blue

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1509793331' post='3401665'] I heard yesterday on BBC 6music that the Beatles' Christmas messages to their fan club members is to be included in another package. I think there were six in total. The word "holiday" was used instead of Christmas on the recordings themselves. I think that shows how open-minded they or their marketing people were were for their time. I think the way they looked after their fans was good. Was that unique for the time? I mean, they used to post out flexi-discs. Were many bands doing that then? [/quote] Great memories I had one of those flexies. I played it over and over Blue

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1509806992' post='3401790'] Nice one Blue I enjoyed that. Not seen that footage before. Talking about being there.. I wasn't, but in July 1962 when The Beatles played the Regent Dansette in Rhyl, North Wales, Pete Best was, shall we say, a bit out of order with an amorous advance on my mum as they were loading out after the show. My mum actually put her stiletto heel through his bass drum as she told him to .... Off! A couple of weeks later Ringo replaced Best. There are actually living witnesses to this story as I heard about it from one of my mum's friends first. Quite a legend my ma. [/quote] Wonderful story. There's a guy from the UK in his 70s that goes to my gym. He tells me stories about going to see The Silver Beatles at some Theater near his home when he was a teen. Blue

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1509762039' post='3401519'] the youth today have no sense of history, they know nothing about the past. They think Beiber invented music. [/quote] That's fair, as I don't have much sense or interest of the present. Blue

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1509626065' post='3400386'] We've found them something. Amazingly, it's a venue we've been wanting to play. Boo! [/quote] Nice Job! Blue

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1509719155' post='3401180'] An answer to my own question: Bought this from ebay: Arrived today Looks impressive, huh?...[/quote] Yes, it certainly does. Blue

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1509667175' post='3400801'] I'm afraid you are. All those makes had a variety of bass, guitar, PA and keyboard amps which were used by all the UK bands. Check out the early days of The Who, Hendrix, The Jeff Beck Group, Cream, Clapton, Free, Deep Purple etc. [/quote] Ok, I'll fold. However the Ampeg SVT was a mild stone in the advancement of bass amps. Blue

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1509753649' post='3401492'] Oh yes, I get that. I don't think that was confined to the USA though. [/quote] Cool, You know my parents were from that World War II generation. They were huge fans of the big bands of their generation. Quite removed from The Beatles but even they knew there was a lot more to those guys than most pop artists. Blue

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1509752516' post='3401486'] Having watched the linked video, I'm unsure as to what the lesson is exactly. I love watching this kind of stuff, [/quote] So do I.And I understand it a lot better than I did when I was kid. Blue

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1509752516' post='3401486'] Having watched the linked video, I'm unsure as to what the lesson is exactly. I love watching this kind of stuff, but I'm confused as to what you mean. Lennon knew that the comment you refer to would not harm their popularity. If anything, it would probably serve to have the opposite effect. Again, I'm going to disagree that you [i]had[/i] to be there to appreciate it, but I absolutely agree with you that if we dismiss our (musical) past, then there is little hope for the future of music. [/quote] Then we're really not that far apart. Maybe there's not a lesson. However do you realize how much more intelligent and socially concious The Beatles came across to us compared to most of our American pop artists at that time, the early to mid 60s? Some of are recording artist could barely put an intelligent sentence together. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1509750748' post='3401473'] No-one is dismissing the past, either, but if it's not Sheeran, it'll be another, in the future. It's not over; it goes on ([size=4]and on,[/size] [size=3]and on,[/size] [size=2]and on,[/size] [size=1]and on[/size]...), at least for most of us. [/quote] No argument from me on that point. However I would say John Lennon represents the past, today and the future. I can't intelligently comment on Sheeran because I'm not familiar with his work. Such an interesting topic. Probably one of the most interesting things I've learned from Basschat is how much bigger and popular The Beatles were and are in The States than in The UK. It baffles me because you guys always seemed to have a much deeper and intelectual appreciation for rock & roll and rhythm and blues based music than we do. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1509732403' post='3401313'] Indeed. (Well, not exactly 'nobody'; there are those that love to delve. Most folks are looking to today and the future most of the time, though, and the 'historic' element of all that stuff is, in all proportion, only relevant to a very few ...) [/quote] I would think John Lennon is as relevant today if not more so as he was 50 years ago. Your probably right about only a "very few" in terms of historical interest. I guess you had to be there and why I always received high grades in history. The future? I contend we never have a great grasp of today or the future if we dismiss the past. BTW what's today, Ed Sheeran? If yes, John gets my vote. Blue

Oh well, nobody's interested in history.😣 Blue

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1509642332' post='3400560'] Well over here from the mid 60's on, we had Marshall, Sound City, Hiwatt and Orange amps and cabs. I'd say the sound of those amps and the bands that used them created and defined the sound of Rock. [/quote] I could be wrong, but one could argue those were primarily guitar amps. But I'll give in a little on the Orange bass amps. Blue

Optional of course. https://youtu.be/FCsb3pR6tbw You have to love John Lennon. "I don't care if he ever plays our records" No that's what I call "bad ass" Blue

[quote name='GuyR' timestamp='1509569841' post='3400041'] Blue, you are an inspiration for us all in very many ways!! Cheers Guy [/quote] Thanks GuyR. I've seen and learned a few things over the decades. Some are relative and have value and some stuff, not so much.lol Blue

[quote name='thebigyin' timestamp='1509603865' post='3400160'] Who cares if you get noticed....[/quote] Me It's the reason I got into the Rock & Roll business in the first place. Blue

For me it's not so much what you wear. I contend, if you stay in great physical shape you'll look like a million bucks in anything. Blue

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1509012963' post='3395981'] Love my Ampeg tone but reliability of the SVT4 Pro is so bad i now only use it in our own rehearsals studio. Would never use it live.[/quote] I should have never sold the SVT I bought new back in 1973. Blue

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1509540965' post='3399737'] I'm sure that there still is crap new gear being made and sold, but these days you'd have to specifically search it out, and even then it will still be better than what those of us who started out in the 70s and earlier had to put up with[/quote] Agreed, I go back to the mid 60s. All we had for amps we're the Fender Bassman and the Ampeg B-12/15. None of these amp could handle much volume. You guys might disagree, but I contend there was no decent bass amp until the SVT was released. Blue

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1509619088' post='3400288'] You are getting a copy of a tried and tested design made in a country where labour is cheap, but with a decent degree of quality control. These days there's nothing magical about having the Fender logo on the headstock. There's no R&D cost for the factory producing the copy. Besides one of the main features of all the original Fender instruments was that they were capable of being made by relatively unskilled labour using technology that was cheaply available at the end of the 1940s. Manufacturing technology has improved massively since then and now if anything it is even easier than it was back when the first Fender instruments were being made. TBH any company that isn't capable of making a decent version of Jazz bass nowadays probably shouldn't be making musical instruments in the first place. [/quote] Thanks, If I was in the market for a new bass you would have sold me. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1509576604' post='3400106'] A mate of mine has a Rick (a 4004 i think - I've just googled it and it would cost nearly £3k new). It is his pride and joy. Unfortunately it is without doubt the worst 'expensive' bass I have ever played...! [/quote] Hi Pete, That's what I hear, not a very player friendly instrument. Blue

Please, someone explain to me what your getting when you buy a new Harley Benton Jazz Bass for $135.00. They look cool, but again what are you getting? Blue

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1509487332' post='3399425'] Are Rickenbacker still in business? [/quote] I'd buy a used Rick, just for it's killer looks alone. Blue

Off Topic Gig Posters & Flyers are still valuable for most gigging bands. Even more valuable, at least for my band are the 3x5 stickers we leave on tables , the bar or wherever that list all our upcoming gigs. Blue

Knock on wood, I just realized at 64 I'm doing pretty good, no arthritis or trigger problems. I work out at the gym 7 days a week and I don't eat any neat, dairy or fish. Blue