Count Bassy

15 hours ago, Dood said:

I was once recognised in a Morrison's supermarket. Does that count? 

Your own family don't count as general public!

On 17/11/2024 at 00:21, CharlieSBrown said:

Hi,

 

I bought this amplifier second hand. The ground had a hissing noise, taking a look when I opened the lid I saw that it had paint on the inside sheet and it didn't completely close the ground. I removed the paint that was inside, now it has continuity with the ground with the covers and the ground noise dissapears.

Excellent result.

Could be useful as an ear level personal monitor on stage perhaps? For acoustic instruments at least, if not bass guitar.

For £33 it's not a big risk is it?

In my limited experience different strings can make a huge difference to the sound.

I have no idea what I will be drinking tomorrow, let alone July next year.

Mrs Bassy doesn't know this, but we're going to see Popa Chubby in Montpellier on 6th December. She loves his stuff, as do I.

4 hours ago, super al said:

It's a shame it wasn't vinyl, worth an absolute fortune 😊

But poorer sound reproduction.

Ducks rapidly.

Thanks for all your thoughts folks. Perhaps I'll give it a bit longer before deciding or giving up.

14 hours ago, casapete said:

Albert is 81 this December and still doing it, long may he continue. 😊

On Monday evening he said that he was 81, so one of you is wrong!

EDIT: According to Wikipedia you are correct. Perhaps he meant to say "81 this year", or perhaps he did say "81 this year" but my 67 year old ears failed me!

Yes, Monday evening was great. All very laid back and didn't need the fast solos. At one point he said that he'd been listening to his back catalogue, and was frightened by how fast he used to be. In some ways reminiscent of J.J. Cale.

The graphic in that article is a bit misleading as they use a different scale for the Safisfied and dissatified sides.

Eg. The royal mails Bar for satisfied (47%) is the same length as  its "Disatisfied" bar (27%).

On 29/10/2024 at 09:04, geoham said:

 I can't fathom how such large boxes get 'lost' by couriers when everything is tracked by technology

I think they conuse "Lost" with "Stolen"

Albert Lee, Monday evening at the Stables (MK). Excellent night, though he seems to avoid the lightening licks he was once famous for. Mind you he's 81, so fair enough I guess. I hadn't realised what an excellent voice he had, even at 81.

Where to start?

I am now 67. I am a fairly solid player with stuff I know, but in no way spectacular. I can leran stuff up to my limit, but I am not good, or confident, at jamming along to things (unless it's blues).

The last time I was in any band was pre-covid, and even then the last couple only lasted a few gigs before they collapsed in a heap. Some didn't even make it to gigging:

• Got fired from one because their previous bass player moved back into the area.
• One band had two gigs lined up but the drummer decided to take a holiday at the time of the second gig, causing the guitarist to quit in disgust.
• Another band the drummer/main singer wanted to be band leader (Ok) but literally stormed out of a rehearsal when the rest of us suggested some ideas.
• Yet another the guitarist was a Jazzer at heart and decided he needed to concentrate on that (fair enough, no hard feelings - still mates).
• More recently got involved with a metal band which I decided wasn't really for me, so resigned which caused  a domino effect of resignations (NOT because I had quit (I'm really not that good), simply that my quitting showed that it was possible).

Obviously I was a common factor here, but I genuinely don't think that I was cause of these break ups.

I have contacted a few people via bandmix etc. But I get the impression that a lot of the people just want to join an established band,  or even just like the idea of being in a band again rather than the reality, without having to put too much (or any) work in.

Anyway, one way or another I have not played bass in a band at a gig for over 5 years. My main outlet at the moment is a localish open mike (with Mrs Bassy on piano/saxophone), at which I have played bass, but even there I seem to be focusing on singing. 

So, to get back  to the thread title. I am starting to face up to the possibily/reality that I may never play bass in a band again. Which is sort of sad, but probably realistic.

( I do occasionally play melodeon and anglo concertina in a folk dance band).

Do I give up on the idea altogether and just stick to the occasional open mike?

If that is what I do then there is no way that this would justify my collection of basses, amps and cabs, PA stuff and various bits and pieces. So I really should be moving stuff on.

I don't quite what I expect by way of any response from you all, but I just needed to get it off my chest.

CB.

I assume this has happened.

What did she say about my caterpillar problem?

On 15/10/2024 at 08:28, ezbass said:

I’ve seen WA (both versions) more than any other band and I’ve always been left a bit deflated. There always seemed to be a bit of going through the motions, with the non original members merely filling a space, rather than bringing something to the the performance.

I sort of know what you mean. Part of the problem may be, I think, that their music is very structured and doesn't really lend itself to going "off piste".

I personally prefer a concert where you're never quite sure what is going to happen, and the members are toying with each other.

However, still glad to have seen one vesion of Wishbone Ash while I still can!

Wishbone Ash in Rugby, Friday just gone. Only one original left now, but still a great night. Always beem on my wish list, but last Friday was the first time.

At one point I could have said 40 years (Selmer Flats), but one broke, so I changed the lot.

When at uni (Late 70s) I and some mates invested 50p in the union bar jukebox and put "LuckStars" on 10 times in a row, and left.

1 hour ago, Maude said:

In thirty years of gigging I have never played Mustang Sally. I may not be rich and famous but this has to be an achievement. 

One could say "Don't knock it till you've tried it".

Of course I wouldn't say it, because I am far too nice.

Bob Dylan at the NEC about 27 years ago. He was just like a parody of himself. Gave the appearance of wishing he was somewhere else, and said about 3 words to the audience all night.

It was sh1t.

On 06/10/2024 at 20:03, lowdown said:

There are not that many Bassists about, even at the top of the tree like he is, who can hold your attention for nearly six minutes, playing alone and unaccompanied.

 

Didn't hold my attention for anything like 6 minutes.

Because it's a good song that the audiences love. It is still popular after 50 yesrs so can't be all bad.

Proof that being a perennial favourite does not mean that a song is bad (Contrary to what some here would have you believe)

Bandless at the moment, but in the past:

Pick Up The Pieces

Dancing in the Moonlight (the Thin Lizzie one)

3 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

 

I am an outlier when it comes to railway enthusiasts as in I am ambivalent about steam, always have been since I became a railway enthusiast aged about nine. I'd be more interested in a Class 08 shunter than any of the great steam locomotives, horses for courses innit.

The Class 08/09 is also a classic.

1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

 

No competition, Deltic all the way.

It's not really that clear cut. Both are magnificent examples of their time. Obviously the diesels superceded steam, for good reason, but the 9F was, perhaps, the pinnacle of Britsh steam locomotives.

PS: I have driven a 9F, so I might be biased.