Old Man Riva

Here’s five, whilst also trying to add a few less obvious but still essential listens - and, with the exception of Ramble On, were all released as singles in the UK; John Paul Jones - Ramble On Paul McCartney - Something Derek Forbes - The American Mick Karn - Visions of China Tony Levin - Sledgehammer

Led Zeppelin sold close to 300 million albums. John Paul Jones bass playing has been an inspiration to many aspiring bassists over the decades and his phenomenal musicianship ranks him right up there as an essential bassist, IMHO. This track showcases his playing and wonderful appreciation of what was required for the song perfectly...

I’m waiting for that to arrive - can’t wait!

Whilst not a full-blown stinker, I found Pablo Honey a bit on the ‘shrug-of-the-shoulders’ side when it came out. Creep was interesting, but other than that, not a lot going on. As a follow up/second album, I thought The Bends was fabulous...

It’s a shame you weren’t able to go “one step beyond”, Stew! I got into Weather Report in my teens in the late 70s which led me to explore other Jazz-related groups/players. Over the years I’ve grown to like (in some cases love) some of the artists that came before but when I go as far back as some of the big band/swing stuff that’s when I hear less that I like...

A pleasure! Yes, Murray, Alomar and Davis contributed greatly to Bowie’s recordings/gigs. He always had great musicians/bands around him. Sometimes it didn’t quite hit the mark for me (the stripped down Sound & Vision set up isn’t one I listen that often) but regardless, there was always something to get your teeth into. I’m currently awaiting the CD of the ‘Soul’ leg of the Diamond Dogs tour - it was released last year as part of Record Store Day - which I can’t wait for. It features Alomar, Davis and Ksasan. I watched the BBC Omnibus Cracked Actor programme as a kid when it was first aired (having to ignore various disparaging witticisms from my dad as I did!) and then had to wait 20-odd years for it to be repeated. Until YouTube came along it was hard to access any of the Diamond Dogs tour(s) footage/bootlegs, which is probably why I’ve played David Live to death over the years. I’m not sure the Soul leg recording will be that great, but to have something from those shows after all these years will be great! This is good from the earlier leg of that tour... it’s a different take from the one included on the David Live album.

This is an interesting watch...

We’re back to Garry Bushell!

Bought the album today. On first listen I really like it. The production/engineering is right up my street - for starters, it’s a really ‘warm’ sounding record (though my ears ain’t what they used to be!). Unsurprisingly the musicianship and playing is top drawer throughput. I’m a big fan of Pino and his playing, but this has opened my eyes (and ears) to a different side to him, in terms of his musical writing/ideas. Elements of nu soul and hip hop grooves (J Dilla), with cinematic soundtrack pieces sitting comfortably alongside afro beat, experimental and avant-garde jazz tracks. Such a talented all round musician/composer... bloody smart a**e!! Is there nothing this man can’t do?!

You’ll be suggesting “everything’s going well for me” next...

Way too modest! Sounds great to me - just treated myself to the album from Amazon! We’ll have to start a petition to relaunch Blow Up...

I really dig that. It reminds me of a ‘dirtier’ version of The Filthy Six (which is a good thing!)...

This brings back some very happy memories. Still get excited hearing this, all these years later...

That’s my experience too. In Coventry at the time the two shops to go to were Coventry Music Centre and the Sound Centre. Both leaned very much towards guitars, and, as such, only Rotosound were stocked for bass strings. ‘Swing Bass’ were what most people bought but they had the flatwound version stocked, albeit in significantly smaller numbers. A lad I knew was sold a set by mistake and never quite recovered!! For me, buying a new set of strings was a luxury (and a rare event) due to the cost of them vs. what I was earning as an apprentice at the time. I once tried boiling a set and nearly ended up scalding myself as they chased me around my mum’s kitchen. Nowadays I post on here wanting really worn-in/out flatwounds - the younger me would not have been impressed!

Apologies, not sure what I did with Al’s quote in previous post!

Probably one for a different thread, but... I think punk in the UK was more a backlash against the bands you’d hear/see on Radio 1/TOTP at the time - ELO, Sad Cafe, Leo Sayer, Rod (in his Britt era), etc - rather than prog bands. You’d be hard pushed to hear ELP, Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson et al on daytime radio - and by the time both ELP and Yes had singles out in ‘77, New Rose and Anarchy in the UK had been and gone the previous year.

One of Mrs Riva’s musical idols. She’s most impressed that I told her about the programme. Less so, and a little bemused, that I found out about it from an online Internet forum dedicated to the bass guitar - “this is the modern world”, though not for Mrs Riva! This Sky Arts thread is an absolute winner!

Totally agree. I used to sit and try and work the parts out, but could never manage to get them to sound as fluid and ‘nailed’ as Segs. The downstrokes were key to tracks like Babylon’s Buring and Demolition Dancing (brilliant interplay with Paul Fox’s guitar on that), and I just couldn’t master them. As for Society... don’t get me started! That’s great! Was/is it a 60s or 70s? In a previous life many years ago I did some work with Ruffy and he was one of the nicest people I’ve met. Also one of the funniest - like being in a room with Tommy Cooper! When I first met him it didn’t take long for it to become clear that I was a bit of fan (to say the least). He was chuffed to bits (though took the p##s mercilessly - “you’ll be after my inside leg measurement next!”) and was kind enough to spend hours indulging me and talking about the band. A really lovely guy, and a fabulous drummer...

I think that Paul Gray used a Rickenbacker and an Overwater (Thunderbird style), and Algy Ward used a Thunderbird. (Paul Gray used a Thunderbird in UFO...)

Pretty much everything Segs ever played with the Ruts is excellent, IMO. Creative, driving, groovy, tight as anything with Ruffy... He was a massive influence on me when I was really getting into (learning) the bass, across different styles. I spent hours trying to learn his lines and never got anywhere near...

Only when Malcolm wasn’t looking!

Even better!

He’s waited many years but this is Bob’s revenge on the punk movement! He probably took the first swing of the sledgehammer to the Pistols’ rehearsal space!

Thanks for posting. I enjoyed that. Re. the P/J p/up configuration. I like the idea of the stack-knob controls and retaining the jack socket as part of the scratch plate, rather than a v/v/t approach, and the socket being tucked underneath the body. It’s probably been done before but I’ve not seen it like that...

Roger Waters in goal... he’s excellent at organising The Wall.