ezbass

I didn't want to suggest it as it's one of my top ten albums of all time and it's easy to have an inflated memory of it, because of its importance. But, being on Spotify for the Fish album, I ended up playing No Parlez by Paul Young. It's the reason I picked up a bass in first place and re-listening to it today, but with a critical ear, it still holds up; Pino on fire!

12 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Next time I'll get there early enough to sample their pizza.

FTFY. C'mon you know the adage, "Will play for food." Missing out on pizza is anathema in my book.

2 minutes ago, NoRhino said:

On Friday our Blues band opened for an excellent Eagles trib at The Ferry in Glasgow.  Ultra busy so what could go wrong?    I've been with them since 2015 and it's a really tight well rehearsed band. Anyway, I stepped up to sing the 2nd last song which I've sung dozens of times.      Carnage!  1234 drums and instruments totally out of time as in different song out of time.

Stop smile and start again.  Same result.   Eek.   Third time I kept singing through the cacophany until we reached verse one and it finally gelled.  

No doubt we'll reset the song at our next rehearsal.  

Such disasters seldom happen but wow. If C@rlsb3rg did onstage disasters.   

 

 

It happens and I certainly don't know why. I tend to stop playing to see if it helps, sometimes it does, other times not so much.

51 minutes ago, Rich said:

Here's an example - 2:23 to 3:15, an absolute masterclass. 

 

https://youtu.be/hqWdNSDc-uc?si=IIO-yhPChaDf07tc&t=143

I've been doing a swift surf through the tracks on Spotify and it really is a Fish/Giblin album. State of Mind reminds me of Mick Karn.

16 hours ago, tauzero said:

One featuring the fretless work of either John Giblin or Pino Palladino. I'll go with Fish's Vigil in a wilderness of mirrors with John Giblin, although I'd also be tempted by a Paul Young album.

13 minutes ago, Rich said:

Superb choice, sir. JG's work on that album is utterly glorious. 

I shall have to check that out.

High Voltage - AC/DC (double whammy)

8 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I keep looking at the list thinking I cannot put that in the same list as that.

You like what you like, being eclectic makes it interesting.

2 hours ago, binky_bass said:

Take the 22nd fret out and smash it into the missing 9th fret slot. Problem solved. Well, that problem anyway! 

That was my thinking too.

2 minutes ago, neepheid said:

then try fear of ridicule.

Well over 2 years without a bass purchase, I’d survive  

21 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I keep thinking about a JMJ Mustang.

 

Not sure I could cope with the neck width though. I like a skinny neck 99% of the time but I’ve never tried a P neck width with the short scale and it might be ok. I’ll have to find a dealer who won’t mind me playing all day and then potentially saying no.

They are definitely somewhere between a full width P and a J, coming in at 40mm or so. 

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

I guess my question would be - do you need a fretless for a project or band, or are you just bored?  Intent is important.

No, I don’t need it, but would possibly be doing it to avoid a very attractive fretless P that Bass Direct have.

2 hours ago, Richard R said:

I would say It's a modification not a repair, same as swapping the pickups to get a different sound. The aim of the challenge it to play what you already have, so definitely a T1 fail. Buying a bass for a new project would be too.

 

 

1 hour ago, Chadu25 said:

Count me in for tier 1!

I would concur too, but I thought I’d check.

Radio Africa - Latin Quarter 

43 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I will no doubt change my mind as soon as I hit submit reply.

Told ya…

Just for the bass playing, Oil on Canvas - Japan, Mick Karn shining throughout. 
 

Graceland does have some stunning playing  though - GAH! 😫 

Just one? Ooh, tough choice. Avoiding solo albums by bass players, probably Paul Simon’s Graceland.*

*I will no doubt change my mind as soon as I hit submit reply.

55 minutes ago, tauzero said:

unless over 50% of the frets have already fallen out without assistance.

I don’t know what you mean?  

Oh, great and wise denizens of the Abstinence Thread, what is your thinking about having a bass defretted, in terms of category 1/2 failure?

1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

This magnificent instrument arrived on Tuesday. But I'm still in the challenge as I ordered it on the 29th December so it isn't a 2026 purchase!

The red suede strap I ordered at the beginning of the year to go with it is also permitted in the rules of the challenge.

 

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop Firebird in Gibson Garage/ Gibson.com exclusive cherry transparent finish.

 

 

 

It does mean though that this (almost as magnificent) instrument will be on its way out once I find a buyer.

 

 

Sexiest looking guitar on the planet IMO. I can’t play them, however. The ergonomics are all wrong for me (that’s my excuse anyway ).

11 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Nice wee fixer up job but I'd rather my pal was still with us 🙁

Mixed emotions with that one for you certainly. However, if it makes you think of him every time you play it (hopefully, of good times), maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Some of the reactions to other peoples’ musical tastes here is amusing. Artistic taste is subjective, if often perplexing from one’s own perspective.

28 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Just realised - no Gillan or Ian Gillan Band 😮

People forget he’s had excursions outside of DP. I used to love his voice and saw Gillan at The Marquee, now it’s like fingernails on a blackboard to me, not to mention his awful lyrics. Same goes for Quo & Iron Maiden in terms of my about face on my opinion of them.

I must now refer myself to my first paragraph above and not judge others for liking them (I don’t).

Paper Plane - Quo

10 minutes ago, rwillett said:

They can hit their target audience pretty quickly without spending lots on market research. This was probably the aim all along

I think they already had this info from months/years of weekend request shows and the weekday request hour (1-2). What seems to have happened is that they had more people listening for longer and, unless they have premium access, being exposed to more ads. The top 500 was what listeners, at least the ones who voted, wanted. I hope this doesn’t see a shift away from playing more recent bands or the country rock that they have been pilloried for. If it wasn’t for PR (I'm a listener from the very early, ad free days) I wouldn’t have heard bands like Volbeat, Those Damned Crows, Blackberry Smoke, Black Stone Cherry, Greta Van Fleet, the list goes on and I’m happy about that. It has also achieved the reverse by confirming my dislike of some bands that a lot of folk hold in high regard. It’s not all gold, but then I refuse to believe that any artist’s catalogue is all gold, no matter how revered they are.

Finally, a top whatever that has caused controversy; who would have thought that would be the outcome?   

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses 

Umbrella - Rihanna

Thought Rush might do better, but that’s exactly what a Rush fan would think.