SpondonBassed

[quote name='alembic1989' timestamp='1496602063' post='3312619'] Had the pleasure of meeting another BC'er to conclude a trade deal today. Doesn't happen a lot, but when it has happened over the years Ive been a member, it's always been a pleasure. Always good to meet the person behind their BC moniker. There's something about bass players that makes them different from g****ists. I think it's the lack of competitiveness and bitchiness. [/quote] You'd enjoy the Bass Bashes then. [quote name='blue' timestamp='1496605453' post='3312656'] If I ever make it to the UK, I'll be looking all of you up... [/quote] Like Len, I say go for it. Derbyshire is highly recommended as a place of interest for tourists. I'd be happy to meet up for a coffee/beer and a chin wag if you are in our area.

As you say Les, it is probably something you can't prevent. You can only manage the situation when it occurs. From your post that sounds infrequent. The pro approach is to never put down or insult a punter for being enthusiastic whether drunk or not. There are exceptions of course; Contains mild swearing - [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8BYgzIEHIY[/media]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1496586557' post='3312473'] Yes, but Howard Goodall could fart into a paper bag and it would still be a great documentary ... [/quote] I believe he favours a bag made of kid leather. Ringo was more easily satisfied. He'd stop at the grocer's for a handful of brown paper bags on the way in to work. If he bumped into Eric Morcambe he'd let him have the used bags for Eric and Ernie's stage act. Raspberry bags forever. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLdx-FEzE0Q[/media]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1496581828' post='3312421'] Not a lot... but there's few things worse than a player who feels they have to play ALL the time. Spaces are good. It's a situation that I'll have to listen to first before really knowing if I'm in 100% or not. [/quote] Sounds like he's going to get an easy ride compared to the rest of the band. Does he not do BVs?

I like a bit of brasswind but I share your doubts over sax in a rock context. Okay for Meatloaf, Springsteen and rock opera generally perhaps but it would seem quite camp elsewhere. What can the sax player do when he isn't blowing? I can't comment as a pub goer but as a muso I'd definitely be a Hmmm, as in "Hmmm, I might check them out and see what that sounds like"

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1489306866' post='3255812'] Not sure if this is the correct sect to post but thought i should mention how good these guys are. 8 piece band incl Bowie. 2 guitarists, bass, drums, 2 kys and sax/gtr player. They covered songs right across Bowie's career from Space Oddity to Blackstar all done to absolute perfection. I've never seen a tribute band get such a warm welcome and they had the audience on their feet dancing almost the full 2nd set. Bass player (Joe Hope) was really good with an interesting style varying between normal fingerstyle and using finger & thumb to a few pick songs and some slap thrown in for good measure. Nothing overkill just good clean bass playing that IMO showed a true competent bassist. Some nice fretless work on some songs. I think he was using a Squire PJ and his fretless looked like a custom Warwick but not sure with TC BH series amp. He had a great sound thru the PA so not sure what his own stage sound was like. Deep low end with clear mids and highs. Fantastic bass runs covering a huge array of Bowie styles. Very versatile. He had a very light touch playing style too and just seemed so relaxed. He was also the main backing vocalist and covered quite a wide vocal range. All in all a great band. Ed Blaney doing the Bowie act was 1st class and i've seen a few of the Bowie tribute acts over last few years but think these guys nailed it all. Well worth a look if you get the chance. Dave [/quote] [quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1496566291' post='3312282'] Spondon Bass, I am the current bassist ( Joe Hope) in Ultimate Bowie. If you are judging the bass playing in the promo video posted on this thread, it shows the [b]previous bassist.[/b] There have been several line up changes since the early video from around 8 years ago ! The drummer, saxophonist and myself have been with UB for around 4 years now. So, it is NOT me in that video. I try to remain as true as possible to the original recordings. I would not dream of overplaying in an 8-piece band ! Hope that has cleared up the confusion. Many thanks to the OP for the nice words. [/quote] Thank you for the update. It appears I was in a state of "confusion" but didn't know it. Dave says "Nothing overkill just good clean bass playing". If you look at the clip, the bass playing is competent but it is definitely a case of overkill, in my opinion, because it is more elaborate than was heard on Bowie's releases of the same tunes. It was a while back but I just realised that I was the one who put up the clip that my criticism was based upon because Dave had not provided a link. For that you deserve an apology. I am sorry. It was honest criticism on my part however so I understand how you might feel slighted given the circumstances. Would you care to put up a link to an example of the band with you in it please? If there is anything else bothering you I am always willing to discuss things.

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496549592' post='3312214'] the guys and gals playing songs THEY wanna play are getting gigs, playing their Rush and Led Zep covers....to three blokes on their own. While the rest are playing poxy Kate Perry and RHCP and Bruno Mars tn bars crowded with dancing girls..... your choice [/quote] Good point. Further to that; I'd like to name my next pear based alcoholic cocktail the Poxy Perry.

I'd like to add that my dislike of online tutoring does not get in the way of my learning from online resources. I just don't sign up or register. As Blue says, there is a wealth of stuff to show you exactly how it's done. There is so much that you often see the same techniques by players of dissimilar abilities and see how experience brings the player on through repetition. I wish I'd had the resource when I was "in the zone" during my early twenties. Had it been so I could have kept the band up as well as the apprenticeship.

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496549789' post='3312215'] dude it was a joke sheesh [/quote] [Insert laugh here] Sorry B, I thought you were going a bit Bart Simpson. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcb4zHBulzk[/media]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1496480730' post='3311744'] Quite right of course, but they're just a lil' ol' Ska band from Essex with no real desire for world domination. Plus, I'm only the dep. I thought it would be a nice touch for when I gig for them. [/quote] I wasn't criticising. I think it's a smashing bit of artwork too. Good for the band's identity. Litigation on the part of Unilever however would give them such publicity that there would be little choice in the matter... they'd become an instant global phenomenon. Quite a clever strategy that. I may use it myself one day. Anyway - what happened to the old expression "The Only Way Is Essex"?

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1496474899' post='3311684'] His paid-for lessons are very significantly better than the earlier clips on YouTube. But what got me with the previous bass giveaways he's done is, he shows the basses to all the current members saying "you can win this". Then, strangely, they all seem to go to new members on a 14-day trial who you never seem to hear of again. [/quote] Yes. It's quite reasonable to expect that. I know that a lot of what I use is just out there as a taster for further tuition on enrolment. On the other hand, I get a wider variety of influence by not tying up my free time with subscriber sites. This place already takes up much of that time! I just can't get exited about competitions, sorry. I never win them so although I [i]could[/i] care less where the prizes end up it would be difficult to try. I lie. At BB4, I won a nice set of strings. You should never trust an old fart.

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496470827' post='3311643'] ...I guess I'm fixing a hole...... [/quote] This is where I'd put a smilie if I didn't think of them as emotional cartoon lemons. Good on you.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1496445174' post='3311577'] It's not a sticker, it's a completely new pickguard made by Tim at Original Scratchplates featuring the logo of a Ska band I dep for. [/quote] One might posit that it is a trade mark for one well known brand that has been humorously altered to become the trade mark for a new brand. I hope Unilever have no issue if Skamite goes global.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1496421127' post='3311333'] I bought 3. Still can't slap to save my life! [/quote] Isn't trying to slap fleas a bit like trying to nail jellies to a picture rail?

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496462902' post='3311617'] ...Punters are stupid, some are even stupid enough to have sex with the bass player [/quote] That's all very well but are they stupid enough to do so while the bass player is shagging a large Grizzly? I really don't want to slag off any punters for being stupid. If you want to use those sorts of terms the fact that they are [i]your[/i] audience means that [i]you[/i] are fuel for that stupidity. If I am shown appreciation, whether it is from a teen who just likes to be in a room where the music is made or a seasoned muso with opinions, I am happy. At the end of the day, punters pay the bills.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1496465774' post='3311623'] You need to remember this is a PR exercise to attract new punters to his Bass lessons academy. So, IMHO these are great basses for someone who is starting at the lower end and learning. [/quote] So far, it hasn't attracted me. I've looked at a few of Scott's clips but Internet tutoring is not for me. I appreciate the value of video clips but I choose not to be a subscriber. Instead I graze on freely available material. In addition I have an affordable mentor locally who helps me sort the chaff from the grain. I am not one for competitions. It would have to be a prize that I am actively in search of at the time of the competition and even then I'd think two or three times about it before entering. On the other hand, I think Scott's Sire give-aways are more relevant prizes to offer his subscribers than I see in a lot of online competitions. Speaking of promotional competitions, I often wondered how folk cope with the bundle that Channel 5's Gadget Show gives away every week. Later competitions feature a period of free storage as one of the prize items. That must be necessary to give "winners" a chance to cope with the mountain of packaging let alone cope with getting familiar with all the stuff that they want you to have in your house!

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496463538' post='3311619'] you made tea come out of my nose [/quote] Glad to be of service. I hope your breakfast is uneventful otherwise. PS; Just read your side panel. My apologies. With the time difference in mind I'd like to change my response; I hope you didn't squirt tea all over the barbie. I hate soggy shrimp.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1496422011' post='3311346'] Absolutely nothing like stalking... [/quote] Of course not.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1496407680' post='3311177'] S'good, and still funny, but parody of the sort can only be produced [i]after [/i]the original, not before, the point being that Sgt Pepper's was there [i]first[/i]. The mockery (and tributes...) came afterwards, when it's too late; [size=5]the ground had already been broken[/size]. There are many pianists that perform some piece or other 'in the style of' Handl, Mozart, Prokofiev then Bartok (other composers are available...). Entertaining, but those composers are still as great, simply because they created their own recognisable style, as did the Beatles in their own domain. [/quote] I thought it was wind that had been broken shortly after Ringo had picked up a large paper bag...? I really like the Rutles. I need my bumps felt.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1496412169' post='3311247'] Bin there. Dun that. I was playing with a Spanish singer-songwriter, experienced musician, good guy. I was on DB and I was really, really struggling with my intonation. It didn't matter how hard I concentrated, I was always off-pitch with his guitar. We played our first gig together and it was the same problem throughout. As a newbie to DB I just assumed naturally it was down to my playing. At the next rehearsal I played with a Korg Pitchblack permanently on so I KNEW I was playing the right notes, and I challenged him instead. We checked our tuners. Mine was set to 440. His was set to 432. He never came up with a convincing explanation for that ... [/quote] There ought to be a topic about that whole 440Hz vs 432Hz thing...

[quote name='NewDad' timestamp='1496403801' post='3311104'] Not long ago, I heard the bass player of a 60s cover band play a whole set with his A string tuned to Bb. It was gut-wrenching to hear (and Waterloo Sunset excruciating). I was about to tell him but realised no one else was noticing. The crowd was dancing, singing along and clapping. Not a furrowed brow in the house. I left it 'til the break. Any similar observations? [/quote] If punters like the sound of Shane McGowan's singing then your tale does not surprise me. [attachment=246506:ShaneMcGowan.png]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1496401156' post='3311067'] And it can also be called networking. Bands have a very short memory so you have to keep your name at the top of the list. [/quote] That's a much friendlier way of putting it. I was interested to hear Blue got his band by this method because a lot of this topic is about a sort of join-by-numbers method of finding your next band that is, frankly, idealistic. I'd say we are likely to be successful in finding a compatible band with a combination of networking and the sorts of checklists suggested by the more experienced players who have collated a representative sample over the years. Personally I favour networking, in real life you understand, but I am in the early stages of it. In the last year I have made a couple of useful contacts and it is encouraging me to continue where previously JMB and the like didn't work for me all that well.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1496397915' post='3311038'] I'll see your Nirvana/Astley, and raise you a Seven Nation/Eurythmics: [/quote] Not mine, no sir. It was suggested above by another kindly member.

[quote name='Yukimajou' timestamp='1496391640' post='3310962'] You like musical crossovers? You got it: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN75im_us4k"]https://www.youtube....h?v=NN75im_us4k[/url] You only get a link I'm afraid as I can't seem to embed You Tube videos. [/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN75im_us4k[/media] Fixed. I just took the "s" out of "https". Thanks but I said crossovers not mash-ups. Playing songs out of their expected genre in other words. Mash-ups, whilst being quite clever Trevor, are not something I'd spend much time with. PS; Is it me or does Rick Astley get extra stick on this forum?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1496337276' post='3310695'] I specifically persued my band, went to their gigs. I introduced myself and let them know I was interested and available. Turned out an opportunity was in the near future. Blue [/quote] That's interesting. A bit like stalking. Although we have laws to prevent that, I can see that stalking could well be the way that many players got into their bands. It's a fine line between that and being a groupie however.