Dr.Dave

I don't worry about stuff like this because I long since realised that your average joe or joanne knows very little about music and particularly the way it's made - and they don't want to know, They're happily ignorant. I could get upset about that or I could get on with what I'm doing and to hell with them. I choose the latter. Respect only your audience's reaction to what you do - don't make the mistake of ever respecting their knowledge or judgement. Not ever. I also think that many bass players revel in being the down trodden forgotten man who stands at the back. They like to moan about their lot while blaming others for putting them down. I've no respect for that either.

Thing about desert islands is there's nobdy there , so it'd be a Precision wothout doubt. If it was a funny desert island , though , where I was playing gigs in different bands - all playing different types of music - where versatility took priority over personal taste - I'd have a Jazz.

The thing is - there are some members of the population that go to work all week then it gets to the weekend and they want to be entertained - not educated. They want to go to a boozer - have a few pints and watch a band do stuff they're familiar with. Sometimes that might be a straight trib band - a covers band - a fat bastard that insults them and takes the piss while bludgeoning well known tunes into all sorts of strange shapes (not that I know anyone who does that!!)......... That doesn't mean they can;t go see a play the following day - or visit an art gallery - or listen to a CD someone gave them of a new band - or go see another covers band. Folk are allowed to do what they want - it does not detract from what anyone else is trying to do. It does - however - seem to give some folk an excuse as to why there's nobody in their audience. Besides - something I'd impress on young bands in particular - Playing other people's music is a good way to see if your skills are developing enough to be able to recreate your original ideas with a degree of competence. You can't bend or push the rules unless you know them first.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1346833363' post='1793675'] I'm going to write a tribute novel.... 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Boggit. Not a rotton, muddy, wet hole full of the ends of caterpillars and a mouldy smell, nor yet a arid, empty, dusty hole with nothing in it to lie down on or to drink: This was a Boggit hole and that means luxury. It had a square door like a cupboard, painted yellow, with a shiny, green copper knob on the side. THe door opened onto a wide, long hallway with half-panelled walls and floorboards provided with sturdy chairs and one peg for the Boggit's hat and coat - the Boggit hated visitors'. You wouldn't would you? [/quote] Now now - we've talked about you and your childrens books......! Besides - the LOTR has been tribbed , it's called Star Wars.

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1346784167' post='1793241'] Ouch! that's incredibly down-feeling (but probably true) enjoy it whilst you can huh? [/quote] Sorry - I'd been listening to Leonard Cohen !

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1346769780' post='1792953'] For funsies. [/quote] I don't have fun myself - I have people to do it for me !!

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1346785093' post='1793266'] We are endorsed by Donald Fagen's nan. [/quote] Keema or Peshwari ? We did our ZZ Top thing with Abbatoir - sort of heavy metal abba trib. They headlined. Most of their set folk were chanting 'Zee Zee - Zee Zee' etc. Bit embarrassing. I quite liked them - so much so I nicked the idea and do a heavy metal version of Winner Takes It All in the Doc B set. I can top the 'silly accents' thing. Mate of mine was playing a double bill and walked into the other bands dressing room - they were a Queen trib. On the floor - kneeling in front of a hastily put up pic of Freddie - was the singer. The drummer asked my mate to keep quiet cos the singer was 'conjouring up Freddie's spirit'. The phrase 'merchant banker' just doesn't seem sufficient , does it.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1346769058' post='1792941'] This is the difference in covers bands who get the notes right but nothing much else...it is playing by numbers. Not that it is the be-all and end-all...and I can enjoy a night of bland covers or tributes easily enough, it is just that I think the band might be missing a trick.. but then also, the band will not realise they are missing that trick. ...oh well. not the end of the world, but I know what I would prefer [/quote] So - bands who play covers do so because they're too thick to realise there's another choice? I've written , recorded and gigged original material. Played in a trib band. Played in a covers band..... all of this I enjoyed for what is was/is. None of this I did because I didn't realise I was missing a trick ! Just the opposite - I did it because I wanted to know as many tricks as I could learn !! And if you think covers bands play by numbers - come see us - as someone once sang ,I 'll show you something that'll make you change your mind.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1346767972' post='1792912'] Eevrything is acceptable if people are being entertained. Now the question is: am I being ironic? [/quote] No. You're just making a statement you , and likely the rest of us , know to be wrong. Now if you were to say that everything a reasonably balanced person finds entertaining is acceptable.... you'd be right. Except I doubt you'd say that. Maybe that's ironic !

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1346765771' post='1792850'] Mass appeal is not the problem. Passive consumption is, along with the assumption that 'giving the people what they want' is a simple case of cause and effect. Lack of imagination, lack of ambition, willingness to accept second and third rate product etc etc. I guess a good metaphor would be a child who doesn't eat anything but bland food because they are never exposed to anything that is not bland. They genuinely DO like their chicken nuggets and settle for nothing less. Why is it wrong for someone who knows that there is better, tastier, more wholesome etc food out there to say so? PS none of this actually matters [/quote] Bilbo , Bilbo , Bilbo.......... why is something with mass appeal automatically a second rate product?? Why is that? What it is - is a product. Here's one product. Here's another different product. End of. Your imaginary kid can have lobster thermidore one day and chicken nuggets another - it's OK. I agree that none of this matters but...well......... it doesn't half seem to matter to you !

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1346765904' post='1792855'] Try playing it left/right handed, whichever isn't your dominant hand. It's like your first day all over again, pretty strange feeling. [/quote] I'm sure it does but I can't think why I'd want to bother trying.

I can't answer this - I've honestly forgotten how it feels to not be able to play with a reasonable degree of competence. I expect , at my age ,the day will come in the future when I can't anymore. I expect , too , that the feeling of only being able to go downhill as a player will be far , far worse than the feeling that you're not good enough yet but will get there.

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1346764425' post='1792818'] Do tribute bands get tribute WAGS/groupies? Does a Beatles tribute have an annoying woman in a black wig getting in the way at rehearsals? Doesn't add anything to the debate. Just asking like. [/quote] Yes. I got asked to keep the beard on.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1346763496' post='1792804'] The tribute band scene dishonours those it seeks to reproduce [/quote] No , mate. What's happening is you underestimate the capacity of a trib band audience to understand exactly what's up there in front of them and have little respect for the motives of those who choose to play in one. I've never understood why anything that has mass appeal is considered 'wrong' by definition by those who consider their own less popular tastes 'highbrow' and therefore more valid . It's OK to be in trib band , sing karaoke , go on the X factor , play modern jazz , read Shakespeare , read Razzle , go to football , go to the ballet....... folk can do what they want. It's even OK to do all of those things above as the mood takes you - you don't have to define yourself one way only. You talk of some things being 'entertainment' like it's a dirty word. True - some things can be for more than that - but some that doesn't make entertainment invalid. It just means it's never enough for you.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1346694380' post='1792034'] either I am being too critical or they are blind to the flaws! Probably somewhere in between TBH. I don't think it's terrible enough to need to be taken down, its just I wouldn't encourage you BCer's to watch it! [/quote] You think any of us big shots would sit on our high horses and point a snide finger at one of us who got off her arse and walked the walk ?? We're mates around here , 'shell , not rivals.

My tone changes when I change my strings - and that's only once a flood because somebody's given me some. I'm a very simplistic dinosaur who put practicality first. I want a useable noise that's easy to achieve so I buy an amp who's neutral sound pretty much does that and I just crack on. I think the argument for watching the upper mids is a good one though. Some horrible , honky noises around there that I don't care for at all. As for changing tone between songs......I have a quick drink and wipe my hands on a towel between songs. I can assure you that makes me sound better (by improving my playing) than pratting about with tone knobs.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1346613386' post='1791253'] Nomination for the BC site motto! (translated into Latin anyone?) [/quote] Principali minstrelos skinto ??? I'd prefer 'fine words butter no parsnips'.

I get happier with my MB 210 combo every time I use it. I loved my old RB 400 top and had thought it louder than the new combo , but now I've learned to use the combo's eq better the combo's thunderous. Massive amounts of arse end. Volume's relative , of course - but in practical terms it means I don't use the matching 2x15 for most gigs we do these days (whereas I always used 2 cabs with the old head) which means we can often get away with not taking the trailer. For a gigging pub band of a..erm...less young age !! - that's a real boost. The xlr makes me seeth though. Clearly it's been put on backwards and you need a screwdriver or a key or smilar to release it. Somebody designed that...and somebody accepted that design. That makes me angry. I rate GK amps very highly i terms of a reliable , workman like product with easily found , useable sounds for a gigging musician at a reasonable price.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1346604829' post='1791106'] Ditto. Also Boorishness. [/quote] Tch - I only got ignorance. I don't know what boorish means!

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1346604351' post='1791094'] Cool! I should say there is now a P bass pickup between the 2 j pups! Just like with my other one. [/quote] I remember - you posted the pic at the time.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1346530167' post='1790357'] The one I got from you has been my main instrument ever since! The other has a shiny new fretless neck on it that Rob built for me. I will be buried with them! [/quote] That really makes me happy ! Here it be avec moi at a local festival

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1346599776' post='1791027'] [/snobbish elitism] [/quote] I've earned both those qualities !

The question isn't 'why bother' - it's 'why worry' !! You do your thing to whoever wants to watch you doing your thing and it makes you happy. Somebody else does there's in greater numbers...good for them. I've found that since the point where I was confident and experienced - at life - enough to stop conning myself into thinking we're all equal and was therefore able to accept that most people I come across are dumber than me , I've found such things as karaoke much easier to deal with.

Define value? You mean money? I expect my 73P is worth around £1200 given the upgrades I've made but I'll never sell it so it's real financial value to me is zero. if someone tried to take it from me I'd do whatever it took to stop them doing so and i'd likely end up in the slammer. So - 8 to 10 years is another possible value. I tend to protect it from harm by taking a 90's blueflower jap precision instead. Can't remember what I paid for it - about £270 on ebay I think.

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1345921199' post='1783227'] Please make them ban Mustang Sally I think any covers band that does that should be taken into the street and shot [/quote] We do mustang sally - though I doubt you or anybody else has heard a version like it. Mustang Sally isn't a sh*te song - it just gets played by too many sh*te bands. Happily , we're very good indeed !!