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The Admiral

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  1. The Admiral
    I cant decide between two - which are both by the same artist : Neil Young After the Gold Rush (1970) and Harvest (1972) are both stunning albums and I can also thoroughly recommend 'Live at Massey Hall' from 1971, which was only released officially a few years ago, and captures him between these two landmark albums, and playing what became classics for the first time live - Old Man' for example receives no recognition, but does warrant a nice back story introduction. He's a fascinating artist of the sort we'll never see again,a s the industry would never support him now if he were just starting out - uncompromising, principled, experimental and a very gifted writer of intensely personal songs, but played in an idiosyncratic guitar style, which others struggle to emulate : 'ragged glory' encapsulates it beautifully. Anyone who doesn't know his work should check him out. He has legions of long standing fans, including some high profile ones - Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher to name but two.
  2. The Admiral
    [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1423744272' post='2688474'] A couple for me really. Frank Sinatra 'Live at the Sands' with County Basie and his Orchestra, and Quincy Jones conducting. Tower of Power 'Back to Oakland'. [/quote] That Sinatra album is fantastic, including the extended stand up routine mid set and the Basie orchestra are cooking - Quincy Jones arrangements I believe too, so a link to your second choice.
  3. The Admiral
    Wednesday bump!
  4. The Admiral
    [quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1423667218' post='2687693'] At a private function. A 40th anniversary. A granny comes up to the stage towing her 10 year old grandson. She says that he want's to play the drums. I /we suggest that in the middle of the set is not a good idea, maybe at the end. She gets somewhat miffed and proclaims. "I'm the person who is paying for this party, if he doesn't play now you don't get paid." Couldn't argue with that. He was OK for his age and got a standing ovation from his family and freinds. [/quote] That's very rude IMHO, but just betrays the view people have of bands - performing monkeys. I suppose the alternative retort would be "Fair enough - If we are not getting paid, we'll pack up now." Another good reason for getting paid in advance, or at least a good non refundable 'booking fee'. Easier said than done though I appreciate.
  5. The Admiral
    [quote name='Allons-y!' timestamp='1423616051' post='2687183'] Yeah you're right. I think it would have been the wrong choice for someone more serious with playing live. But for me it wasn't has big a deal as I thought it was. [/quote] Just read this from the start and I'd say you've made a good choice. You can always find another band, but special women are hard to come by, and I cannot imagine there are too many kids who wish their dad had spent less time with them and more time gigging. I remember reading a piece about Metallica's Black Album tour - where they kept adding dates and it finally lasted about 18 months. The article included a list of everything that had been used in the tour - effectively the costs. The final line was '3 marriages'. That's a lesson right there IMHO.
  6. The Admiral
    Whilst I am not a fan of the Beck material I have heard (which isn't enough to really form an opinion) he does strike me as someone original and with interesting ideas, of his own, and a broad songwriting pallete. Beyoncé has made some great records, but isn't an artist in the same sense to my mind, and if Kanye wants to talk about originality, he should check this out : http://vimeo.com/16331452 I've got a Kanye album - the one with Goldigger, which as a track is made by the Ray Charles sample, but other than that it's just average and quite derivative pop rap. Outbursts like this are the consequence of living your life surrounded by people who ceaselessly kiss your arse, and never disagree with your opinions, no matter how misguided. "I'm right all the time - everyone agrees : I must therefore be right". He's not been the same since his mum died in tragic circumstances : cardiac arrest, following cosmetic surgery. She brought him up solo from the age of 3, was a respected academic, and frankly seems to have taken no sh*t from anyone. I bet he'd have been on the naughty step if she were still around.
  7. The Admiral
    Invest in a copy of ' Tour smart and break the band' by Martin Atkins. It's about £20 on Amaon, but it's a really good book with a stack of excellent advice.
  8. The Admiral
    [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1423316656' post='2683429'] I'd prefer an instant bank transfer, tbh. With real, physical money, there's always a risk of counterfeited money, and there's also a risk of getting mugged and having the money stolen from you. Straight into the bank, for me, please. It's where the money will end up, anyway. [/quote] Not unknown in car trading circles. Punter turns up to buy car - offers to pay cash, let's say £10,000 for an M3. Deal done, he drives off. 5 minutes later, 3 lads in balaclavas and with a machete turn up on the doorstep, force their way in, and demand the cash, then drive off in a second car. Outcome - no car, no cash. Fake contact details for buyer, no pictures of anyone, and no evidence to speak of. When I've ever accepted any amount of cash for anything, I've always done the transaction at the bank and paid it straight in. They can then check for counterfeits too. Cash deposited and checked for fakes, the keys get handed over.
  9. The Admiral
    [quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1423272816' post='2683120'] It's also possible that his account is not in a position to receive the money, ie he may be overdrawn and the transfer might get swallowed up!! [/quote] There is one of the half dozen straight away.
  10. The Admiral
    An acquaintance (aged 25) who plays in a soul destroying but well paid function band was propositioned at a local Wedding by a drunk, but very attractive, if slightly brassy, middle aged blonde in a mini dress. Her question, whispered in his ear mid song was "We need to talk. - I need to know exactly how you are going to f*** me later when I take you home". I should point out that he's a nice lad, but not much of a ladies Man and has been married since he was 19. She wouldn't give it up apparently, spending most of the night on the dance floor winking at him and x rated twerking inappropriately (both from a decorum and rythmic point of view) to a selection of soul and wedding classics. In the end, he decided to play along, loaded the gear and told her he had to take a leak before they went back to hers, and promptly climbed out of the window of the gents, to be met by the rest of the band, in the van, with the engine running. As they sped round past the front of the venue, she apparently came out of the front door to light a fag, spotted the van and her new boyfriend going past and started chasing them down the road as best she could in stripper heels, screaming what a c*** he was. Classy girl clearly.
  11. The Admiral
    What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? Homeless. Sub in the instrument of choice of course, but how often is it the bass player who books the gigs and rehearsals,arranges the transport, has the spare batteries, cables, stands etc. By being the bass player, there is generally an acceptance that you are playing a supporting and frequently unsung role, but that lack of ego and willingness to see the greater good of the band, might certainly be attractive. Prima donnas and high maintenance arses become very wearing after a while I'm sure if you are dating them. They certainly do in a band.
  12. The Admiral
    No commentary on any of the parties involved but simply an observation on the facts : The extra £400 buys you a warranty and a degree of protection, should the keyboard suffer any issues, which in my experience hi tech gear is wont to do. If you buy on your credit card, you also have the consumer protection inherent within that, which is well documented. It's one thing to buy a £1650 used P bass, which, bottom line, is a mass produced instrument made of wood and metal parts , with very little that can't be fixed relatively easily, albeit at a cost, and another thing entirely, to spend that on a plastic box full of components that could give up the ghost at any time : fried PCB anyone? In the current climate might it not be possible also to close that price difference by pushing the retailer for a discount? Regarding the insistence on cash - I wouldnt take it personally, as there could be any number of reasons for wanting to go that route : not wanting the bank to have a record of the money for a range of reasons for example (alimony, tax), also - maybe not wanting the wife to know about it, not trusting the bank transfer system whomever is the buyer, needing cash for a purchase of something else, where the seller insists on cash etc. etc. you could probably come up with another half dozen over a pint. All of course, IMHO.
  13. The Admiral
    Price drop bump!
  14. The Admiral
    Bumped and edited for a price reduction. For sale : £125.00 inc. hard case Having moved house in April of last year from an Edwardian semi, to a country cottage, I've had to store my guitars under a bed, rather than in my study : consequently they are just not getting played and its pointless having money tied up in them when they could be played and appreciated by someone else. So, very reluctantly, I'm selling my 1989 Strat. I bought this S/H in 1991 from Kempster's in Commercial Road Swindon. It was alleged to have been traded in by 'one of the guys from XTC', but I have no provenance for that and may well have been total BS. It certainly didn't influence my decision to buy - its a cracking guitar. Since 1991, its gone with me unscathed through a divorce, 6 house moves, and little use - spending most of its time safely cased in a dry heated indoor environment. I look after my guitars, and for a 25 year old instrument I think this is in cracking nick, with only a small rub in the lacquer on the edge of the headstock, and some light surface 'crazing' to the finish of the body, from pick use. No buckle rash - I've never gigged it. It's an S prefix Korean Strat, made in the Samick factory in 1989, with trem - although the arm is currently removed, but is included and can be refixed very easily. There is a wealth of info on the net about these guitars which you can research : in short, the earlier Korean examples are light years ahead of the 1990s examples, and the Chinese/Indonesian guitars are very poor by by comparison. It plays really nicely and the neck is a lovely example of Rosewood. There is some wear to the second fret, which is how it was when I bought it, but it doesn't impact the playability. When new, Fender were very cagey about the build of these : solid or ply body? General consensus is now that they are ply, but very well done, to the point where you would barely know, until you sanded right back to bare wood. It certainly 'rings' well when played unplugged. Fitted with a set of Ernie Ball 'Skinny Top, Heavy Bottoms' it gives you all the tones you would expect from a Strat, especially if you are looking for crunchy blues or rock tones : great sounds for a 'budget' instrument. These are very popular with home modders, and, whilst its very giggable 'as is', with a set of hotter pick ups, like the Texas Specials for example, I can imagine this would be remarkable. Payment by Paypal please - I'll issue an invoice to the buyer, or cash on collection. The price includes the hard case and I would prefer collection from the West Midlands, but I travel a lot for business, so happy to discuss a meet up to do a Harry Palmer - 'Funeral in Berlin' style 'hand over' ( once payment has cleared if it's PayPal). I can ship this, at cost and insured, with UPS. It will be well packaged, in addition to the hard case. I'm not interested in any trades thanks. Happy to answer any questions. More pics here : http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Front_zpsf958b5c4.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/headstock_zps015560f5.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Mark_zpsd14a1355.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Fret_zps44c95da5.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Back_zps83753c05.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Headstockrear_zps84e5eff2.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Plate_zpsbfae41b2.jpg.html http://s375.photobucket.com/user/The_Admiral1964/media/Case_zpsd3bb52c5.jpg.html
  15. The Admiral
    [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1399199250' post='2441933'] "JUST FUNK MY LIFE UP And that girl, so fine Makes you wanna scream HALLELUJAH" Paulo Nuttini..... Something that's been inspirational to me: "In your hands lie your destination The book of true life you hold the key..." [/quote] I think this is a reggae track, but I can't place it. I had a house mate who was a massive dope fiend and reggae fan (18 inch speakers for your hifi anyone) and I'm sure he played this all the time, but I'm determined not to google!!!!. Black Uhuru?
  16. The Admiral
    [quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1422358520' post='2671498'] What Blue said... And like others have said if a song has a distinctive bass line (e.g My Generation by The Who) its probably worth learning but if you're playing anything else I dont think anybody notices or even cares. Bass is a support instrument at the end of the day... I think it also depends on the song and how 'famous' that bass line is...We play You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette and I have completely dumbed that down to root notes and octaves as the bass line is all over the place, plus with two guitars it sounded plain messy, so we 'made it our own' and its one of my favourite songs we play. A fellow bassist who knows the song will notice I'm playing it differently but I seriously doubt anybody else does. [/quote] Your post prompted me to listen this and you are right - all over the show. Nicely done, but I can't see it being missed when done live. Pumping out the big shouty chorus without the widdly fills isn't going to be a problem for most audiences. It was played by Flea from the Chilli Peppers on the record, so it was always going to be a nice line. Dave Navarro on guitar too. There is a YouTube video of the isolated bassline for those interested.
  17. The Admiral
    I have to say the best festival ive been to was last year's Shrewsbury FolkFestival. Limited to 8500, great food, safe and convenient parking and camping and some awesome talent, with superb Beer and food at reasonable prices. Clean toilets too. I speak as a veteran of some 80s metal festival shockers and no-one want to go back to that nightmare - although the bands were generally great!
  18. The Admiral
    Excellent piece from Classic Rock regarding the cancellation of this year's Sonisphere from Alan Niven, the ex Guns and Roses Manager. http://classicrock.teamrock.com/features/2015-01-22/the-cancellation-of-sonisphere-are-record-companies-to-blame Interestingly, I had a CD turn up today : UFO reissue of 'No place to run' and the excellent booklet contains a copy of their headlining gig at the Reading Festival in 1980. Taking Alan Niven's point about poor bills - look at the the bands you could, and in some cases on BC, I am sure did, see. It makes you think about the dearth of quality we have out there now, which may well be linked to the lack of support from record companies, but also the death of grungy little venues where Young bands can get up, be a bit crap, but learn and improve.
  19. The Admiral
    [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1421955818' post='2667146'] Butterscotch, yes! That was my first thought. Mind you my Hayman's got the vibe, even though it's British... [/quote] That's quite Wal shaped isn't it? Or is it me? Beautiful bit of vintage bass porn - I'd be afraid to use it, it looks in such good nick.
  20. The Admiral
    Congrats! How about this? Not my ad, but it looks a beauty and a good price too. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/253530-ibanez-afb2000-shortscale-semi-acoustic/page__p__2661150__hl__semi__fromsearch__1#entry2661150
  21. The Admiral
    Friday night on Sky Arts 1 : two concerts, one featuring the Glenn Hughes, David Coverdale, Tommy Bolin era from Japan, plus a Classic Albums too.
  22. The Admiral
    [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1421922111' post='2666550'] While I'm sure that's a factor, the music also got progressively "heavier" (leaving out some of the jazzy tracks on Renegade), especially when John Sykes joined the band - so maybe some of it was stylistic too, although perhaps enforced by the other issues... [/quote] Point taken, although even allowing for the heavier sound, it's still a porter instrument I think. Regarding Phil's habits, I was interested to note that a number of what appear well informed fan sites suggest much of Chinatown was written by Snowy White, with Phil - and in that order, as his drug habit was impacting on his creativity and basic ability to function at the level he had previously. Also, the Thunder and Lightning album was written and demoed before Sykes came on board, bar a couple of tracks. The latter would refute the suggestion that Sykes is to blame for what many Lizzy fans apparently think of as a bad change of direction into a borderline metal band - which Lizzy never were. I also saw it suggested that Scott Gorham virtually downs T&L now and is reluctant to discuss it - but who knows, there will always be gossip of this nature.
  23. The Admiral
    [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1421845464' post='2665627'] If only they had... [/quote] Indeed. Listened to Chinatown, and then Renegade, followed by Thunder and Lightning on a long train journey yesterday and a couple of things struck me : firstly, how amateurish the production sounds on Chinatown for such a 'big' band, and how, over the course of those albums timeframe, Phil's voice had gone from a sweet and soulful baritone, to a husky, raw and somewhat ruined growl. Not a stylistic intent IMHO, but rather the ravages of his habits. Very sad.
  24. The Admiral
    Sound on Sound ran a great series of articles about this. A bit dated now, but still worth a read : http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep07/articles/recordlabel.htm
  25. The Admiral
    [quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1421663379' post='2663624'] If the cover of L&D is to be believed that great tone is flats through a mic'd B15 - the amp on top of his Acoustic rig and the cab underneath a Marshall 4x12. Presumably a DI as well. [/quote] I remember an article about gear, towards the end of his life, and he was talking about basses and amps - and had moved to Dynacord BS412 I think, and the quote was "they have really saved my life....". Some of the later stage shots show the rig : 4 stacked, 2 per side I think - immediately next to the drum riser.
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