Rich

I'd also recommend checking out your friendly neighbourhood army surplus store. For many years I carried my various bits and pieces in an old ammunition box. Quite literally bulletproof.

I'm a J man too, and that's what I did for a P bass... gradually built one up from bits. It turned out pretty good too, and saw some use until the Thunder 1-A came along, which does the P-bass-on-steroids thing even better. I definitely recommend the bitsa route though. It's good fun, apart from anything else.

It's some weird boxy thing with six cheese-cutters on it. Blowed if I know.

..?

Yes, I'm a very very very very lucky man. I'm with two sets of great musicians playing splendid songs and not a single ego in sight. And yes, Si was a prince. I still miss the silly sod terribly.

If you can find one for sensible money, Pearl OC-07.

Except of course when they're not, which is absolutely all time. Tort is boak. [/debate] Lovely bass btw, esp the neck.

I agree with TTL3... 'Newfoundfreedom' is ideal. My favourite local band names are Goldfish Don't Bounce and Gandhi's Flipflop. God only knows how much alcohol/substances was involved in coming up with those.

Fixed.

I am in total awe of anyone who can get a tune out of a Stick. Nick Beggs makes my jaw hit the floor. He's one of those people who is so talented, you really want to be able to say something negative just to make you feel less crap -- "yeah he's good, but have you met him? bloke's a complete tosser" -- but the trouble is you can't, because he's a really lovely guy too. Huge talent and nice with it. I hate him

Soul Destroyers I answered an ad in a Swindon music shop. Three of us turned up for the audition rehearsal; another bassist and I, plus our dear friend and brother OldGit who was after the baritone sax chair. Thankfully, my bass rival was woefully underprepared and had obviously not listened to the songs. I knew I was in with a good chance when I watched him crash his way through Signed Sealed Delivered. I got the gig and so did Simon. That was the tail end of 1993 and I'm still there. How I wish he was too. Train to Skaville Gil the Destroyers keys man is also the Skaville ivory tinkler; he knew I love ska and that I was itching for a chance to play it. When their old bassist started becoming miserable and unreliable, Gil gave me the heads up that they'd be looking for a new one soon. I made sure I was well-prepared, and that helped me get it.

Oh great, you just had to bring that up. It's taken me 18 months of counselling to get to a stage where I could even think the S-word without hyperventilating, and now that's all down the drain. Back to square one. Thanks a bunch.

Back in the day, Mrs Rich saw Golden Earring with Focus in support. Apparently the Earrings were dull and Focus totally blew them off stage.

Curved, he said without a hint of bias *coughcough this is mine cough*

Pick snobbery gets right on my toot.

You forgot: * General good behaviour thanks to the ever-present threat of being lured to a deserted warehouse and shot in the face.

Yes dear, of course he did. And I suppose he was the one who sewed your nametags into them as well..? Tsk.

This is my favourite photo of me. Mainly because my lovely Shuker is in it but my face isn't.

Pixies. They come out at night when we're all asleep -- well, most of us -- and they tidy the place up a bit**, stick a new hamster in the wheel and away it goes. ** they have a request for Teebs, by the way; if you're going to leave those things hanging around, could you at least put them in a bin bag. One of the pixies is having great difficulty getting the stains out of his tunic. Yup, it's been a lot nicer.