Leonard Smalls

Here's one, Ryoji Orihara of the Ken Sato Experience. Their version of 20th Century Boy is also excellent!

Choked are playing their next gig as part of the Ukraine benefit at Mid-Wales Pavilion, Llandrindod Wells, Powys on 2nd April. It's a 1.5 dayer (i.e. Friday 1st April evening, then all day Saturday 2nd April - we're on in the eve on the Saturday...

Music that's popular, or has been in the charts, is not necessarily "good", as that's an entirely subjective opinion... I find most folks down the pub just want something simple and recognisable to shout along to, like Robbie's "Anal" (😁) or "Yer Sex is On Fire m8!"; if you start doing covers of Primus' "Frizzle Fry" album, or attempt ELP's version of "Pictures at an Exhibition" you'd definitely have some trouble with your average punter!

Then there's the simple ones, like Shrewsbury, or scone - the varied pronunciations seem to depend on whether you're posh, northern or neither. Then it gets more complicated, Cholmondely in Cheshire, or Woolfardisworthy in Devon. Who knows why they're Chumley and Woolsery!

I think it's possible to be relatively mainstream and still a bit interesting... Frinstance, the "rock" band could have made a hash of Bowie's "DJ". And the ""Reggae" lot could have butchered Dawn Penn's "You don't love me"...

I'd have been far more impressed if some more interesting songs had been chosen for both bands...It's always so safe! And if they had to do "Angels" they could have used the lyrics from the extremely filthy version

My favourite is Rubus Cockburnianus.

Uplands Tavern in Uplands does an open mic, but that may be a Monday... They do have bands on - though if it's this Thursday it's St Patricks Day and there's "foot stompin' Appalachian music"... https://www.facebook.com/TheUplandsTavern

There's quite a lot of difference between a humorous song and a song with humour in it... I tend to prefer the 2nd as the humour is part of the music, as opposed to the whole point of the song. Bootsy's music is always dribbling with little jokes!

Always loved Monochrome Set's witty yet pertinent lyrics...

Here's a chunk of what we call "The Birdy Song" (Two can play) at the most excellent Percy's in Whitchurch a couple of weeks ago:

This album is currently on our shop's stereo...

If you're the type who suffers from severe stage fright, or just gets nervous, make sure your band are playing in an extremely niche musical style, like Japanese Jazzcore. That way you won't have any audience to worry about. Works for me! 😁

Don't go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant before a gig. And make sure you look cool. Nowt worse than a band in jeans and standard rock tshirt - I like to arrive at the venue and the owner says "you're the band then" as opposed to thinking you're just some punter. We're in the entertainment business after all!

Particularly like this Bjork one... Proper Big Groove!

Aye! £35k for a 7 year old one, £600 road tax and 24.4mpg... and just a touch slower to 60 than my Tesla 😁

I managed to get 2 basses, a guitar, guitar fx and very large bass fx boards, plus guitar and bass heads, 2 stands and a guitarist in mine. And my Mrs reckons there's not enough room in it!

Having a bit of a trip down rockabilly lane:

I used to have problems with the band not being able to hear me. Then I bought a 1500w amp... 😁

Finally got my 'puter to behave, and spent 2 or 3 hours noodling and doodling... Started with lots of percussion, got a keys riff going, added some big guitars, then a pumpinslappy bass thing. After that, a final roll in glitter and 3 coats of varnish. It's not jazz, but it probably is an oddity! And for those interested, recorded in Ableton. Keyboard sounds from Iris and Ableton's own. Drums are a mix of programmed and sampled clips from Designer Drums, Digicussion and EZ Drummer. Guitar is a strat, bass is a Wal and both are going through various Amplitube 4 amps, with some added Phasis and Raum on both. Polish added by Neutron 3 and Ozone 9.

Yup! A Sabre fretless is the one I've got... Does every mwah tone you could want, as well as rockabilly thwacking using the piezo plus optical pickups. I bought it on spec from BassDirect when it was about a grand... Even did a punk gig with it!

Funnily enough, I saw Kraftwerk, Bauhaus and Cabaret Voltaire there... Though not on the same bill.

I like this... With the added advantage of no magnetic pickups! (btw, I've got one of these and it's excellent)

Always a bit dubious about all in one for some reason. Too tidy for me! I'm looking at a PC Specialist build in Be Quiet! case, i9 11900kf processor, 1x500 + 1x1000Gb M2 SSDs + 2TB Seagate HDD, 32Gb of Corsair Vengeance 2.6MHz RAM at £1298... Though it will need a monitor. And also looking at a Xeon powered Dell workstation with otherwise similar spec, refurb at £800...