Barking Spiders

There's a big difference between bass as a lead instrument and bass as a soloing instrument. Plenty of examples of bands where the bass is the dominant instrument but still manages to lock in with the other instruments and not overpower them. That's great. From reactions I've seen at gigs where bass solos go on for what seems like eternity, probably not much appreciated. Then again ditto for drums.

Have had a Sterling SUB Ray 4 for a few months now and recently had a play on a 'proper' Stingray. As far as I'm concerned the latter isn't 10 x a better instrument even though the price is. But I've still yet to find anything I like as much as my 10 year old Cirrus BXP 4 that cost less than £400 when new.

I am 100% with the OP on this one though unfortunately the big labels have done their homework and know that tried and tested formulas and 'safe' music sells.

Nowt until the Time Warp electronic music festival in Mannheim, Germany. Saw the very great Afro Celt Sound System on Monday though

The fact Gilmour can select the right tone, choice of notes and appropriate phrasing surely does make him one of the best. Personally I don't rate overrated plankspankers like Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen etc. Their solos all sound very similar as do the tones they use on all their tracks and the notes they play is the aural equivalent of throwing mud against the wall and hoping some will stick. Gilmour isn't that easy to mimic while there's some 14 year old French girl on You Tube nailing Eruption.

Sorta jazz funk with a disco edge Joey Negro's Sunburst Band is a damn fine combo, featuring Julian Crampton on bass. Some luvverly basslines across their 4 albums

I quite like some of her songs where she's singing relatively normally e.g. Sensual World, Big Sky and Cloudbusting but she doesn't half screech as well. Ye gods. As with later Steely Dan and Peter Gabriel albums I find her stuff too heavily produced. Sometimes you just want albums to be done in one take, to capture edge and spontaneity.

Been big into jazz funk for yonks, major faves being the Brecker Brothers, Grover Washington jnr, Donald Byrd (Places and Spaces era), Azymuth, Blackbyrds, Morrissey Mullen, John Scofield, Mizell brothers, Herbie Hancock/Headhunters, Crusaders, Incognito, Marcus Miller and Down To The Bone. Loadsa fine bassmen from the genre e.g. Neil Jason (Breckers), Julian Crampton (Incognito), Paul Jackson (Headhunters) and Wilton Felder (Crusaders)

To my ears bass solo albums are dull, but then again so are guitar only or piano only recordings. Solo instrument albums just don't seem to have wide appeal

Not really a fan at all but they did come out with a handful of tracks I like a lot..Sheep, One Of These Days, Another Brick, Us & Them and Shine On. Gilmour is also THE shining example of how to play meaningful solos, as opposed to the many tedious plankspankers that fill top guitarist polls

As I've said in other posts, it's better to play with mates rather than with people you've met through wanted ads. For one they're more likely to encourage/praise rather than criticise and are more likely to be democratic. When you join someone else's band you're little more than a hired hand. Many bands have broken up over this. There've been many notorious feuds been between band members who were never friends to begin with. I'd rather not be in a band at all than join one through an ad.

One of THE great bass albums, as are the next four. SZ was a hard act to follow but IMO Nick Fyffe pulled it off nicely.

I like bass when it's upfront in the mix but still holding down bottom end e.g. Jamiroquai, Associates, Level 42, Primus, New Model Army and early Stranglers. I'm afraid bass led stuff by the likes Wootten, Manring etc bores the tits off me. All very skilful but so what?

A long time ago I went down the Melody Maker ads route , ended up in bands where there was no friendship and soon baled out. If I'm not playing with mates or at least good acquaintances whom I can have a beer with I'd rather not be in band at all.

In my time I've been in many bands with good players I didn't like, including some gifted guitarists who were utter bellends, and a few with a good bunch of blokes who were at best moderate players. I'd rather be with the latter type any day of the week. When performing you can always make up for what you may lack in proficiency with stage presence and being fun. So, if these guys are good to be around stay with them and work with them improving as players

Agree with lots of the recs so far esp 80s stuff like Passions, Martha & The Muffins, Vapors.. Havent read all posts but I'll add The Race by Yello - their one top 20 hit #7 Dr Mabuse and Duel by Propaganda. both got into the 20s Closest Thing to Heaven -the Kane Gang's only top 20 effort The Politics of Dancing by ReFlex Just Be Good To Me - SOS Band

My 15W Marshall keyboard amp is great for both bass and guitar. Had it for 20 years. A solid piece of hardware that's had loads of use and is still going strong

Listen to Sound of The 60s on Radio 2 on Saturday mornings and you get to understand why The Beatles got the praise and adulation they did.

My first I got from some kid at school for about £30 back in 80s. It was short scale Gibson EB copy with no brand on the headstock. It was my only bass for the next dozen years and was used in more gigs than any others I've owned. I tried customising it but buggered it up right royally

Cripes. Never could stand Keane but this ain't half bad at all, certainly way better than anything else I've heard from the mainstream/chartland this year

If there's a great bass line it always sticks out for me though it doesn't necessarily for non players I know. But as I also play drums and guitars I'm equally attuned to a tasty lick or groove. But it's the overall song really and how all the sounds fit together and build up and break down. I've tried listening to stuff I don't normally bother with, just for the bass - like prog, metal and jazz fusion - but if the song sucks then that's enough to make me dive for the off switch.

Bit surprised there's no mention of Angelo Badalamenti's Twin Peaks score nor Thomas Newman's for American Beauty. Gabriel Yared's theme for Betty Blue is the mutts nuts as are John Barry' original Bond score for Dr No and Ennio M's for Sergio Leone's spag westerns.

I've been living in Leamington at weekends for a coupla years and nip into BD several times a year a have always found Mark and the lads who work there very civil and helpful even though what I spend there won't get them high fiving. In fact they've tended to recommend products to me that are much better value than what I've originally gone in for. Way better than 99% of other guitar shops I've visited.

Ive heard of him but not his music. Actually I think Ritter basses might be about the most expensive, with three grand being at the low end and some having sold for up £10k!

Yeah but if you let others know in good time that you might have to leave early, cancel etc surely that's common decency. I'd agree that suddenly walking out of a rehearsal saying you've got to go somewhere etc is out of order