lozkerr

That's no far off the truth - you can earn ridiculous money during the festival and Hogmanay if you let your place out.

You could think about Edinburgh - the money you'd get from a house in Bournemouth would buy you a nice place here. I moved here a couple of years ago - the Berkhamsted location is just while I'm still working in London - and it was the best move I've ever made. It does help that I was born in Auld Reekie, though There certainly are dodgy parts of the city - steer clear of places like Niddrie and Craigmillar - but there are a lot of nice areas too. It's easy to get about, even though Lothian Buses haven't discovered card payments yet and the tram comes to an abrupt halt in York Place. Decent night life, too. On the downside, the centre gets absolutely rammed during the tourist season. It's far worse than Bournemouth. My own home is on the Royal Mile and just getting to the supermarket when the festival's on can be like struggling through a crowded Tube station. But all in all, Edinburgh's a great place to live!

Aye, that's not exactly a favourite of mine either, probably because it gets played to death between October and January every year. My kids like it though, if only because 'it's got SWEARS in it!' in spite of the twee subject. Mind you, are there any Christmas songs that aren't festering Gorgonzola cheese?

Yes, I absolutely get that; you need to please the punters and that means floor-fillers. I like a lot of Oasis' songs; I'm currently annoying the neighbours by hacking my way through Don't Talk Back You wombler Don't Look Back In Anger, Cigarettes and Alcohol, Little By Little and Champagne Supernova. Nice simple songalongs and easy for a hamfisted old bat like me to play. But Wonderwall - that song gives me the dry boak no matter who's singing it. It might not be an absolute deal breaker for me but it's pretty damn close.

I agree. I can't stand Liam Gallagher - in fact I use an Oasis songbook as a rest when I'm writing basslines, just for the satisfaction of poking the arrogant git in the eye with my pencil - but apart from Wonderwall, which I absolutely detest, a lot of their songs are nice punchy anthems. They're certainly very simple, but they do work, even if they were nicked from Marc Bolan and the Beatles. Anyway, here's a wee clip for all Oasis haters: Oaday!

The cliquey jam nights thread got me thinking - someone there said they hated Red House. Fairy nuff, it's not everyone's cup of tea. I could live with playing it, but if someone wanted to perform Sherry or Wonderwall, they'd have to do so without a bassline if I was in the band. I can live with just about anything, but I really hate those two 'musical' monstrosities. What songs do other folk have on their personal blacklists?

Not unless dog poo and McDonalds packaging is made from gold...

I'll probably try it with an el cheapo Gear4Music no-name three-quarter bass I have lying around. That way if anything goes crack, I won't have lost too much; it only cost me a tenner.

The great thing about punk is that you don't need to play in tune or keep time so you can just do what you want as long as you scowl at the audience. Ask Sid Vicious

I don't know, but I just wish they would just f-f-f-fade away...

And just to confuse things, our local has open jam nights I'm thinking of toddling along once I've cracked My Generation...

That's what I was thinking - soz, should have made that clear. Good point about the nut - hadn't thought of that. Thanks

That sounds like a superb idea! I presume it would need a normal gauge B string rather than just detuning the E, though?

Eww, nor can I. They look like something from Alien.

Absolutely this. I've had a five for a few weeks now and I find it much easier and more intuitive than the four. Having two full octaves over five frets anywhere on the fretboard has made it instinctive to root on the B string whenever I can. And it makes a huge difference to reading too - I'm trying to wean myself off tabs.

Works both ways... I was singing in a cathedral choir at fourteen in concerts that were broadcast on Radio 3. I also had a part in an opera directed by the Master of the Queen's Music. But you really don't want to hear me now, unless you have a fetish for bad karaoke

That sounds surprising, although I know everyone's different. But I'm female, with girl-size hands and I can play a five-string Fender just fine. Although I did have a bit of a wobble about that when I first tried it. Soon got the hang of it, though!

Disagree - I was 51 when I first picked up a bass and although I know I'm a long way behind the curve, I'm taking it very seriously indeed. It helps that I have played other instruments in the past and can read music, I mustard mitt. But IMHO attitude is more important than aptitude, in that if you practise regularly, play with and be willing to learn from other people and don't think you're awesome from day one, then you will get better. Might take a wee while, but effort will pay off, whether you're sixteen or sixty. But you have to put the effort in in the first place, and from reading the forums here, that seems to be a huge problem - fantasists thinking they're a lot better than they are. Age shouldn't be an issue. Just my 0.02.

Mine too. I have an Oasis tab book which has a big mugshot of Liam on the cover, and I use it to rest on when I'm writing out basslines. There's a certain satisfaction in poking the smug git in the eye

"pulled off on stage." Err, I think. But I've aye had a warped sense of humour.

Nah - just You Jeremy would be right. With lyrics like: You starve the poor while you line your nest You hide your smile when they're laid to rest You Jeremy etc

Yup, I get that completely. I have two metronomes - a silly bleeping box that lives in my gig bag for emergencies, plus a clockwork one that I keep in the music room. That gets used a lot. Even when I've got my cans on or am playing louder than usual, being able to follow the pendulum helps keep me in time, even when I'm playing off a score and watching it from the corner of my eye. I got used to that when I played the trumpet; inevitably the blare would drown the click, but following the movement soon became second nature. I used to put it on a shelf above my music stand, so I could see both at the same time. Clockwork metronomes rock!

Obvious, innit? They go in the floordrobe

What about the old Shredded Wheat factory in Welwyn Garden City? Or if you want to go further afield, Old Hall Mill in Leeds is falling to bits, or Temple Works, also in Leeds, is an iconic Grade I listed building that's crumbling away. I think you'd need to go via the council to get into Temple Works - it was supposed to be sold to Burberry, but the last I heard, that had fallen through. EDIT: pressed Submit too quickly - the main room in Temple Works was once the largest in the world. It's got an incredible light quality - on a sunny day, the light coming through the myriad of skylights seems to hang in the air without touching the walls. My old model railway club had their clubroom in there. I might have a few pics knocking about if you're interested?