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Pete Academy

In Memoriam
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Posts posted by Pete Academy

  1. I gave up listening to other bass players' sounds years ago. There's no point. When you hear a great bass sound and you realise it's a cheap instrument, you want to put away that four grand Roscoe. It is, and always will be, in the fingers.

  2. I went to the Gorilla to see him. First time I'd witnessed him live. His bass sound was every bit as stunning as I hoped it would be. Anthony Wellington has been with him for some time, providing the bottom end while Victor is soloing. His sound was more scooped, but still immense through his Aguilar rig (I'm getting more impressed by Aguilar the more I hear it), and he kept the groove going all the time. On a few solo spots, he proved he could slap as well as anyone.

    Victor is a great personality and showman. He made some mistakes, especially on Norwegian Wood, which only goes to prove these players are human, too.

    Derico Watson, his long-time drummer, was incredible. My only complaint is about Regi, his brother, on guitar. He displayed an amazing tapping technique, and on his solo spot he sang some good classic soul songs. However, once we'd seen his diddling for a couple of minutes, he should have stopped. Instead he carried on, and on...I think he was close to spoiling the gig. Luckily, Victor managed to turn it around with an incredible solo performance.

    I think there will always be those that see him as a trade show preforming monkey, but getting up and close to one of the finest players on the planet, is testimony to just how great he is.

    By the way, does anyone know what pedal he used to get the little arpeggio at the end of certain notes?

  3. I have a lovely all-original 1978 Jazz, plays like a dream, fantastic sound. However, it weighs a bloody ton - the heaviest bass I've ever known. I gigged with it last Saturday, and with the help of a Comfort Strap, it wasn't too bad. But the next day I really felt it, my muscles really aching.

    A mate of mine has a mid- to late-80s Stingray, which I've always liked, and he's asked me about doing a swap. I have to admit I'm tempted. I would probably need about 400 cash plus his bass.

    I know my bass is more if an investment, but I'm not getting any younger. Should I ask for a deal or just suffer the weight?

  4. Larry Graham has always been credited for having invented the slap style for electric bass, due to him trying to fill in for the absence of a drummer while playing with his organist mother in church.

    However, I've read a couple of interviews with Louis Johnson, whereby he claims that he learned the style himself without ever hearing Graham play.

    Any thoughts?

  5. I was working in music retail in the 80s. Everyone had Mark King/slap bass mania. One young guy was obsessed with Mark, to the point where he bought the same JD bass, Funkmaster strings, Trace Elliot amp - he even wrapped black gaffer tape around his thumb. One Saturday afternoon he came into the shop, face like a slapped arse.

    'What's up?' I asked him.
    'I went for band practice and they sacked me.'
    'Why?'
    'I slapped 'House Of The Rising Sun'.'

    True story.

  6. I saw Chic live at the Apollo in the 70s. Bernard was using a BC Rich with a single P-bass pickup. His sound was awful - muddy and boomy. None of that lovely burp I heard on their records. It became obvious to me that it was all about getting the sound on tape in the studio. The same went for Tom Barney with Steely Dan in 1996 at the Birmingham NEC. Every instrument was clear except the bass, which was that boomy mush.

  7. [quote name='elcastillian' timestamp='1446049602' post='2896521']
    Well done Pete, one day at a time.

    Always enjoyed your playing with the Nearlies.

    Gaslighting Abbie, keep it in your sights.
    [/quote]
    Thanks mate. We actually did Gasligbting years ago but only lasted about 3 times in the set. I nailed it, but it fried my brain doing so.

  8. If anyone's remotely interested, it can be explained in one word - ALCOHOL.
    I've lost my relationship, my house, my band Nearly Dan, which has been going from strength to strength, a band which I conceived and named.
    I grew up playing in the 70s era. Drink and drugs were the order of the day. From about 16, I eschewed all drugs but drank constantly. My doctor has been on to me for years to take a detox, but I thought I could do it myself. It doesn't
    work, as one or two pints is never enough. I began to augment my six cans of super strength lager with small bottles of vodka. One day I got caught at work. The manager, also my friend, had no choice but to dismiss me.
    That was it. I went straight to my GP and he booked me into a hospital. I lost my mobility. Nurses had to support me as I couldn't walk. A gym instructor had to teach me to walk again. I
    slipped over six times and had daily injections up my arse cheeks. But we all had four good meals a day and as well as my yellow face and eye colour my blood sugar and blood pressure returned back to normal.
    All the doctors said if I had another alcoholic drink, it might kill them. I've gotten used to fruit squash and seen that a lot of players that don't drink on gigs.

    My advice is: Don't worry about not drinking and save your life instead.

    My stay in the hospital lasted for three weeks - and it goes quickly.

    Feel free to ask me any questions.

  9. [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1430567365' post='2762678']
    I think you're referring to [url="http://www.nearlydan.co.uk/"]Nearly Dan[/url] and BC member Pete Academy. There is also a Steely Dan tribute in this area called [url="http://www.strictlydan.com/"]Strictly Dan[/url].
    [/quote]

    Unfortunately, I'm no longer in Nearly Dan. Long story.

  10. [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1424867005' post='2701307']
    I'm going to extrapolate that one step further; Would it by any chance be a rep from Orange, who are releasing the class-AB OB1 amps amid rumours that the class-D Terror bass amps might be discontinued? This is pure guesswork, of course...
    [/quote]

    You could be right ;)

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