Stub Mandrel

Don't forget blues was fading in the USA until their leading lights came to the UK and sparked the UK blues movement.

I'm 62. It's tempting to give a very long answer. I'll try and be concise. From my teens I found live music awesome. Until my early 20s I was just a ragged guitar basher, then I discovered bass and found I could play it reasonably. I got into a covers band, followed by two originals bands. Then I got married and for about 22 years did no more than the odd noodle every year or two. As divorce became inevitable I started playing for my own pleasure, put in liafs of effort, then signed up for a "weekend warrior" scheme. I discovered thst I was actually a reasonably good player with a good ear. I also rediscovered how making music was fundamental to who I am. From that scheme arose a band. We only gigged twice, then covid and the divorce finished, and I came back to Wales to look after my dad just over four years ago. Since then... I joined two bands, one, three piece blues, I am still in. My first gig with them I met a lady who is now my partner and as obsessed with live mumusic me! The other band, I left as try just weren't serious about gigging - three in two years. I founded another band, five of us playing classic/ heavy rock we all love. My dad passed last year. With the BL of the blues band finding success with a young indie band, and all if us in the other band having multiple bands I haven't had as many gigs as I want. Iwas maling up dome of the slack with dep gigs and open mic/jam nights. Then a friend has decided to resurrect his old band with new members to record a new album, and I've joined up to what is a one album and a few gigs project. Then a band I know have asked me to take on bass as their bassist has moved to keyboards. They are a really good old-style rock band playing about 30% CCR and a great bunch. So my answer: It keeps me sane and happy. My partner is super supportive. All the bands have great musicians. who are also friends. But most of all I love jamming, improvising and learning new material.

Melvin Harty? Doing a ten stretch in Winson Green for impersonating a Garfunkel.

I can't imagine Fender using mdf...

Wänk Chung

My brother's just ordered a 2024 Epiphone Firebird guitar. Reduced to £799, the 2025 one has a vibrola and 2 mini humbuckers and is £1,600. Both pretty accurate 1960s spec down to the Gibson humbuckers, through (not set) neck and Kluson banjo tuners. Hard cases included. Epiphone is making some serious instruments these years.

Tim Jones

Randy Shaw?

The Snack

Cheap *rick

The Jars

Maybe not quite...

Keep on Running by the Spencer Davis Group. Some simplified tabs out there, but the accurate line is full of changing rhythm patterns.

ALF

The Stringlers

Very marmite. I like that style, also Sire, Kay(!), Lakland, Lull, Harley Benton and Musicman amongst others with varying degrees of 'hook' and 'belly'.

My thought was that it would be a great bass to drop an unusual pickup in. A shame it's short scale.

High Tide in memory of Simon House. Hawkwind, Bowie and much besides.

Indeed. Blessed relief.

Hammstein 🐷

Like iPhones and Epiphones?

The Tyrds

Post Modern Pukebox