Barking Spiders

I'm majorly into the golden age of hip hop from the late 80s to mid 90s and the instrumental hip hop /turntablism of acts like DJ Shadow and lots of stuff that came out on Ninja Tune e.g. Herbaliser, Blockhead. No too fussed on chart stuff of the last decade or so. The lyrics are'nt generally much cop and there isn't the imagination that you'd find on a Bomb Squad track

I play drums myself and TBH the live stuff wasn't too bad, certainly no worse than many in indie bands who pass themselves off as drummers. That type of drumming isn't particularly hard to play but I've heard a lot worse

Sorry but I think that's absolute gash. I don't much care for even proper jazz of the Blue Note variety and have even less time for Cullum's ersatz efforts.

errm..ahem..Razzle is very much alive and kicking

On the plus side, for those who used to buy Classic Rock and Metal Hammer you now have some spare money for your monthly issues of Razzle

'Classic rock' does look like it's now going the way of jazz here in Blighty. I'm not a fan myself but I've noticed that six shops that used to stock Classic Rock and Metal Hammer pulled them off their shelves early this year even though two them still have Bass magazine. Seems the under 40s are generally not interested.

Not a bass I'm afraid but I'm getting meself an Epiphone Sheraton II

I don't own any Ibanez basses but have a couple their guitars despite their association with dull plankspankers like Satriani. If there are good used basses out there under £300 I'm gonna get a couple.

When I hear a bass virtuoso playing Moonlight Sonata or some such on the bass, I think why FFS. It sounds a bit precious and pointless.

The thing with many of the top technical players (same goes for guitarist and drummers too) is they seem strangely drawn to the jazz rock /fusion genre, one which has all the appeal of genital warts. I've watched vids by bands like Tribal Tech on YT and despite the undoubted high quality of musicianship I'm uninspired.

Flea - partly for the unedifying images of him playing on stage in his shreddies, partly because many RHCP fans seem to think he invented slap bass, and partly because I can't stand his band. Geddy Lee - no doubting his chops but I cant get my head around his band's music to ever be able to appreciate them fully Vic Wootten - aye, a Steve Vai of the bass if you will with some incredibly impressive double thumbing going on and all that jazz but it's like with some beautiful looking women. It all looks great on the surface but you know there's something that doesn't hit the mark but you're not quite sure what.

Come on peeps, more love for Stuart Morrow !!!

I'm not a gospel fan but I really like the bass playing in that clip. I like that Jamerson style where there is minimal repetition. Although my music taste leans mainly towards funk, instrumental hip hop and trip hop my #1 album for consistently great basslines is No Rest For The Wicked by New Model Army with Stuart Morrow. It's all there, the intricate lines, the superb tone etc . Here' s a clip of the original line-up at the Marquee in 1985. One of the most underrated/overlooked bands of all time. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMTsqAaUngQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMTsqAaUngQ[/url]

Heard a couple of tracks being played in HMV the other day. I wasn't sure who it was and thought to myself it must be some cackanded retro wannabe bluesmen..and I was right.

IMO one over-praised band which made a half a dozen or so cracking tunes, several are which on LC. If only they'd stuck with just the original sides 1 and 2 of the vinyl release.Mind you, this is more than I can say for Paul Weller and his output. A good singing voice and one with 'character' aren't mutually exclusive!

I only bought half a dozen new albums this year but quite a few used ones. TBH I'm pretty underwhelmed by much of what I've heard from supposed best albums lists. For me the best is a toss up between The Source by Afro Celt Sound System - fusion of electronica, hip hop, celtic folk, banghra, African styles. instruments include keys and electronics, cittern, dhol drums, bodhran, djembe, flutes, uillean pipes, bagpipes, kora, talking drum, vocals..for starters Shout It Out by Balkan Beat Box, NYC based Israeli dudes mashing up Balkan folk, klezmer, hip hop, reggae, Gypsy punk, funk, cumbia, brass bands..played on trombone, drums, saxes, bass, guitars, sampler, vocals,. Both albums have been gestating for aeons but are bluddy brilliant..IMO that is

And indeed many do say it of MK but not me. There are many who diss slap bass but I'm not one of them. We all have our musical beefs and one of mine is guitar shredding

No love for The Monkees then?

Nah, still not persuaded re the virtues of tapping. Jazz /rock fusion? No thanks. To my ears one of the dullest of genres.

Certainly did know it wasn't EVH but I curse whoever did . Unfortunately tapping and sweep picking have led to the rise of soul less, mechanical fretw***ers across the globe.

In a post punk/80s pop frame of mind and in no order Mick Karn - Japan stuff Pino Palladino -mostly for his fretless work on Paul Young's No Parlez Deon Estus - various Wham tunage Dave Allen - Gang of Four and Shriekback Stuart Morrow - first two New Model Army albums Michael Dempsey - mostly for his playing on Sulk by The Associates JJ Burnel - for Stranglers albums up to The Raven Mick Anker - The Blow Monkeys..a very overlooked player Horace Panter -The Specials Norman Watt Roy

I get where the OP is coming from. I understand people who express sadness at the passing of a favourite musician whatever and want to celebrate what they've done but too often mass mourning goes way OTT as was the case with princess Diana, which bordered on the hysterical. There are also many people who've achieved important feats, made great discoveries in their fields etc - e.g. in science, medicine, engineering, architecture, environmental conservation - but because they're not in the public eye they don't get public acclaim. In the West, entertainers (including sportsmen and writers) seem to get more kudos than anyone else.

yes but it doesn't get as many visitors as here

You might be into a bit of madrigals on the sly and are a dab hand at the lute or cittern. Maybe you took up the zither after seeing The Third Man. I took up bluegrass banjo and Dobro half a dozen years ago after watching The Transatlantic Sessions on BBC2. Now fancy having a go at the oud after listening to Speed Caravan. Maybe not to everyone's taste - they play a mix of modern Arabic, rock and electronica - but might appeal to Womad types. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynqgnbJCo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynqgnbJCo[/url]

I'm not at all a fan of tapping in general and on bass especially. I feel about about bass tapping like some do about slap.I can tap on guitar reasonably well but it's a technique that isn't appropriate for the genres I like while it's abundant in those I don't enjoy.