Cat Burrito

I did exactly the same. Definitely takes it into more bass territory.

My Bass VI journey started with a Burns SSJ that was good fun. Although I bought it for a studio project where a Glen Campbell type line was required, that song was quickly shelved. It sat in storage for a year until finding new life playing 80s Goth type stuff. Seeing bands like The Cure using them, reignited my interest. I upgraded to The Squier ltd edition purple one and it immediately felt better. The string spacing is obviously different to a regular bass but I approach it as a different instrument. The finish is excellent, the tuners are stable and the frets / hardware all well finished. The one little gripe is that the tremolo very occasionally rattles on the lower notes BUT this doesn’t do that through the amp. I think a lot of people buy these for projects, only to sell them on so there are plenty of second hand bargains to be had with a bit of investigation. Here's my colour coordinated picture I have previously shared (featuring the old boy in the tuxedo suit).

When I started playing, I was very much a traditionalist (Fenders, Gibsons, Rickenbackers etc) and was probably a bit sniffy about headless designs and anything that was more modern that a Musicman. However, getting older I have learnt to appreciate most basses. Playing different styles over the years, I have seen players with basses that I personally wouldn't wish to own, sounding great and looking good. I remember turning my nose up at basses I have subsequently owned and enjoyed. As a now multi-instrumentalist, I have a bigger issue with guitarists who play bass and make apologies or joke about being demoted. No issue with guitarists playing bass but do your thing and enjoy it, however that looks sounds and do it unapologetically.

I'd get a custom replacement. If you are a pick player, you may wear the paint (less of an issue if you are a finger player). There's loads of after market ones that look great and can be made to whatever specs you have. My feeling is the paint would probably not look too good, unless you are really artistic and careful. If it's a standard style like a Precision, there may be some non custom replacements that are cheap and look the part.

We made a film when we recorded the acoustic covers album in a Saxon Church.

Deadlight Dance had our album launch at my local pub. I was mostly on the mandocello with occasional mandolin and three songs on my bass vi. We sold a few albums to a respectable sized crowd and my absolute highlight was we got sketched - the picture is to be framed in the pub wall! I thought we played well and I particularly like my growing confidence in the bass vi.

I'm off to my album launch this afternoon so shared a pic of me outside the pub we're playing - my favourite comment so far "The venue looks very small". 🙈 I'm pretty sure I am not releasing "Dark Side of the Moon"! Over the years I have had some lovely well intentioned fails from friends, including; "I'm surprised you have time for a day job" - yes, thank you, I am friends with two of my bosses! "Dan & I would love to come but Harry is back from Uni" - family first but this also works well as a private message! I'm sure Mick Jagger doesn't get this! "I played there six months ago" (with accompanying picture of them on stage at the venue) - Great, post it on your page! "I must check out your band sometime" - I've mostly posted the playing videos over the last 15yrs just for myself, I appreciate people lead busy lives but perhaps just once over that decade and a half time frame, you could have clicked on one! "It's a shame you are not playing (inserts name of town) / on a different day" - Again, works great as a PM. The whole band is travelling half way across the UK but you can't travel 20 minutes. Oh and constantly liking the posts of friend's bands and getting nothing back. What do you enjoy the least when sharing band stuff on social media?

Deadlight Dance played The Beehive in Swindon on Thursday. A personal one for me as it is where I met my wife, whom I was previously as school with and hadn't seen for 22yrs. We were supporting a Texan songwriter called Tommy Hale and had a half hour set, mainly two mandocellos. Being hyer critical, I thought the volume was just slightly too loud, and not the greatest sound. We used it as an opportunity to test acoustic versions of 3 new songs we had written and played an originals heavy set of dark acoustic music. Incredibly we sold a couple of CDs. The downside was we're both having car trouble so I had to pick the other guy up (he's 45 minutes away and in the wrong direction. We have a similar problem tomorrow at the moment but what goes around comes around... and to double the cliches, the show must go on! We didn't get any pictures of the show but I took this quick snap before we went in.

Not expecting big numbers with this follow up, but for the minority of people interested in the hours of outtake visuals (or in this case audio), we did this talk through audio video about what those songs meant to us.

I'm afraid I don't have a fancy flyer this time, but my little goth / alternative duo are doing an acoustic support this Thursday at The Beehive in Swindon, supporting Dallas based roots-rocker Tommy Hale. Free entry and we're on 8.15pm / 8.30pm sort of time.

Thank you to everyone who took time to watch this and especially for those who left nice words. Yes, it was cold! We're a funny pair - I am always cold anyway and Nick will walk around in a t-shirt saying "yes, it is a bit fresh" after listening to me moan for ages! His comments on folk were interesting. The electric side of the band doesn't have that link in such an obvious way. He always raved about folk music growing up where as I had inherited an interest in country (and later Americana) from my mother. For me, it was dropping that influence on the folk instruments and approaching them as a rock player that helped develop my style and give me more confidence.

We released an acoustic covers album last Friday, recorded in a Saxon Church. The album launch is next weekend. The film of the album (also on another Basschat thread)

My first ever band in 1988 was called Nine Lives. I always liked the name. Like many school bands, we were absolutely dreadful!

I was in a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute for 6 years so we didn't have a choice. I grew up with the Sisters of Mercy version so never liked the GnR version and I must confess I heard the Sisters before Dylan's original.

I normally get the kit off the stage, go over to the merchandise stall and if we sell any CDs, wind up signing them (devaluing them, I'm sure!) and posing for a few photos with people. At the smaller shows, I normally just have a drink and chat with the audience members who approach me.

Yesterday we played the "All that is Devine IV" goth festival at The Fiddler's Elbow in Camden. A rare(r) electric gig for my band, Deadlight Dance. Knowing what a nightmare it is for parking, we blagged a 17yr old roadie and drove to Hounslow. The plan was to travel light (for us) and get the tube in to Chalk Farm. Arriving at the venue, everyone was super friendly - absolutely no egos or divas across a five band bill. We opened and had a really good crowd. I was using the house Fender Rumble which is always a fairly tidy bit of kit. Adding Boss Bass overdrive and Super Chorus to my tone, my Rickenbacker sounded pretty amazing. We sold a few CDs and got paid due to healthy ticket sales. Nick (my professional other half & friend of nearly 35yrs) and I nipped over the road for a cheeky Katsu curry. One of the bands was all the way from Mexico and they wanted to share their culture with us - this meant doing shots of Tequila backstage later into the night. I don't think our 17yr old roadie had quite the stamina of the 50 / 51yr old band! I got to bed around 4am due to the clocks changing. I'd do it all again... so long as I can have a day or two to recover!

I had it tattooed back in '92 myself. Thank you so much. Sorry, I had a couple of days away from the computer. The band's merch is at Deadlight Dance The Wiltshire Gothic

🙏 Not sure if you saw the social media post but there was a small delay with the pressing. All the envelopes are done up and I should be getting CDs out as soon as they arrive. They are currently with Royal Mail. That’s really cool that you ordered one.

Appreciate this might not be for everyone, but if anyone fancies some bank holiday viewing, my little gothic duo recently made a short 20 minute film with a very old friend (Haunting the Atom) about growing up in a small town, discovering bands (Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division etc) and getting into bands ourselves. Months of planning went into this (complicated by my Mum passing a few days prior to filming, after a very long illness). Essentially it is a live performance in an old Saxon Church, interspersed with some talk of our roots.An album of the same name is also streaming everywhere worldwide from today. I normally play bass on the original stuff but as we swap out instrumentation, the bass doesn't appear until later. Check it out, I am sure many of you will relate to some of this - even if you like different style of music. It is beautifully shot.

I've played London a lot but a first for my current venture. I can't wait!

My first Sixth Form band did the classic burn brightly and then implode! The band split and the whole band reformed behind my back as a new venture. I had committed the cardinal sin of spending too much time with my then girlfriend, rather than hanging out with the group. We didn't speak for a couple of years but have all been mates again since the early 90s. I then tried a short lived band with the guitarist 20 years ago but with his impending fatherhood, he was the problem this time. Understandably. Fast forward to lockdown 2020 and we tried again. The plan was to jam some of the old songs from Sixth Form, probably once. We're releasing our second album next week. We've made several music videos, a film and played from Lancaster to Southampton and done over 50 shows together. Aside the sulking of Sixth Form, we've never had an argument and the relationship is stronger than ever. Last year, we managed to get two of the original sixth form band to come and join us for a reunion show. I have this picture framed in my bedroom. It will happen again. There's a lot for being older and wiser.