Nicko

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1486127542' post='3229427'] Perhaps its because you have played so few gigs, you have no reputation for venues to latch onto? The so called inferior band you mention are out there, playing, and I presume getting repeat gigs, so they cant be that bad. If you think your band is so good why not offer a venue you really want to play in a free gig. I know its goes against the grain but If you are really struggling and fear the band may split then drastic action is required. Do you have a live recording you can give to venues to show what the band sounds like? One done live at rehearsal would do. [/quote] Yes, I think it is because we cant get to play we have no reputation. The inferior band and us had a trial at a local place, they weren't booked, we were for August. I'm not sure they are getting repeat gigs, but seem to have a gift for getting their foot in the door at least. That was a free play as the venue has a good rep but the booking is a long way off obviously. Theres a couple of live vids on the website, although the sound quality is not great. We're currently recording all our practice sessions and will post some of that on the website too.

[quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1486127481' post='3229426'] what sort of stuff are you playing (originals, covers, genre, etc) and what have you tried? My own experience is that you need someone to take on the manager/promoter side of things - ideally someone who has the gift of the gab (usually the singer, and being gobby does tend to come with their territory) and will happily spend an evening ringing and e-mailing places and chatting to them about why your band is exactly what they need. All the bands I've been in that have struggled to get gigs suffered from a lack of anyone who was good at that, and the ones that have got regular gigs always had one person who was great at it. [/quote] Covers, mainly 90s and 00s stuff. Seems none of us are good at this kind of thing though.

I know its been done before, but the band is getting increasingly frustrated by or inability to get bookings. I think we played 4 or 5 gigs last year, plus one private party. We are booked for another party next week (same punter) and then have nothing until August (another repeat booking). More frustratingly we have a friend who's band is, frankly, not very good and they get bookings all the time at the places that we have been trying to get into. Contrary to other threads here there are plenty of places around us that have live music. We've all given it a try and none of us are coming up with anything. Ideas welcomed.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1485861329' post='3227207'] Both Fender and Musicman seem to struggle with this, when G&L, who have a much smaller share of the market, can offer you a whole range of colours on a make to order item, it makes you wonder why Fender can't. [/quote] This is exactly my point. Henry Ford's idea that you can have any colour as long as its black is a bit outdated. People have been saying Fender are mass produced - they may be but what would it cost to have a few proper colours as an option. If no one wanted them the dealers wouldn't order and the worst that would happen is they would end up with some surplus paint. They could always send the surplus paint to Mexico. According to Wki they make about 400 guitars a day, so "mass produced" needs to be taken in context. By comparison VW make about as many cars in a day as Fender make guitars in a year.

I suppose that should really read colors, 'cos I'm talking about the USA range. These only appear to be available in black, white, burst and something they describe as olive which looks like its surplus paint from the old vauxhall factory. The white and green come with a mint colour pickguard which would look bad on its own, and even worse on the body colours. As I don't like burst that would mean another black bass. Surely we deserve better than this?

Aside from some that have been mentioned already I find Sweet Child o Mine, Ruby and Smells Like Teen Spirit are the ones on our setlist that get the most reaction

If you are bringing it in personally, ie you carry it rather than have it shipped, its covered by your duty free allowace. Up to £390 no duty is payable.

Just done the setlist for next wek, and unfortunatey it still contains "are you gonna go my way" which as far as I can tell is only in the set because the guittards like playing it, and "Rocks" which my bandmates claim is popular with the audience. Hmmmmm.

Solid - mine Funky - Flea Hypnotic - Jah Wobble Crass - Geddy Intricate - Entwistle Overrated - see various other threads

An old boss DR5 has a one key chord facility arranged in guitar fretboard so its easy to find the note you want.

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1483695503' post='3209279'] Big problem I find is that many pubs will only book the same old, same old. Anything different is often greeted by 'the regulars didn't like it. It seems some places pander to the rule of diminishing returns, like the places is being run like an exclusive little club. There's a pub around here that will seemingly only ever book classic rock covers. Even our old-skool R'n'B trio was deemed to far from what they want....so heaven help anything from the 21st century! [/quote] Thi is so true. Theres quite a few pubs close to me in west London, and the same bands play them over and over again, using the same setlists as each other. When we speak to the LL and present something that 30 somethings might like they are generallly not interested. The irony is that when we do play the occasional gig the music appeals to ages from 20 somethings to sixty somethings. We have modified the set so that we have stuff that everyone who listens to music would know, with a coupe that we play that no one knows just because we like them. All the stuff we play is popular radio friendly stuff. I think there is less music in pubs, but only because there are fewer pubs. Lets be honest, in the mid 90s it was quite common to walk into a Karaoke night when once there would have been a band, and popular music pubs were closing. Even proper music pubs rather than pubs with bands like Red Lion Brentford, the Clarendon in Hammersmith didn't survive this.

Our singer uses one. I'll admit its better than having sheets of paper in a songbook, but we are a covers band with 30 something songs in our crrent list. I dont understad why the rest of the band can be arsed to learn the songs and play from meory but the singer cant do this with the words.

Bizarrely, I was reading an old guitarist mag the other day and there was a review of the Alembic Essence. They said it captured the, erm, essence of an alembic and were quite complimentary onn the soun and construction.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1481788588' post='3195085'] Agreed,however songs I thought would be inappropriate for my band have turned out to be huge crowd pleasers. It's why I keep my mouth shut regarding song choice. I'm getting paid to play bass and sing in a rock & roll band. I like getting paid. I'm in no position to refuse to play anything.Bands with work are far and few in-between in my neck of the woods. I try to make all songs fun to play in one way or the other. Blue [/quote] I kinda get this but surely there are some limits. There are songs that I play which I dislike intensely (Rocks by Primal Scream for example), and ones which lack any interest as a bass player but I put up with these. Personally I can't stand anythig by Bryan Adams and the band knew this when I joined. Similarly the guitarist in the band can't stand U2. Why given this knowledge would anyone suggest songs by these artists when there is so much other material we could cover?

We have tried several methods. All band members retain a veto, as we all agree theres plenty of songs we can all want to play rather than have one or other of us not wanting to play something - it doesn't need to be done in a childish way. We tried the survey method, but to be honest we just ended up with loads of songs that no one really liked, its just they didn't object to them. We are now working on whoever suggests the song basically has to sell it to the rest of the band, along the lines of: will people know the song will it fit wit the setlist does it interest us as a band

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1481286128' post='3191203'] The actual playing can have power and energy even if you aren't flying around like loons. I'm not sure you can sound great without something coming across, tbh...so you need that 'connect'. How you 'force' the singer to be a frontman is a skill not so many have as well. I'm not sure how contrived you can actually be...if you don't have it, you don't have it. Flat is flat, IME. [/quote] I think he could have it, he just needs to think about it a bit because he's not necessarily spontaneous. Off stage I'm the introverted one, all the others are much more likely to be the centre of attention.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1481287994' post='3191229'] Do you mean the music lacks energy, or that the musicians dont move much? Huge difference. My Bro was in a covers band in Devon and they were note perfect, and as they got tighter and tighter they were very, very good. When they slackened off a bit they became brilliant. They hardly moved, but the music was more than enough. They were not afraid to leave space in the music or to take liberties with well known songs. Ease off a bit and just enjoy, its obvious to the audience when the musicians are having a good time. I agree with the above. A front man is born not made. Lots can sing but not many can entertain. [/quote] No the misuc doesn't lack energy, quite the opposite.

I hink my band is very good musically. Every time I hear a recording we sound great, and we get loads of compliments on how good we sound. But, the perdormances lack energy, and I've failed to get any response when I have asked for the others to practice performing as part of rehearsal. They've seen the vids too and agree that its all a bit flat, but don't seem to respond when I give them suggestions on how to overcome the problem. The singer simply wont practice the intro/chat/fill, and the guitarists are static floor gazers. I'm not the most active bass player movement wise, but compared to them I look like the extrovert. Suggestions welcome.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1481108313' post='3189715'] Even verbal agreement is not enough, you'd have to pay a deposit and so have be consideration for the promise I have a shiny law degree [/quote] I kinda gathered that from you quoting case precedence

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1481107304' post='3189697'] Sorry no, basic sog act law Price shown, unless and until you actually hand them money AND they accept it, is an invitation to treat - see boots v royal pharmaceutical society -modern equivalent is payment by card over phone or clicking buy now and paying [/quote] You are correct. The issue here was that the buyer applied for credit, so no contract was in place at the advertised price. If this was a "cash sale" and the seller had confirmed the order then the contract would have been in place.

Another vote here for Squier CV P over my American Special model. I bought a Squier CV 70s as a backup. IMO it sounds better than the US, and the band agrees. I think the American feels better, but is marginal. Some of the components on the Squier are clearly worse quality, whereas some are better (jack socket is shockingly poor for example, but the brassbridge is better).

[quote name='ribbetingfrog' timestamp='1480950288' post='3188306'] Looking at the citizens advice page. Once you have a contract it is clear cut, item is yours at that price. Finance agreed is a contract, deposit paid, I'd be hopeful. [/quote] Thats what I said, only in a better way.

Spoke to a bass player on Saturday but didn't ask if he was a BC member

Old instruments don't die. The factories keep producing them and selling them, but there is a limited market. Thats why the two guitarists in the band own about 20 guitars between them.

IMO they are obliged to honour the price at which it was advertised and ordered, and if they fail to do so you could threaten them with Trading Standards, BUT if this is an honest mistake on their part (which it would appear to be) morally I don't think you can insist on them honouring it, especially as you were made aware of the error before placing the order. It depends on whether you are the type of guy that hands back the extra tenner that someone gave you in your change by mistake.