The Admiral

The Motorhead merch fest continues, with the latest branded offering being Motorhead sex toys. Some great comments on Facebook, with one female fan suggesting that they should have built in Lemmy's trademark facial warts to add to the authenticity and enjoyment.... The Black version is named 'Ace of Spades' , which has a whiff of 70s club comedian about it for me, but perhaps I'm seeing what isn't there? http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-10-14/lemmy-surprised-by-sex-toy-range

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1444769576' post='2885930'] Never owned one, but I've played a couple. In my opinion they really *do* live up to the hype. Just wish I could afford to buy one. Realistically if I had £3k spare I'd get a new car - unless I had a massive tax bill and needed to make some of it disappear…. [/quote] Make a pension contribution - I could bore you with all the numbers, but it's a good way of mitigating a tax liability!

I had to add them up, which isn't good! I've actually got too many, but also a long suffering wife, and I really need to move some on. 2000 Yamaha BBG4 in a tiger strip finish, which is a keeper. I think it looks great, but others think it's naff - sounds huge though. Ibanez acoustic bass - bought in the states, in a sale, when the dollar was $2 for a £1 Westfield P - ongoing project, not yet started - got all the bits (off here), but been 'too busy' for the last 3 years Tanglewood acoustic - a present from the then girlfriend, now Mrs A, in 1992. A keeper Squier Strat Korea 1984 - bought 2nd hand in 1990. Really nice guitar, rosewood neck. Pristine. I would sell it, but it's worth more to me than the £100 I'd get for it. Epiphone J200 2013 - bought with some bonus money, after a very busy year. Sounds amazing - too nice to have out and potential damage. Lives under the bed, cased. 2010 Baja Tele - Christmas gift from Mrs A - the main guitar, and amazing value. I'm a lucky boy! Original run Squier 51 - strat body, tele neck - bought from BC : amazing for the money, and now collectible apparently Ash bodied Tele copy - bought from BC to mod, but the office noodling guitar Westfield Strat - bought from BC. Awaiting modding, as a gift for a friend, who has been incredibly helpful in recent years - need to get on with it! I did have an Epi 56 Gold Top, which I sold on, having bought it new, but it was too heavy, and I prefer Fender style guitars it seems. I also had a 1984 Black Aria SB Special II, which I stupidly sold in 2001, to fund a Marshall amp, and I deeply regret - very Cliff Burton. My first 'good' bass. Basically, too many for the house, but every time I resolve to sell something, I realise I'll get buttons for it, and it seems pointless.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1444051202' post='2879789'] Spot the difference... [attachment=202065:Dad1_Hofn_Half.jpg] [attachment=202066:Big.gif] [attachment=202067:Smal_DSC00382.jpg] In the interest of honesty, I can no longer purport to being the charming svelte fellow in the first, nor the hyper-active bloke in the second pic. I'm now (and for quite a while...) the [s]ageing[/s] aged duffer in the third. Exception, of course, for any post-Christmas update after a bout of 'Secret Santa', assuming anyone offers me anything, which is not a given... [attachment=202068:Eeyo_1.jpg] [/quote] Rocking the Steve Earle vibe there Dad - nowt wrong with that, or indeed being a sturdier, hirsute gentlemen : we are an under appreciated group.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1444051139' post='2879786'] I bet the settings you inherited sound huge [b]outside[/b] the car. Those massive kicks and tizz weren't for the edification of the occupants...they're there to show how large the drivers perceives his penis to be. [/quote] If I'd known that was the way you had to use them, I'd have turned them all down to -8.

I know I'm pushing against an open door here, but I picked up a hire car this morning, and plugged in the iPod. The sound system of course carried the settings of the previous occupant and it sounded shocking. A quick check of the three band tone controls revealed : Bass + 10, Middle +8, and Treble +10. Once I'd flattened it all on to zero, it sounded pretty good for a stock factory system. I can't imagine what could possibly sound good with settings as they were, but perhaps we are back to the fact that most people don't have aclue what 'good' sounds like anymore, with 'lossy' quality MP3, ear buds, and overly loud mastering as the standard. Happy to accept that it is a case of personal taste in both scenarios, but seriously, it just sounded like mud, with the odd cymbal crash. Bizarre.

In a time when so many venues are closing to music, it's encouraging to see the way house concerts have taken off, and are truly supporting artists, as an antidote to the X Factor stuff doing the rounds. From the performers point of view it actually works very well : they pick up perhaps £200 - 300 and get treated very well ( you are not going to be treated badly in someone's home, as there is an undercurrent of hospitality, and of course, they are delighted to have you there), plus, there is agood chance you'll sell a CD to perhaps 50% of the audience. Add into that a free night (perhaps) in somebody's spare room, and an appreciative audience, and it's a great idea. Some have been running for years, such as House Concerts York, and I've seen situations where established artists will happily come back and try out new material in safe environment,many with people they know. Trevor can advise better, but there are just some obvious things to be mindful of if there are people coming, whom you don't know - hence the secrecy over locations. It would be interesting to see if Basschat could build a House Concert circuit, and book artists for a Basschat tour. We have members all over, and you don't need a mansion to do this - just enough room for 15 or 20 people to sit on the floor.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1443116654' post='2872403'] I know you wrote that there's no cash available, but these would fit your bill if you can raise some readies somehow... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/269776-allen-and-heath-pa-12-cp-powered-desk-for-sale"]A & H Powered Mixer £250 ...[/url] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/269778-thomann-the-box-powered-12-300-watt-sub"]'The Box' Powered Sub £75 ...[/url] ... both from the same BC member in Milton Keynes. A pair of passive tops and an active fold-back and you're good to go, keyboards and all. No chance of scraping up the cash for those..? (Disclaimer: no affiliation with the seller, obviously; I just think they'd suit your needs...) [/quote] Pay with Paypal and use the credit card as the source of Paypal funds? That would mean you could use the card, but the seller gets readies.

Interestingly My wife went to see them locally, with some girlfriends, a week or two ago at a 900 seater theatre. The band was essentially Les, and a bunch of session guys - but - he's been playing with them for about 20 years. It was about a third full and after expenses they couldn't have cleared more than a few grand. However, as has been said, better than being on the dole, and the ladies that were there, had great time. They still have a court case going on against their management team I believe, as they were on wages all the time the hits were rolling in, and the only one who has made any money is the guy who wrote some of the songs. Good luck to them - perhaps better to be a has been than a never was, and if fans and band are both enjoying it, fair play.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1442787672' post='2869541'] It is yeah, the PDR-609, really great at recording CDs but playback isn't as good as the Marantz. But it does mean I can copy to CD from vinyl, cassette & CDs to very high quality. Haven't done any in years but used to do some "rarities". [/quote] Ive got one which I've barely used, but yes, agreed, great for recording from vinyl, without compressing to MP3. I've often wondered what it would be like with a stereo pair of mics for a live gig, or across the stereo outs from the mixer, but never got around to it. It's probably going to have to go very soon in a big clear out, so it may be up in the for sale section if you want a spare!!

I wasn't sure whether to update this, but as its received a post this morning I will. Had a quick chat with my guy yesterday - he rang me to tell me how it had gone, and he was very happy. Apparently, and I have to say this is the sort of thing that women do really well, as there is no knob waving involved, the girls had contacted each other, went out together for something to eat on Friday night and came to the rehearsal on Sunday with the set list carved up as to who sings lead/BV, ideas on arrangements and keys, and suggestions for additional songs for the set! It seems they boys in the band have swiftly turned into the backing band for the ladies - who are also taking charge of their collective image, and will be out shopping for stage outfits together this week for themselves. I do find this slightly amusing, as the whole kind of testosterone backed bullshit about the younger girl has clearly gone by the board, and apparently they boys were all behaving very nicely, as if they had been told off by nanny. Hilarious. Oh, and it sounded awesome apparently - they did 'Proud Mary' and it was a hairs on the back of the neck job I'm told. Also showed up Mr Keys as the weakest link - and he was the major letch, so he could be on his way out for a number of reasons. Don't you just love a happy ending.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1442749911' post='2869170'] The CD channel on the amp was the first one to give problems; I've just done the switch-cleaner job on it and it's now clear as a bell. Until now I'd just transferred the CD connection to the spare "line" input. it could be suggestion but I'm fairly sure the CD channel is better voiced that the line, though I'd have thought they were the same thing. I've tried all of the playback lines, given them a wobble on the plugs while they were playing and no crackles. I'll be using it more than normal to test it out, but fingers crossed I/we have found a cure - until next time! Thanks guys! [/quote] Random question, and slightly OT, but Is that a Pioneer cd recorder in your rack?

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1442313718' post='2865919'] From the title, I thought that Milty had been to Neverland. [/quote] I'm glad it wasn't just me that was thinking that then. Guy Pratt has a great story about doing a session for MJ, where he's playing for the engineer, who is coming back with "I think Micahel would like that", but seems to be checking under the desk quite a bit more than normal. Turns out GP believe that Jackson was hiding under the desk and listening to him play, and communicating through the engineer!! MJ went through a period of being vilified, but seems to be enjoying a mild resurgence, as people concentrate on his music, rather than his personal life. That said, I was talking to a DJ at a wedding venue recently, and he was telling me that at a recent wedding, he put on some MJ as a request, and a big lad came up within seconds and told him to take it off, "Or else". His point of view was that there were kids at the wedding and he shouldn't be playing anything "by that f**king paedo".

Thanks for all the input. Plan A is Singer 1 for all gigs, with Singer 2 at all she can commit to, and for the dual vocalist gigs, they'll split the leads - about 60/40. The band will also go out with just Singer 1, where necessary. The offer is out to both, and Singer 1 is very happy, whilst Singer 2 is less so, but accepts that the band can't be constrained by her day job impacting on rehearsal etc. she's also smart enough to realise they could have said no completely, and it's a great opportunity to learn from the experience, and probably from Singer 1 specifically. Final acceptance required by close of play Friday, with a full rehearsal day on Sunday.

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1442143463' post='2864612'] Awful, terrible. Very posh venue but proved that money can't buy class. Best mans speech staring at his notes "Can't fuc...g read this. Hey can you all shut the fu.k up!" whilst wobbling over the guitartists pedal board. He put his glass of champagne on top of the key players Nord and when the guitarist went to move it the guy got a bit aggressive. Everyone looked embarrased - it was cringe worthy. That set the tone for the evening. [/quote] I remember a very posh wedding years ago, when my wife had her floristry shop. I was delivering very expensive boxed 'thank you' bouquets, to be stored for later, and the reception was just starting, with drinks. One of the ushers was shouting down the length of the bar , "Oi Dave! What do you want to drink you old c**t'?" He was surrounded by people with children at the time, but I suspect had been on the pop before the wedding, and was oblivious. I spoke to the hotelier the following day, and that was just the start. He wasn't alone in getting sauced quickly. She'd had to shut the bar and call the plod by 10 p.m., and this was a privately owned 4 star hotel. As you say, loads of cash, but no class.

What's that old saying? " Form is temporary, class is permanent" : I'm willing to bet that you on a bad are far better than me on my best, so don't feel bad about not being able to function at 100% of your own expectations. To be playing at all with your condition ( I have a friend who is a scratch golfer who has it, and he can't play competitions any more as a consequence, so I understand a little about it), is a feat of determination and adaptability. Have you looked around for home recordist song writers, looking for a bass player, rather than their own 'guitarist having a go' efforts? Strikes me that would allow you the creativity, you get to use your experience - doing something new and challenging, but can do it from a chair, and there would be flexibility if you were having a bad day : it's someones bedroom or shed, not Abbey Road, so you could reschedule. Maybe some local ads in the music shop, or out the word out at some jam nights. If you have your own recording set up at home, you could always invite in guys with no studio gear - and you can be Tony Visconti for the day!

[quote name='operative451' timestamp='1441901003' post='2862820'] This is seriously my favourite record of all time. I want it played at my funeral. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8sfrg4bFoc[/media] I can't work out how to do the embed thing... [/quote] Sarah Brightman, before she went all West End, and married that Lloyd Webber bloke. Quite the eye candy when I was a teenager......I remember it well!

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1441891046' post='2862651'] And we complain as musicians about the triumph of style over substance in music Facepalm aside, I’d say it all depends on the context of the band as a whole. If the “pretty lass with potential” is going to be fronting a bunch of muffin-topped 40-somethings (hello readers!), then no amount of beauty is going to make up for the downwards gravitational pull of what will otherwise be facing punters on stage. A middle-aged ‘dad band’ will always look like a middle-aged ‘dad band’. If your mate is serious about wanting to crack the corporate scene, then he’d be advised to focus on hiring someone who is (or capable of seeming like) a professional singer, worthy of spending a corporate fee on. Issues of prettiness and physique are - albeit sadly - mostly confined to the younger end of the market. Image is [i]always[/i] important, of course, but less so as the audience ages; by which time the content of the performance is what tends to count about all else. All sweeping generalisations. But then so is casual sexism. [/quote] I don't think there was ever really any serious question in his mind about which was the right option, and he was just looking for a second opinion. We were in heated agreement from the get go about the better singer is always the right option, and I posted on here to see if that was the prevailing view, especially with the experience of the guys in function and corporate event bands. He's done a lot of hotel and cruise work overseas, and knows that world, and what works, but has come back to the UK now, as his ageing mum is not too well, and he's been trying to get a good band off the ground for a few months. The original singer was very good, but was offered a contract to tour the UK in a stage show, so that was that, and hence the auditioning. He's far and away the best player in the band, but the other guys are solid, with plenty of experience, but its his vision to really go for the top end : he'd like to get in horns etc. down the line for the better corporates for example, but he's very realistic that its a long way to there from weddings and Saturday at the dog and duck. His challenge is partly that the other guys have been playing the British Legion, Social Club and Golf Club circuit for a long time, where the guy booking will absolutely book partly on what the girls look like, but, as has been said here, when you get up the food chain, its about chops, not T&A. I suspect the keys player, who is keenest on the 'dolly', will find himself replaced - this is definitely a case of show business, not show friends, and the guitarist is used to making a good living, so he's very focused. As an aside, the rest of the band look pretty good, and they take it seriously on the gear and image side : black suits all round for example, and they look the part for the better paying gigs. It's going to be interesting to see how it pans out. Thanks for all the input.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1441871945' post='2862409'] Both. How do you know their respective dress sizes by the way? And would you want to be in a band that checked your BMI at audition? [/quote] I'll pick up on this, but thanks for all the replies. The dress size thing was part just of the conversation I had with the guitarist, who doesn't care about it all - he's all about the skills. That said, there are plenty of situations I'm sure where of 2 good male musician auditionees, the band won't take the fat guy. As Simon Cowell famously advised the Take That manager in their very early days, "they might do okay, but get rid of the fat lad" (Gary Barlow). As I suspected, most of the comments on here bear out my thoughts - it should be about the best singer, not who fits the narrow view of what is 'hot' image wise. We actually already talked about taking both girls, and he thinks that's a great idea, and they probably would be up for it he believes. It gives them the option of still going out as a band when singer 2 can't make it too, and as long as both singers get a share of the limelight, swapping lead and BV it could be great. It also opens up some great material for the function band - Abba for example, and Dancing Queen is a bit of a banker at the corporate gigs. Regarding the guys in the band, none of them are an oil painting, and if they sacked off the biggest lad, they'd need a new bass player : he's definitely an 8x10, as opposed to a 1x12 if you see what I mean! I suspect the 'let's take the blonde' is being driven by the keys player, who I know a little, and he's on wife number 3 so far - and he's got form, as the current Mrs Keys was the singer in his old band, and he was married to someone else at that stage. She pretty fierce too, so if she gets wind of this situation, it won't even be a question I would think - she'll effectively veto it, but I dont think it will get to that, as it's going to be both or singer 1. And finally, just for the benefit of Sprocketflup, they've both got nice t*ts apparently.

As a slight aside, the t shirt for Book of Souls came up on my Amazon account as a 'suggested item', and I thougt I'd have a look - I like some of their shirts. The quality can be an issue though, so I checked the reviews, which are all good, but ......... Every single one is for a shirt in XL, or the majority XXL. Curious. What is it we don't know.......

Interesting question I've been asked by a friend who plays guitar in a function/pub band (currently about 30/70 split in favour of functions to pubs), but they are trying to swap that around, as it would pay better, and I'm really interested in getting some other opinions. Simple dilemma - they are looking to recruit a new female lead singer, and have two candidates who everyone in the band has pros and cons for: Singer 1 - late 30s, experienced, lots of previous Social Club work and duos etc. very good singer, and single, no kids. Looking at the band as a serious endeavour, and keen to make some money from it, and ideally give up the day job. Singer 2 - mid 20s, not much experience, been in one previous band with an ex boyfriend, good singer, but the weaker of the two, single, no kids. Looking at the band as a serious hobby, but no interest in going fully pro, as she has a really well paid job as a sales rep. So what's the complication? Singer 1 is a chunky size 18 brunette, but has good stage presence, whilst singer 2 is a perfect size 10, 5 foot 9 inch blonde, and very pretty, but lacks experience. Both seem very reliable, organised, well prepared for the audition, and can cover a lot of styles well ( I've heard the recordings of the auditions, without seeing the singers prior). The band - all '40 something' married, with kids type guys, can't agree on who to go for, and the two schools of thought are : We should go for the better singer - that's what will get us the reputation and the better gigs, and We should go for the better looking girl, even if she's not quite as good, and a bit green, as she's stunning to look at, and that's what will get us the reputation and the corporate gigs. She'll gain the experience as we go. I'll not share my thoughts straight out of the gate, but I'm really interested in what other's thoughts are.

Great to see, and I hope it continues. They could have a long run of playing live if they are prepared to move to what we might call 'Gentlman's Touring' , which Metallica have been doing for some years now. They go out for two weeks, and then home for a week, which is sustainable if you are as big a money machine as they are, but still do-able on a more limited scale for Motorhead. I'm thinking 2 gigs, followed by a day off, then maybe two more, followed by a day of travel and a day off. They can't have massive crew on retainers, and even though this is more expensive than blasting through 20 dates in a month, it's the difference between sustainability of touring, and promoters not taking a punt on the band at all. There's no way they can insure Lemmy, so they will be in the hole with promoters if he has any more health issues, and managing his physical resources sensibly, probably against his wishes I would add, has to be an option. Time to listen to his body and let the iron will be advised perhaps!

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1441706348' post='2860977'] I was watching the 'Standing In The Shadows Of Motown' film last night. I found it interesting when they mentioned the tone of the drums - the fact that even they had a 'tone' or 'note' to them. I find that pretty much most, if not all, modern productions leave me cold - they all sound to me like they've been made in either an aircraft hanger (wide and spacious, no feeling), or that everything is squashed together (love Rush, and the album, but step forward 'Clockwork Angels'). Modern drums go puffffttt, and cymbals shhhhhttt, whereas we all know proper cymbals go tssssst! There's science here, chaps! ....and that's before the modern bass tones - no definition. Rant over! [/quote] I read a piece by, I think, Tony Visconti, where he was talking about the Motown studios, and apparently, in the days when Abbey Road had perhaps two Pultec compressors (valves - mmmmmm), the Motown studio had one on every channel. Unheard of at that stage, particularly as they were eye wateringly expensive, but no doubt made the Motown Sound.

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1441706886' post='2860983'] I really hope he's back on track. I've read some Motorhead forum stuff, in which quite a few are seeing the end of the touring band in sight. I'm 50/50 on this - I've been a fan since '87, I hope Lem will be back, but even I was left speechless when he started to sing 'Ace Of Spades' when they played 'Overkill' at Glasto! Thought they sounded good besides that. Was it a tech glitch - or was did he really think it sounded okay? I just get concerned when bands start to regularly cancel, and the excuses start to come out - sickness, lung infection.....makes you wonder if there's more to it. I sincerely hope not - I'd rather see them continue in the studio knocking out brilliant albums like the new one (their best for a good few years - and I've loved the recent ones) than continue to tour and slowly decline. Lem sounds great on the new songs. ....and I've just ordered my 'new album' t-shirt! Let's hope that normal service is resumed. [/quote] I'm with you on this - I'd be very comfortable with Motörhead now moving to a 'studio only' basis, if it means they can keep on putting out material, but what we think is of no consequence. It may be apocryphal, but he's alleged to have said "if you don't play live, you are not a band", and if that's his view, I can't see him being prepared to become a studio musician. With regard to his health - all those years of fags and speed, not to mention the booze will ll have done him no favours, and if he has a pulmonary disorder, there is no way back from that, it's just a case, as I understand it from what I've read, of trying to manage it. I would imagine that trying to just push through it, when you are struggling for air, would put a significant strain on the heart, and for a man in his condition and at his age, that can't be great. I just hope his doctors are telling him what he he needs to hear, not what those - should there indeed be any - with a financial interest in the band continuing to tour, come hell or high water, want to hear.

It's back on in St Louis tonight, and I genuinely hope this is for all the right reasons and not because there are financial implications making it necessary. Lemmy had a chest infection apparently, which severely impacted his breathing, but they've managed to clear it up, and the Docs have given him the green light to carry on. [url="http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-09-08/motorhead-lemmy-return-to-stage-health"]http://classicrock.t...to-stage-health[/url]