Rich

Bugatti the company were steadfastly Italian from 1909 to 1963 and again from 1987 to 1995. The current company bearing the name might be headquartered in France, but I think their history makes them rather more Italian than French, certainly spiritually.

Good tip, and very timely -- I'm thinking of getting some moulded plugs as a present to myself when I eventually get back to playing. I do sing BVs so I will need to bear this in mind.

I have a feeling that I'd probably never need it/use it, but dammit I want one now

Not to mention Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bertone, Zagato.... 😎

How did you get on at your appointment?

Nah, I'm going with dirty mind

I know imitation is supposed to be flattery, but this bloke is just taking the wossname. If anyone wants me, I'll be in the studio recording my newly written songs 'Subway To Heaven' and 'Eleanor Rugby'.

Venue: The Red Lion, Brentford (RIP) It was October 1986. Mullet, stupid clothes, LOTS of slap. The set was all original material, 80s rock-pop. Bloody good songs too. We were young, slim, hirsute and firm buttocked and we KNEW we were going to be megastars. I used my Wal Pro 2E, plus a Roland SH-09 for synth parts, through the Laney PB150 4x10 combo my wonderful parents bought me for my 21st birthday earlier that year. This was the band's first gig and was a Saturday night support slot for Philip Jap's then band 'Secret Society'. (I think he missed a trick by not calling them 'Jap's Eye'.) A year later we were headlining and selling-out our own Saturday night gigs at the Lion, while Secret Society were relegated to Fridays. Nick Beggs was in the audience for one of our early gigs with them. No pressure there, then.

Now there's someone who would greatly benefit from being lured to a deserted warehouse and shot in the face.

Quite a few years back a bunch of us in the office were talking about bands we'd seen 'before they were big'. We were just chatting really, but I think secretly we were trying to outdo each other. There was a pause in the conversation, and then one of the older guys looked up and said, "I saw Hendrix in Worcester..." Instant win, end of contest

Music radio stations hardly ever play anything that's to my taste these days, so I don't listen to them (rather than, y'know, just complain about it) . If I listen to the radio at all it's usually either 4 or 4Extra. In the car it's jazz or prog mp3s, or more often an audiobook.

Many years ago there was an old storehand at work who was a big, and I mean BIG, fan of Hank Marv and the Shads and was never seen without his walkman on. He often used to talk to me about them, usually starting with the "'Ere, Rich, you like music..." prelude. Now dear old Trev had apparently suffered a significant head injury in his distant past, and had never fully recovered really. And one day, I had a bit of a glimpse into his world. "'Ere, Rich, you like music," he said, "'ave a listen to this bit of guitar, it's blimmin brilliant it is". Hands me his headphones. I put them on. He presses play. The sound from his £5 Woolies walkmanthing is tinny and atrocious, but worse than that... in my left ear, Hank is noodling away on side A of one of Trev's numerous Shads tapes... and in my right ear, side B of the same album is playing backwards... No wonder Trev was a bit special. Bless him.

A six would allow you to play across the neck rather than having to edge towards the dusty end on the G. Handy if you're sight-reading.

Mark King's superb second solo album 'One Man' couldn't be more different from the Level 42 material -- no bass gymnastics of any sort whatsoever, just good songs. Here's an excellent live version of one of the tracks (featuring Gary Husband on drums and Mark's brother Nathan on guitar).

That's definitely the Joe Frazier tone I far prefer that to his latter-day chorused sound.

I'll be there, hopefully with my bestie @Witters if he can make it EDIT: although in a bizarre episode of deja-vu, it looks like I won't be playing this time either..!

What a player this man is. I remember buying The Pasadenas' album purely because of his basslines.

The last new-to-me band to make me go wow! was Frost*. Doubly so when I saw them live.

Ok, as requested I've had a tidyup and removed the argumentative non-contributions. Valuable and informative topics/discussions like this one are part of what makes this place so good. Please let's not spoil it with petty nonsense. Can I suggest that people use PMs in future if they want to have a handbag fight? So. As you were.

Met up with Chris earlier; swapped my Hartke amp for his cash. Nice guy and a credit to our forum

Funkateer #1 is giving up playing live due to health issues.

I've had these three strings since the late 18th century, never used them. A little surface tarnish here and there. Take one, two, or all three.