super al

I love the look of that ibanez bass. Does it sound and play as good as it looks @Naigewron ?

Btw welcome 😸

Do I have to wait another 20 years to offload my '87 Marlin Slammer at vintage prices?

18 hours ago, Bluewine said:

That's exactly what I'm talking about 

Thing is, alot of the time that band member that needs the money is never told that paying gigs were cancelled due to scheduling conflicts with band members that were booked with other bands.

Again for me, if members of a band are in other gigging bands, I want no part of that.

Blue

From experience (I live near a small city) the good and the great musicians are nearly always in two or more bands. The singer's other band has five members, three of them have another band that takes precedence over date clashes.

They manage to fulfill their bookings by having deps come in (myself included). For a pub band playing a 2 hour set for £250 they seemed better organized than our function band! Rehearsals were amazing, all the set (28 songs) in two and a half hours then down the pub. That's how it should be 😁

30 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

I'm a one band guy, if a band doesn't have paying gigs at least once a week I would never join.

I would think being in multiple bands only works if none of the bands gig very much otherwise I would think there would be a lot of schedule conflicts.

As a matter of fact, for those interested in gigging and dare I say "making money" and your auditioning, you might want to ask if any of the members are in other bands.

Blue

We had problems in our function band with the singer already booked up for a lot of weekends with his other band. We didn't realise how busy his other band were until he put his 'unavailable dates' in the calendar. It didn't help that the keyboard player seemed to be on holiday all the time too although we did have a dep available for him.

I've learnt a lot about how a function band should work (and get work!) just from being in a non functioning function band 😂 

Tis indeed. In this age of the internet I've discovered that just getting out there and playing with a smile on your face can get you as much work as having a slick website, flash video and a nice suit.

Our drummer and keys player both refuse to lower themselves to play pubs yet the singer's other band play good time soul music to anyone who will listen, guess which band hasn't played since November 4th last year and which band plays most weekends?

Not frustrated at all😡

On 08/10/2018 at 15:50, Russ said:

I met Stu and Derrick (drummer) back in the late 90s, when I was helping out on the technical side of a Sony commercial Jay Kay was shooting. Lovely blokes. Got some nice bass kudos going with Stu, talking about Jaco and Larry Graham. 

But JK was a knob. I knew it from the second he roared into the place, in his souped-up AMG Merc. The Sony guys brought him a Winnebago to use as a changing room (everyone else we'd had there, including Premiership footballers, were happy to change in the bogs), he'd only talk to my boss, not us other peons and generally came across as an arrogant, overly-entitled man-child. 

An ex brother in law is a chef and worked at the Brits one year. The staff were finishing up afterwards and JK was the only star to go out of his way to say thanks for the great food!

I have the image of JK as a bit of git but maybe he has his nicer moments (you just need to feed him properly 😂).

I was a Gil Scott Heron fan and when Emergency came out I was into that straight away. Loved SZ's bass playing, just a great funky groove in every tune. Learnt a few of the lines by myself which gave me confidence in my own ability at the time (the bass being very prominent in the mix helped!).

After Emergency came out I went to the Phoenix Festival and Jamiroquai were playing the jazz tent. Never actually saw them, the tent was rammed so we stood outside and listened! One of those rare bookings where the artist goes stratospheric in the intervening weeks. Ah, my carefree days in the early 90s, I miss them sometimes 👴

15 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

We can't control the behaviors of others.

Blue

That's true Blue but I don't really tut and roll my eyes, that's our drummer's job 😁

47 minutes ago, ead said:

Strengths - I would like to think that I'm reliable, have good gear, learn new tunes in time for rehearsals, play sober (but enjoy a post gig beer)

Weaknesses - Can't slap, can't sing, rubbish at soloing, still can't get the hang of 5ers

Quite like super al in many ways.  There's a fighting change we may even share a Christian name....

Never been a big fan of my Christian name, so glad when peeps starting calling me big al and super al. Dyslexics tend to think I'm anal (OK,OK, I'm getting my coat. Apologies to dyslexics)

Strengths - Any new covers we do I listen to the song, learn it and then practice it until my fingers bleed. I hate being the guy who turns up for rehearsal and stops the song halfway through to ask "how does that bit go again". I prefer to tut and roll my eyes 😎.

- I got pretty decent lightweight, small rig so my set up and take down time is pretty quick and I don't take up half the stage (I usually have time to help the drummer carry his case of doom)

Weaknesses - BVs, I'm rubbish at them. Any hints and tips would be welcome, I'm trying to learn at the mo.

- I can't read music

- I don't solo very well (drums stop, very bad...)

Overall - A solid, ok-ish, no frills bass player...any takers?

8 hours ago, Cicero said:

Back in the early 80s the Chili's did a good cover version of Sly and The Family Stone's If You Want me to stay:

Same album, they also did a cover of The Meter's Africa, but renamed to Hollywood... They were produced by George Clinton at the time 😎

 

Ah, the Chilis. I remember watching a pre BSSM Chilis on a Jonathan Ross chat show doing Foxy Lady (I think!), Flea played the entire song hanging upside down!!!

As for myself, I love playing a quirky cover version. I was in a covers band who played most songs as per the original artist but for an encore we did 'I can see clearly now' in a punk style complete with Sex Pistols intro. Totally ruined a great song but the audience always seemed happy!

A couple of bassists from my neck of the woods are in Edinburgh.

You'll miss Grant Sharkey who's playing the Edinburgh fringe right now. He's a one man show of both comedy and music with a heavy dose of politics. About 5 years ago he threatened to go full time musician and release 2 albums a year for the next 20, so far he's kept to that threat 😁.

T'other southern softie bassist is Dan from Hans Klammer. They're an Edinburgh based band who's influences are Can, Neu and Sigur Ros among others.

Good luck with the move, been to Edinburgh a few times, lovely city.

3 words that, when put together, strike me with fear "trace elliot commando".

Never had a knob like that on mine though, red too, that's not very Trace!

On 20/07/2018 at 19:12, White Cloud said:

Great post.

For me "Masques" by Brand X is tops. Percy Jones playing is hugely expansive, influential and undoubtedly had a meaningful affect upon Mick Karns development.

... I wouldn't disagree with any of the other opinions offered thus far. Jaco was obviously a monster on "Heavy Weather" by Weather Report.

 

I'm a big fan of WRs Heavy Weather but for me Percy Jones with Brand X top the fretless bill (I've got the 4 CD set Nuclear Burn so can't decipher which album is best!). 

You want to get yourself one of those envelope filters.

Then step aboard the Mothership and suck up all that is Funkadelic, Parliament, George Clinton, Bootsy...

When you come back down to earth, nothing will ever be the same again😎.

9 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I had to spend some time in the car over the weekend and thought I'd try and give Jeff Buckley's Grace album another punt.  I've actually owned this album twice...I lent out both and never got them back, so this time it was a Spotify affair.  I don't think I've ever listened to the album all the way through.

I got to three tracks of his cat-wailing and had to turn it off; even my wife asked, 'What the hell is this rubbish?' and she likes Beck, so her calling something rubbish is high praise indeed.  I'd imagine the five star reviews and 'critically acclaimed' tag may have been altered following his drowning, but man alive, it's a terrible, disjointed album.

I used to love Grace and listened to it many a time. Whenever I scroll through the iPod these days I'll stop on Jeff Buckley and ponder for a second or 2 then think "Nah, Jellyfish and Jim White are nearby and deserve a listen". 

So poor old Grace gets overlooked on a "J" day

Another depping gig with The Flotonics from Amesbury. Same venue as before, The Duck Inn, Laverstock.

Thoroughly enjoyable gig playing Motown and soul music. Not a big crowd but The Flos always attract a few of Salisbury's muso crowd. Tich from Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich was there watching. Word must be getting around about my bass playing😂

I love that 1st Dread Zeppelin album, the novelty never wears off in my opinion.

I heard a rumour that Cher is going to tour with a Cher tribute act. The tour is called 'Cher and Cher alike'.

I'll get my coat 😂

11 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Wicked tunes...if these don't get people dancin' you may want to check their pulses...

 

 

Definitely Uptight, great bassline (I got told off for not getting the intro right at rehearsal, extra homework that night )

Al Green's Take Me To The River seemed to go down well which surprised me. The band were playing the Talking Heads version and I was playing the AG bass line. I was depping and I assumed a soul band would play the original but it went well!

They started with Sweet Soul Music which set the tone rather well. Ending with a couple of James Brown tunes, Papa's... And I Feel Good.

Loads of Otis and Stevie in between and plenty of dancing including a conga during Love Train!!!

Just done my 1st depping job. Had the luxury of 4 months to learn 30 soul tunes and had 5 rehearsals with the band in that time.

The regular bassist plays guitar in other bands mostly and I thought his style was very melodic with some neat fills so big boots to try on for a one off gig. I lived and breathed the material from the off, listening to original recordings and the band's versions of some of the tunes and practising as often as I could (dad of 2 young boys who think 'sleep' is a dirty word).

I played it in my style and the band were very complimentary and surprised at how different a lot of the tunes sounded. I think I added some 'funky' to their soul and they appreciated that. I took a lot of confidence from a job well done too!

My advice would be listen to the songs and learn them inside out. Then give a solid performance that serves the songs, nowt flashy. Oh and make sure you ask what the guys wear on stage, you don't want stand out 

14 hours ago, DorsetBlue said:

I lived in Wilton for many years.  My Wilton Middle School head teacher used to live in Broad Chalke (might well still do but he must be getting on a bit) and I used to go to Wilton Youth Band practices there.

I think Wilton has high concentration of bassists then. On our road alone I've seen 3 other bass players.

The middle school is in the next road to ours and is now a Plymouth Brethren school. 2 doors up from us are a couple of retired teachers from the school. When we 1st moved here I saw the giant Jim'll fix it badge but that has gone now!!! (Apparently the only giant badge given out by JS). I think the youth band are still going, we get a brass band going street to street every Christmas!

No Toyah Wilcox though (thought I'd mention her to keep this post 'on thread' )

2 hours ago, DorsetBlue said:

She used to live in Broad Chalke (not far from where Sir Terry Pratchett used to live). She once stuck her 'V's up at my Father in Law.  Broad Chalke isn't really posh BTW, although they like their WW2 festival.

Thanks DorsetBlue, I'm not far from Broad Chalke in Wilton. Terry Pratchett and William Golding I seem to remember lived there. We went to the History Fest in its last year at Ebbesbourne, lots of very heavy downpours and Roman soldiers marching through the mud in sandles, it was like a Carry On film.

My 1st gig of the year was on Saturday night depping for the Flotonics. Their singer is our function band's ex singer and asked me to dep about 4 months back. It's been 4 months of slowly absorbing 30 old skool soul numbers.

The 2 rehearsals leading up to the gig impressed me. The guitarist has a cellar full of equipment so you just bring your instrument and plug in (drummer has the choice of 2 kits). We rattled through 28 tunes in about 2hrs and then chat over a pint in the pub. No other band I've been in has that work rate.

Gig itself was in Laverstock just outside Salisbury. Nice, friendly boozer but with a hen night on as well (mmm...pub rates with a party going on!). During soundcheck one of the party seemed very drunk and started making herself known to the band, telling us to keep playing and asking us "do you know any Queen?" She must've passed out soon after as I didn't see her again all evening.

Once we started the hen party were right there dancing and only stopped for fag breaks and the bit where the hen kisses/gropes/tries to purloin a pair of pants from a punter. Odd venue for a hen do but in the end they were our crowd and enjoyed it most, everyone else just watched.

1st gig playing 5 string (ibanez sr1205), 1st gig depping. Very good musicians so I really worked hard for this gig. Drummer Ley was in a band signed to CBS in the early 70s and you could tell, his drumming was some of the best I've had the pleasure of laying down a groove to. Singer is ex pro too. Guitarist and keys are of equally high standard with fantastic BVs. They seemed to enjoy my take on some of the basslines and were very complimentary (I hope they weren't just being nice).

Anyway, job done. I'm happy, punters were happy, rest of band happy. Looking forward to their bassist dropping out again .

25 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Excellent documentary, what a player. Spitting image of Nigel Tufnel as well.

Sadly not in the documentary, declined to be interviewed as they fell out years ago over that hairstyle.

Talking of hair, as my hair drops off the back of my head I'm a great admirer of old rockers and their barnets. Ronnie and Rod's hairstyles caught the eye, cool old geezers