Old Man Riva

Shaun Ryder John Cooper Clarke

Shaun William Ryder John Cooper Clarke

Hey Joe was written about the footballer Joe Jordan after he was spotted chasing Gordon McQueen with a water pistol. Deacon Blues was written about Queen’s bass player, but Peter Frampton’s Show Me The Way wasn’t written about the UFO bassist. Though, as with all these things, I may have misunderstood the various stories over the years...

Miles Davis - Mr Pastorius

Of course. This opens the album...

The first Laura Mvula album is a record well worth checking out for sublime vocal performances... I was properly taken aback when I first heard it. Not just for her vocals, but also the quality and originality of the songs. With most albums I think you can see how a song was probably written - i.e. around a guitar, piano, beat etc. - but on the above album it was a mystery. To me, any road! Definitely worth a listen...

I was a big FGTH fan at the time. For me, they were a breath of fresh air. I thought they were a really talented bunch, but will probably be remembered (incorrectly, IMO) solely as the product of Trevor Horn, his Fairlight and array of session bods. A listen to the early demos pre ZTT/Trevor Horn/Paul Morley show the songs were there and the playing well up to scratch. I saw them live on the Liverpool tour and to this day it’s one of the best gigs I’ve seen. And, yes, they were perfectly capable of playing their instruments!!

Congratulations! That’s a really positive review in the magazine. I really like the YouTube track featured in the article. Thanks for posting - it’s good to hear a positive story regarding musicians in these challenging times...

Thanks for the review, really appreciated. It’s not a record I would normally think of seeking out but after reading the review I will now do so - which, for me, a good and well-written review should inspire the reader to do.

Always liked this New Order video. And got the distinct impression that Hooky was enjoying the role a little too much..!

I’ve tried a couple at The Gallery. Lovely basses, but I’ve never been able to get on with short scale basses, more’s the pity. Or maybe it’s a blessing as it would just be another thing to justify spending money I don’t have on things I don’t need!

A further example of the ‘cleaner’ version of the bass shown above by Jonse... (yes I have become slightly obsessed by the basses and the playing!). https://www.picuki.com/media/1955531161411044687

There’s a drum and bass gag in there somewhere, but I’m afraid I just can’t find it...

Blimey, you’re right! Hadn’t properly realised that. It feels like a cross between a Thunderbird and the Starcaster that uk_lefty referenced above (albeit a squashed one!). Here’s another pic of the body...

That’s an excellent point, and the honest answer is, I’ve no idea! You’re totally right about the player making a huge difference (I certainly wouldn’t make the bass sound like he does!) but in terms of the electrics being an important component I think on this occasion the Novak ‘Starfire’ type p/up being used on the bass definitely makes a difference to the fundamental sound of the instrument - in the same way it would make a difference if, say, a Jazz, Precision or Thunderbird etc. p/up were fitted. I really like the bass and I really like the player!

... the Abuelo. Built by Custom Shop Master Builder, Vincent Van Trigt, who is not only an excellent builder but an accomplished bass player to boot! I really like the look and sound of this bass. It features a Curtis Novak BS-DS p/up for that fuller throatier sound. I think the bass was made as a special order for a trade show, but if Fender were looking to broaden their horizons - whilst still wanting to remain on a four string, no battery ‘traditional’ approach - then they could do worse than rolling a few of these out... https://youtu.be/ivyPjNivcos

Their last album - A Song For Paul - is a good place to start...

Ghost Funk Orchestra... they’ve a new album out in November - can’t wait!

My fondness for them is definitely rooted in nostalgia as they were the first band I saw live - Coventry Theatre, 1976. My mate’s elder brother took us along - as two 14yr olds, it’s fair to say, we definitely cramped his style! During school holidays we’d play his LPs when he was out at work (“touch my records and I’ll kill ya!”), one of which was Space Ritual. Music contributed greatly to some wonderful times as a a kid, where even having a record in your hands was a magical thing. Then to see a band live (and even through the misty water-coloured memories of time they were fantastic!) was the most incredible thing ever! They set the tone for some great gigs ahead!

From a few topics on here I've noticed quite a bit of warmth towards Hawkwind: be it live, on record or just plain Lemmy. There's a good/interesting piece in today's Guardian for those who like a bit of quark, strangeness and charm... https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/19/why-hawkwind-were-the-great-radicals-of-1970s-rock

For what a Stingray can do, and considering the price of other basses these days, I’d say that’s a really good buy! I can’t remember exactly how much my mate paid in circa ‘85 but I think they were around £500/£600 - happy to be corrected! They weren’t the easiest basses to come by, either...

I’ve been thinking about MMs for a while now. I bought one second hand in the early/mid 80s from a mate who had wanted one for years, bought one then couldn’t get on with it! The bass was one of the very early Ernie Ball models. It had three knobs (would that be 2-band eq?), if I recall correctly, along with individual string mutes on the bridge. Black body with a rosewood board. It was lovely. After I finished playing it was a choice between keeping one or other of the MM or a ‘73 Jazz, so the MM went - sold on commission by the now defunct Bass Centre. There appears to be so much choice now that I wouldn’t know what would be a similar model to the one I had all those years ago. I recall once having a MM hired in and it had four knobs (I think) and I just couldn’t get it to work for me. If I was after something of/like that early EB period with three knobs what do they go for these days - and when was the change to more knobs?! The neck was lovely - wider than a Jazz, less than a P, and shallower/flatter. Very comfortable to play - not sure if they’ve changed the dimensions/profiles since then? I found it to a hugely versatile bass that could offer that classic ‘Ray sound (Shriekback were a big sound influence at the time) but also, with a small bit of tone tweaking on the bass itself, a lot more besides...

Pete Way. He left UFO in 1982, to return in 1992...