Kitsto

I am finding this thread surprisingly entertaining. As Homer Simpson says, most of us do our jobs half-assed (me included) so it's terrific to hear about pro musicians (whom I tend to revere pathetically) being just as bad. Really cheered to hear how good Simple Minds are. I've really come to appreciate CB's guitar-playing - just fantastic. And, having seen both versions of Wishbone, I have to agree with the posts above. One seemed to have a geography teacher on guitar and the other a hamster. EDIT Nothing against geography teachers (have been a teacher myself) nor hamsters, nor geography-teaching hamsters for that matter.

I grew up with In Rock and Machine Head and regard each as being 'of a piece' but I suppose Child In Time stands out as haunting. More recently Perfect Strangers, of course. But in between I really like Might Just Take Your Life but suspect I'm in a minority of one. I was brought up on Zep so was glad when DC got JP back into the studio and Coverdale Page is (IMHO) pretty good. I was sorry they only played a handful of dates in Japan before splitting up. But having seen a vid of one of those gigs I can see why they did. DC lampoons about the stage exhorting Nagoya to go crazy (in Ozzy fashion) whereas JP is much more used to the self-reverential approach of RP who saw fronting LZ as some kind of Norse calling with everyone on stage part of some high priesthood. I think JP was shocked to suddenly find himself in Slade! EDIT: Just as an aside, I saw The Firm a couple of times. I think the reason why it never worked is that PR is used to singing over chordal song structures whereas RP was happy creating some sort of melodic line over quite unmelodic riffs made up of a succession of single notes. But I know nothing about music theory so this is probably bollox.

Feeder (whom I like a lot) in about 2008. Incredibly loud and distorted. Couldn't make anything out. Just a wall of noise. Saw Grant Nicholas on his solo tour a few years later - fantastic (small hall in Shepherd's Bush, standing just behind his family - his kids had come to see dad play). Even worse were The Kinks in the Royal Albert Hall, early noughties: again the issue was volume. They were so loud they were virtually heavy metal. Impossible to hear anything and completely unnecessary. I'd taken my wife and kid along. To save their ears I walked us out. One of the best gigs: Sigur Ros at Wembley Arena - crystal clear. Edit: weirdest gig: Leslie West and Corky Laing billed as Mountain at Sutton United FC. They were playing in the hospitality suite and Corky manned the merch stall after. Leslie kicked off by saying: "Good evening, London - this is London right?" He was right to question it. After the gig I saw him standing on his own by his dormobile in the car park. Ever the fanboy, rushed up to him and said, "Your live album [1993?] is the best live album I've ever heard" (which it is). He did what you hope all rock stars will do: shook my hand and said, "Thanks. Peace, man." Didn't wash my hand for a fortnight (except after going to the loo, obviously).

In my last band it was a rule that we go to the pub after rehearsal. We rehearsed every Tuesday 6-9pm then went to the pub till 10.30 (and usually gigged 2-3 times a month). I thought it was a great idea (even though I'd stopped drinking by then) because we got to know and like each other. But I've also played perfectly happily in bands where we met to play and didn't socialise at all outside the band. On balance I'd always prefer to be in a band where the others are mates.

Largely on the recommendations here I bought the book. I've always liked TH and what he did, particularly on OOALH. But the most surprising thing to me - which won't be a surprise to any of you - is that TH started life as a musician and not just any musician but a bass player. I genuinely had no idea. And he could read music too. In fact he started playing double bass in big bands, encouraged by his DB-playing dad. All of this was revelatory to me and means I take his production credits even more seriously. I've always known him to be a great producer but this background and upbringing explains how he was able to front Yes when he did which I had always found a bit odd. The other thing that strikes me is how long it took for his career to take off. He was born in 1949 - so was in his teens and twenties in the crucial (for rock) 68-72 period, roughly the same age as Robert Plant - yet it took him till he was in his 30s before he became big. That's some apprenticeship he served, all of which has deepened my respect for him. So although he's associated with the 80s he's really from a previous generation.

Very pretty! But looks quite fragile.

I've always admired TP's playing (he's a hell of a nice guy too when interviewed) but hadn't realised until recently how big an impact he has on that whole band's sound. He plays a bit like Lemmy in that he strums and when you do that on an 8 or 12 string, that's what gives CT such a big thick middle - he's playing a sort of combined bass-and-rhythm.

In which case stick to the 5. Guitarists in the band won't notice (they find bass beneath them). Punters in the audience will be impressed.

"I took the opportunity to give them the chance to find a new bass player" So beautifully put, TimR!

When The Levee Breaks – LZ4 was the first album I bought as a kid. This gave me a headache when I first heard it. I now think it’s the best thing they did (apart from The Rover). Saw them in 1975 (23rd May to be exact) – the first and best gig I ever went to. Room At The Top (Of The World) – one of Tom Petty's most depressing yet brilliant songs. What a songwriter. What a band. Why Dontcha – I listened to a lot of loud rawk in the 70s but Jack Bruce’s sublime bass line on this was what got me into the instrument (still can’t play it though). Leslie West wasn’t bad either. A Different Drum – this Peter Gabriel track is the closest an atheist like me can get to God. Mission – the version taken from Rush’s 2008 Snakes & Arrows live tour album has an incredible Alex Lifeson solo at the end which captures the feverish frailty and ultimate triumph of human artistic ambition. Spring [Jump] – Rammstein have boiled the whole of rock down to stupidly simple riffs, childish lyrics and cartoon humour yet at the same time are unbelievably great. Now Westlin Winds – Gaughan, the great Scottish folk guitarist, put Burns's lyric to music in an unforgettable setting. Listen to this live version on YouTube: In Loving Memory – they’ve gone off the boil since but Alter Bridge’s first album was for me as good as LZ’s debut some 30+ years before though I rate Tremonti more highly than Page. Luxury: my wife. If that’s not allowed then toothbrush & toothpaste. Book: All Of Us – the collected poems of Raymond Carver.

This. I loved learning my parts, rehearsing, enjoyed the band, liked most of the set list but found the actual gig.... boring (admittedly I disliked the setting up, tearing down, travelling and hanging around - but that would have been ok if I'd relished the playing). Wasn't nervous or shy, just bored. This was quite a shock to me. I'd spent most of my life wanting to be in a band then in my late 50s joined one (a good one, better musicians than me) and just didn't enjoy gigging. It was then I started to understand Neil Peart of Rush - he loved the recording and rehearsing but once they got the setlist to a peak of rehearsed perfection he wanted to go home, not go on a 60-date tour. The other two and the crew were quite stunned when it became clear the last gig they did (in 2015) was really going to be the last gig. In my case I had to leave the band temporarily for family reasons... and never went back. Haven't missed it at all. Now play along to Karaoke UK mixes when I like, playing what I like. Yet it was a great covers band, gigged regularly, pleased the crowd, and they gave me a lot of freedom to play the bass lines I wanted. I still don't really understand my reaction to this day.

IIRC, when Alex Lifeson of Rush was on the Canadian equivalent his luxury item was "a small city". I imagine it wasn't allowed.

I'm a very average bass player who used to play guitar. My left hand, when playing bass, looked very ugly on the neck. I went for a lesson with a local bass pro who plays in West End musicals in London (when such things were on pre-pandemic) who got me to play something and immediately said: 'You used to play guitar, didn't you? You're fingering the neck like a guitarist.' He said double bass players keep their middle, ring and pinky fingers together (I imagine '60s bassists like Bill Wyman did this; and Jack Bruce originally played cello, I think). I started doing this and immediately my left hand felt more comfortable and looked like a unit. Incidentally, I've noticed that Nick Beggs (who plays wonderful bass, fretted and fretless, as well as chapman stick for Steven Wilson and was originally - and is still - in Kajagoogoo) plays fretted bass (the only bass I can play) by resting the flat part of his index finger across the whole neck rather than pressing the tip down behind the fret.

I think Livingstone Brown sang and played bass on Robin Trower's 21st Century Blues album which was a terrific return to form for RT in the mid-1990s. LB's singing and bass playing were sublime. He has played on and produced one or two of RT's albums since. I think LB has a recording studio in Godalming, Surrey and works mainly as a producer. This is all from memory and I'm old so this may be wrong.

Linus27 - just wanted to say: dig the song and love your bass lines - really melodic! Edit: silly me - you were in a real band, Inter, that did sessions for Peel and the full version of the song is on youtube (though I prefer being able to hear the bass lines in your cover version).

This may not help at all but in Sept 2016 I bought from a fellow BCer here a TE AH300 SM head plus a 210 3H cab and a 115 3 cab for £450 all in which he had owned from new and was approx 20 years old.

Very helpful, gottastopbuyinggear (great moniker!).

Good advice, chris_b, will do.

Brilliant! I play mainly Tbirds (70s classic rock covers band).

That's great advice, basshead56. I hadn't thought of that. I have a TE stack and head (bought here off a BC member and very pleased I am with it) so the Ampeg was a backup but because of its portability I'd been using it more. The band generally put me through the PA but recently in smaller pubs hadn't bothered so I think you're right, it got overdriven. But I had thought just to get away with a direct replacement. But, for the additional cost, the 800 will give me a genuine gigging alternative and with luck will last far longer. So I will do that. Many thanks, basshead56.

Bought this as part of a fliptop cab (210 HE) second hand and it worked well for over a year (weekly practice and about 15 gigs). Recently the warning light stayed on and no sound came out. Long story short: been round the houses with various repairers and basically it needs a new board which I'm told is too expensive to bother with. So, questions: 1. Do I get another 350 or upgrade to a 500? 2. If I upgrade, is the 500 the same size to attach to the fliptop using the same screw holes? 3. Is the 500 too powerful for the 210 cab (I presume not)? 4. Are there settings I should avoid (for instance, I read somewhere here that it's best to have the gain high and the master vol low on the 350 - or something like that, I think)? 5. Anything else I need to know? (For instance, for active basses, keep the 'peak pad' button pressed in, if I've got that right?) You'll gather I have no technical knowledge at all, which is probably how I must have blown the amp up in the first place. So any advice gratefully received. Cheers.

I am such a dweeb. Of course you're right. It's Em. When I first tried to play guitar I hated barre chords so loved D/C/G but Ema never sounded right with G because, of course, the G in Ema is sharp. So I've always been amazed when the G to E progression works but that's cos in Em it's G natural. Thank you for illuminating that for me, Cat. It's a bit like discovering that whichever day is Christmas will be the same day that New Year falls on. Only twigged that in my 30s. Next month I'm 60. A blinding revelation every thirty years, then. Maybe I have time for one more.

I know it's not fashionable to say so but I like playing along to Def Lepp's Hysteria. It's got that move from D to G then that sublime move down to E (a favourite with Neil Young even though G to E shouldn't really work) then the chorus is just D to C then D to B then another sublime move from E to C - which shouldn't work - then back to D. The middle eight involves A and D. Rick Savage has no pretensions as a bass player. He says he always uses a pick because his right hand is inconsistent at fingering. I use this as a right-hand warm-up alternating finger exercise. It just feels so simple and right. But then I'm a very basic bassist.

I am 59, took up bass a couple of years ago. Play in a 70s classic rock / blues covers band, playing the stuff I grew up listening to. Always wanted to be a rock musician and know what being in a band was like. We play pubs and beer festivals. Now I do. Best thing I ever did. Almost 60 and finally I feel cool.

Was up to 9 basses (including my Hofner Shorty which doesn't count cos it's just for practice around the house) and after much deliberation got rid of 3 (2 Tbirds and a Ltd 5 string) cos they weren't getting gigged and instruments need to be played. Now just have 2 identical Tbirds as main bass plus backup, a Tbird Goth for a regular Halloween gig the band does, an ESP Viper which I prefer to Gibson EB3s and a Ltd 4 string for when I need a break from Tbirds. Best of all, I donated the surplus basses to a nearby music charity that makes instruments available to students and young people. That's a weight off. Feel lighter and better.