SpondonBassed

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1492505134' post='3280695'] So with enough effects, some sunglasses, and a few hats, you can make electric guitars sound like a church organ. Who knew? [/quote] Mike Oldfield, that's who. He used something like sixty odd guitar overdubs on Ommadawn. I suppose he did it that way to avoid dealing with the unreasonable demands that church organists make during recording sessions. Another option at the time would've been to hire Rolf 'Arris and his stylophone. Even with the benefit of hindsight I'm not sure what would've been a dodgier prospect to work with. Gary Glitter with a comb and tissue paper? I think I'd rather be left alone in a room with sixty guitarists. That clip though. I had to stop watching it because of the bloke with the long hair. After the second flick of his quiffy bits I was stuck with an image of him as the back end of a horse flicking bot flies away with its tail. I'll listen without looking next time.

[quote name='Burns-bass' timestamp='1492507769' post='3280735'] Brilliant, thanks guys! I'll check it out when I'm not working on a policy brief about Short Bowel Syndrome. (This isn't a joke) [/quote] Let us know when you've worked it out. Meanwhile, I'll find out if I am allowed to use a calculator while listening.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1492385049' post='3279864'] SMV was never meant to be a long term thing. Stanley announced to a magazine interviewer that they were going to do it, as before that they'd only kicked the idea around. But once Stan said it was happening, it was on. There was no real chance of it going further as all three of them have other commitments, especially Marcus, I would say. It's a bit like Jeff Berlin, Stuart Hamm and Billy Sheehan doing Bx3, just a bit of good luck with a calendar and a one off project of good, wholesome fun. [/quote] I wouldn't like to think of them as being that naive as to look at it that way. If I think about it, it is probably the way for all "supergroups". That the Travelling Wilburys got two albums out was perhaps remarkable. Many thanks for the pointer to Bx3. I wasn't previously aware of them together. I will enjoy a blast of that later.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1492338982' post='3279464'] The only thing I'm moving up in, is the line at the Chinese restaurant down the street. Blue [/quote] Hahahahahaha!

I wonder if this will last longer than SMV? They managed a year from 2008 to 2009. In the last thirty five years or so, I've seen this a few times. It's one of those band models that is born out of discussions that contain phrases like "wouldn't it be cool if..." and "what's the worst that could happen". I was one of two bass players in a side project to my main thang back in the eighties myself! That Stanley Clark, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten all thought multiple bassists was a cool enough notion to fly just proves that they aren't infallible either. It can work but perhaps it is best as an intermittent feature rather than the USP for a band. In their defence, SMV isn't always three basses together, sometimes there is a DB in there too. I did like the "Thunder" tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBKJrgdn8oQ

[quote name='Elfrasho' timestamp='1492290518' post='3279287'] This is bang on. That spitfire analogy is miles off the mark. I simply don't understand why it seems to be acceptable to do this. In any other walk of life, rebadging an item to pass it off as a premium brand (hmmm) is just simply wrong. If you're happy to play a Harley Benton for example, then you should be giving them the credit. In fact, [u]i love to see guys playing not that expensive instruments and making them sound decent![/u] Fraser [/quote] So do I.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1492297885' post='3279317'] At first I thought it was odd, the festival organizers never meet the artists. Now that I think about it there's no reason for it. Plus many of the A list artist are mukti-millionairs and probably have people around them to keep people like me away from them. Blue [/quote] I get the sense that you feel ready to move up an echelon within the industry. It also sounds like you are putting in the work to achieve it. That is to be respected because a lot of players go stagnant once they reach a perceived "average" level of skill - whatever that is for their little pond. Remember your roots though bro.

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1492260190' post='3279064'] My thoughts exactly. It's like it's a music program devised by a focus group (like a lot of BBC programming). Speaking of TOTP, given that the Beeb don't seem to tire of rehashing that cheese-fest, why don't they repeat some Whistle Test too? [/quote] Keep an eye on BBC4 because they sometimes put on docs using TOGWT footage and such late on in the night.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1492249839' post='3278942'] At the local Womans institute, old people's care home, open mic night, go busking. It doesn't have to be a support slot with a reformed Led Zeppelin (although that would be cool) [/quote] I've done two out of your four choices but I ain't telling which ones. @ OP - If you feel you are turning your back on your mates, I understand. I think you might have little choice however and it is a common enough scenario for the territory. Take 'em out for a curry night and let them down gently. Good mates will tolerate a lot as long as you don't seem to be going behind their backs or giving them the opportunity to respond before the event. Good luck. It's nice to hear of people who want to make the effort.

It's as if it was the illegitimate love child of TOTP and TOGWT. Now that its parents have retired it is left running the shop into the ground - if you take some of the comment seriously. It's good to have a commercial free music program at all IMHB. If you channel surf the Freesat music offerings you are as likely to hit a commercial as a music vid. Nowadays there is a lot of "lifestyle" content too which makes me want to yak up into a bucket frankly. Be honest, you'd miss it if it went away forever.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1492245038' post='3278885'] you should be so lucky [/quote]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1492248193' post='3278923'] Yep, in a church so the work was being done in the space it was written for. Lots of good stuff, but some of the recitative passages where not hanging together well. I did have to discipline myself to not start swinging some of the basslines. [/quote] I'd love to have heard that performance. Good man.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1492242394' post='3278850'] pure convenience, carting around a bass and side drum for a few songs at open mic, and the time to set it up would be too much [/quote] Understood. I thought for a moment that she was a fan of those Vulfpeck clips. PS; Am I going to get a slap next time she sees me for what I said earlier? Heeheehee.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1492242612' post='3278856'] I guess, but while it goes against my own position on value,When it comes to playing festival headliner stages, I think you have to be seen and heard in action when your on the top of your game. Blue [/quote] By "value" are you saying you don't get paid as much as for your four hour bar sessions? Like you say, the exposure is good. You can't put a price on that.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1492211394' post='3278775'] Got in an hour ago. 2.5 hours of playing after a 3.5 hour rehearsal this afternoon. That was HARD work. I remember why I stopped doing it now. It was interesting to go back to it after a long break and realise that his basslines are a huge part of my creative DNA. [/quote] I believe that trumps Blue's four hour bookings if you add it up. Controversial. How was it apart from the hard work? I'm thinking you had a church venue or at least a venue that allowed the sound to breathe freely.

[quote name='IainS' timestamp='1492099480' post='3277975'] I sometimes think that the only way I'm going to really learn fretless is if I sell my fretted bass so it becomes a choice of fretless or nothing. The temptation to play something perfectly in tune is just too great sometimes. I can see why it took you years. [/quote] For me it just felt wrong with roundwounds. For all those years I didn't realise a change of strings would make it feel right. It was as if the scales had fallen from my eyes after thirty long years. I agree with you. If you had no other choice I don't think there would be so much temptation to rely on frets for good intonation. I also think that you would get your ear in - so to speak - far quicker.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1492240256' post='3278829'] Seen them twice, each time completely underwhelmed. There are bands with a third of the musicians that are three times effective. So I suppose JH is to be applauded for keeping so many musicians in gainful employment, and I hear he looks after them well. But it's a great clunking juggernaut with a plodding rhythm section. What's to like? [/quote] He used to smoke cigars too remember...? Heeheehee. I always liked Jools for his part in The Tube during the early years of Channel 4. He had to deal with all sorts of eighties madness on live telly and it was little wonder that he got slapped for swearing.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1492237541' post='3278811'] Not entirely sure what your point is? [/quote] Sorry about that. At least you are not entirely without an idea about it. I wont analyse a humorous comment. I might as well rip the 4R53 out of it and thereby kill it. OT I will just say that I am not fussed what the label on the can says as long as the contents are edible. If you [i]have[/i] to have Fender's or any other major manufacturer's name on display that's fine. I am in the minority because I don't like branding marks as a rule. For my dream home build I'd sooner have graffiti than put a label on it just to put my name on display. Andyjr's three swifts with just his initials is the sort of thing that I can respect. On the other hand, putting "Rockinbetter" on a headstock with exactly the same typeface as used by the Rickenbacker company is not only a con, it is immature and insulting to those "in the know". Creativity trumps copycatting for me - IMHB (In My Humble Bumble) of course. If you are interested, I can get you an image of the label that I designed for my ukulele making friend but it is not really relevant to this topic.

That's a good one for the curriculum vitae (resume). It's a credit to you. I liken it to to a regular Glastonbury attendee going on stage after many years of enjoying the event from the audience. For Glasto it would probably mean you needn't bring wellies to the event any more...

Cool. Funny enough I was listening to the Moody Blues' Seventh Sojourn earlier today. Big festival. How many times have you been there?

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1491908372' post='3276319'] It's fair enough to say "you should be able to play on anything" etc. and that is a valuable skill, but I wonder how many of you would be happy to be forced to play a "house bass" As has been said, fair enough for a jam, not really fair enough if you're supposed to be putting on a professional performance for which you're being paid. [/quote] I am by no means an accomplished player even for an amateur. I really didn't like playing the P bass that was available on open mic night a while back. I tried it for the experience though. In addition I was thinking that it is best to use what's supplied rather than waste time for others wanting a bit of stage time. I needn't have brought my combo. It can't hurt occasionally to go out of the comfort zone as they say. By definition, the worst it can be is uncomfortable. On my second night there I swapped the house P for my Steiny and played through the portable house system. This gave me the advantage of allowing me to make a daring getaway from all my new fans by leaping into a waiting taxi because I had no combo to slow me down. Oh yes... one of the other wannabes asked if he could use my bass for his turn that night and I surprised myself by saying okay. No problem. I did weigh him off before saying so though. I am not totally gormless. Heeheehee. Maybe it is not such a problem to use strange kit after doing it a few times. I imagine it gets easier somehow. With all the set up and luggage I appreciate how sharing can be an advantage for drummers more than most. The downer being that there is lots more that can go wrong.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1491907867' post='3276311'] drum sharing is a necessary evil on multiband bills, our drummer is left handed but unlike Ringo plays left handed, but just gets on with it, in my experience "just bring your breakables" means cymbals, bass drum pedal and snare drum, but pack you stands just in case, the best story I've got is where we played a small, very small, festival and the supplied kit didn't have a floor tom, one poor drummer couldn't get his head round it so played an upturned plastic dust bin instead, oh how we laughed [/quote] I was curious as to how Wendy felt about using the kit at the Horse and Groom a while back on your side project... I noticed she'd brought a snare and cymbal. Is that because she prefers a minimal kit or just for convenience?

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1492153794' post='3278264'] If you hear his band playing it makes you wonder if he ever 'got' rock. It doesn't swing either. [/quote] Don't dis the Boogie Woogie Man man. Heeheehee.

Hahahahahaha!

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1492188053' post='3278602'] Thank you for going to the effort, very kind of you [/quote] Appreciated but it was little effort and in fact it was about time I revisited this myself. I started on a couple of inventions two years back and then we had a series of family crises which made me tread water with my practice for a bit. My rep is stale though so this topic is all good.