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Here is mine that i bought from Basschat. I did upgrade the PuPs as i always do This one also features an Audere preamp. I love everything about it.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1330327165' post='1555610'] Playing songs [pretty well can be entertainment in itself...but it is also true that most of the more popular bands round here have frontmen as opposed to singers. Personally, if a person can't sing and screeches everything, I can easily do without that all night.but that is what you get. I don't really care if he thinks he is the DB's and has the audience eating out their hands. I agree that that in itself is a art..but at the local level, you very very rarely get a frontman who is very charistmatic AND can sing. Give me a tune and a singer anyday rather than a screech anthem. Having said that ..there are two excellent vox about and they play in the same pick-up band, mostly. How galling is that..?? . [/quote] Trouble is that being a muso makes it hard to see things through the eyes of the punter. We forget what its like even though we are punters ourselves. On another note i see you are "Down South". How far south are you? Dorset?

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1330286954' post='1555297'] Anyone sen this before? Bit of cheesiness in places but well worth a look. He must have been born with rhythm in his blood. [url="http://www.wimp.com/oldschool/"]http://www.wimp.com/oldschool/[/url] [/quote] thats great! tx for posting

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330177747' post='1553748'] The audience wants to be entertained. They want something interesting to look at and some catchy songs songs to sing along to and maybe even get up and dance to. If you haven't got those then it doesn't matter how well you play as a band or individual musicians - you are unlikely to be attractive to the audience. [/quote] big + 1 to this So many bands get caught up with the sound, technical ability, gear etc and forget that they are there to provide entertainment. 99% of punters don't care about your amp or strings or if you know every scale or some super duper chops. Its taken me about 20 years to realise this

It doesn't seem to matter what size stage we play on. Once the singer has her 2 saxes and flute out and the guitarists pedal board (we call mission control) is placed strategically i always end up with about 2ft square . I don't ever use effects but am considering getting a pedal board just so i can claim a bit of stage real estate. The smallest stage we have played as a 4 piece was in a pub that used to be a shop. The stage was in what used to be the shop display window. It was about 8ft square. Played with the bass pointing up at the ceiling most of the night.

Regular gig tonight at one of our local residencies. There were three sets of couples checking us out for their weddings! How i didn't drop more notes when 3 girls, all tall blonde wearing next to nothing started kissing and girating in front of me is another matter . Gonna be difficult to sleep tonight...

Yeah - backing vocals has helped me with the ability to pretend i am concentrating and doing something when really i am doing bugger all.

Generalisation warning. One of the ironies is that when you start out playing you are eager to learn loads of cool chops that sound impressive. Then you stick em in the most innapropriate places. As you develop you become more turned on by the collectiveness and collaboration in music realising that sometimes it don't matter how great your chops/theory is none of it matters if you cannot do it with feel.

Found myself waiting for the Statue of Liberty to dissapear aka David Copperfield.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1330011618' post='1551395'] A gig booking is another word for ‘invitation’…that is a very powerful word in legal terms and always in favour of the venue. You are seen as guest along with your audience. Believe it or not, the venue does [u]not[/u] have a legal obligation to promote an act. Fact is that live music venues are suffering along with the rest of the drinks and hospitality industry, hence why I don’t work in that trade anymore. The price on booze has rocketed in recent years. During a recession the money is not there for folks to go out and spend. Venues are offering lower fees or none at all which is turning off bands. It’s a crappy state of affairs for the performing musician trying to earn a few quid. [/quote] Great article. I am a bit uncomfortable with the "invitation" term. I see the band as different to the audience in so much as they have agreed a fee to be at a venue and to provide a service. The audience do not do this. There are still quality venues booking quality bands. The venues that do well that we play at are normally those that have fostered a reputation for quality and pay over the going rate! They know which bands are popular and are happy to pay them because they know that the place will be full. Lots of bands are trying to play at these venues but the owners are much more discerning than the club owner who will book anyone on a pay to play. The pay to play venues get everything they deserve. If i have a business i am responsible for it as i make the decisions. I certainly wouldn't leave it to a bunch of musos!

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1330002480' post='1551132'] Hey.I got back last weekend. [/quote] Welcome back. Back to OP - i think there are great bass players across all ages and genres of music. We don't all like the same thing but hey, so what my dad can beat your dad up.

A sea of opinions. Thats all this is. And heres mine... i think that players are technically more together these days than in the past. Some local bands have some great young players who i think have more to offer than Jack Bruce. But they should be better players. Equipment is fantastic now, internet courses, you tube, tabs, free resources etc etc. When i were a young'un i was taping the "Top 40" on a Sunday night and then trying to learn lines from a piddly mono tape deck - no looping or anything like that. Thats why i am sh*te. Kids have no excuse these days

A youth club in 1981. Couldn't stop shaking. I was under age but had some dutch courage in the form of cider which was about 60p a bottle. Don't remember much except a sense of elation at the end. Having re-read this it could almost sum up my first sexual encounter too...

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1329767790' post='1547075'] Do you ever look out at your audience and think "you pathetic bunch of idiots; dancing (!), singing along (!!) and generally having a good time (!!!) to Brown eyed girl, Walking on sunshine, Sex on fire etc, etc. It's almost as though you've never even heard of Camel or King Crimson! Losers!" Just sayin' like..... Edit: This comment may contain exaggeration and humour. [/quote] There is a little bit of me that gets frustrated when we are choosing songs for the band. We rule out certain ones that we'd love to play but think wouldn't go down so well with the audience for the gigs that we have booked. Thats the compromise but remembering that i am generally well paid to do something that i really like doing and being able to stare at jugs without suspicion more than compensates for any negativity. I think it also helps having other projects going too because the covers band isn't the only outlet for music.

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1329748013' post='1546652'] Only a teeny little bit. [/quote] I'll be getting a cardboard tube and the gerbils out of their cage tonight for some "activities"...

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1329742164' post='1546528'] yupyupyup!!! [/quote] never heard that one b4

Those quiet moments can be real gig killers. Its not generally a good idea to loose the attention of the audience. I'd be asking my guitarist to get tools that were adequate for the job.

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1329730266' post='1546340'] ...and East End Boys. (That's a clue!) [/quote] Jeez, do i look like a Pet Shop Boy?

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1329737583' post='1546447'] Can't give specific minutes, but I once played in a band where the drummer would insist on hughly dragged out endings involving several trips around the kit and I was packed up before he decided that was the end of the final song by crashing the cymbals one last time. [/quote] Just read this. Our drummer and guitarist have this thing going where they drag out an ending on the last song which is a bit tiring. I've started packing up when they do this as i find it embarrassing.

Love the sound of that. Four minutes! I can't beat that but now find that i increasingly judge if i like a gig more on ease of access and ability to get in and out than other criteria.

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1329711571' post='1546246'] "West End Girls" [/quote] West End Girls?

and for anyone who doesn't think that it can be funky... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5mhbvutsuI

Its great stuff to play - specially if the band is cooking.

Ultimately its all about whether the punters liked it. If yes, then no harm done.