Big_Stu

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1323185461' post='1460271'] My credit card provider recorded the transaction as fraudulent and have given me a full refund credit. Shaun Dunk (Silverstone) should be ashamed of the way he conducts himself! [/quote] Nice one! It's the only way companies like that will learn. I've bought a cover from Roqsolid - and it's excellent, slightly slow but he said he'd had a database crash which was fair enough at face-value.

When I bought a BSA air-rifle new as a teenager the stock had a matt/satin finish. It was hit with overspray of WD40 every time I dried the rifle off, within a few weeks it had a very high glassy finish - which was also quite tough.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1323127974' post='1459734'] ...why does he still do it?' To which Dave Dee replied, 'It's that or the dole!' hmm, not too much to argue with there. [/quote] It's a common theme on the nostalgia circuit; most of those you see are the ones who didn't write the hits - or if so - very few of them. The track "Action" was written about the music-business (no names mentioned) all wanting their cut from the band.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1323090381' post='1459063'] It is a BEAST!! Very powerful passive pick-ups, with a punchy Four and a sweet sounding Eight. [/quote] Dear God! THAT is a MANs' bass!!!!

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1322600669' post='1453453'] Just bought a BF Midget so, of course! [attachment=94162:bike to gigs.jpg] [/quote] If you did that to a car you'd be accused of driving an old bhangra........... Coat duly got.

Another one for Thomann, but they take a bit of convincing not to send junk-mail & emails.

I met BC about a year before he died; sadly by then most of what he intended to do was in his imagination only; though he was still a really nice guy - and well aware of his failings.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1323090346' post='1459060']The singer (who was also playing bass) and guitarist in my current band were doing something with Brian Connolly just before he died. [/quote] Your singer is Dave Glover??

Some of their lyrics are so explicit it's no wonder they were banned from many venues even at their peak. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PidiEjQxKx8 I loved "Burning" (B-side of Hellraiser) & many years later thought it owed a lot to Immigrant Song - but the other part of this medley - to a largely teenage female market??

Been away the weekend so missed the later posts. Jim's sunburst bass is marked as a John Birch but was built entirely by JayDee when he worked for Birch. It has a small overdrive circuit that John built into it, which has the level on the scratchplate & is brought in my bringing up the bridge volume knob, which creates that awesome tone. The pickups are John Birch Superflux's, which are wound to bring out the high end. My copy & that of a mate in the US both have Magnums which have a slightly fuller sound. The black one with the wang bar is a JayDee - I had a do on it backstage after their Glasgow gig on their last ever UK tour. Layout wise it was the same as the sunburst, but with gold-plated hardware - even the bar. Jim is a frequent visitor to JayDee, which is where the black bass pic was taken - and where John told me a lot about Jim's gear, when Jim's guitar - yes - SIX strings ......... was overhauled before he did his one-off "last ever" solo gig...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-N4nnrRstc Is he a better guitarist than a bassist? You be the judge.

The legendary Robin venue in Bilston, Wolves has hosted a Sweet gig for the past few years - next year will be the 10th - with Andy Scott's Sweet being headliner. When they do the nostalgia circuit they do what the fans call the "Pipe & Slippers set" - a Greatest Hits essentially; at Bilston Andy does what's more or less a request show of more obscure heavy B-sides & album tracks. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnO6UcYcN3Q[/media] Last years was a charity night - I've covered this before - where I made 70's style scarf/banners which 250 of the crowd paid £1 for, Andy put the gig profits to a cancer charity (he's now in remssion) & also one of his guitars (A Washburn electro acoustic) up for grabs in a raffle - which I won - to cries of "FIX!!!". It's a great night out for those with a passing interest, a great atmosphere in a wonderful venue.

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1322868328' post='1456971'] I've just been obliged to learn Merry Christmas Everybody for a forthcoming festive gig and while I realise it's viewed as something of an unsightly carbuncle on the face of the band's venerable catalogue in the eyes of true fans, it's still a very enjoyable bass line to play. [/quote] It's not so much that as the fact they had 30+ other hits & numerous hit albums & a massive reputation as a live band which the average punter is unaware of. It used to bother me to a degree once - but that was a long time ago; before I had a life. MXE was actually a song that Nod started to write in the hippy sixties. Instead of "So here it is Merry Christmans, everybody's having fun" try "So won't you buy me a looking glass, to look you in the eye" There was a bit about a rocking chair too.

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1322865022' post='1456936'] Nah not him. He's instant change the channel. thinking older too. [/quote] There's a few covers on youtube; I've never heard of any of them AFAIK, but tried about 5 secs of the Blunt one - Jeez!!!!!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1322852844' post='1456762'] Sorry, lads (and lassies...); I don't mean to pee on your party, but that was goddamned aweful (imho, of course...); yes, the whole thread, though I couldn't listen to all of it. I tried, but it's amazing just how long 2' 40" can be (or seem...). I'm going to stick to Phil Lesh and Jack Casady for my inspiration in future, I shouldn't have listened to your sirens. Never mind, I couldn't wear the boots, either. To be fair, I thought it was rubbish at the time, too, so it's not just me getting old (or rather, gotten old..!). I shall thank no-one for these posts. ([i]Phew..! Glad that's over..! Back to the 12 dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, quick[/i]...) [/quote] Not like you to be in a minority for your opinion..... [quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1322861003' post='1456896'] I haven't listened to Slade in a long time. Silly question who covered or Ripped off that one. It's driving me nuts trying to remember. [/quote] James Blunt did recently - apparently he's a big fan, his first gig etc.

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1322857710' post='1456839'] I have a '79 Jazz and have decided to refinish it. It's natural at the moment, with a black scratchplate. What colour do you think would go with the scratchplate, or should I change that as well? [/quote] Damn bookmarks!!! I clicked on Basschat and it's brought me onto Talkbass!

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1322815104' post='1456072'] 'Everyday' is such a bloody wonderful song. Always makes me cry. [/quote] Get your hankies ready then...................... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVCxA0sxTSQ[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me7KHnBwoSE[/media] I had the pleasure of seeing them 36 times over 10 years while a mate of mine saw them 108 times. Both of us own one of Nod's Hiwatt amps & a cab each.

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1322770093' post='1455752'] Try and hear "gudbye t`Jane" ...................... Very unusual for a mega popular band to be so kick a*s. Jez [/quote] It was a constant in their gigs from the day it was written; this is how it was in the final years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3HknJl2zVg That sound from Jim's bass on the riff at the intro & 2.00 & 3.00 mark is what convinced me I had to have a bass like his. Check out the backline - and those Hiwatts still weren't enough, he's still got two of his early 70's Acoustics at either side of the stage.

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1322771752' post='1455784'] Brag time About 6 months ago, the guitarist of tribute band Slyde let me have a noodle on a Super Yob guitar! A nightmare to play but was a bit cool. I love Slade and Jim Lea could really drive a tune along! [/quote] Yeah, apparently it's a much better instrument than the original; that had a solid brass plate covering the headstock, more neck dive than a squadron of stukas. In a rare moment of bon-amie H let me have a pop with his new one & it is a nicely balanced guitar, with LEDs & a laser out of the headstock on that one. Marco Peroni owns the original now. [quote name='bremen' timestamp='1322770496' post='1455759'] Heard somewhere that they started out playing Zappa covers, or did I dream that? [/quote] Just one AFAIK, "Ain't Got No Heart", in their pre-fame "Ambrose Slade" days - they put in on their album "Beginnings".

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1322764856' post='1455653'] You have to respect Nids decision to retire from playing while he was still pretty young. Tragic though. Slade would have come again , no doubt. The songs and the voice were too good for them not to. Done a few supprt jobs with Slade 2 - great to see Do and Dave still doing it but.well , just but. [/quote] Don's said himself that Nod's voice wasn't up to touring by mid-80's. but it could have evolved the Slade sound - if that was possible - who knows. He cancelled an '85 tour on the grounds of personal problems but there was a lot more to it than that. Recording wise Jim evolved the sound into being heavily synth laden, which lost any raw element completely - still a good few songs - but not "Slade". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDIdb8KwFbM H & Don dropping the "2" from Slade2 has alienated a lot of fans with the effect that they now gig 90+% of the time outside the UK, though it's always good fun to catch up with them as & when.

Not certain who did what in the studio on that one; but the live set-up was as this..........("Set Of Six" from 1972) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dpp8vIgjnI Jimmy started out playing piano & violin; by the age of 14 he was playing for his county orchestra on violin, which many assume to be where his nimble ability came from. One of my faves was the theme tune to their film Flame, a song which Noel Gallagher (FWIW) said was one of the most perfect songs ever written, with scenes from the film in the video. This is mimed - all the band played their usual instruments on the recording, Jim spends a fair bit of time up the dusty end and Nod played the flute part (Not a lot of people know that) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGvjsI2hvg&feature=related

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1322394371' post='1450182'] Mate, im sure thats a lot of music that you've heard that hasn't impressed you, the one and only time ? [/quote] I'm not keen on Precisions , plenty of other songs but AFAIR it's the only time I've stood & watched a bassist with a Precision & gone Bloody Hell!! Not so much a matter with others of being impressed or otherwise - just "Yeah - erm - OK".

[quote name='Oneandfive' timestamp='1322342002' post='1449764'] I saw this band in 1975 at the Watchfield free festival, and this is the first time I have heard any mention of them since then. As I recall, they did their bit to gee up a chemically lobotomized early evening crowd, playing like they meant it. They were good. [/quote] It's what they did best, they did a lot of support slots. I had a brief "chat"with their singer/guiatrist John Reid(??) for a while years ago. He said they became known for blowing away the headliners which I believed - until he said that included Slade in '78 - which just didn't happen - I was there.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1317453427' post='1390804'] McLaren F1? [/quote] Wooden foils, wooden wheels, wooden body .............. wooden engine ............. wooden go.

The one & only time I've been completely blown away by a bassist using a Precision was watching Gordon Rowley of Strife. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6WITsWDK4[/media] He's the one in the middle of the pics; had the most genuine battered bass you ever saw in your life. Caught them first at Accrington Bold St Working Men's Club, where I later - as an underage drinker - caught an early Motorhead. Gordon went on to form Nightwing; then became ill & went into production, he later lost a leg & sadly died a few years ago, but he was an immense bassist & had an awesome ability & stage-presence.

It's been said before but worth repeating that nothing should be said on a forum that wouldn't be said in company with everyone in the same room. In that respect the BBC character, in the linked thread, gave a very strong implication that the writer was "retarded". I could well imagine that in a "same room scenario" something would have kicked off at that.