TimR

Yes it is.

A lot of this is nostalgia guys, coupled with your change in musical tastes and abilities.

And this is news and needed research? Surely we've known this for years. Bands have survived on nothing more than image for years. Isn't 'The Voice' based entirely on this concept. The judges are blind so the image is not taken into account.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1377077191' post='2182930'] The lyrics are still very 'Neil'. It's the music that's suffered. [/quote] But shouldn't the music have shifted to suit the lyrics? Phil Collins shifted his lyrics and Genises music changed style to suit. If you're singing about Futuristic Cars and Mystical Kingdoms you need great prog opuses. If you're singing about life and love something more down to earth is required. It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall when they write. Neil: "Hey guys I've written some great lyrics about dragons." Geddy: "Excellent, here's some stuff I've been working on recently." Alex: "mmmm. Dragons." Vs Neil: "Hey guys I've written some great lyrics about a girl I used to know." Getty: "Ok, I'll put together a poppy riff." Alex: "mmmm. Girls."

Neil has had a VERY hard time. In the 90s he deliberatly shifted his writing style. Bands evolve. Clockwork Angels is the first album I've had on permanent play in the car for quite a while. That's of any band.

Are you stacking the 2x10s vertically? That'll get them sounding their best and worth trying before adding yet more speakers.

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1376997872' post='2181927'] You can't do it for money collected from others, only for money you give personally [/quote] Just had a look on line. The rules have changed but I think only for small donations. Someone should check with CRUK how they work it. I'm guessing they get a bit more than £5k a year.

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1376990175' post='2181799'] Don't forget to tick the Gift Aid box when donating . If anyone hasn't heard of Gift Aid before what it does is simple. When we pay taxes to HMRC if you tick the gift aid box then Just Giving will apply to HMRC and claim the gift aid amount government. It gets paid to Just Giving from the tax that HMRC have collected from the person who donates so doesn't cost anyone anything extra ! Good job guys ! [/quote] Hmmm. Not sure how many of the people at my gig pay tax :/ How does that work? Am I somehow donating the tax I've paid?

Excellent. Donations from our gig now added.

[quote name='JXBase' timestamp='1376860439' post='2180145'] Hey - so a friend keeps banging on about the fact I need to invest in a bass amp. I do need a lightweight portable amp that i could gig with in venues that may not have all-inclusive PA equipment, but I'm wondering if I could get away with finding such a lightweight portable amp that is ideal for both electric guitar and suitable for bass? I've no real budget constraints (well, hoping to keep it under £1,000), I'm more concerned with quality/multi-use for guitar/bass and the fact I'm a girl so something that is portable for the likes of me. Thanks for your advice in advance! [/quote] I think you should look second hand for two combo amps. What type of music are you playing? What type of gigs/venues? A second hand combo like the Trace Elliot GP7 with a 15" speaker can be found for £300 and will keep up with most drummers. Lots of other 300-500W combos around. Although Trace Elliot are nenowned for being very heavy but price is going to be your main concern and even us blokes get help carrying gear, so ask for help. Guitar amps? Don't know.

Too many variables. If you're a pub with a big music reputation and a Saturday night draw then you don't need the band to bring people. If you're a pub with no clientele on a Saturday but are busy the rest of the week then you can gamble or subsidise. If you're a pub with no clientele all week then you use the band to bring in people by asking the band to promote the evening and promote it yourself. If you're a chain like O'Neils you have a pro talent scout and entertainments manager booking bands.

[quote name='plumbob' timestamp='1376740088' post='2178536'] Sorry mate ! Only saying that as much as the question [b]“ How can they afford us ? ”[/b]Is true , equally a similar question applies to bands [b]“ How can we afford to play for this ?”[/b] Time, fuel cost of kit etc Now I know most of us do it for fun , to play or whatever , Was just asking with your knowledge is their a business model that we as bands should all follow to enable decent pay or is it the failing of pubs not to correctly see the need and allow for the costing of decent paid entertainment to allow there business to flourish [/quote] Loss leader. Good advertising etc. As the pubs above, musicians make money during the week, teaching, luthering, selling instruments, running IT companies and on other Saturdays playing for corporate gigs and weddings.

Try refining your search 'Pub' is not going to show anything. Leisure Management.

That's what happens when you agree to meet strange men off the Internet at motorway services.

17 people have played it. The majority of them for one song. It's being transported in a hard case. I played the bass on Saturday. It works and has character. We should leave it as is.

Where do you stop? New strings... New pickups... New bridge... New body... New paint job... New neck... New tuners...

That's the equivalent of putting arms on the Venus De Milo!

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1376511307' post='2175334'] All music company merchandise, caps, t-shirts, polo shirts god forbid. All that horrible wearable sh*t. I mean WHO the f*** would be seen in a Warwick baseball cap? (I have one somewhere) A Hartke tee-shirt? An Alleva-Coppolo skirt? [/quote] All band 'corporate uniform'. Band polo shirts or black shirt, white tie etc type dressing up. If a covers band I'm in start talking about 'image' I'm off. Leave image for the originals bands to be, um, original, or not...

I've got 4 LED PAR64 and 2 T-bar stands. Two par cans either side of the band. Does the trick ok. Total setup c£200.

The only true judge is your audience. Unfortunately

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1376439190' post='2174106'] Yes, Nigel; now, go and lie down, there's a good lad. No, just the shoes. You can keep your socks on. We wouldn't want your feet to catch a chill, now would we..? I'll leave the door ajar, and we won't be far away. Close your eyes and think of nice things... That's fine... (Shhhh.....) [/quote] And that's from a self proclaimed hippy?

I'm not sure I would do a 4hour round trip for a Sax player. If there are 4 of you travelling that's 16man hours before you start rehearsing. The rest I could work round. Learn your bass parts, turn up to practices, just avoid getting involved any further.

What is the purpose of the recording? If it's to lay down a demo for gigs then that seems a good idea. Two months, twice a week to get up to speed, record demo, reign back rehearsals and get gigs. It's only ambitious if the rest of the band aren't willing to put the work in. How's the guy with no transport (Let me guess, drummer?) going to get to gigs? That would be more of a concern to me.

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1376254558' post='2171457'] Then it would just be like a lot of music used to be. Your favourite group brought an album out and you went out and bought it before you had heard it, as there really wasnt anywhere to hear it. Sometimes I miss that - I often hear of some band and then listen on youtube or spotify or whatever and am not immediately taken with it so I don't listen again. Back in the old days (when I had far less money), I would just buy it and listen to it, and some of the albums that I heard that didn't mean much to me the first time went on to be favourites later on. Almost like it had to be worked at. Of course, the down side was that sometimes you never grew to like it! Actually genesis before collins was like that for me, this thread has made me gone back and listen to some of the older stuff, and where I don't think it will ever fit in as something I will really love, some of it is pretty good. [/quote] I suppose it depends how far back you're talking. In the late 70s the single that sold the album was released a few weeks before, then in the 80s it would get air play well before it was released. Then you might get 2 or 3 singles released from each album. You would also often get the chance to listen to a friends recording too. It's just more a case of the fans being the underwriters rather than the record label based on previous recordings. I didn't get into early Genisis until the mid80s after I had bought Then There Were Three. A friend had a tape of Selling England and Nursery Crimes in his car. I had to ask him who it was the band was remarkably different.

Len should be sending one of the handover.