Pete Academy

Nearly Dan are playing at The Box in Crewe on Saturday March 29. www.theboxcrewe.co.uk 01270 257398 Admission £12. Show starts 8.30.

Great to meet you, too. Thanks a million for the praise. Apologies again about forgetting to play Haitian Divorce!

Nearly Dan are playing at The Citadel in St Helens on Saturday 15 February. [url="http://www.citadel.org.uk"]www.citadel.org.uk[/url] Doors 7.30pm. Tickets £16.

Nearly Dan are playing at The Glee Club in Nottingham on Sunday 9 February. New set includes Gaucho, New Frontier, and Barrytown. Approaching our seventeenth year.

Enjoy the gig, mate? Bloody hot on that stage!

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1390041365' post='2340739'] Marc, here is my tuppence worth. The overriding thing that strikes me about your post is[i] Fear[/i] and [i]Apprehension.[/i]...[i]relax! [/i]Music is fun - just enjoy the journey. Listen to everything, watch every bassist that you see...play, play and play. It reminds me of a story - When I started I lived in a very small village in the middle of the highlands of Scotland...no computers, no youtube, no ipods...no colour tv - but I had vinyl and a little record player. I spent endless hours picking up the needle of it and listening over and over to songs to pick out the basslines in the most basic of ways. I was later told that this is transcribing...but the word that describes the experience is of no relevance. I thought I had arrived as a player until I saw Stan Clarke on the "old grey whistle test" - so I practiced and practiced. I thought I had it nailed then I saw Mark King on "the Tube" - so I practiced and practiced. a few years ago I thought I had it nailed until I saw Hadrien Feraud - so I still practice and practice. Practice makes perfect. Model the great players...of which there are thousands. [i]Have fun[/i]! [/quote] This is a great post, and exactly what you need.

Nearly Dan are playing at the South Street Arts Centre in Reading on Saturday 1st of February. My birthday New set list includes Gaucho, Barrytown, and New Frontier.

If it's a song you're unfamiliar with, it helps to play it until it's stuck in your head. I used to use a Tascam bass trainer. The most useful feature is being able to loop parts over and over. This is great if you can't uite get a certain riff or note.

[quote name='elcastillian' timestamp='1388835204' post='2326543'] Yes, and some singers also fall into that category, they can tell you how to play almost any instrument, But can play f**k all themselves. KB players can be odious individuals. Changing the subject ! Great gig last night at the Robin, really enjoyed it. Saw you at the pre gig pub but the dj sound prevented alot of what we do in pubs over good beer, Talk, well done Pete, [/quote] Thanks mate

Nearly Dan play the Jazz Cafe in Camden, London on Sunday 19 January. New setlist includes Gaucho, New Frontier, and Barrytown.

Happy new year to everyone. I still think that keyboard player is a twat.

I just think if you are asked to dep for a gig, and it's maybe the day before, and you are a decent busker, you should be expected to be put on on the spot. If you have a week to prep for it, the band should look after you, and make you feel comfortable.

My thread is about asking if other players have had this experience. Have you had s similar gig with such an egotistical musician?

I can understand what you're on about, but the nest gig was a good couple of years ahead. Also, it was my friend and backing singer, who assured me it would be different this time. A leopard doesn't change its spots. There were about six people in the audience, and he decided to play the worst dirgy blues ever.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1388516994' post='2323030'] Seems very odd behaviour by the keys player. Why would anyone want to be on stage playing with unprepared fellow musicians (unless it was a jam night)? And specifically playing stuff that others don't know . . . at a gig?! Very odd indeed. If he considers himself to be so good, why doesn't he just do solo gigs? [/quote] Because he thought the gig was his. I get angry just thinking about him. Definitely the most selfish and arrogant musician I've ever played wit.

A few years ago, a guitarist I knew really well asked me if I'd stand in for a scratch band for a local pub gig. The songs were mostly soul and funk. I agreed, and as the gig was a week away, I asked for a set list. I already knew some of the songs, but as I was busy that week, I printed off chord sheets for the others. When I got to the gig, the keyboard player, who has been a fairly successful musician in the past, barely spoke to me. We started the first set with a couple of songs I knew. Then the keyboard player launched into half a dozen songs he'd written, of which I'd never heard before. I'm not the greatest busker, and I ended up making a hash of the songs. The rest of the gig continuedwith the same scenario...more songs that weren't on the set list I'd been sent. I hated the whole experience. Fast forward a couple of years. I was again asked to stand in for a different band, which was put together by our backing singer. I asked for a set list, which consisted of soul and funk numbers again. Guess who the keyboard player was? There were only a handful of people at the gig, and again he decided to play his own stuff, despite the fact that this time I'd actually learned the songs beforehand, spending a fair few hours doing so. I vowed never to play with this selfish twat ever again. If I was in the bandleader's position and needed a dep, I would do the following things: a) Ask the dep which songs he already knew and write a set list around those. Make him feel welcome at the gig. c) Stick to that set list. d) Not make him feel uncomfortable by playing unfamiliar songs. d) Realise that an audience would probably pick up on his mistakes, and ruin their enjoyment of the songs. e) Not let someone's massive ego ruin the gig. Any thoughts on this?

John Robinson, Omar Hakim, Bernard Purdie.

Thanks for the positive comments, folks

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1387384971' post='2311384'] How long has he had it? looks very similar to the one I sold about 5 years ago. That was a Jap Ford prototype (had a little RF2 on the truss cover) Fabulous guitars (and rare now) Sorry to get off topic here. Great band you got there. [/quote][quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1387386370' post='2311407'] This reminds me that it's been too long since I've seen you guys. Must get to St. Helens gig in February (or Chester, or Crewe or Manchester). [/quote] He's had it well over 5 years.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1387376944' post='2311257'] Nice, Is that a Fender Esprit your guitarist is using? [/quote] It certainly is. I think it's a Japanese Robben Ford model.

A short medley filmed at The Wigan Jazz Festival thsi summer. Bass and drums are a bit boomy. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmuAj3xC-hE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmuAj3xC-hE[/url]

I speak to music reps all the time. Bass sales are down significantly. I think the bottom line (no pun intended) is that it's not a cool instrument at present.

I work in a music store and have noticed the steady decline of the number of people, especially young kids, showing an interest in playing bass. During the last two Saturdays, barely a couple of people have looked at bass guitars and amps. I ordered the new USA Fender Dimension bass, but have been forced to cancel it, as it's £1500 worth that will probably sit on our wall doing nothing. This, along with drums, seems to be a growing trend...kids just don't seem interested in playing these instruments at present. A theory I agree with is that there is no bass hero to inspire kids to play bass. Flea was probably the last one, but he's dropped off the radar. The bands in vogue at the moment seem to have faceless bassists that play bass parts you can easily pick up, especially via YouTube. What young beginner is going to know about Victor Wooten, Marcus, Jaco, etc? Players that inspire them to learn a certain technique. There is a teaching school across the road from our shop. The bass teacher has three pupils. It's a worrying trend.

Thanks for the comments, folks.

I was planning on seeing the doc this week.