diskwave

Blimey, interesting thread. First exposure had to be Radio 1 in about 72, then about the same time running to a friends house at school lunchtime to play his dads brand new Dark Side of the Moon album...( he would have killed us if he'd known!) later still Luxemburg, from then on I was obsessed with music, instruments and bands. Still am at... 63!

Well they were the first of what we now call boutique, but they were never quite right. My old SB1000 which I bought new in 1980 was a beautiful thing but it was too heavy and the neck was too narrow and too skinny really.....still, had a lot of fun pretending to be JT. Those old SB's are things of beauty.

I had huge fun back in 83/4 in a 'pub/function band playing GB and Al Jarreau and a ton of US style jazz funk, yep u couldnt make it up but it worked..peeps loved us. Particularly enjoyed doing his version of Feel Like Makin Lurve...Good stuff.

Ok not really learning just jammin. Cool the way YTube makes an auto mix as you look thru vids etc. Current one has American Pie, a load of Wings stuff, Drifters, Philly Soul (yes thks) Elton , ABBA and a ton of ye olde pop stuff (Nolans anyone?...haha. Played it all back in the day so I hit the start button and before I know it...a couple of hrs has disappeared. I do find the old stuff bass wise very satisfying to play.

Thght I re-visit this cracking thread.. It's 1980 and I'm on the Ilse of Wight (substantial pub, club and holiday season scene at the time). I was 20 but done a lot stuff and was currently in a very good prog rock outfit with a deal, the coach and UK mainland tours (yes terrible timing etc..it failed miserably!) Once I'd got myself together I met in a guitar shop a guy called 'Neil Cassidy'. What a revelation this guy was...he could play Reggae like crazy and dance Specials style too. We found a drummer and made a few calls. The next 18 months ( along time to be in a band back then as there was always something else going on), we stormed it..An amazing time. Just the three of us doing BM, UB40, and all the others..... A three piece Reggae outfit where everyone knows what there doing is huge fun......Good memories. Got a feeling we broke up when Forget me Knots found its way onto the set list....what?..haha

Pickups, bridges, electrics unless for eg you have a real noise problem ...out in the mosh pit or studio make not a jot of difference by the time ur signals gone thru an amp, or sound guy or producers twiddlings and found its way into the brains of the music loving public Aftermarket bridges make no discernable changes to anything other than the way you feel. I'll even fit the vintage Fender scroll bridge to my basses cause that crude simplicity is actually real good...looks cool too Best upgrade there is for bass playing happiness, and by the way its totally free............Practise.

Remember when the first leccy tuners came in, sure took the fun out of shouting at anyone who could play any pitch of musical note. Anyway its only bass it, doesn't have to be in exactly in tune..(runs to the hills!) Unlike my oh so crisp fingerpicking acoustic which can take an age to get right.

If doing a seasonal run, time it so you get out the car and walk straight on stage seconds before the band start...bit flash but prevents excessive drinking and boredom...haha

Love those progs when the original musicians/producers go thru the master tapes. The Dark Side one was good but equally the I Will Survive one was fascinating....how a simple idea can become a world wide iconic hit, the process is so interesting.

I know this site isn't terribly pro soul and groove but I don't think it hurts to mention the death of Scott Edwards. One of those cool cats from the 70's. He only played on 'I Will Survive' with drummer James Gadson and a ton of Philly soul tunes which we all know to varying degrees...even played on some Hall & Oates hits....As a kid back then I used to listen to these tunes and always wondered who the players were...it fascinated me. Back then the US music scene seemed so glamorous and exciting. Anyway another groundbreaking 70's musician gone.

For probably all the wrong reasons it's up front, no messing and no one got hurt cept the silly police, but to my over sensitive art farty ears it doesnt sound very cool.

I played a 77 Stingray from 80 to 92 and never really felt happy, and I'd forgotten all about P basses but I was stuck and that was that. A few years later I sold it and picked up a P bass. Problem solved, but not entirely. What I've come to realise is it's taken decades of technique to get to where Iam now.... sometimes a problem can begin in ur fingers. Check ur technique before spending money.

Very nice. Lovely weight too. Those early 70's P's with that baseball bat neck are sublime. Mine was a tad heavy and it had to go but the whole thing felt brilliant.

The listener can easily fill in the gaps, we've all done it down the Dog and Duck but only if the overall vibe is good. You see this in very good three peices. Used to watch a trio back in the day covering studio produced chart, pop, soul, funk covers and they were extremely entertaining because all three members sounded brilliant, tone, playing, the works.

Ha, I used to shout at the keys player to give me the note nearest his ciggie hand, still do...Tuners? Never used one for bass or acoustic for that matter.....and if there isnt a keys player then just get the other geetar player to twang a string. Simples.

You hv impeccable taste sir! Have to say until we met I'd forgotten all about the venerable tenor....She plays the descant too but that shrill is very tune specific...some tunes it works, others sound awful. Cant say we have anything tenor specific. You kinda know it when you hear it. I guess it works quite well with Baroque music which is a bit beyond me really..haha. At the mo were just compiling a set list and seeing what works...sorry I cant be more specific.

Fairport, Joan Baez, Steelye Span etc. Gone back to acoustic cause my new partner sings and plays tenor recorder....wonderbar....

P bass

Its funny I always kinda thought they were floaty folksy prog rockish but a few of their tunes had me leaping about in my seat, and they weren't quiet either with two overdriven guitars and fiddle competing for our attention.....I dont know about former incarnations as theyve had loads of lineup changes over the deacades but what ever it is there doing now they need to keep at it...its very good indeed, very, very musical and just flippin exciting.

If the band is musical and everyone including the drummer is playing musically ie keeping it interestig then its an unequivical NO from me. If however the band plays four on the floor dance music then its a big fat YES too.

Saw them in Basingstoke last night in a little seated theatre, never seen them before, in fact come to think of it havent been to a live theatre gig for quite a few years, festivals but not theatres. Anyway what a treat, and yes I know their not everyones cup of tea but it was so re-freshing to watch an old school bunch of musicians live on stage with everyone playing their part and rocking too with some brill upbeat groovers........And good old Maddy Prior still at it at 70 plus....she's a flippin institution and still sounding pretty good. One little observation and only cause Im a four banger was watching the bass player constanty fiddling with his Jazz bass...haha, still, he sounded very nice, full and fat with a touch of grindy clarity - it really underpinned the band. I dont often wax lyrical about bands anymore. Their either too loud, processed or boring but Steelye last night were bang on. Live music dead?...no way.

Lee Sklar. Extradorniary musical player....everythign just right. But for instructuon it has to be Tom Bornemann. I love the way he writes out evrything out precisely and his excercises are so musical..

Its an interstesting thing really. There are players as in many of us here...good players with mega chops but then there are "performers" like Pomeroy who literally put on a one man micro show, whatever their doing... Its really satisfying watching that level of talent. I used to sing backing and muck about a bit but not whilst playing those tricky ELO tunes.....guy looks so relaxed and in control its really good to see.

Watching ELO at Wembly on Sky. What a cool fellow Mr P is....great playing, always smiling and larking about and doing backing vox too...my type of performer..brilliant indeed.