greavesbass

Watching that old Motown documentary with Berry Gordy in the studio. My goodness what an energetic guy he is/was, no wonder it was all so successful..my fav musical subject.

To echo an above comment. Played one thru the 80's and truth is I never felt satisfied...like something was missing, yet others could really make them bark. Anyway my angst was instantly cured when in 2004 I bought my first P bass, still, it was kinda de rigeur to play a Ray under the armpit in the 80's...haha.

Started drumming four years ago tho I could always bash them but figured I needed to "learn" them properly, including setup etc. So I did, and played in a couple of bands but got so fed up with the schlep I packed it in and recently sold them. It's no biggee I learned a ton over the past years so can always put it to good use if need be, in fact the hi-hats paid for a beautiful Tenor recorder which I'm really loving, and yes thats a whole nother story. Funny enough my bass playing has improved hugely beacuse of the drumming I think.

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.