super al

Zappa's Peaches is one of my favourite instrumentals... I've posted the Nite People's version cos I used to work with the bassist (Scott, 2nd in line) plus they're from Bournemouth and the poor buggers lost 9-0 today!

Been a fan of RHCP since 'Uplift' although my interest in them waxes and wanes. It's funny how I didn't like 'Stadium Arcadium' at all, just didn't click! I dug it out for my 2 nippers recently who are getting into rock and pop and I must say it's not as bad as I thought! I've met a couple of people who like the Chili's music but hate their live stuff, apparently they aren't very good musicians! I've always thought the raw live show with jammed intros and kooky covers was their strong point 🤷🏻‍♂️. Watched Tippa my Tongue and it's ok, I think I'm getting old, they're getting old...but if it keeps Michael Jackson off my stereo I'm happy with that!

I just started typing 'why Llanbedrog' then got it halfway through 😆 Someone gave me the 1st series of The Flintstones and it has a completely different theme tune! Most disappointing. Current earworm 'Boyfriends' by Richmond Fontaine... it's the guitar refrain. At work it's usually the last song I hear in the van as we get to a job... today's was Coldplay, don't remember the tune name but again it was a catchy guitar refrain.

That's a beauty, I have one in black with a red tort scratch plate that I call my PPI bass. Probably the most comfortable neck I've ever played, easily the best sound and the best string spacing. I'll play my other basses occasionally but I'll always go back to the Lākland for rehearsals and gigs 👍

Hollywood Killers rang a bell @oldslapper, I know a guitarist who has played with the HK singer in recent years... he's down 'ere in Wiltshire!

It makes me chuckle that Nick Mason's side project these days is a Pink Floyd tribute act to the early years (very good too!) Using the Pink Floyd moniker to sell this song is a good idea, I wonder what Rog thinks of it though 🤔

Lopping initial Sweaters used to be a hobby of mine... until the kids got to that 'impressionable age'. Now all I've got left is drinking, bass playing and shouting at the kids (I'm only kidding about the last two, I'm a terrible bassist and the wife shouts at the kids for me!).

Agree whole heartedly. One of the few guitarists I enjoy listening to, the unison scat singing/guitar solo thing isn't to everyone's taste but I love that. A great soul singer and a great jazz guitarist... I've said that and I'm about to join a metal band 🤣

In my strange little world I too hate the bassline but it's still my favourite Stones toon.

My 1st function gig was a xmas party with a medieval banquet theme (they even had a court jester)...our singer said "I've hired us costumes" He arrived with three 3 musketeers costumes! The only member who turned up correctly attired was our drummer (it was his work do). The wig and tights were really, really, f ing annoying whilst playing. I prefer short sleeved shirts or a polo top 😁

That sounds quite sensible, you could probably spend a week trying out which bass goes best with which hat...best do that only once then label each hat with a corresponding bass 🤠

Great album...'Hot Sauce' has so much going on.

Both the original and the Chili's version of 'if you want me to stay' are great imho... myself and the drummer in my last band put it forward as a possible cover but, alas no other takers. Sly was definitely an innovator and wrote some cracking toons! Probably the third most sampled artist after James Brown and George Clinton.

Plus spliff and juggling balls! 😆 After getting interested in the Ozrics I started listening to Gong and Hawkwind, the OTs must be a gateway into 'head music'. There was an electronic side project of Ozrics called Eat Static that was pretty good too.

Neither Rolo or Rollo...it was Roly 🤦🏻‍♂️

When I heard Pungent Effulgent for the 1st time I got obsessed with the Ozrics. Loved the basslines and the sound of the bass...was it Rolo or Rollo? I was definitely channeling my inner crusty at that point, I had the Ozrics' PE on one side of a C90 cassette and A Weapon Called The Word on the other!

What Thing? I missed it (I might've popped out for a bit 🤷🏻‍♂️)

Bruno Mars...what era is he from? I'll hear a tune of his for the 1st time on the radio and in my mind I'm saying "it's 80s/70s/ a Police tune but I've not heard it before" Throws me every time. Hate him 🤣

I was in a function band and the singer suggested 'Betcha By Golly Wow' as a possible cover...this met with all round derision, including yours truly. When that band imploded, the singer asked me to join his soul band and I did. 'Betcha' was on the set list (and often announced at gigs as the greatest song ever written!). I think my initial dislike for the song was a little hasty as it became something I looked forward to playing. When everything clicked with the band it sounded great (onstage anyway, gawd knows what the punters thought of it!). Sometimes it was so good that you felt an afterglow among the band, a combined experience...almost felt like lighting up a post coital ciggy 😊 Anyway that's my experience of a cover I didn't (initially) like.

Quite a phenomenon back in '93, I went to the 1st Phoenix Festival and Jamiroquai were in the Jazz tent. There was a big crowd all trying to get into this marquee so we didn't get to see Jamiroquai, just sat outside and listened 🤷🏻‍♂️ Jay Kay story. My ex Bro-in-law was part of the catering team at the Brit Awards one year. They were finished and started clearing up and Jay Kay was the only 'star' to come by and thank them for the spread. Not saying he's brilliant or owt, just saying what I heard.

That's a pretty good week and I've listened to those albums many times (Quest's TLET being the current fave but wearing my BSSM tee shirt today for some reason!). But... Jellyfish's Bellybutton and Dread Zeppelin's Un-Led-Ed released in the same week in July '90... Absolutely ffffffflipping brilliant, both albums! In the same week, I kid you not 😃

Friday night was my last gig with the Flotonics, the photos are from soundcheck. It was a birthday party on a farm (hence the trailer stage and outbuilding backdrop 😃). I followed Google maps directions getting there, luckily I drive a pickup truck! The tarmac quickly vanished when I turned onto 'duck street', I didn't see many ducks but plenty of geese, chickens, pheasants and partridges on the dirt track. The set up was a rectangular patch of grass surrounded three sides by farm buildings. Hog Roast, horsebox bar, couple of fire pits and bales to sit on...right up my farm track! (That doesn't sound right 😆). It was the new guitarist's 1st gig and he sounds great, it was good to meet him and play alongside him. Hopefully I'll get to play with him again soon, I'm still going to dep when needed. The actual gig was beset with one major problem...the singer had a cold and we only managed about a dozen tunes over two sets! Shame that my last gig was a damp squib! I'm going to miss playing with these great musicians and I've certainly learnt a lot and improved as a bassist and as a human I guess. I'm looking forward to the next project whatever that is, I haven't decided yet!

This weekend I played my last two public gigs with the soul band (work and family life pressures mean that the gigging has to stop for a bit ☹️) Sunday the five piece played the New Inn, Amesbury and that was a fun gig. Bit strange being put into a cubby hole corner of the pub but it was probably the best place to set up in the bar. The band played great as usual 😎, seems a shame to leave when we're so slick right now. Early on some young drunk wanted to play drums (is there always a drunk drummer or singer at pub gigs?) Monday night we played the Bridge Inn, Upper Woodford (not far from Sting's lil' country mansion). This was their inaugural weekend of live music in the beautiful setting of the green opposite the pub. This is a rural location next to the river and just tractors, pick up trucks and 4x4s driving past the pub! For this gig we had the horns so there was 8 of us and the band sounds effing awesome once you add brass (plus they are so funny, horn humour!). The night was great, the sound on stage was superb, the crowd were fantastic (we always get people up dancing). I could hear my little Barefaced cab stack so clearly so when my fingers were feeling sore I could reign it in a bit. I'm a player who ' digs in' but with 36 soul and funk tunes to play, that's gonna hurt! One more gig to go but this one was quite emotional for me, last with the horns and Chris on guitar (he's the new bass player but can't play the next gig)... I kept it together well, got a big hug from Dave the drummer, we've been locked together tight on stage since he joined, the perfect drummer for me. Sorry for the long, rambling post but I'm gonna miss playing the best basslines ever with the bestest bunch of musicians I've ever played with 😭

Ah yeah... I saw that advertised on Instagram...loads of gigs in and around Salisbury on the bank holiday, we played two gigs and the crowds seem bang up for it...live music is back 👍

Not the Winnie Gate was it? They love Ska there.