The Admiral

Interesting article in the Telegraph today about HMRC looking to investigate people who are trading on eBay, Etsy, gumtree etc. And they are not ruling out people who buy and sell items online, so our favourite eBay 'guitar improver' may have to look out. It does of course have implications for people who are buying and selling a lot, if they decide to investigate. The 'if' being a big if of course, and I suspect they are not too worried about a few basses in and out - it's more the people who are selling DVDs or second hand cars from their homes, that they are after - who may be turning over thousands a year. Worth being aware of though..... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/household-bills/11632478/HMRC-targets-Etsy-eBay-and-Gumtree-sellers-but-when-is-your-hobby-taxable.html

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1433059504' post='2787341'] It could be worse, you could have this guy playing your solos! http://youtu.be/ezO-qXZ2pYE [/quote] The phrase 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord' springs to mind. Clearly he's missed that Psalm.

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1433023723' post='2787234'] You've hit the nail on the head - I'd gladly ride Sting's coat-tails for a small percentage of a fortune. There's also the argument that if Andy had just strummed those chords... [/quote] That has been the issue at the heart of so many bands falling out, and why for example Gary Barlow is so much more wealthy than the balance of the guys in Take That : he gets all the publishing / songwriting royalties. Probably the best (worst) example of this is The Band. Levon Helm fell out with Robbie Robertson many years ago, due to the fact that Robertson is credited with writing their big hits, yet Helm was of the opinion this was frankly bullshit, and that they were written collectively. The difference being, Robertson was the smart one, and close to their manager, Albert Grossman, and Helm spent 35 years cursing the way he, the other members, and the families of Rick Danko and Richard Manuel got 'the leavings'. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/19/robbie-robertson-levon-helm

http://www.soundreef.com/en/blog/1/making-money-from-your-music/music-royalties-in-the-uk-a-quick-guide

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1432924956' post='2786328'] The O2 concert was incredible. I'm pretty bemused when people accuse him of being past it, or that his voice has gone, as neither is true. The fact is, he sounds amazing, incredible in fact when you consider he is 73 years old. 73. They played for nearly 3 hours straight with no let up in energy or quality. The whole Macca-bashing trend is getting a bit stale. I'm happy to report the sound was excellent too, the humble little Hofner clear and audible. If that bass, not famed for it's clarity, can cut through an arena mix it does make you wonder why the sound is generally atrocious in these places... The band is well-known for their meticulous sound checks. [/quote] This playing for 3 hours thing is interesting. In a sense, I think it's about expectation and what 'normal' looks like, and McCartney famously started playing 6 and 8 hour shows in Hamburg, so 3 hours probably feels like a pefectly reasonable duration, and of course, he loves to play, so why wouldn't he. Our esteemed US correspondent Blue regularly plays 4 hour bar gigs and he's in his 60s, yet many UK based BC'ers are astonished by this and are knackered at the thought of more than 90 minutes or 2 hours. Again, it's Blue's normal, so he thinks nothing of it. Regarding sound : for £140 a ticket, one should expect good sound, and it wouldn't surprise me if this was one of McCartney's core values too - he wants to give value to his fans, and frankly, if he can't get the best guys in the business, who can. Also, the PA at Birmingham was very substantial in terms if it's coverage of all areas of the arena, as was the camera work, vision mix, and the spread of the video screens, with large side facing ones up on the lighting gantry for those in the sh*tty seats upstairs.

I've posted this before, but he's a top bloke as well as being a great player, and anyone who can play a double neck bass and 12 string strung upside down is clearly a player! Top tips about how to get quality gigs as a session guy too : http://www.musicradar.com/news/bass/lee-pomeroy-an-insiders-view-of-the-session-world-594755

[quote name='jacko' timestamp='1432896119' post='2785950'] Did Mrs Admiral enjoy the show? [/quote] She didn't go! The guy who offered me the tickets decided he would go himself, but having offered me the tickets, he didn't feel he could withdraw the offer, so we both left the ladies at home.

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1432828006' post='2785387'] How was the bass sound, considering the recent thread about tone at venues ? Ive been really let down with the live sound of bass at the few biggish gigs ive seen, but I cant see Sir Paul not making sure the bass sound is right out front [/quote] Quite indistinct in the first couple of numbers, with a lot of very low thud from the over loud kick drum eating into the same sonic space I think, and of course, Hofners are not known for their twang. It did get better as the evening went on, and the sound, for an arena, was very good, particularly on the acoustic guitars. Regarding the lip syncing - no obvious issues as far as I could see!!

Update : the gig was last night and he was in good form. Great band, he played and sang really well, and was rocking his Mesa rig (rack mounted amps etc. plus a 2x15 cab and a 1x15, + 4x10 'all in one' cab, which is an unusual configuration) with the old Hofner and a plectrum. Such a vast back catalogue it was always going to be difficult to please everyone, but he played a couple from the new album, some Wings stuff and a good number of Beatles tracks, including a superb finale of 'Live and let die', complete with confetti cannons, thunderflashes, lasers, and gas powered jets of flame across the front and rear of the stage. I missed the encore, as he came on 45 minutes late, played for over 2 hours straight, and I had to catch the last train, but I'm really glad I went. Would I spend another £140 to see him? Probably not, but there is no doubt he's a great musician and writer, and notwithstanding the hair dye, looks remarkable for a man in his 70s. Much to be said for vegetarianism perhaps?! One final thought : he played one for John, and one for George, and I found myself reflecting on what might have been. Had Lennon lived, I'm sure they would have done Live Aid for example, and what might have followed that? But, we'll never know : a fantastic canon of work, and easy to forget exactly how innovative it was at the time. Great gig.

A friend who is a very experienced live sound engineer favours in small spaces, having the drummer at one side, angled at 45 degrees out towards the audience, but also throwing sound across the stage, with the bass next to the drummer, and the guitars, keys on the other side, with vocals in the centre. He usually gets quite a bit of push back from new clients, but those that try it for the 'shoved in a corner at the Dog and Duck' type gigs frequently like it and find that it works well when you don't have room for many, if any, monitors. This is a situation where the drummer is playing unamplified, as are everyone but the vocals and perhaps keys (depending on the keyboardists gear).

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1432644799' post='2783496'] Did he have any wealth ? I'm sure I heard that was why he was still touring long into his old age. [/quote] Depending on whom you believe, the estimates vary between $10m and $30m, with a number going for the latter. That said, even $10m is a sum many will think worth fighting over. Regarding touring - he just enjoyed it from what I've read, and giving up would have seen an earlier decline possibly. Rather like Lemmy being told that if stopped taking so much speed it would probably kill him : it's their lifestyle, and has been for years.

Mr King appears to have given significant powers in his will to one or both of his managers, either to exercise discretion over the division of his estate, or to follow through as executors, of his wishes. For those who won't benefit from his wealth under those circumstances to actual get a piece of the pie, they may believe they have to discredit said managers, and then it's all back in the pot to be fought over. 11 remaining heirs it would seem, so many interests to be heard. I can tell you who the winners will be right now though : the lawyers. I do hope a judge shuts this down very quickly, and saves the memory of a very dignified and beloved man being sullied. Very sad that they are now going to go through the process of an autopsy, which will hold up the funeral, and of course involves a pretty unpleasant process for the physical remains of Mr King.

Nigel Short - Chess Grand Master ( not sure if he's flash, or indeed has a furious five - playing a 4 string P the last time I saw him).

[quote name='r16ktx' timestamp='1432116111' post='2778235'] It's getting old with the music middlemen bitching and whining about how little the 'artist' gets from internet radio/streaming distribution when all they're really p1ssed about is how there is now no cash to be had by sitting in the middle fleecing both producer and consumer (With thanks to Steve Albini.) Internet radio/streaming is just that - radio, so compare 38 million internet 'plays' with a track getting radio airplay once with 38 million radio receivers being listened to (worldwide.) How much would the artist get there? Probably just dashed dreams and a large debt. [/quote] The record companies were late to the party on downloading and equally so on the threat of the streamers. As you say, they only care now because they are not getting paid, and the 'radio' like nature of anytime streaming is taking the place of downloading, which is now having an effect on bottom line. The royalty model needs updating if artists are to see any benefit from their work in future, as the trend is not to own the song in the sense of a CD or download, but rather to just play it as often as one likes from a streaming service. The idea of physical ownership, and therefore expecting any royalties from it, is redundant. That said, I wouldn't expect the big companies to do anything than use this opportunity to swing the balance of earnings in their favour, as they did in the early days of CD.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1432100370' post='2778069'] That's maybe why a few known bands can't be found on spottythigh or pandora. Whereas they may not get much revenue from these sources, all the people mentioned still did all right from downloads & sales (not to mention touring). If you're thinking of money, then that's the wrong reason to start/join a band. If it's for money, then you want to be a promoter. [/quote] I was looking at this in the context of the sh*tty deals which were the norm before about 1970, when artists started to gain some power and renegotiated for a fairer cut. The Beatles and the Stones original contracts were shockers by today's standards, and Bonnie Raiit has been fighting for the rights of blues and souls artist through her R&B Foundation for years - because the old guys were getting 1% gross. The royalty rate in the case of the streaming and Internet radio services is a tiny fraction of one percent : 0.00010% in fact, per play. Without the artist, the streamers have no business, and it's clearly unfair. Judging from the memo from the head of Sony, they can see which way the wind is blowing - away from downloads, to streaming, and they want their pound of flesh. I agree about the reason for putting a band together, but everyone on here knows, it's hard work - and hard work should be paid for, particular if the art that is the outcome is enjoyed by millions.

We are familiar with the Megan Trainor hit no doubt - a worldwide phenomenon. But boys and girls, pop quiz, how much did co -writer Kevin Kadish earn for almost 38 million plays on the streaming service Pandora? $964 Check out the figures for some other recent massive hits : http://www.thewrap.com/sony/atv-ceo-slams-cheap-songwriting-royalties-paid-by-pandora-spotify-totally-unacceptable/ Makes you want to start a band doesn't it.........

Another example of a fine British tradition of building bonkers things which don't follow the rules, and I salute you for it sir. You've enjoyed the build, it's a fantastic talking point and it sounds great for your style of music. I can't see anyone wanting one for their next wedding gig, although I do like the idea of turning up with this at a posh venue with 'noise issues' (the sort where the drummer has to play gently with rids to avoid the ire of the owners), and seeing the faces of the staff! May I suggest 'Leviathan' for a name?

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1431793970' post='2775092'] ha ha ha ha. ! that made me laugh out loud. .i love them little furry mothers. [/quote] Check out Vassily from Iron Meerkat!

That sounds like a great night out. There must be something from Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and The Band you can do. 'Don't do it' is a fantastic song, with an awesome Rick Danko bassline. Does need some BVs though. http://youtu.be/BEMhJoXOFeU

Had a chat with the Parcelforce guy who delivered to me today : reasonably quiet day, just 53 deliveries across rural Staffs - 140 miles, starting at 0730, and many of the addresses will be akin to 'The Cottage, Crinkly Bottom', so, not easy, even with a Sat Nav. All the GPS systems take drivers down the wrong fork at the top of our dead end, and they end up ringing for directions.

But at least it's free P and P.

The picture in front of the bus is slightly disturbing, given what happened ultimately. I had an SB Special II which I very foolishly sold in the mud 1990s, and I'd dearly love to get back. Great basses, and underrated at the time, but commanding silly money these days in some circles.

In the words of the late, great and much missed voice of rugby, Bill McLaren, " .... A wee bit of handbags there, but they've sorted it out now......" If anything, it's good to see some adult discourse, and some opposing opinions, which don't easily dissolve into abuse and flouncing out. One of the things I value about BC is its diversity, and, whilst I don't agree with some of the opinions put forward, I like to think we all know how lucky we are to be able to voice them, and in a forum which is sensibly modded. Unless of course you are going to tell me that a Jazz is good for metal, in which case I may have to throw my music stand........

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1431359334' post='2770453'] I loved the footnote to the analysis of 'Bohemian Rhapsody': '... one of the few Hot 100 hits to feature an Astrophysicist on lead guitar..'. Who says scientists have no sense of humour? [/quote] Quite. They've even included The Pet Shop Boys in an analysis of music. What scamps!