TrevorR

And a couple of other faves I forgot…

Here’s some Spotify links to my suggestions…

My current faves are…

The Greedies - A Merry Jingle (3/5 of Lizzy + 50% Pistols)

 Mannheim Steamroller

Thea Gilmore - That’ll Be Christmas 

The Barenaked Ladies - Santa Sabbath (basically a festive version of War Pigs!!!!!!)

Marillion - Carol of the Bells

On 15/12/2025 at 23:40, Cosmo Valdemar said:

 

Ultimate kudos for suggesting the ‘Slips! Love this song! So I’ll add a winter (if not Xmas) one too…

26 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

Best is a Harley Benton mahogany bass uke and a set of the Galli-Kala flats for it.

I take it everywhere as it lives in the car. I'm playing and learning 10x more now. Best £150 all in I've ever spent.  As a very busy dad of 2 with autism, It's really made a huge difference to my overall mental health. My fam is reaping the benefits too as I'm a much less frustrated and now happier daddio these days 👍

That’s so good! And it’s important too. It an be  a slog and wearing, can’t it. I know that it has been with our lad.

Running late again on updates. Lovely communion service on Sunday night with a nice mix of carols and choruses. The set list for the service was:

• Great Things
• Holy Forever
• Make Room
   
• Seasons (piano and vocals)
• Communion - by Brooke Ligertwood, lovely song with some nice alternating 4:4 / 3:4 bars in the chorus for a wee bit of prog worship!!  
   
• Mary Did You Know - modelled a bit after the Mary J Blige version
• Trust In God

I do enjoy playing the Phil Wickham songs - they seem to encourage me to break out the plectrum as that just kinda sounds right for the rhythms in the bass. Not a very regular pick player but it just seems to work in the context of his tunes. Seasons is a lovely song with interesting words. We decided during the rehearsal before the service that it would be nice really stripped back so was just piano and vocals in the end. 

Mary Did You Know was  fun too. Such a gentle mellow song, and again lyrics that capture the mystery of the Christmas story. We later funked it up as an outro instrumental after the end of the service. It was doubly good as we had a sax player for this week. Cool. And of course, the church was looking nice and Christmassy, which complemented the vibe very nicely!!! My Sandberg VM4 was my trusty companion for the service. Love that bass!!!!!

It’s been a bit of a jam-tastic week… Last Thursday was the third Country & Roots Jam near me. After the last one, a couple of guys asked if I fancied pulling together a few songs for this Jam. Nice to be making some local connections as I’ve been out of the local scene for years. We ended up playing the Luke Combs of Fast Car (which is nigh on  identical to the original!), a tune called Jersey Giant and a version of Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors in a country style (thte singer had found an AI version on YouTube and we based it on that). Lots of fun.

I also played on a couple of other tunes too - Me & Bobby McGhee and another one I can’t recall now.  Here’s a couple of vids…

And last night was the last Monday Night Jam of the year over in Woking , so it took on a decidedly Christmassy feel, of course. I got roped in to play on a couple of tunes… Driving Home For Christmas and Fairytale Of NewYork which was good fun, if a wee bit ropey here and there.

However, I’d colluded with a few chums to sing a “Christmassy” version of a Black Sabbath tune - “War Pigs (In Blankets)”, if you like!).   I heard it when I downloaded The Barenaked Ladies’ Christmas Album last year and decided that I HAD to do it at this year’s Christmas Jam. So a festive version of  “War Pigs” . See what you think (I’m no lead vocalist…)

No “worst” and no contest for absolute BEST for me - my Sandberg VM4 in Marley Blue bought in January. I just love this bass. In fact, it’s pretty much kept both my Wals securely tucked up in their cases all year. In fact, it’s so good, I’ve got a Superlight on order which will hopefully make it onto next year’s thread!!!

On 24/11/2025 at 15:59, Lozz196 said:

Just got myself this little beauty today. Had been looking for a 7-pounder (or under) and this came up at exactly 7lbs. Although it’s heavier than my Superlight TT I’m finding that playing full scale basses standing up is becoming a bit of a stretch hence my search.
 

Got it from Guitar Village, my first time of dealing with them which I have to say was excellent. 

Sounds and plays beautifully, as I’d expect. I’m not really into fake relicing or blocks but somehow these just seem to really suit this bass. 

I just glanced at that as I scrolled past and for all the world it looked like a teeny tiny Sandberg bass in Lozz’s HUGE hand!!!! 🤦‍♂️

On 24/11/2025 at 22:11, martthebass said:

Can’t go wrong with a Lionel Loz.

Very very nice! Enjoy!

Unexpectedly saw The Australian Pink.Floyd Show last night when a chum offered me his wife's ticket as she got herself double booked.

Have to say that they put on a cracking show,  including the whole of Wish You Were Here - which is my fave Floyd album.

On 21/11/2025 at 19:09, Al Nico said:

I may have mis-remembered? Sorry if I'm getting things mixed up.

From memory, the Bass Sniper used to be called the Bass Canon, until Flux Pavilion released his single of the same name on 19th March 2011.

Phallic moves are not so well known. unlike more conventional and popular moves you may have used yourself such as the Bus Wiper, where  the neck is swayed vertically from high to low at medium pace, or with intermittent regular stops at the top.

 

Is that similar to the “Bass Tommy Gun” - so beloved of Phil Lynott? I’m not sure there are official records of the number of audience members killed or badly injured during Thin Lizzy shows because of this. This move may have been less precise and targeted but sprayed significantly more charisma across whole sections of the audience.

Bass Sniper:

Bass Tommy Gun:

48 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

You always need a back up tho and then a back up for the back up. I'd keep the 3 of them. 🤩

Dave

Wise words!

On 04/11/2025 at 10:18, Lozz196 said:

Do Aria Pros come in l/h, if so would prob be my starting point, however the white pickguard/pickup covers/knobs & gold hardware would def "eighties" up your Precision.

That would be my vote! Love my SB700!

One from earlier in this year at the regular Monday Night Jam I go to. Having fun grooving to the Ceelo Green/Live at Darryl’s House version of I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do). Can you tell I love my new Sandberg?

9 hours ago, tauzero said:

I'd managed to gouge a chunk of skin out of my right middle fingertip

Ouch! Hope it heals up soon.  Reminds me of when I put a scissor blade right through the fleshy part of my right thumb a week before doing a college musical which included 3 slap songs! Still got the entry wound scar 40 years later.

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I got the confidence to jam during covid. I would put on Planet Rock and try and play along to every song. Not aiming for perfectionn just in tune, in time and try to get the right feel.

That’s a good approach and really helps develop the ear. It was, after all, how the old fogies among us like me learned - playing along to the radio or to records. 

6 hours ago, rwillett said:

I also have a crap ear for hearing and am in awe of people who can listen to a tune and work out the chords as they go. I can't do that and suspect I never will. I'm doing a song writing course in Kendal and the lady who teaches it can listen to a piece of music and then just play it…

There’s absolutely a degree of innate skill involved there but a lot can be achieved by practice ad studying the right things - over time, of course!  And being thrown into the deep end at something like a jam really sharpens up the skills and focuses the mind!! 🤣  When I was in my 20s I would play in the worship band at church, led by a friend of mine on acoustic guitar. He was quite disorganised and rarely knew what songs we were going to play until the Sunday morning. Often he didn’t know what songs he was going to do next during the service and wouldn’t necessarily start them up with the correct chords or in the right key. So I had to learn to busk/jam along early on and me and the keys player spent many services squinting at his left hand to work out the key and chords!

Also, learning to play songs from chord sheets was helpful in terms of working out how to link notes and chords together on the fly.

In terms of learning and developing skills, the things that were really the lightbulb moments for me were…

1. Learning the major and minor scales and, in particular the shapes related to them on the fretboard, 
2. Learning and getting an innate feel for what different intervals sounded like - third, fourth, fifth, major and minor sevenths - that just takes lots of practice and repetition, but the BIG one was…
3. Understanding the harmonised major and minor scales and how they related to common song chord structures. That is (not sure how much folk have looked at this) understanding how the standard chords in a particular key are made up from notes of that scale and that the pattern of major / minor chords is the same across different keys. Knowing that, for most mainstream rock/pop, if you’re in the key of G, the most likely chords to come up are G major, A minor, B minor, C major and D major really - or if you’re in A then it’s A major, B minor, C# minor, D major and E major - really helps navigate the way through a song you’re not familiar with. And of course, that’s where the understanding of intervals helps identify the next chord.
4. Starting to understand the commonly used chord patterns was a huge thing when combined with the above. Al the last country jam I ended up playing a few songs I’d not heard before and it was really helpful when the guitarist said, “It’s a simple 1 -4-2-5 in G…” (i.e. G major, C major, A minor, D major) and I immediately had a mental roadmap for the notes I should be aiming for to begin with. 

4 hours ago, ezbass said:

Any updates?

I was  just wondering that.

They were bloomin’ brilliant, weren’t they! Such a fun sounding band. And I can attest to how good Lee’s old Fender sounded through the Kemper. He was using at the gig they did at Pizza Express Live last year too. Nice little setup for a very bijou stage.

On 08/11/2025 at 07:34, NancyJohnson said:

Public Service Broadcasting (with The London Contemporary Orchestra) at The Barbican.  1st November, evening show.  3rd row.  Just splendid.

 

The current tour is supporting their Last Flight album, with a few older crowd pleasers side loaded in.

 

I've seen this band evolve from a two piece to a five (which expanded at various times when a three-piece horn section came out), and now again - albeit for a limited time - with the orchestra.  I'd love to sit down with J Willgoose Esg (the chap in the courdroy and bowtie) and try to understand how his stage set-up actually works.  

 

 

 

I love this band. They are so, so good. Saw them at one of the Last Flight album launch gigs last year and at the Proms doing their concept piece about the history of the BBC and (obvs) Public Service Broadcasting. Their stage set-up is stunning and, I guess why one of the five members, Mr B, just focuses onstage on the AV elements of the show.

I originally popped this in the wrong thread so…

Big Horizon were fantastic at Pizza Express Live - Holborn in London last night. A lovely evening of Yacht Rock, 70s West Coast pop tinged music. These guys are absolutely top of their game (which explains why the spend most of their time backing megastars on tour - ELO, Take That and many more). Great set, great playing and what a fabulous voice Iain Hornal has! They did a couple of Jeff Lynne’s tunes (an obscure ELO one - Four Little Diamonds, and Handle With Care by The Traveling Willburys). As Jeff Lynne’s backing band for the last 10 years, they paid tribute to him and the unfortunate way the tour ended with him being too unwell to continue to his big Hyde Park retirement gig. Wonderful evening!

Lee Pomeroy was a highlight, of course but watching him mangles my brain because all the strings and fingers are in the wrong place. Fab to see Gary PB and Costas there too!

Oops, just realised, wrong thread!

Before @cetera jumps in… Big Horizon were fantastic at Pizza Express Live - Holborn in London last night. A lovely evening of Yacht Rock, 70s West Coast pop tinged music. These guys are absolutely top of their game (which explains why the spend most of their time backing megastars on tour). Great set, great playing and what a fabulous voice Iain Hornal has! They did a couple of Jeff Lynne’s tunes (an obscure ELO one - Four Little Diamonds, and Handle With Care by The Traveling Willburys). As Jeff Lynne’s backing band for the last 10 years, they paid tribute to him and the unfortunate way the tour ended with him being too unwell to continue to his big Hyde Park retirement gig. Wonderful evening!

Lee Pomeroy was a highlight, of course but watching him mangles my brain because all the strings and fingers are in the wrong place. Fab to see Gary PB and Costas there too!

I guess that I’ve been a bit derelict in my duty of keeping y’all up to date with how things are going on the worship team… well, I guess I’m now officially on the worship rotation, playing two evening services a month - the first and last. It’s with two different worship leaders with quite different styles. One leads from the grand piano while the other brings his own Nord keyboard to lead from. They both choose a nice range of choruses, drawing from more contemporary stuff but some oldies and oldies, which is great. The “cult of the new” in worship gets kinda tiring and there are many fantastic songs which were written ages ago. I like the mix. 

It’s our local(ish) Anglican church and the evening services is more of a modern format with just the band leading worship. Morning is a family-based service, again with a worship band and the traditional, organ-led hymnal stuff is done at a 9AM traditional service. 

The bands are similar - leader on keys/piano, a couple of singers, bass, drums acoustic guitar and occasional other instruments - in particular a saxophonist. All a really nice bunch. There are a couple of other leaders but I think they mostly play the morning family services. It’s hard for us to get to those as we’re ferrying our teenage boy to and from his theatre classes on a Sunday morning.

The set list for the 26th October was as follows:

Start

1. I could sing of your love forever (F)

2. Firm Foundation (He Won’t) (C)

3. Hallelujah (Be High and Lifted Up) (Eb)

Response Song

4. New Wine (C)

Communion Songs

5. Trust in God E

6. Only By Grace C

End

7. The Potter's Hand G

8. Living for Your Glory C

The following week, 2nd, it was…

Start

Break Every Chain

Bless God

Waymaker

Response song

I Will Offer Up My Life

Salt & Light

End

Give Us Your Courage 

Worthy

Really looking forward to getting to know everyone better (musically and personally) as I play with them more. Nice to have found a new spiritual home where we feel at ease.

Two separate Jams this last week. A bass player chum has started a monthly Country Jam in Staines which is very convenient for me. It was their second one last Thursday and so I brought my bass along. Got to play quite a few songs - 5 I think - as there was only me and Chloe who were there. Another bass player who had arranged to play couldn’t come along so I got a couple of his.  Fortunately they have a broad definition of “country” which embraces Americana and stretches as far as 70s Fleetwood Mac so it’s not all tassels and stetsons… Though I’d be lying if I said that there weren’t a few who come along suitably attired. The songs I played included Tulsa Time (a blend of Pistol Anni and JJ Cale in style), a Teddy Thompson tune, a rootsy version of “You’re Still the One” and a Chris Stapleton song. Nice atmosphere so I think that it’s going to be a regular one.

Last night was our regular Monday Night Jam in Woking - this time a blues focused night (in the loosest terms, of course). I ended up playing on three songs (She Does It Right - Dr Feelgood, me singing on that one too; Julie London’s jazzy version of Blue Moon and Rory Gallagher’s Bad Penny). I also got asked to sing Fire by Jimi Hendrix (that’s blues, right?) which was a lot of fun.

She Does It Right was a lot of fun. I’ve wanted to do some Feelgoods stuff for ages and this seemed like a good opportunity. Bad Penny suffered from typical jam night issues. The singer seemed to be singing a different version of the tune, different meter/tempo, or maybe a different song (a perennial problem with that singer) - which would have been fine but the guitar player stuck rigidly to the chords sheet he had written down rather than listening to the singer and adapting to what he was singing. I needed to go over and say “He’s still doing the verse again!” and help guide him through. It was still fun to play though. Love that song as it was one of my late brother’s faves.

And can I just say how much I LOOOOOVE my Sandberg. Such a nice bass to play. ❤️

Our next “theme night” is our Christmas one so I have about a month to hatch my dastardly plan - a Christmas version of… WAR PIGS!!!! God bless The Barenaked Ladies.