Cog1977

Yeeeaahhh!! You bought the Yamaha! Nice.

Indeed! About 10-12 years ago my band Black Diamond Bay used to regularly rehearse in a house next door to Si Denbigh's flat... He was touring with them at that time I think.

Hey Pete! I've lived in Great Horton for about 16 years (maybe... I can no longer remember exactly when we moved here). I'm sure we must have some mutual acquaintances, although I never really became a big part of the Bradford music scene - coming from the Leeds avant-garde improv scene a lot of activity was based there, and 'jobbing' gigs (theatres/functions) tended to be all over the UK and rarely local (still the case). I did play in a power pop/punk band in the 2000s called Sweet Suzi with Bradford locals Chris and Craig Bussey, and a singer called Sulene Fleming. Lots of musical history with Chris. I still work with Chris and Craig in one of my current bands Choose Your Destroyer.

He was an interesting guy. I saw Henry Rollins talking about when he met him at a festival somewhere... he called Rollins over and told him he liked what Rollins had said in a particular magazine interview. I think he said the magazine was a German publication or something - like really bizarre that Bowie had even read it, but he seemed to be one of those guys who knows everything that's going on.

Me and my partner's family are spread out: Scotland, Spain, Australia, Southend... so we wouldn't see them regularly anyway. We live on a street of back to back houses, so everybody at the front sits out in nice weather - I think it's OK talking to them because that's not technically a garden...? Doesn't really feel any different to normal. Strange times though...

Haha!! Nailed it. That seems to be about right.

I think the whole of Bradford is affected, but it doesn't affect much. We can go to the pub, shops, park... we just can't visit anybody in their garden. Makes sense.

Hi Everybody, I’ve been a lurker on this forum for years (and bought a few basses here), but never bothered to formally introduce myself until now. I realised my profile set up was incomplete and it suggested I do this. I might have been avoiding doing this because I’m a big fan of the Groucho Marx joke that I don’t want to belong to a club that would have me as a member (feel free to tell me to sod off!). Everybody seems strangely reasonable here though... 😁 Originally from Essex, I’ve lived in West Yorkshire for the last 24 years, currently residing in Bradford. I’m a freelance bass player, and have been a member of numerous original bands (some semi-successful - whatever that means…). Some have stuff on Spotify: Bilbao Syndrome (alt metal), Black Diamond Bay (electro), Tough Crowd (hip hop). I’ve played bass for 29 years. If I was gigging at the moment I’d be splitting my time between working with singer/guitarist Chantel McGregor (I’m on her live album she released last year), my own nu-metalcore band Choose Your Destroyer (EP on Spotify), and a touring theatre show called Northern Live (Northern Soul tribute show). As well as a bunch of other semi-regular gigs. Aside from the gigs I’m a senior lecturer at Leeds College of Music (about to be rebranded ‘Leeds Conservatoire’… very posh!). I’ve been the head pop bass tutor at that college for a number of years. Ashdown amplification were kind enough to make me one of their ‘Artists’ a while back, and the service I’ve received from them over the years has been really excellent. Lovely people! I use the ABM600 head with a Barefaced Super12t cab. The basses I use regularly include a Mike Lull PJ5, Musicman Bongo HS 5-string, Status 4-string fretless, Shuker P-bass and a Peavey Cirrus USA 5-string (one of the Trace Elliot green ones - used exclusively with Choose Your Destroyer because of a slightly weird drop tuning). I used to use a ton of pedals, but I bought a Line 6 Helix lt last year and I’m gradually transferring everything to that except for small gigs that don’t require much. Until this pandemic shut things down I didn’t used to have much time outside of doing 160+ gigs a year and teaching, but I do manage a reasonable amount of Xbox gaming… and I don’t read as much as I used to sadly, but some of my favourite authors are Thomas Pynchon, Paul Auster, Italo Calvino, Victor Pelevin and Terry Pratchett. I am available to teach via Skype or Zoom if anybody is interested. I have a lot of time on my hands now compared to ‘normal’. I suspect I will also be looking to sell some basses and amps because I’ve realised I have too much stuff sitting around unused. There’s not much point trying to name my favourite bass players because the list would have to include literally everybody who has ever authentically attempted to express something with honesty and integrity through the instrument… or simply those who have looked really great whilst playing one! Hope your are all well! -Cog

Simon is a very good guy to deal with. Communication was great and the bass I bought from him came as described and packed with care. 👍