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Old Man Riva

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Posts posted by Old Man Riva

    'Showcase' in London... worth it?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Christ, the Mean Fiddler and the Orange Club.. forgotten about those nights. The Barfly/Water Rats is the only venue I can ever remember seeing any record companies at.

    The OP is right to exercise a degree of scepticism about The Enterprise/ITB gig.

    You don't need to be in/play London anymore in order to get noticed - years ago you had no choice (with the odd exception - Manchester, Liverpool etc).

    I think the band money could be spent more wisely than on this gig based on information so far..

    'Showcase' in London... worth it?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='geoham' timestamp='1427552898' post='2731691']
    Hi,

    Hope some of you from the London area can give me some advice. My 6 months old originals band have been asked to play at showcase in London, at The Enterprise, Camden. Apparently for ITB, a large agency with many well known acts on their books.

    We'd be travelling from Scotland, and I'm rather skeptical compared to the rest of my band. Does anyone know this venue? Looks like a pub to me, I've got doubts that a large agency would use it for a showcase.

    Any advice appreciated!
    [/quote]
    How did the gig come about - i.e. did you contact the agency, did they contact you etc? Or was it via the venue itself and they've told you the agency will be in attendance?

    Do you have an understanding of the purpose of the gig - i.e. the agency is suitably impressed by you and are looking to see you play with a view to adding you to their roster/getting you more gigs?

    If it were me I'd be more excited by it if the invitation had come directly from the agency rather than the venue - ITB are a decent agency.

    Wind instrument for total beginner

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1427464882' post='2730723']
    Yes indeed... it's tuned in 5ths, although to be honest, with bowing and everything I'm going to be learning a totally new technique anyway so I'm hopefully my mind will alow me to associate the new tuning with the new instrument without too much trouble.

    I think it's a bit of a whim anyway, I'll give it a while and see if I still feel I'd like to give it a go in a few months before taking the plunge.
    [/quote]
    I got to play a mandocello for the first time a few weeks back and it was great fun - now looking to get one.

    If you've not tried one I'd really recommend having a play on one. If you're looking for a different challenge then this might be it?

    What Made You Play The Bass?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Old Man Riva

    Slade for me too - surprised/chuffed how many on here were influenced by them.

    Slade were my first 'hero' band, and Jim Lea my first musical hero. I'd played cello in the school orchestra - sounds grander than it actually was and I was only selected because I was taller than most kids at the time. Loved Slade's music (mainly from Radio 1 and the telly) and then saw this cool looking bloke in a rock band playing an "orchestra instrument" (violin) on Top of the Pops - pretty sure it would have been Coz I Luv You.

    I was bought Slade Alive as a Christmas present and played it to death - on a crappy mono record player. It was the most amazing present.

    Jim Lea and Don Powell were cool as you like, Nod the God had the amazing stage presence and voice and Dave Hill was plain bonkers. Still love them to this day. Massively overlooked and underrated when it comes to British pop and rock music, but they were the band who really got me into music and Jim Lea the bloke who really got me into the bass and the sound of the bass.

    I think I'd always been (unconsciously) drawn to the sound of the bass - I'd hum Trevor Bolder's chorus bass part in Bowie's John I'm Only Dancing while other kids were singing the vocal line, and the the first Roxy Music album had a small bass motif (not even enough for a solo) on Re-Make/Re-Model - it's actually only the first two bars of the Beatles' Day Tripper riff - which I used to listen to over and over again (lifting the needle off and on the record manually just to hear the 2-3 seconds of solo bass). Similar thing with the live version of Bowie's Panic in Detroit (B-side of Knock on Wood) which had a small bass solo in it - needle off and on the record just to hear the bass bit.

    The biggest one for me in terms of wanting to go from listener to player was hearing David Live with Herbie Flowers playing bass. Was never the same again. Herbie's playing on the album is from another world - groovy, funky, odd, dirty and just plain out there.

    It's always been bass for me, nothing else comes close!

    Fender P Bass - **SOLD**

    in Basses For Sale

    Posted · Edited by Old Man Riva

    I've pretty much the exact same bass - though the one I have hasn't got the lollipop tuners (sadly!).

    If it's anything like the one I own someone is going to get an amazing instrument. I own three 60s P-basses and this is my favourite - it's also the one that I've had most comments about in terms of the sound (it has a sound all of its own and the tone control works right through the range).

    Mine's battered to bits and the wood against the white primer Fender were using then against the worn sunburst is fabulous. And like yours, the scratchplate is the most amazing deep colour.

    Good luck with the sale and, as I say, if it's anything like mine someone is going to get a fabulous bass...

    Why I sold my Rickenbacker Bass

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1426948608' post='2723852']
    He threatened us with legal action over the selling of Ric copies on the site.

    [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/209819-this-is-a-rickenbacker-free-marketplace/"]http://basschat.co.u...ee-marketplace/[/url]
    [/quote]
    I'm still none the wiser.. (without opening a can of worms) are we talking fake instruments posing as genuine items (i.e. branded Rickenbacker) or copies (as in instruments made to look like another but not named Rickenbacker etc)?

    Either way, it seems incredibly harsh to have a go at this place if that is the case (and apologies if I've got my wires crossed).

    Why I sold my Rickenbacker Bass

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1426948608' post='2723852']


    He threatened us with legal action over the selling of Ric copies on the site.

    [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/209819-this-is-a-rickenbacker-free-marketplace/"]http://basschat.co.u...ee-marketplace/[/url]
    [/quote]
    Blimey, I'll have a read of that..

    Why I sold my Rickenbacker Bass

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1426947978' post='2723836']
    Like a lot of people on this forum, I was put off Rics through the antics of Mr Hall, but now the OP has really stoked my GAS for one. Dammit.
    [/quote]
    I only became aware of any problems when I came on this forum. What exactly has gone on with Hall/Rickenbacker?

    Why I sold my Rickenbacker Bass

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Old Man Riva

    [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1426941496' post='2723704']
    Is this the 5-minute argument, or the full half-hour?
    [/quote]
    "..I've told you once".

    I think the OP is coming in for some unfair criticism. It takes courage (and I dare say a fair degree of soul searching) to openly admit that you've made the ridiculous error of 1) purchasing an instrument without properly trying it out in the hope that 2) you'll sound like a Beatle.

    I remember the day it finally dawned on me that I'd never sound like McCartney. It hit me like a ton of bricks, and I'd not spent good money on a bass trying to do so.

    I think all the OP is trying to do is offer their experience in the hope that others don't make the same stupid mistake.

    That's how I see it, anyroad..

    AC/DC Tribute Band

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Seen a few bands do AC/DC stuff over the years and funnily enough it's the rhythm section that often comes up short, esp. Malcolm Young's rhythm parts/feel.

    Bit like seeing bands doing Stones covers - few tend to nail Keef's parts/feel.

    Saw D'angelo live in Berlin.

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Old Man Riva

    Went last night and was blown away.

    The band are something else - absolutely top drawer - and to top it all off they've reworked Brown Sugar so it now sits over Four Play by Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns.

    This clip from the Friday night gig... Be warned, it contains plenty of Pino! [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrGGhd2DAFw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrGGhd2DAFw[/url]

    THUNDER - Wonder Days CD

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1424189002' post='2693631']
    Slightly off topic, saw Chris & Harry play with "Bad Influence" a few times at The Windsor Castle in Carshalton - great rhythm section!! :).
    [/quote]
    Did you ever see Terraplane at all - drummer, guitarist and singer were all in the band (early 80s). Danny Bowes was phenomenal - very Marriott-esque..

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