Barking Spiders

I have an unbridled loathing of social media even though I have accounts with Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook though I hardly ever look at them. What gets me is this notion that if you're not social media savvy then you're some socially dysfunctional luddite. What's particularly insidious about YT is that it's brainwashed a generation of kids into thinking that being a You Tuber is a career. They've seen e.g. how young women giving make-up tips to teens has gained them millions of followers and the advertisers have honed in on this and made them stinking rich and celebrities to boot. When my youngest left year 6 her school published a hand-out which gave little bios on the leavers and what they plan to do with their lives. Of the 30 kids, just 3 or 4 had a proper job in mind. Of the rest, around 8 wanted to be You Tubers while many of the others saying they wanted to be celebrities of some sort/on the TV. None of them even wanted to be an astronaut FFS!

That seems to be the general view out there. If I'd bought tickets just after last year's festival I'd be well p1$$3d. I'd only bother with the Chemical Brothers, Sigrid and Jon Hopkins. The rest are plain mediocre at best. On the one hand there's loads of ageing acts high up the bill who are well past it and never that great to start with (Cure, Wu Tang Clan, Snow Patrol, Kylie, Janet Jackson, Liam Gallagher) . Then there are others who're are pretty run of the mill (Vampire Weekend, Christine & The Queens, Bastille, George Ezra, Janelle Monae, Years and Years). Anyone here going and are well chuffed or anyone bought tickets long ago and wish they'd never wasted the dosh?

Don't see a lot of love for Slipknot on BC but they're one of the main reasons I'll be at Download next month.

Nice one. Love Laibach. You can definitely see their influence on Rammstein

This jackass is my #2 choice as it happens. That he plays bass has sullied the good name of this fine instrument. OK he can play alright but like the one I posted in my OP he's one of those fvckw1ts that mistakes being zany/cookie/wacky for having a personality or having a great SoH. You know, the Colin Hunts of this world...

I watch quite a lot of bass, guitar and drum vids on YT. In some cases, the YTers are quite good. In many they're so-so. In some they're just fooking, downright irritating. Taking the #1 spot is this guitar geek. Sure he can play well but boy does his presenting style grate. Maybe it's me but I can't handle manic. I can't abide manic stand-ups like Michael McIntyre, Lee Evans, Robin Williams and Keith Lemon either. Over to you

The totty from the Addicted to Love vid.

Let it also be remembered EVH was/is a control freak who told MA what to play so if a bassline on a VH tune is simple it's not because he couldn't play more demanding stuff

IMO there are a handful of famous people whose deaths will make the world a worse place. David Attenborough is the first that comes to mind. I was genuinely saddened to hear of the deaths of Caroline Aherne, Chris Cornell and Walter Swinburne. Although they didn't die in their heydays they were only in their early 50s which I found very sobering

If I was in a rock band I'd want to cover Vendetta by Slipknot (clean vocals but a slab of sheer power), Feuer Feuer by Rammstein, Jesus Built my Hotrod by Ministry, East River by The Brecker Brothers (possibly the heaviest funk groove ever), Get Up for The Down Stroke by Parliament (another slice of pure heavy funk) and I Wanna Take You Higher or I Get High on You by Sly & The Family Stone (yes, I know the latter is from Sly's first solo album before anyone corrects me)

While I've been somewhat saddened for a short while by the death of a few famous musicians I can't say I've ever cried/been shocked/'absolutely gutted' etc especially if it's because of a drug overdose etc. I enjoy music as much as the next man but it's never been the #1 thing in my life. I may sound callous but I never join in mass outpourings of grief like when princess Di died.

oh dear I am sorry to hear that, i was quite the fan of Level 42 in their heyday

right now it's this from hands-down-the-best rock singer I've ever heard who also fronts one of the finest bands of all time (not Mr Bungle BTW)

+ another for Garibaldi/Prestia, Edwards/Thompson, Modeliste/Porter, Sly & Robbie but one of my fave pairings is Mark King and Phil Gould.

No, the main reason I dont go to our local branch is cos it's chocka with unemployable scrotes who go shopping in their dressing gowns and slippers

After a trip last week we've stopped doing any shopping at ASDA, which IMO is by far the worst when it comes to playing really sh1tty pop and loud too! Their playlist is almost solely current pop/urban for the under 25s., utter synthetic, tune-free pap with not a single redeeming tune. Other supermarkets generally play a wider selection and the volumes are lower too. Personally I'd rather not hear music in any shop, other music stores, but if the selection is varied played at a low volume that'll do. Anyone else agree with me re ASDA?

Ah they look interesting but they're on saturday and I'm only going on sunday as it's, for me, by far the best day though I'd liked to've seen Slipknot. Dunno how it took me so long to find out Rammstein are at the Milton Keynes bowl in July. All seating sold out but managed to get 2 x standing tickets. Taking mrs S for her baptism of fire.

About 40 if it's Napalm Death

each to their own but their last three albums are IMO among their best, particularly as they feature the original line up. Martin Atkins is a fine drummer but for me Big Paul's style is best for the KJ sound.Whichever way, for my money they're among the most criminally underrated rock bands ever, considering the influence they've had on other bands like Nirvana, Metallica. and pretty much any industrial metal band

over the last few days I've been caning Killing Joke in the car, having most of their albums bar 3 from the late 80s after Night Time. This track in particular has been getting a lot of play

I play my Cort fretless more than than my fretted. If rock's your bag then I'd say try out some of the tunes on Pearl Jam's 10. Other must listens are No Parlez by Paul Young, Graceland by Paul Simon, a Sade hits compilation and any Police albums. Sting mainly played fretless, though I could be wrong but he did in the earlier days

Not a daft question at all. I actually listen to more electronically generated basslines for inspiration that bass players, in particular 90s psy trance, a fave genre of mine. Playing staccato 16ths on just one or a few notes for several minutes is a tough one

Ah there I was thinking this was about the infamous porn and revue bar magnate

The best covers are always those that don't slavishly copy the originals and the most pointless are the ones that are note for note perfect. I'd much rather watch an entertaining, even if a merely competant, band playing interesting and fun versions of well-known tunes than a bunch of top or 2nd notch players performing carbon copies.

First up Download on sunday June 16 mainly to see Lamb of God, Anthrax (though I'd have preferred the John Bush line up but still), Smashing Pumpkins, Enter Shikari and Slayer. I'll be interested seeing headliners Tool, though I'm not that familiar with them, and Dream Theater, even though I dont like them that much. Then in July it's Blue Dot, marking 50th anniversary moon landings. Cracking line up topped by Kratfwerk. Also New Order, 808 State, John Hopkins.