markmcclelland

Star Trekking was great fun at the time - I was 14 so plead mitigation - but I can't believe anyone suggested covering it. If you absolutely have to do a novelty song there must be a ton of better alternatives. This actually seems relatively obscure. You have my sympathies, especially as it seemed such a balls to learn. No no and just no. With any luck, audiences will show their displeasure and it can be quietly dropped. This can happen with some of the best intentioned song choices so you might just get away with it.

I won't chuck too much in as it could be a bit overwhelming. Here's a bit of catchup. [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I get a paying gig for an act that doesn't exist and a band I've not yet joined book me in for their show. And that's only the start of this crazy entry.[/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-391/"]https://marksdiaries.../12/19/day-391/[/url] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]With that, The Insiders is born. A new acoustic professional duo now with a name and its first booking. Let's do this thing. [/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-395/"]https://marksdiaries.../12/19/day-395/[/url] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The Jam Jar Jam begins to take shape and there's a West End theatre [/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]visit with Monica who provided me with a floor to sleep on in those traumatic early days in London. [/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-398/"]https://marksdiaries.../12/19/day-398/[/url] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I get a great visit from SBLer Andy and then go out music shopping only to end up playing at the open mic in the shop.[/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-404/"]https://marksdiaries.../12/19/day-404/[/url] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The first night of the Jam Jar Jam, the first murmurings about getting this thing up on Wordpress and first visit to the O2 arena. We'll call this post First. [/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-407/"]https://marksdiaries.../12/19/day-407/[/url]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1484146687' post='3213031'] Haven't had an update on here in a while.... All good i hope [/quote] Thanks for the concern mate. Yep. All good. Stylon said it all there. I've just got it sorted out and will be posting a ton of stuff here soon enough. [quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1484148018' post='3213049'] Yeah, Mark has continued updating it on his website, but he hasn't been on basschat because a bad ad was creating popups that were triggering his anti-virus, and he thought it best to stay away. S.P. [/quote] Yep. There you go. Thanks a lot for clearing that up while I was away and couldn't get on here.

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I get offered my own jam session and a better paid bar job. Then there's a bit of middle of the night drama. [/font][/color] [url="https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-385/"]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-385/[/url]

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] A so called festival gig is a big letdown but another project might just be emerging. And there's a surprise I really could have done without in a phone call from work. [/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-377/[/font][/color]

[color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]This is the hundredth Wordpress entry of the Diaries. Today it's why I gave up journalism. Or rather, why journalism gave up me.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-376/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

[color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]Just lots of activity in bassworld in this one. Projects are suddenly popping up all over the place[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-371/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

Hey mate. Thanks a lot for checking in and letting me know. It really is there for people to hop on anytime they want. Here's the latest but it might take you a while to get to it. [color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]When the band you're auditioning for goes with you to the jam session you know it's gone well. There's also the tiniest spark of another new project when some friends come to a different session a few days later.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-368/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]A possible new cover band but I hit this one hard with what I expect, my first appearance at Leicester Square's The Spice of Life and one year completed in London. I assess what's happened, and include a few little bits I didn't write about at the time.[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-361/[/font][/color]

[color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]When the boss says work's brutal then it truly is. In the middle of it all, SBL's Kevin drops by and tells me to remember why I came to London. Somehow I remember this and fit some great music dates in there too. And I receive a correction on a redundancy package. From 1999.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-342/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

[color=#4B4F56][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]When Monday becomes Friday. And great and unexpected meetups with friends at two different jam sessions[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#4B4F56][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-336/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

This is why listening to everything and knowing how aware each individual is is important and as it's your job to link the rhythm with the melody, when something goes wrong with one of them, I'm sorry but it's your job to keep it together. Ploughing on and ignoring it or letting them suffer is like a footballer refusing to chase a bad pass or a rugby player refusing to pick up the ball after someone's fumbled it. You're a team. It's stuff like that that makes it so. A and B both have their place but it's making that decision in a split second, or even automatically that's the key. The balls is that when things do go wrong, it can often be the bass player that the audience looks at but that's just part of the gig. What can be very effective though, and seamless, is to leave a note hanging and pick up on the next kick or snare. Maybe then play the same phrase the second time round so it sounds deliberate. The rhythm may have dropped for a split second but the bass didn't. There's no real way of practicing this though and especially not at home with recorded music for obvious reasons. It just comes with experience and communication.

[color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]Little connections keep being made. Who knows where one of them might one day lead? And it continues after a wonderful night at The Blues Kitchen.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-323/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1476093104' post='3151096'] Interesting to learn the origin of your profile picture! S.P. Cheers Mr Stylon [/quote][quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1476103489' post='3151259'] Next time smile! [/quote] There was a next time and I didn't smile. Sorry. Next next time then.

[color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]Paul comes to London for a visit and I discover The Costa Blanca Diary led directly to the opportunity for the London move.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-315/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

Fair enough and noted. Thanks for that little editorial. Not remembering completely, but it makes sense to me that I wrote it like that deliberately so as to not throw James under the bus for telling tales out of school as he probably shouldn't have let me peek behind that particular curtain.

Yep. All agreed with. It completely ruined the spirit of the jam and what it was and I still haven't been back. I've also met people since who'd stopped going as they felt, like me, it had lost the vibe it had. And does it come across as my theory? Actually that's what James told me. And also another thing you're right about between the lines. Yes, you want things to move about in a timely fashion, but by their very nature, jams are not slick and seamless. They are, and should be, very seamful. As for David, to be fair, he had nothing to do with it and was actually a little embarrassed by it all and was the first to say something to me when the night was over. I had absolutely no problem with him at all so he was fully able to borrow away. He had his own bass anyway. It's just that mine was there, set up and ready to go.

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] Two entries today. I managed to miss the last one. Too much to cover so I'll just let you get on with it.[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] But this happens with the wonderful Freddie McVintage: [/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ZUsNEtcHA&feature=youtu.be [/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] Check out 5:45 for an unexpected bass solo.[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-308/[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-313/[/font][/color]

There you go. Yeah, there's really nothing can do about the transport right now so I have to go with what I have. As I said a while ago to someone, I don't think it was you, but the alternative would be to not to try to do anything. But yes. Having your own car is a pretty major requirement but like I've proved here, it is possible to get to and from just about any London gig and provide all my own gear. Meanwhile, here's this and the freakiest incident in the Diaries so far. [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] Among other things, the coda.[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-298/[/font][/color]

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] I do a massive favour at work to earn the brownie points, hit a new jam session, have a very frustrating Omater rehearsal and Diary favourite Kevin turns up and with a nice and very practical surprise. All that and I discover why practice has been a little difficult lately - a cracked elbow bone.[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-288/[/font][/color]

That's my first chuckle of the day. Thanks for that.

A happier ending would have been him deciding to be reasonable and us then conquering Bluesland London but I know what you mean and yes. Thankyou very much for the thoughts. I think I've had more reaction to this episode than any other. But keep your eyes open. There's a coda coming.

[color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]So after that total fiasco, what's next? I have no idea. Meanwhile, off bass stuff continues and it's all happening.[/font][/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] [font=inherit]https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/day-278/[/font][/font][/font][/color]

[quote name='Luulox' timestamp='1474295494' post='3136894'] Well he sounded a bit intense, who does he think he is? Robbie Williams?? I think you are best out of it Mark. [/quote] Cheers mate. I would say that's the general consensus but it's actually the only thing people have been saying. Took me by surprise a little because I thought there would have been some negative reaction - throwing away an opportunity or the like, especially after everything I'd done to get such an opportunity. But no. Been all positive and supportive and a lot have said they wouldn't have got that far. [quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1474289698' post='3136823'] Ahhh shame. I like the juicy bits [/quote] Sorry. I do exercise discretion when talking about other people, especially things people tell me, and I had to respect that for John too. But I think everything I did write was fair game.

You're absolutely right mate. And keep an eye out for the coda which happened exactly a month later so it should pop up on Wordpress in a week or two. And believe me, this was a rare case of me leaving quite a lot out of the story. I could have gone quite a lot further in what I actually told but held back a little.