestarter was burning a load of old paperwork rather than popping it in the recycling bin. I happened to spot this old guitar catalogue just about to go up in flames and rescued it as its edges were starting to singe. Any long in the tooth Basschatters have any of these as their first instrument? "Memories, like the corners of my mind....."

Pretty much the whole 'press your own record' ethic started with punk which led to countless independent labels starting up. I'd consider that significant.

I prefer Death Disco to actual Disco......

Mainly sit in front of Youtube listening to the songs I need to learn/keep on top of for my covers band (rock/pop). Have a mooch around at a scales or technique video and then also learn a tune or two from a different genre to keep things fresh. Yesterday's was Jack Your Body by Steve Silk Hurley. Think I'll have some Motown tonight.