skankdelvar

Have you joined the Yakuza, Nige?

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[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1373358701' post='2136526'] They turn Rock n Roll into Cabaret and should be ashamed of themselves. [/quote] I once tried to turn Cabaret into RockNRoll 'Willkommen, Bienvenue, it's been a long time since I rocked and rolled, [i]Welcome!'[/i] The punters liked it but the drummer thought it was a 'travesty'. Left the band, got depressed and threw himself under a 125.

Actually, just playing with a thick rubber pick might nail it.

Rick on the neck pickup with tone half-rolled off, flatwounds, mutes under the strings, played between the pickups with a pick through a Vox 710 or 715 head and an open-back 2x10 (or 2x12) cab, distance miked from six feet with an AKG C12 in figure 8 mode and overdubbed in an empty studio onto the track through an EMI Redd 37 or 51 desk with an Altec 436c compressor and a Fairchild 670 compressor. Possibly a smidge of ADT in the background to thicken it up. According to a combination of sources, that's approximately how Macca got the sound you would hear on Pepper. It would have sounded quite different in the room or in the context of a band gig which - of course - never happened. So no-one can really say how close [i]anything[/i] would sound. Well, no-one any of us is ever likely to meet. So a Jazz it is, then.

Any band-type jam nights I've been to, bass amp's already waiting on stage. For acoustic-y type gigs circa £30 gets you a [url="http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BDI21.aspx"]Behringer BDI21[/url] amp modeller / DI. It would do, I'd imagine. No headphone out / mp3 in (afaik), but [i]does[/i] have an XLR out to desk.

I was fired once. The frontman phoned me to say I wasn't musically right for the band. I agreed, because I [i]wasn't[/i] right. Parted on perfectly amiable terms. As for firing from a distance. All very well to say 'It's cowardly' but sometimes there's a good reason. In one instance, it would have been unfair to drag a guy 70 miles to a band meeting to f*** him off and - frankly - there was no point in wasting his time getting him to come to another rehearsal just to send him away again. If I'd phoned him to say 'We're all coming round to your hose for a chat' - well, there's the clue. Another time, another band, we did just that; me and the drummer went round and fired a guitarist while the singer hid in the car. Guitarist burst into tears and said 'I wish you'd called me and told me. I don't like people seeing me like this'. Another time, another band; a frontman fired the guitarist by phone. Says the guitarist: 'Good job you phoned me. If you'd told me to my face, I'd have punched your lights out.' Thing is, doesn't matter how you fire someone. They (we) are always going to be unhappy and they (we) will always find ammo to slag the remaining band-members off, starting with how it was done and finishing with exactly what they (we) didn't like about the band anyway. Wanting it to be done in a 'face to face' is really about the opportunity to play a bit of pain back their way and make them feel bad. Besides which, getting fired from a band is not worth getting upset about unless money's involved. Sad but true.

[quote name='canarybass' timestamp='1373018161' post='2132777'] those hockey stick headstocks you get on Fender 12 strings! [/quote] Also known as 'Smurf Hat' headstocks over the pond, apparently. In any event, I like them too. Another reason why I am gas-ing for an Electric XII. Roll on the Squier re-issue.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1372953149' post='2132091'] Really? I have records of his, i have been saying his name wrong... oh well. [/quote] Actually, you're right. It [i]is[/i] pronounced Skwire, but apparently he's been known to throw monstrous sh*t-fits if people pronounce it Skwee-er. I was just trying to get the ball rolling again, if you see what I mean.

Even if a DM set-up was agreed to be feasible across most gigging situations, I'd still keep the old faithful. Simply for the pleasure of those lovely, after-gig chats with punters who are bursting to tell you that their mate says Ashdowns are sh*t.

Billy Squier. Pronounced skwee-er. True story.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372900752' post='2131516'] You'd likely be sending them some goose eggs, or a piece of ham That's very interesting actually. I've always quite liked folk and folkesque type music. It wasn't really a leap anywhere for me to listen to Mumford and Sons. Did you used to work in a radio station or something Skank? [/quote] Oh yes, indeedy. Did the noisy wallpaper thing for 20-odd years. First thing you learn - there's no good music or bad music. Just what people like.

Welcome to the forum Baz If you copy your post to the 'bassists wanted' section of the forum you may get a bigger response. Here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/forum/83-bassists-wanted/"]http://basschat.co.uk/forum/83-bassists-wanted/[/url]

Some of this debate reminds me of discussions I had many years ago with people in the country music community about the soi-disant New Country format. Oh, spawn of the devil, it was. Not [i]real [/i]country at all. Your station should be playing more Gene Autry / Bob Wills / Carter Family. You're letting the side down. Even sent death threats and - on one occasion - a turd in a box, just because we didn't play the 'right' artists. Well, that was all bollocks, because the limited toehold country had on the market was proof positive that normal punters weren't ready for the hard stuff. You had to coax them in with something a bit pappy and - once they'd overcome their natural distaste for the entire genre - they'd fan out to discover all the other artists and songs. And it worked, because after a year or so we started getting requests for Lefty Frizzell or George Jones or (God forbid) Lloyd Morgan from 18 year-olds. Thing was, the hard-core country fans didn't like what we were doing because it didn't gel with [i]their[/i] idea of what the genre should be about. Bands such as The Mumfords may not fit their genre template, but they're a damn good way of growing the market for the music. Trouble is, existing fans don't always make the connection, see the benefit and take advantage of the opportunity to ship in some new blood. 'If you like [i]that[/i], you might like [i]this[/i]' would be the way forward to my mind. Were I a folkie, I'd be sending the Mumfords a thank-you note and a box of delicious gingerbread. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1372850271' post='2130601'] No, he really really isn't.[/quote] Not really, no. Unless Dylan had emerged from the Minnesota flatlands to suck helium and play someone else's songs. OK, there's a superficial tonal resemblance, but - as some media outlet, I forget which, asserted - Mr Bugg's more akin to Lonnie Donegan. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWA997xM9MI[/media]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1372782129' post='2129923'] Naming no names but of the two I definately prefer Bob Geldof and I have never met him! [/quote] I have. Well, I stood next to him at the V&A one Sunday afternoon. He seemed like a nice chap, none of those sidelong glances to see if anyone was watching him. Wiffed a bit though. Thing is, the article's more about behaviour during performance, so I suppose this doesn't count.

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1372718252' post='2129216'] Her looks didn't come under my notice... etc [/quote] Don't worry, chum. It's no biggie compared to some older threads here. Most tend to overlook the 'Try and (sic) avoid religion politics and sexism' thing, little realising that the sexism bit is about the only [i]really[/i] taboo area on BC. It's easy to be lulled into unwariness if one wasn't around for the last mini-debate on the issue which was a few years ago, IIRC. Not that such a sensitivity is a bad thing, because (with one exception a few years ago) the BC laydees politely, reasonably and consistently punch above their weight in every respect. That we might have more of them in our company is a consummation devoutly to be wished. As for Dingus, well Sir, you present a competent defence for your position, somewhat undercut by the customarily mammarian focus of your avatars

Liked suggestion #9 about solos: [quote]John Entwistle is basically the only man ever born who could make a bass solo entertaining, and he is gone; this window is closed, rockers.[/quote]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1372713778' post='2129147'] Well one theory might be that girls are the ones who are more interested in the words and that they are more likely to want to identify with empowered lyrics from strong female role models, but also want to hear lovelorn pleas from the heart from good looking alpha male pop / rock star boys to stir their romantic interests...! [/quote] That would be it! Cogent analysis, Sir.

For myself, I prefer modern music [i]with[/i] lyrics. A catchy, well-sung melodic hook does it for me every time and it doesn't have to be 'clever'. Thinking in a general sense, lyrics are only as relevant as the writer's intent and the audience's expectations. There is nothing inherently bad about asinine nonsense if the objective is to provide accompaniment to convivial, liquored-up hen nights. Similarly, there is nothing inherently praiseworthy in addressing issues of complexity through song. One thing, though. Why is it that many male pop stars deliver such whiny, self-pitying lyrics whereas their female equivalents espouse sassiness and empowerment? Where are the roaring boys?

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1372692061' post='2128656'] Sorry mate I was certain they played gimme shelter on the tele. Alcohol and recollection have never been good bed fellows. [/quote] AFAIK, only those who subscribe to Virgin's TV service got the full concert. BBC viewers will have received the truncated version.

I went to the first one in [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival_(1914%E2%80%931925)"]1914[/url]. Although the lights were going out all over Europe, they weren't going out in Glastonbury since mains gas had not yet reached the town and there [i]weren't[/i] any lights. Apart from candles and precious few of those. Accompanied by my old friend Walter Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax, I drove down in my De Dion at a stately 17mph, arriving just as the spectacular Arthurian pageant began. To the astonishment of all present, Dame Nellie Melba emerged from an artificial lake costumed from head to foot in snail shells and pondweed and bearing on high a replica of the sword Excalibur. The cold water having affected her delicate throat, the antipodean songbird rendered 'God Save The King' in a rasping pizzicato twang and was duly canned off in a hail of piss bottles thrown by a splinter group from the Bloomsbury set. Darkness fell. In keeping with the traditional 'Merrie England' nature of the event I cudgelled some peasants into building me a bower of willow and fern within which I passed a comfortable night, lulled to sleep by the loud Sapphic exertions of Miss Vita Sackville-West in the neighbouring tent. The next day mighty thunderheads loomed over the Quantocks and it commenced to rain. Such was the precipitation that large puddles formed wherein a man might drown. Panic spread accordingly. Despite the piteous entreaties of the festival organiser Mr Rutland Boughton, the motley crowd of harlequins, troubadours, faire damsels, 'picturesque' rurals and fully-armoured knights-errant stampeded for the exit. Over-running a police cordon set up in anticipation of such an outcome, the crazed festival-goers fanned out through the town, pillaging and looting as they went. As Glastonbury lay beneath a lurid canopy of flames and smoke, the Mayor read the Riot Act. The while, a company of the Somerset Light Infantry fired a succession of shots over the heads of the crowd. Tragedy struck with terrifying swiftness. A mis-aimed ball took my pal Drax in the breast at the precise moment he was unplugging himself from AE Housman. There he lay as the crimson gore flowed over the cobbles, a Shropshire lad cut down in his prime. Housman was beside himself and must perforce be restrained from throwing himself upon the permanent way of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway. It was carnage on a grand scale and it's put me off festivals ever since. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

Having seen some truly dire Stones performances over the years, I'd have to say they're having something of an Indian summer this time round. Much tighter and more grooving; Woody taking it seriously for a change; wiry, taut guitars instead of the bludgeoning we've come to expect. A much more open sound and they all looked considerably happier compared to previous outings. Some might say that the Stones are no more than a pub band and they'd be right. A pub band blown up to the Nth degree, playing to the limits of their fairly restricted abilities and all the better for that. When you throw in a back-story that's the greatest soap opera ever and the natural affection one feels for bad Grandads, it's no surprise that the average punter will have a soft spot for them. Set against all this, critical assessment of their worth is almost impossible. If the Stones 'aren't all that', well, compared to what? To weigh the Stones against other bands at Glastonbury is like comparing the Pyramids with a local mini-cab company. One is a dominating edifice from history to which all the world's tourists may flock, the other a here-today, gone-tomorrow commercial operation of narrower, more specific scope and intent. If - by their nature - the Stones are incomparable to other bands, it follows that they may only be measured against themselves. While they may lack the edge and bite of their heyday, they do a better job than most of giving the punters a return on their cash. Perhaps because they can usually be seen to be trying harder than most, a principle which they have embraced from Day 1 albeit with chequered results. Ladies and Gentleman, the greatest pub blues band in the world. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

Have it anyway and put nylons on it. Nylons are fun.

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1372522958' post='2126813'] What's the gameplan?[/quote] Bit too detailed to go into here, but Schulz took the company over in the early 80's (83, IIRC) with a plan to rebuild the brand more or less from scratch. No factory, no distributor, bit of left-over stock and an agreement with a Japanese factory to knock out Strats and Teles. As I understand it, the idea was to sell higher-end US made stuff at a premium while offshoring the cheaper stuff - which, of course, they still do. Widen the guitar brand with variation rather than innovation and have a serviceable example of the classic designs at every price-point. Acquire licensing deals for other US brands (e.g. Gretsch) to grow the corporation's offerings. Build everything up then unload stock onto financial institutions to raise the cash to bolster acquisitions, R&D etc while retaining the 'creative' control which CBS-period Fender lost in the corporate thicket. Seems to have worked. [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1372522958' post='2126813']Regarding price point, they have been considered to be priced highly, more so in days past than now, especially considering the quality of Fenders and their 'copies'. [/quote] When they first came out, they [i]were[/i] expensive (certainly compared to today's prices), but [i]less[/i] expensive than their immediate competitors. This was one of the reasons for embracing 'cheap', modular production methods. Better margins. Example: Gibson's luthiers cut fret slots one at a time. Slow, expensive. Leo Fender devised a machine with multiple small cutting blades that did the whole neck in one pass. Anyone could use it, no skills required, hire them off the street. There's the genius.