Heathy

Ten years ago I stopped playing for three years to concentrate on a professional qualification. The day after my last exam when I was looking forward to picking the bass up again, I shut my right index finger in the car door. It went black and the nail eventually fell off. This took some time. It was as if the nail had died and a new one started to grow underneath. I'm sorry to say this but it took almost six months for it to get back to 'normal'. However, this was a very different type of injury to the one you described. Try to look on it as an opportunity to practice playing with a pick or 'double-thumping'!

My sunburst Jazz is Bill and the black one is Phil. The Yamaha has always been BeeBee. Likely to be selling Phil when BeeBee (eventually) returns from surgery. Oh, and the SWR 4X10 that I have had for 20 years is called Amanda (De Cabinet).

OK, it will have to be Scott Thunes then. I doubt that I'll ever play 'superman' anyway.

Scott Thunes' (or as an alternative, the bloke who played on Superman by Black Lace)

Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhh! GAS attack!

I started a band at school despite not being able to sing or play an instrument. As time went on 'proper' musicians joined the band and eventually wanted me out. I bought a Westone Thunder Jet bass and a 10w Marshall amp to prevent this from happening. 25 years later I have played more gigs, and made more money through music than all of them put together. People seem to like what I do, I am becoming increasingly open minded in my old age and have a greater appetite for learning than ever before. Musicians I have played with will say that although I can be a pain in the arse, I will occasionally make them laugh so hard that their drink will shoot out of their nose. I am proud of all of the above.

Check out the pom poms on the blonde.

Fantastic stuff: [url="http://home.netcom.com/~bigear/Zappa.html"]http://home.netcom.com/~bigear/Zappa.html[/url]

Awesome gig, and a little bit emotional in places. Scott Thunes was on top form, although you can't fault the band Dweezil had put together. I was expecting to hate The Boosh and retire to the bar, however they won me over with 'Underwater Steve'. All in all a fantastic day I feel. Multiple eargasms all round.

I'm going to the ZPZ gig and the Q&A in the afternoon. Can't wait.

His number has been taken down from the website as it says he is moving. As the website suggests, I sent Mike an e-mail earlier. No reply as yet.

The other week one of mine* just fell off for no reason. Also, I stopped using the ring finger of my plucking hand because it never got a decent callus. * Calluses

For me, the beauty of being an amateur musician is that I don't have to do anything for one moment longer than I want to! However, if you get out be careful how you do it. I thought I was being very fair when I recently left my band, but am currently having problems with a bunny-boiler ex-singer!

Why did Steve Harris stop using the Lado? I seem to recall that Bruce Dickinson accidently nutted it in two on the world slavery tour...

Thanks for the tip. Bet it ruins the taste, though.

Jimi Hendrix Experience. Another no brainer!

Definitely a reduction round our way during that period, but more than that there seems to be a greater emphasis on audiences wanting to hear stuff they know as opposed to just enjoying 'the music'. Scary stuff indeed.

I do get mildly miffed by the snobbery directed towards covers & tribute bands. You either wrote the music you play or you didn't. Simple as that. I've never heard of Elvis or Sinatra being referred to as covers artists. And being a covers band didn't do the Beatles much harm in the long run did it? As long as you enjoy what you do, then there's no problem. What's the point in running people down just because they do something different to you?

With my last band it normally varied between Misirlou, Hawaii 5-0 or Peaches en Regalia.

I have spoken to the drummer and it appears that he agrees with me! Tried speaking to the guitarist, but he was round the singer's house - made my excuses and will speak to him tomorrow. Thanks fellow BC'ers - you're worth your weight in gold. p.s. Just to clarify - I wouldn't have gone for anything but option 'a' because I'm lovely.

I have been becoming increasingly frustrated with the singer in the band over the last few months, to the extent that I have decided to leave this weekend. Trouble is I will really miss playing with the guitarist and drummer (who I have known for 20 years). What would you say is the right thing to do: a) bow out gracefully. say - it's her or me. c) hang in there and use sneaky tactics to try and push the singer out (suggestions would be helpful) I'm leaning towards 'a' being a mature adult and everything, but would appreciate your views/experiences. p.s. I didn't realise a 'b' and a ')' would result in that smiley. But he's cool so he stays.

This has been a very timely post for me. I recently bought Led Zep II on CD and 'rediscovered' the Lemon Song. The LP went into the loft 20 years ago and I have mainly relied on the CD box set since then (no Lemon Song). Once I work out what all those dots mean I'll be away! Surely this must be as good as it gets for blues basslines. Many thanks

I understand how you feel, but the grass is always greener isn't it? I have seen a lot of people who are so dead set on making it big they forget to enjoy the moment. To me having played a set full of songs I want to play, and having played them well to a handfull of people going apesh*t in a pub is about as good as it gets. Long live pubrock!

The Burns basses in BGM this month look horrible. All of them. Never liked the look of Rickenbackers either. Or basses with too many knobs.

Don't get me started on Peter Hook! Enjoyed the clip, though. I don't know any of his stuff, but I do own a Joe Bonamassa signature Gramma Pad! Looked like the bass player was improvising at one point - how dare he. I don't think he was using an Ampeg either! One thing puzzles me - why does he need two drummers? Money to burn obviously.