The Admiral

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1339939598' post='1696480'] Yes agreed - don;t know why JC didn;t come to mind? Great sideburns too!! [/quote] Crackers aren't they - looks like he's on the phone. Another fine set would be yer man from Supergrass...... Perhaps that's an idea for a thread - 'Great sideburns in rock'. A

This looks fantastic for anyone in London : http://www.britishmusicexperience.com/philip-lynott/ Anyone been? A

I'd agree with all the Lynott lovers - just born to do it, and the quintessential rock star, but for a different take, how about the hugely underated band with a criminally underated songwriter/singer/bass player. Del Amitri - fantastic live : Justin Currie - still touring, and a consumate musician/writer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkL3Wogl4bI

I skipped some of the posts, but no love for 'Taxman'? Great bassline - just ask Bruce Foxton, and plenty of latitude for your guitar player to give it some wallop if they want to - as in........... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8OgkjcW0g4[/media] There is also a great Stevie Ray Vaughan version, which will also appeal to the guitar fraternity.

[size=4]Just noticed this listing on eBay - for what the seller describes as 'case candy' - a frankly God awful Yankee bullshit name for all the tags, allen keys etc which one gets with a new guitar/bass.[/size] [size=4][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Jazz-Bass-Luxury-Manual-Case-Candy-Blank-Inspection-Card-/280860653469?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item416499779d"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item416499779d[/url][/size] [size=4]You can read his blurb yourself, but basically - he's buying this stuff in as a job lot from a dealer in the USA who dismantles new Fenders for parts allegedly, and selling it on. The UK guy's rationale seems to be that you can replace your guitar's lost stuff. I love this bit - " [color=#000000]If you just want a manual and case candy that looks nice my standard packs will suit your needs at much cheaper prices but if you you are looking to replace lost or stolen documents for your genuine Fender instrument you will need one of these packs with blank cards so that you can enter your own serial numbers in the relevant space." Or of course, you could also use it to provide provenance for a Squier which you've lashed up as a genuine USA Fender and sold to an innocent and perhaps inexperienced buyer on eBay. Not for a moment am I suggesting that this eBay seller is involved in this activity - but the item for sale certainly makes that possible for the unscrupulous, and you only have to see how many he's shifting to see that there is a ready market.[/color][/size] [size=4][color=#000000]I'm very uncomfortable with this, and I wonder what Fender would think of this practice? Am I alone in thinking this is less than desireable as a practice?[/color][/size] [size=4][color=#000000]A [/color][/size] [size=4][color=#000000] [/color] [/size]

I don't know how many have seen this, but I'm on the DV mailing list and the have a 'win a bass rig' competition going. Looks pretty straightforward if anyone fancies a punt - and someone has to win it! [url="http://www.dv247.com/news/Ashdown%20Rock%20the%20Bass%20Competition/133096"]http://www.dv247.com/news/Ashdown%20Rock%20the%20Bass%20Competition/133096[/url]

Can I suggest a couple of books which might give you answers to this and other questions you may have - I found them invaluable - Well worth £9.26 of your hard earned at Amazon - 'Live sound for the performing musician' by Paul White of SOS Magazine, and in english that anyone can understand: This is a good one too - Yamaha sponsored 'Sound Reinforcement Handbook' by Gary Davis and Ralph Jones - more techy than the Paul White book, but explains some important stuff really well I think. £13.00 at Amazon. A

[quote name='Alec 'Aleb' Mills' timestamp='1328971916' post='1535460'] [url="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cqnfXq6o_Fo"]http://www.youtube.c...bed/cqnfXq6o_Fo[/url] Vintage Trouble I like. Nice based in the blues. [/quote] Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! These guys are about as genuine as anything Simon Cowell has put together : the singer came 3rd in the 'Inxs find a singer' reality TV show a year or two ago, and the other three guys have been playing sessions in LA for years. It's so contrived, image by a stylist, deliberate 'DIY' vibe to the whole thing, but, they are managed by Doc McGhee (Bon Jovi, Motley Crue etc) and strangely enough they are out opening for Bon Jovi this summer. I'm sure they are great guys - but it just feels to me like they are 'dressing up' & don't believe it - and it's just a big marketing ploy. That said - The Wombles still had some good tunes. And finally, why does Rory Gallagher always get left off when people start talking about great blues players - who aren't American? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1zsRRt1FWE&feature=related[/media]

Ladies & Gents Posted a few days ago about an engineer required for a September tour and had great replies - thanks to all concerned. Now I need a good (and cheap) t shirt guy/girl. White on black screen printing - front and back of the shirts, preferably NW based. Can anyone recommend anyone at all please? Thanks A

Thanks for the contributions guys - BC comes up trumps again! Cheers A

Guys (and gals) Need some help finding a good live engineer with his/her own van and PA. Some USA based friends are looking at touring here in September - based mostly around the NW and for just 7 gigs in 10 days. 3 of the seven venues have house PA, and the engineer will be required to run the desk, whereas for the other 4 - it's a supply the PA and run it gig. Venues are mostly 100 - 150 capacity max pubs/clubs and the band is 2 guitars, bass and drums. Very simple set up - 4 man rock & roll band : guitar and bass off the backline, bass drum and snare mic'd, plus maybe an overhead or two, and guitar/bass cabs mic'd if the engneer fancies it, plus lead vox and BV's x 2 : hardly Glastonbury. The guy they used last time over can't do it - so they need a new engineer. It's effectively a 'man and van' gig, and as they will be based in Manchester, there will be only 2 overnights in hotels in the 10 days - so a NW based engineer who can go home every night would be ideal. The guys are all in their 40s - have major league experience, and this is just a quick 'holiday/hang out' tour. Very low maintainence guys and as funny as hell (they are from New York - you can imagine I'm sure). Anyone know a reliable, likely candidate? Cheers A

Interesting thread and I wonder how long it will be before the Vintage Trouble backlash starts, when people realise the band they 'discovered' playing at their local venue and they've told all their mates about, are actually not a gang of 40 somethings who are 'keeping it real' and doing it the hard way by gigging relentlessly, but are in fact signed to Doc McGhee's management company, and the 'underground band' thing is just a very clever marketing ploy aimed squarely at the middle aged, middle income, middle class rock fans who hate what the music biz has become - ie: Simon Cowell's toy, and relish the chance to get behind a 'real band' (man). Doc McGhee you will know as the ex manager of Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Kiss............. and guess who VT are opening for this summer? Yep.........Bon Jovi.

I was given this for Christmas and I've finished it already. A great read, well written by a clearly very intelligent guy, who refelects on his past and doesn't sugar coat it. Some great stuff about the late Bernard Edwards, whom he clearly still misses, and who he himself found dead in Edward's hotel suite, after the Budokan show in 1996. A terrible thing to have to find your oldest friend in such a way. The book is available for £8 on Amazon (hardback) I notice, which has to be an absolute bargain, and just to whet your appetite - here is some YouTube footage of Bernard Edwards last ever show (he died that night from complications relating to viral pneumonia). He had been advised by a doctor to go immediately to hospital, but insisted on playing the show - albeit from a chair in the second half of the show, as he could barely stand. This is 'Good TImes', which I believe finished the first half of the show, and there is a nice bass solo section at 3.09. The solo is a great example of what can be done without playing a hundred notes a second on a 6 string bass. A great talent and so many players have borrowed so much from his ground breaking style. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMqRxDZpWIg[/media]

Jim You may want to check out this thread, which I started some time ago - looking for a steer from fellow BC'ers on some good jazz albums for a non jazzer. I've subsequently bought a few, and there are some good recommendations in there, particularly the Herbie Hancock stuff and Sony Rollins, which I picked up cheap online. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/98426-good-jazz/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url] And don't forget - Jazz is for life, not just for Christmas! A

Regarding Robbie's writing and particularly with reference to 'Angels' - check out Ray Heffernan's Youtube video. In essence it was his song - and he sold his rights for £7,500. That's got to be one of the biggest mistake anyone has made in recent years, but as he says "I was naive.... I was 23". [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPJZz86Wdgk[/media]

Christmas being the time of year when one can tend to become wistful and maudlin - particularly after one too many small sweet sherries - I wondered if anyone else has been thinking about the regret and sense of deep loss that can resurface, when you think about lost loves....................................of the bass variety. Did you join a hair metal band in the 80s and forsake your 76 Jazz because it was 'too plain' and not cool enough, or perhaps you picked up a sexy Ibanez in a back street music shop, but felt disloyal to your steady old fat bottomed 'P', waiting at home for you, but only after you had spent hours with your little Japanese hottie. Let it out brothers and sisters - come clean and confess - you know you'll feel better for it. Here is mine : An Aria SB Special II, in black, which was my second bass - bought after saving hard for it for most of 1984. £279 from a shop in Oxford, and sold on commision through what is now Dawsons in Abingdon, in about 1994/5 - to fund the purchase of a Marshall........... (and this is the worst part)...guitar amp. This was a really unusual bass : 2 humbuckers, with coil taps, and dual concentric volume/tones. I have never seen another, although I found a series of pictures on t'intenet. [url="http://www.prog.rockers.co.uk/sbspecialii.htm"]http://www.prog.rock...sbspecialii.htm[/url] Forgive me ..... I have sinned and sold a great bass!

I saw the most recent tour at Man City's ground. Gary Barlow had a bad cold, but still sounded pretty good. The 'Take That mkII' line up (i.e. 4 of them) came out for about half an hour to start and the atmosphere was very up - but then Robbie Williams came on - doing 'Let me entertain you' and the whole place went apeshit mental. Like him or loathe him - he's a proper popstar and has a catalogue of great 'big gig' songs. The problem was - after 20 minutes of Robbie solo - including 'Angels', the other lads came back on and they collectively performed a lot of the new album, which was pretty poor by comparison and dragged the vibe right down - before finishing with some old stuff. The only thing that added more to the night was the spectacular number of absolutely shitfaced Yummie Mummies - who were on their one night out a year and still trying to drink like they used to when they were 19. There was actually a queue of very drunk and saucy women inside the gents toilets - waiting for for the 3 cubilcles. I also saw one women with the biggest shiner I have ever seen - she looked like a poster for domestic abuse. It transpired (my wife is nosey enough to ask) that she had tripped (pissed up in her stilleto's) on a kerb and gone to ground face first - with no hands out to stop her. Really nasty. Marks deducted for having the Pet Shop Boys opening - who played West End Girls, and whatever their one other song is called - for about 75 minutes - much to the delight of the arsehole behind me - who 'sang' every song - like a football chant. Good prompt for a walk around and explore what is a very impressive stadium. And it pissed down - but it was in Manchester, in July - so nothing new there then.

[quote name='Krysbass' timestamp='1323436009' post='1463344'] Good call - I also seem to remember seeing a Whitesnake video from that era where their resident bassist (not sure which one) was playing an Aria SB. [/quote] That would be Neil Murray - when Whitesnake were good - in the Marsden/Moody Days, before Coverdale ditched the tubby/geeky guys for legwarmers and poodle haired pretty boys : i.e. John Sykes. That said - he made a sh*t load of cash in the states and married Tawny Kitaen...... For those that are still interested in the bass conversation - Link to blogsite about Aria and Neil Murray : [url="http://ariabasses.blogspot.com/2011/02/neil-murray-and-aria-pro-ii.html"]http://ariabasses.bl...ria-pro-ii.html[/url]

I'm sure this may have been done before, but I have a mate who is a party/pub DJ, and on the forum he subscribes to - everyone bangs up a set list after their appearance (I refuse to refer to what he does as a 'gig', which is constant source of argument over a beer). Easy for DJ's these days of course as they can cut and paste from the PC software, but it keeps everyone on the forum current with what is going down well. Clearly, it's a different thought process with a band - but I thought it might be interesting to see what is proving popular in the covers world and at what sort of venue. Any takers?

The cricket one is an interesting one : my dad was left handed, but taught my brother and I to play the way that felt natural to us. Consequently, my brother batted left handed and bowled right handed, whilst I was a 'righty' for both. He also plays golf lefty and I play right handed. Also, many people assume I am left handed - when they spot my watch on my right wrist, but I've tried wearing it on the other one and it just feels too weird!

What about those who play instruments the wrong way up? The bass player from Doves being one example - plays a right handed bass upside down IIRC - or - and this just feels even more weird - Andy McLuskey from OMD, who play a right handed bass, right handed, but has it strung the wrong way up - because he learned to play on a left handed bass, upside down! Too weird.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1320445963' post='1427097'] And as for Jim Lea, he's probably one of the finest bassists ever to be mentioned on this forum. Seriously. [/quote] I just found this on Youtube - Slade - Live in Australia, at the Sydney showgrounds in 1972. Looking at it now with a modern take on health & safety - what the crowd are doing on the stands is unbelievable - ah the good old days! Jim Lea looks and sounds fantastic, and what a band...... top of my " they are all still alive, if only they would get back together for a last gig, before it's too late" list! NB : sound not great - but it's a 40 year old TV clip. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QJ5pC_oq8o&feature=related[/media]

I caught that - great talent and her album a few years ago which she made in the states was excellent, 'Music City Soul' I think. She played a corporate gig I was at in Portugal a few years ago. Bass and drums on MIDI, with live guitar, keys and 2 girls on BV IIRC. Fantsatic voice, very 'normal' - no diva bullshit, and actually got in amongst the crowd whilst singing at one stage - posed for pics with well oiled execs too. I won't divulge how much I am reliably informed she charged for about 75 minutes, but suffice to say - no wonder all the stand ups like a corporate gig!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1320513586' post='1427828'] Pray, what's the good sort of slappers, Sir? [/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRtH7QLR924[/media]