Cat Burrito

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1360240640' post='1967168'] I would have thought that now only the kind of money that a major label could offer would be sufficient to tempt a band away from what they could do on their own, given how cheap and easy it is to produce and distribute your recordings. Are the label completely funding your album or do you have to put some of your own money in? What's the budget? What promotion are they going to do for it? PM me if you don't want to discuss these things in the open forum. [/quote] Yep, agree with the first point here and I think the increase at the time of sites like MySpace was when things started to really change. My band at the time had 28,000+ hits to our page which is a far cry from spending the early 90s cutting up sleeves for our C20 cassettes to mail out. Yeah, our label is tiny but very credible within the scene I play. We've part funded a lot but they have done a bunch of stuff we couldn't do ranging national press to endorsements. We're realistic, the Americana scene in the UK is small but dedicated so we'd never hope to make a living with this. We recently did a national press interview with a bloke in the know and his first question was "well, you've all obviously going to need day jobs so what do you do?" I appreciate my circumstances are perhaps very different to some kid at music college or someone playing a different genre. I think some of the smaller sub genres must be similar to what we do in outlook and attitude. And I certainly hope nobody misconstrues any of my points as some misguided declaration that we've somehow "made it". We do ok but it is what it is and operates nicely on the level it is at.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1360239895' post='1967145'] Wouldn't a 'decent' label with 'muscle and a solid reputation' make them a major label? I'm with UncleP - the terms of the contract should be what counts, not the name of the company A friend's lad has signed with Columbia after his first year of a music and performance course at Bristol uni. Apparently, the labels treat the course (and no doubt others) as a shop window and those offered deals then leave uni to concentrate on their music career - which might suggest that all the graduates of such courses are the ones the record companies didn't want. [/quote] Re your first point, not necessarily and I wouldn't want anyone to misconstrue what I say as a purely Anti-Majors rant. I do think the Majors have ripped off a lot of acts but then I'm sure most on here have also been had over by 2 penny promoters too at the other end of the scale. Some so called Indie labels were always major labels trying to give themselves an edgy vibe by making up a new name but there are plenty of small record labels with some weight behind them. Of course we're all wanting the good contract over the name and only an idiot would sacrifice artistic freedom for the name (plenty do!)

My thread from a while ago http://basschat.co.uk/topic/111302-1979-fender-precision-re-mojod/page__hl__fender%20stripping Nitro Mors really was the best way to go for me. A couple of doubters re this method but I've done it a few times and can't recommend it highly enough Cheers

I'm surprised anyone would want a major deal these days. Sure, I would have loved one 20yrs ago but the industry has changed a lot. I'd rather a decent Indie label with some muscle and a solid reputation. We signed to the record label who I wanted in 2010 and we're doing our 2nd record with them now. I guarantee the return is much better and we get much more creative freedom which was the main factor. In an ideal world I'd like to be able to do this full time but I suspect that ship sailed 20yrs ago!

I stripped the paint off my 79 P-bass. Totally devalued it but it looks cool as fish now. My view is that people who worry about resale value probably aren't looking to keep the instrument long term. The hours I put in stripping my bass really helped me to bond with it. I feel I now know every contour of that instrument and interesting that in the "great instrument cull" of 2010-11" this was one of two that I just couldn't bring myself to part with.

My friend's 4yr old girl asked me why I wear a necklace when I'm a boy. I replied it's been something I've personally wrestled with for nearly 40yrs and she gave me a meaningful look and just nodded. My girlfriend's 7yr old lad has taken to trying to dress like me. I came over the other week and he arrived at the door in a frighteningly identical outfit, looked at my shoes in genuine horror and simply said, "Shoes, Timmy, no!"

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21332048"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21332048[/url] Had the pleasure of seeing The Troggs about 12 years ago. A great character

I used to have a few that fitted the owned but not played category so I then started selling and buying... which was a bold step sideways really so these days I only own stuff I play. Much healthier than the bad old days of owning a silly amount of instruments, for me at least

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1360007308' post='1963514'] i ain't surprised given that it is a public forum. So far i have been extremely fortunate with trades. [/quote] This. I'm surprised we don't have more idiots to be honest so it's a credit to us all that most of us behave with such decency

Probably somewhere between The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo and the OST of The Banana Splits!

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1359827079' post='1960890'] If we were bluse players, we wouldn't be getting any respect for at least another 30 years! [/quote] Probably applies equally to country and soul too. I think the trick is to leave the teeny pop stuff to anyone who doesn't make a noise when sitting down

I had my age, ahem, crisis around 25 and actually gave up for a few years. I probably needed a break after 10yrs intense gigging etc. However returning to bass in my early 30s I realised I'd been silly. I turn 40 next month and feel / look / act younger than in my late 20s. We do what we do and the joy of getting older as personally speaking I couldn't care who is looking or laughing. I did have cause to note this week that most of my clothes I buy online seem to have the tag "fancy dress" or "gay interest" though. Worryingly that's just the stuff I wear out around Sainsburys!

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1359671324' post='1958739'] "When did rounds become the main bass string?" [/quote] Whatcha talkin bout willis?!

Drummers always impress me just because it involves such physical dexterity. My Dad was a pro drummer and was keen for me to follow in his footsteps. Sadly I struggle with patting my head and rubbing my stomach at the same time so packed in drums and didn't try another instrument for years.

I've not owned anything that couldn't have been spruced up with a good set up and some decent pickups thankfully. I thought most of the Epiphone range was great (especially for the money) but the Flying V and EB-3 both had really weak sounding pickups.

Never actually *hated* anything but plugged into a couple of things that were a bit lacking. Sound City, Fender Rumble & Laney can all step forward with their solid state mediocrity [quote name='thumperbob 2002' timestamp='1359592968' post='1957403'] I bought a rig once from dogs d ,amour which consisted of a fender pre amp' fender power amp, 4 x 10' and 1 x 15 all in two massive flight cases. [/quote] Love this. The Dogs were my favourite band when I was a teenager & Steve was probably a main reason why I played bass

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1359065447' post='1949483'] Personally it has a fairly 'tubey' sound with the EQ at 12'o clock. As it is naturally bass heavy and mid scooped. [/quote] This. I changed the valves so the breakup didn't kick in so early. Great old school tone

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358710716' post='1943868'] Yes. But some Fender haters just won't let it lie for some reason! If you don't like Fenders, don't buy one, it's very simple. And those of us who like Fenders aren't going to be swayed by forum opinions, so stop being control freaks! [/quote] Whilst I don't disagree with any of that, that is [b]their[/b] problem and not mine. It does occasionally get a bit tiresome sometimes reading the same identical comments across a number of threads (I play [b]70s[/b] Fenders so people get that 2nd bite of the cherry too!) and whereas I don't care for Warwick or headless basses I just don't comment on threads about them. I often find people who make a point of being vocal about something they don't like occasionally wind up coming out in support of it a few years later.

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1358712536' post='1943937'] You lot are so not rock n roll! We always drink when playing, and by the way dont have issues and are not bad musicians. We dont get pissed, just have a few as its also our night out. If its a wedding or function, we will be extra careful, but pub gigs are all about the craic! I did play really pished years ago and that was a disaster, but a few drinks definately settles our nerves and certainly, as the singer. I perform MUCH better after a few pints! [/quote] I took it that this thread was about getting wasted onstage as opposed to having a few or perhaps jut a pint or two

Used to do it. Bought a video camera. Don't do it now

I love Fender and they have pretty much been my brand of choice for 25yrs now. I've tried to move away and try / buy other basses but a Fender just feels right to me so I keep coming back to them. I do have issues with the company and definitely don't see them through rose tinted specs BUT they obviously do so much right when it comes to bass guitars as they have been so popular for 60 years. There are always going to be Fender haters on these forums but then to me rock 'n' roll music should always be about dividing opinion so they have that right too

Superb BBC4 programme as always. I must confess as my Mum got me into Glen Campbell back in the 70s there wasn't much about his career I didn't know. That said the Alzheimer's stuff at the end was just heartbreaking. Best documentary I've seen in a while

This is outrageous! Best band, I could understand

I had one and if I ever regretted selling a bass (I don't) this would be the one. £410 is actually a pretty good deal - these can go for £700+ Put flats on and you'll be in retro heaven

Having played Orange for the last couple of years they are a classic brand but not really known as classic in combination. I used to like Fender & Ampeg but wanted to be a little different. I agree about Vox & Hofner. The Mesa / PRS thing is popular but not on the scene I play on. Surely classic is whatever works for you though?