phil.c60

Not quite the thing or very helpful, really, but I won a similar competition in our band with this: A clearly half gone punter, after we had played one George Thorogood number persisted in shouting "I Drink Alone". Quick as a flash I got him with "I'm not surprised" which brought the house down, and even made all his mates laugh. Top bloke though, afterwards he came up to me and admitted it was a fair cop and he'd really enjoyed the gig. I don't think you can have things up your sleeve, they just come out of the moment, really.

...and "Happy Bunnie" - Bunny, surely (OK, unless it's the diminutive address, but somewhat unlikely, I feel).

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1411742894' post='2562468'] So what happened to the myth that you can tell the bassist in the band - "he's the moody one..."? [/quote] [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1411743580' post='2562478'] I wouldn't say I'm moody... Mrs C says things like 'morally disengaged' and 'unempathhic' when she's telling me what's wrong with my personality... [/quote] The word you're looking for is "Sociopathic". I know because that's what my wife says I am....

I've got Rotosound 77 Monel coated flats on my Hot-Rod P-Bass and have done for quite a while, the extra tension thing is not so much of an issue as the current band tune 1/2 step down so it's easier on the fingers! It's a sound I like, so I'd use them even at standard tuning and just put up with it.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1411692040' post='2562039'] This ^ I'm not a great fan of the Rolling Stones, but the thing I always liked about the video footage I saw of them was Charlie and Bill just quietly grinning at each other, just getting on with it, while the rest ponced about up front [/quote] All of the above, but especially this!

I wouldn't want a serious drinker in the band but..... a few years ago the blues band I was in at the time had a booking on a night when it snowed - and I mean really snowed. Me, the singer and the guitarist made it with all the gear, the drummer got stuck and couldn't make it. We were standing there trying to work out what to do when the landlord said "I used to be a drummer, and I've still got a kit out the back, and that guy at the bar used to be a session drummer, so what do you think?" The drummer said he'd give it a go "It's only, blues, after all" and so we got going. That's when it became apparent that he'd clearly been on it since opening time. He couldn't stop himself drifting into some weird reggae type beat and generally wandering around at various tempos, while I struggled to keep some sort of shape to the songs and the guitarist just laughed and played whatever he could to fill the gaps. The singer/harmonica player kept turning round to try and make sense of what was going on behind him.The punters loved it. they all knew the drummer and clapped us (him?) to the rafters. And we got paid extra too, as no-one could get out of the village 'cos of the snow so the place was packed. Funny on the night, but as I said I wouldn't want that to be how it always is.

This moves swiftly into a discussion about whether you always go for the best player, or the person you feel "fits in" even if they are not the best technically. I've done it all ways round: not got in because I wasn't good enough at the time even though we all got on (I got in 6 months later when they were still looking and it turned out to be quite a good band. It did implode after a couple of years but that's life). Got in to a band and didn't want to - just told them straight it wasn't for me! Got in to a band and after a while realised it just wasn't working for me, and that was a tough conversation because they were all really nice and had been looking for a long time for a regular bass player. I have just had a sort of audition for a side project to run alongside my regular band: they are trying to find a group of guys that get on and then develop something as they want it to be enjoyable. They want a good standard, but it has to be fun as well, so we met in the pub and had a long chat about what we want out of a band - next step is to get together and play through some stuff we all know and take it from there. If they didn't like me, they wouldn't want to play with me, is their view and I feel the same especially as it's not going to gig for a while. It's not the same as joining an existing band, I suppose, where the band have commitments to fuflil and gigs to play so they feel they must find someone relatively quickly. Monday night is when we find out if we can all play as well as we chat - here's hoping!

Sounds like I need to go and buy some new strings....

Hi Graham - you have a PM from me. We are quite local (Haywards Heath / Burgess Hill). Regards, Phil

Thanks, icastle, two pole lead on it's way.

So, following the West Sussex mini bass bash I have joined the Barefaced club courtesy of a very nice man called Ken who flogged me his Compact via Ebay. Nice guy, cab is mint. Hope it plays well (cue the usual rash of "I like them, they're the only thing to have" "I don't like them, you're mad" type comments). Cab has 2 Neutrik Speakon four-pole connection sockets. Why four-pole? Why not only two-pole like my Little Mark 3, that I want to run with it? Apparently, you can plug a two-pole lead into a four pole socket, so all I need is a standard two-pole Speakon-to-Speakon cable? No, cab does not have Speakon/Jack dual sockets, like the LM3 does, so jack lead is out. I have never owned or used anything with Speakons, so be gentle with me. PS: I rang one "leading equipment supplier" and the guy I spoke to said "I didn't know they made them with four poles. Mmmm, don't know."

Roland Basscube 30. And there's one for sale on Basschat right now.... (not mine, I hasten to add).

Thanks, Sylvia - it was great to meet you as the token lefty on the day! Thanks for the photos, especially the one of that bloke with his left handed 79 Jazz. He looks great.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1410253171' post='2547452'] There's an awful lot of tosh talked about 3-piece bands, isn't there? What does that expression even mean? Any supposedly 4-piece band with a dedicated singer can be thought of as a 3-piece band, so to Rory, Jimi, Eric [i]et al[/i] you can immediately add The Who and The Monkees ... can't remember many Monkees hits with extended guitar solos but then I'm getting old. [/quote] Yes, there certainly is. Re the comment about endless guitar solos - most guitar players who sing that I've ever seen (note the most) play a rhythm part during the verses, ie when they are singing and then solos in the solo spots - just like any other band, really.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1410175643' post='2546740'] ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' (although pretty much any of their songs qualify) However, I think the root 8ths actually add to the song by giving the guitar plenty of 'space' [/quote] That's why we play "Cheap Sunglasses" - admittedly it's not that tough, but at least it's got a bit going on!

I should add that we get £200 at other places, and £250 at some ( admittedly that's only a few), so we are certainly not scrabbling about at the bottom of the pile, before you suggest it. I'm not sure what knocking out endless cheesy covers at party or wedding gigs for admittedly what sounds like good money makes you in any way superior. Just pursuing your own ends, as is everyone else, whether that's money, fun or simply a need to get out there and perform to the best of your ability and hope people like it ( which is where I fit in...).

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1410211896' post='2547263'] The 3 piece bands aren't that good... all gtr solos and it takes a very very special player to make that interesting for anywhere near an hour, let alone 2 sets. Out of all the bands that do the dates around here, the gtr bands really focus on the gtr...the P.A is an after thought as are the vocals. Forget about lights as well, so all in all, no, they aren't worth their fee, IMO....but hey, they play blues, they must be cool And...they don't pull in the punters either, so I really don't know how they get gigs.. [/quote] As the bass player in a three piece (all right, sometimes + harmonica player) that gigs around Brighton and the surrounding area I find your tone quite patronising. Have you seen all these bands that "aren't that good" and "Not worth their fee"? Three piece is hard work - you have to make it interesting. As for the price - we play at one particular venue that's renowned for music, and the punters go there because they expect to be entertained (they even turn their chairs to face the band when you strike up - I kid you not. The first time I played there, only my second gig ever, I was petrified) it's tiny and they have a flat rate of £100+ a jug. You can have as many in the band as you like, or be whoever you want -that's it. Don't like it, fine, don't play there. Oh, and by the way, Gary Moore played there regularly -if it was good enough for him..... and as for lights, well, if you want flashing lights, why not just go clubbing.

+ The Wiliam Hardwicke in Bognor have cancelled all future band bookings (including two of ours) and stopped live music as "Our Customers prefer DJ sets and recorded music"

Great day and great photos. I wish mine came out as well as these! Thanks again, Nik, for organising it and thanks Loraine for the photos.

[color=#A4A4A4][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3] osted Yesterday, 04:43 PM[/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [size=3][b] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=findpost&pid=2543797"][/url]Happy Jack, on 04 September 2014 - 01:17 PM, said:[/b][/size][size=3] Now come on guys, is this a peccadillo or a quirk? They're not the same, you know.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Ha ha, it's an eccentricity... ;-) [/font][/color] or is it a vagary,,,,

I saw Jack's talk last Sunday and it was really good, as you can see fro the video. A room full of bass players all attempting Pilates exercises was quite a sight, I can assure you! I've been trying to do some of it sneakily at work, as I'm on m feet most of the day, especially the standing on both feet and pull in with the thighs and it really does work. Jack - I forgot to pick up a sheet at the end - any chance of it as a PDF? And should this be pinned?

[quote name='r16ktx' timestamp='1409583213' post='2541142'] +1 [/quote] +2

Thanks Nik for all your hard work organising things, I had a great day - I also thought Jake's and Jack's talks were interesting and informative, and everyone was very friendly. As the token left-winger unfortunately I couldn't take up the many kind offers of "have a go on this", but I did get to try some very nice cabs especially a Barefaced Super 12. I've been trying to justify buying one of these for a while, and I can feel the pull getting stronger........

Try: www.thestuntmen.co.uk

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1409398878' post='2539327'] the ads i particularly enjoy rolling my eyes at are not so much down to the content as the authors oh YOU again! werent you lot advertising for a bass player 6 months ago and 6 months before that and 6 months .... etc etc etc [/quote] .....and for different types of bands one after the other: keep pulling the musician fruit machine handle until you get three lemons? (Let's have those jokes now, folks!)