The Admiral

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1358463843' post='1939919'] That's such a cliche, I've seen that printed on walls of music shops. There are plenty of people who would rather watch Vai. Massive following, incredible music. Me... i'd like to watch both. There's more than one way to skin a cat! [/quote] Cliche : a comment that is widely made and not original. Fair enough - I just happen to agree with many other people, as do you it would seem, that BB is a great player - which doesn't surprise me in these circumstances. As for Vai - fair enough, I would heartily agree that he's an incredible technical player, which many people admire, but I was simply seeking to make the point that technique in and of itself doesn't make for a great listening experience in many situations. You can admire the skill and the flash, as you can admire BB's tone and unique vibrato - one isn't lesser than the other, just because it 's more simple is my point - which was the point I inferred from much of the comment above : "Hook isn't a very good technical player, therefore he has no right to appear in a showcase" - which in this case has been poorly labelled as a masterclass, which for many suggests a higher level of skill will be demonstrated.

70s funk.......... The Chairman - Sly Stone, and with slap played on a Ric too. The horn stabs could be covered by the guitar I would think, but it depends if you have 2 guitars. If nothing else, enjoy this awesome video - what a band! http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=sly%20stone%20thank%20you%20andy%20williams%20show&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC8QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwTLfHo9QAnQ&ei=BoT4UMGlEtSM0wWZkYGACA&usg=AFQjCNGYHskTf3jNDc3zHGWeiuleirX1sQ&bvm=bv.41248874,d.d2k

FWIW - I saw Frank Gambale and his trio at the NEC guitar show about 10 years ago and it was the the biggest pile of art w*** bollocks jazz rock noodling I've ever heard. His bass player had a custom 6 string, and they were all technically awesome players, but after 2 songs they had cleared the hall pretty much, and it reminded me of those kids that can do fantastic football juggling tricks and 500 keepy uppies at a time, but can't actually play a game of football for sh*t. Interestingly, Ocean Colour Scene were on the same bill, as they has just signed a deal with Marshall, and they were amazing. Is Steve Craddock a better player than the Aussie sweep picking maestro Gambale -, probably no, but it's about being the right player for the band ad serving the song surely? I'm not a Hooky/JD/New Order fan at all, but i bet he's got some excellent stories, and surely it's more about making an emotional connection with the listener than playing thousands of notes. BB King has made a career out of being the greatest player of 5 notes in the world, and given the choice between seeing him and Steve Vai, I know who I'd want to watch.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&v=KNd1lXq5MQA#/watch?feature=fvwrel&v=KNd1lXq5MQA

Great idea - strikes me as a great opportunity to perhaps raise some money for charity too. Could this be sponsored in any way or perhaps a competition 'guess the mileage', or even a world record - with the bass being auctioned at the end. It would be fantastic if some celeb players could be persuaded to play this for one song and sign it too. Mark King always strikes me as a very decent guy for example and if he came in, who else does he know? Just a thought.

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1357856862' post='1929755'] Wow! That's a must. I've got a lie in on the Monday morning too. Sorted. [/quote] Oh yeah - you can also go to Umanov's on Bleeker St and drool over the vintage Fenders etc : http://umanovguitars.com/store/old-stuff/old-basses/

If you are going to be there on the Sunday - go and check out this guy at The Red Lion on Bleeker Street. 11 p.m. Every Sunday. http://www.jerrydugger.net/

Don't know if you are active on it, but Talkawhile is a great folky forum, with plenty of muso chat going on, and you may find a session or a gig on there : http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php

I saw a lesbian punk band in Oxford years go, and after what I suspect had been a lifetimes commitment to going bra- less, the very sturdy girl on bass could have worn her thunderbird like Peter Way and still got tangled up! Scariest audience I've ever seen too!

I'm just waiting for the inevitable Adam Clayton joke ................... It will be along shortly no doubt.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1357661111' post='1926227'] Nice one - really, I hope you keep it going. For future ref; it's only a midlife crisis if you're 10 years older than you are, you also buy - or consider buying - a Harley (& I don't mean Benton) take up jogging and grow a beard. [/quote] Bugger........ I've got 2 from your 4 there, and I joined the gym recently too. No danger on the Harley front though...ever.

Chatting to a guy a party on Saturday who is in a 5 piece party band, but which does a lot of Madchester stuff - and thy have 30 gigs booked this year, as far away ( from Manchester) as London - all private parties - either weddings, or increasingly, 40ths, 50ths and 60ths - which means changing the set a bit, but they don't play a lot of the hoary old pub covers. All bookings from people who have seen them play, mostly at friends events, but they do 2 'showcase' gigs at their local each year for gratis, and invite prospective clients along. They charge £650 - £800 for parties ( plus travel and accom if a long way for home) and £800+ for weddings. They have great gear, a fantastic website, and are a good live band : seem to have it pretty sussed - not greedy, and consequently always busy, and just enjoy playing and getting paid for it is all bunce on top.

Another option might be a ukulele plectrum, which is made of compressed felt and might work for you : http://www.ukulele-plectrums.co.uk/designer-blue-feltrum-pack-of-1-p-29.html?zenid=hia63k6861cl8dmpil1epsico7

I think part of the issue is that people don't know what good sounds like, as all the music they hear generally comes on tv - which is generally set up to pump out plenty of boom and tizz, because that is what a lot of current music uses in it's soundscape. Also, Kids don't listen to music the way I certainly used to - buying an album, reading the sleeve and sitting down to listen to it a side at a time. Music is disposable wallpaper, and the days of artists being allowed to take 2 or 3 albums to find their feet, and then build a body of work, have gone. If you don't have a hit with the first single, you are toast, and it's back to karaoke at Wetherspoons. I saw today the One Direction have effectively 'saved' Sony Records, based on all the income they have generated in the USA. The sad part of that is that they are probably all on 'wages', have no part in any of the royalties, and once their ship has sailed, all they will have to look back on is some tattoos and hazy memories of booze and groupies ( not all bad then perhaps). The wages thing was one of the big issues with S Club I 'm told : worked their arses of for about 2 years non stop and earned about £80k a year. Not bad for 18 year olds we might think, but by comparison with what they earned for the Svengalis - peanuts. And what are they doing now - pushing prams around the estate, or trolleys in Tesco's car park - or panto in Wigan, for 4 weeks a year. The demise of good sound is another symptom of the demise of music as an art form generally IMHO and the impact of the commoditisation of it by corporations.

From the Take That fan forum (and no, I am not a member - I found it on Google!). Really interesting to see why he got the gig! PM: How did all these different gigs come about? Is it always through personal recommendation? LP: "Every gig I've ever had has been through word of mouth; Lewis Taylor, Archive, Belinda Carlisle, Bonnie Tyler, Take That all personal recommendations. I've even just done a gig with the Sugababes. Take That came about through Adam Wakeman. I was working in my studio one day and had just found out that Lewis Taylor's US tour had been cancelled, so I was feeling a bit down. Adam rang me and said, 'I've just recommended you for a gig.' I said, 'Great, who is it?' And he said, 'Don't laugh it's Take That.' So, of course, I laughed! I thought it was a wind-up. But he said, 'No, I'm serious. There are a few others up for it, but Mike Stevens [Take That's Musical Director] wants a bass player who can sing.' I've always sung backing vocals in all the bands I've been in. I got a call from Mike and arranged to meet him in London. We had a chat, and the next day he called me and said, 'I'm going to take a chance. I've not even heard you play, but Adam says you're bang on. And you can sing. So it's yours if you want it.' So, basically, I got the gig more on the strength of my singing than my bass playing." PM: Presumably you weren't that familiar with most of Take That's material? How did you go about learning everything? LP: "I knew a couple of their big hits, but that was about it, so I bought their 'best of' album, shoved it in the car's CD player and that was it. I'm lucky to have pretty much a photographic memory when it comes to music. Usually, I can listen to a song and get it first time. Some of the more complicated prog rock stuff might need a second run-through, but I always learn songs in my head before I even pick up the bass. Often, I arrive at a first rehearsal without ever having actually played the tunes. I never write anything down; I don't want to rely on bits of paper. If you go on stage and you've lost your crib sheets, you're stuffed. I have to know the songs — that way I can immerse myself in the music." PM: I suppose it was inevitable, with your prog rock background, that people would take the *** a little when you joined a boy band? LP: "Yes, they did. But the people who laughed weren't musicians. Other musicians recognized that it's a good gig, and a very high-profile gig at that. Whatever people may think about Take That, they are great at what they do. The stage show is unbelievable, with fire and pyrotechnics and huge back-projections. To be part of something like that — something so big — has been amazing for me. It's a different discipline to what I normally play because with most of the other bands I'm involved in, there's an element of improvisation, particularly with Rick. With Take That, it's very much a discipline of playing straight down the line, but making sure it grooves and has real energy. Often, I'm singing completely against the rhythm of what I'm playing on bass and I've had to learn to lock the two things together a lot more." PM: It was never an issue that you don't read music? LP: "Not at all. We had six weeks of rehearsal before the first gig, so it was not a problem. Mike Stevens is basically looking for people who can play and are into what they're doing, but are also easy to get on with. That's the key when you're touring; just be a nice chap and have a good vibe about you. That's the way to get work. If you're a superb player, but a pain in the ***, you'll never get asked. The world is full of phenomenal musicians who are so up themselves that they are really difficult to be around. Being on the road with difficult people is really draining. The Take That tour has been one of the best touring experiences I've ever had. It's like a big family. The crew are great, the musicians are great, the dancers are great, and they're all very loyal to the band. Mike Stevens and most of the musicians have been around since the early '90s, which tells you a great deal. We've also got a lot more in common than you might think. Milton McDonald, the guitar player, is a massive Rush fan. Bernie Smith, the keyboard player, is a huge Genesis fan. Mike Stevens, the MD, is a fan of Yes and Gentle Giant. Gary Barlow told me he likes some of the later Yes albums. So within Take That there are also all these closet prog rock fans. It's one of the reasons we all get on so well." PM: So how does it feel to walk out onto that stage in front of 60,000 screaming girls? LP: "It's absolutely brilliant! We did two nights at Milton Keynes Bowl in front of 65,000, and the first night we stepped out on that stage I just kept thinking, 'Genesis played here when they reformed with Peter Gabriel in '82, Queen played here and I've got that gig on DVD' All these bands that I knew and loved, and I was standing there on the same stage, seeing what they saw. I've played bigger gigs, but always as a support act. This felt really special because we were headlining. We also did the Royal Variety Performance and the Princess Diana concert at Wembley this year. And this European tour we're just about to start is taking in some pretty major venues as well. I was pretty nervous at first, but now I just look around the stage and I'm surrounded by all my mates in the band and having such a good time. I almost feel guilty getting paid."

Great interview wih Lee here : http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/may08/articles/leepomeroy.htm

Well, i think this is turning out to be the best music show on tv this Christmas/New Year. Great songs, fantastic band including the freaky upside down left handed bass work of Lee Pomeroy, and excellent guests - including James Corden, who can sing pretty well and camped it up on 'Pray' a treat, including some nifty dance moves. iMHO it's been a woeful time for tv this year and I'd given up hope of anything enjoyable, then the Mrs put this on. Oh, and some very nice Yummy Mummies in the crowd too!

Thanks for the tips. No levelling required, I just wanted to polish them up a little : they don't look as if they are lacquered, so I presume not a problem just to give them a run over?

May I tap into the collective wisdom of the BC community for a bit of a steer please guys? Can anyone point me in the direction of a good source for a 'how to' re giving the rosewood neck and frets on my P project bass a bit of TLC please? The frets are well seated and no sharp ends, just need a bit of polishing up : I was thinking of going with fine steel wool, but is there anything better? Also, I'll mask off the neck whilst I do this, and I want to give this a treament with lemon or walnut oil - but is that the best option re oils etc, and would you oil it after you have masked and done the fret work, or prior? Thanks A

Just out of interest I had a look at the RRP of the Ibanez Musician bass when introduced in 1979 : $788 US. The exchange rate was $2.11 to the £, so that's £370. Build in inflation since 1979, and you end up with £1,650. I don't know how this one would compare with the Musician, but that was a classy bass!

Adler book now claimed and will be winging it's way via Royal Mail to a new reader. When read I presume they'll reappear here for the next claimant. Cheers A

I actually had one of those Crafters, and sold it last Christmas for £75,which was very fair. It was in excellent nick - barely a mark, and certainly didn't have the tuners angled - which frankly looks fu*king ridiculous. This guy has basically butchered a £75 bass, and wants to sell it for £137! Perhaps we should all chip in £3 and collectively buy one of these abominations - if only so we can ensure someone who knows something about instruments gets the chance to give some feedback - which I suspect would be negative. Or maybe he's a misunderstood genius?

The Quo book will be winging it's way off to Happy Jack tomorrow, but Mr Adler remains unclaimed. FYI - it costs about £2.70 to pass these on, including a padded Jiffy bag, so it's a bit like buying a pint (Manchester prices!) for a fellow bass player. Your round!

As you will be aware, the first rule of BC Book Club is that you don't talk about BC Book Club... so...... shhhh The Guy Pratt book has been doing the rounds for years on BC I think, and I have 2 more titles to lob into the circuit : Steven Adler : My appetite for destruction Status Quo : XS All areas (Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt) Both pretty good in their own way. I'm not a huge fan of either band, but the Quo one is by far and away the better of the two, not least because Rossi and Parfitt are funny guys and have some great stories. Steven Adler was kicked out of G&R for taking too many drugs I believe, which is a feat in itself I would think, and he doesn't come across that well in the book. Clearly the guy has issues, but if you like a vicarious thrill from the sex and sleaze stories, you'll enjoy this. PM me if interested and I'll post them out, based on the understanding that they they go into circulation on BC, with the sender covering postage costs each time they are passed on. Cheers

Me : Hard day's night Mrs A : Help Good timing all around I think. I really must get that Hofner I've been wanting for years!