Frank Blank

One of my few highly developed skills is spitting. I have become adept at landing hefty oysters of gob on screens rudely jutted into the offing between me and an artist I am trying to watch. It is hilarious because their initial reaction is to drop the now contaminated device but then this odd dance ensues passing the device from hand to hand trying to wave my noxious ejecta away.

Oh no, absolutely, Jah Wobble and JJ Burnel are, between them, the reason I picked a bass up, Metal Box and early Stranglers albums were likewise massively bass formative for me, but Jah Wobble is the pinnacle for me. I am beginning to realise that the reason I left the gig vaguely dissatisfied is because regardless of how much I try to appreciate the man and his current music I can’t help but want something of the past that’s now unobtainable. I suppose instead of trying to recapture something historical by attending such gigs I should maybe make something current that gives me the same or similar vibe.

I’m a big train spotting Wendy, just sayin’

No, not unfair, I think that’s an accurate summation. I’m kind of assimilating the experience and it’s making me think about how my attitudes have changed towards music.

It was very good indeed although I couldn’t put my finger on why.

He played a range of material from his back catalogue including a couple from Metal Box. I think the gig (and your initial reply to my post) has me wondering what I want from a gig and what I wanted from this gig in particular.

I don’t recall suggesting I was hoping he’d sell me anything, all I was saying (I think) is that he played bass on my favourite album made 38 years ago and that I don’t really know how I felt, or indeed feel, about seeing him now.

Just seen Jah Wobble for the second time. First time was in Cambridge seventeen years ago, tonight at Chinnerys in Southend. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to see people responsible for making your favourite album of thirty eight years perform their current music, but then, it’s Jah Wobble, just seeing that Ovation Magnum was cool, it’s almost as legendary as the man himself. I don’t really know what the point of this post is...

This was the first bass line I ever played too.

Definitely a formative player for me.

I’m not sure?

My brother has the original vinyl of this album with the poster signed by Chris Squire. I keep telling him it’s worth something but he just shrugs. When I point out the rarity of his signed (by Marc Bolan) copy of Jeepster by T. Rex, again, all he does is shrug. He’s a bizarre man.

What a sublime track this is, when the iPod ithrows it up its on repeat until I get home.

A little from column a) a little from column b).

I think a lot of musicians mellow out once they grow up, they just settle into being reasonable chaps who mostly realise they have been extremely lucky to have had a successful career in music. Having said that there are plenty of exceptions and then there's John Lydon who remains as acerbic as ever and, frankly, long may it last.

I so want that rug.

+1

Thanks Graham, what I'm trying to ascertain is if the ones pictured above are a specific make/model? A search on Google or Ebay brings up myriad single string bridge pieces.

James Blunt went up hugely in my opinion when I started reading his hilarious tweets but I still can’t dig his music. There are also several wholly unpleasant individuals that I’ve met in the music industry who I wouldn’t give the time of day to, however, this does not taint their music for me.

Can anyone tell me what sort of bridge this is, it’s the type fitted to the Chowny SWB Pro? I was wondering if it was a standard type or something specific to Chownys?

I think these kind of things are very handy indicators as to who the enemy is.

Patience isn’t something I have a lot of I must admit! GAS is sticky isn’t it, I’m beginning to realise that actually finding the correct bass isn’t the end of it.

Well I have sold the Godin A4 (slight lip wobble) and on Saturday I put the money from the sale down as a deposit on a Chowny SWB Pro via my local music shop, hopefully they will put that order in with Chowny today. This is the first time I’ve ordered an instrument without trying it first so I’m a bit nervous but I’ve done all the research I can and I think it’s the right bass for me. I just happened to be driving past Bass Direct the previous Saturday so I dropped in because I knew they had an SWB Pro so I managed to see one but I didn’t get a chance to try it, let alone buy it, because the guy in the shop was tied up with other customers, so be it, I didn’t have long anyway but just loooking at it gave me some idea of the quality. So, the guy in the shop told me 6-8 weeks after phoning Chowny, now comes the wait. Hopefully I can sell my Fenders (fretless Modern Player and Aerodyne) so I can get an order in for an SWB-1 fretless and see if having all three types of bass in short scale will actually stop GAS?

Man... if that piece of music doesn’t appear to be going anywhere it’s because it’s already arrived. Is there anything better than just being in a groove? I say just like it isn’t a holy thing, an everything... Man... That, right there, is it.