sprocketflup

My old man had a succession of Imps as I was growing up, they were vomit inducing things being rear engined, with the motor (and more importantly exhaust) seemingly inside the bloody car. I played a little festival a couple of years back that had a small classic car rally, and there was an imp. I approached the owner and told him how I'd grown up with the things, then tentatively asked if I could smell the inside of his. (car, you perverts) He knew exactly where I was coming from and unlocked it so I could. Jeez that took me back

"Dont know anything about the guitar", but he knew enough to whack a Fender decal on it and not take any photos of the back 😒

Matt Bought a preamp pedal off me in an easy pleasant and no fuss transaction. Top banana

I bought some boots from Kev, he was very keen to make sure the purchase was right for me before we did the deal. Excellent stuff

Amongst many others! You know where you are with a Del bassline. I also relish doing Eberhard Webers uprite stuff, and John Giblins fretless lines and and and...... In fact, the show you featured earlier up there was not actually a Cloudbusting show, we have an 'acoustic' offshoot called The Kate Bush Songbook, where Michael (keys) Mandy and I get to explore the more delicate stuff from KB's catalog. Del had played on our two 40th anniversary of the Kick Inside special shows, which was quite a thing in itself, whilst doing so he expressed an interest in doing a short tour with Songbook, so I stepped aside and they played 9 shows as a trio in 2019. The 'Twinnies', Julia and Nadie ( @ezbass mates) joined them and added BV's and colour for 3 of those. I'm back in the bass saddle for those shows now though, and I have to say they are such a blast to play, not as thrilling as playing a ballsout stand up show to tens of people but incredible to play in their own way. I get much more nerves doing one of those to a hundred than playing the usual to a thousand

Some very lovely comments on this post and I'm humbled, truth is Cloudbusting are just 5 silly twots who happen to like Kate Bush and play the various instruments needed to replicate it. I'm proud as punch to be there, have been there for over 9 years now, longest I've been with any band, which just goes to show really

It is me yes, I am the regular bass player for CB and I claim my five pounds.

Yep, most of them tbh

Darth Vader after a crash diet?

I did it the other way round, put my water in a Newqey Brown bottle to try and look more down wid it

Had to read that slowly a couple of times to get what you meant 0-o

It is, and I've done it. For quite a few years in fact

Nip home and do it. In fact, you could do other things as well!

Enjoy yourself. And if you're not enjoying yourself, make it look as if you are. Its a performance for Pete's sake. Earlier bands I've been in have won BOTB competitions against technically superior bands because we looked like kids on blue smarties in a bool pall and they looked like they were at a funeral. Unless you're in The Cure. Then the opposite is true

Some may find this odd, I've taken to brushing my teeth in the half hour changing time that we allow ourselves before we play. I'm usually far from home so have my toothbrush/paste packed anyway. Try it, it works wonders

I agree with this. I used to race motorcycles, and was told that the day that I am lining up on the grid with no nerves whatsoever is the day to stop. A little bit of adrenaline/anxiety/nerves etc is good for the performance I feel. If only there was a fader to control the levels

I've always had it, crippling some days, its never gone away. Actually getting on stage and playing sometimes provides relief but not always. Only thing I've found that helps is a mint tucked in my cheek to help with the dry mouth, which isn't so good if I'm singing. For me, its about baring my soul up there in front of all those people, matters not how well prepared I am. I do find that the bigger the gig, the less anxious I get. Which seems to be the wrong way round doesn't it

Another tip, again age related, print/write your setlist in a typeface big enough to be read with out kneeling down and squinting between the songs

I'm with you on the shoes thing, I jump around a fair bit on stage and coupled with the fact I'm no longer in my youth, and neither is my waistline, I found myself barely able to stand in the mornings after sometimes. I just last week bought a pair of Skechers most comfortable-ist shoes that will be used for stage use only, as I was told that they were the most cushioned thing there is. It's like putting your foot into a Flump. I've only used them once in anger so far but I think they're gonna help, they were expensive (to my tastes) but worth it

Well that escalated quickly Looks the dogs danglys mate

You have a wife that doesn't care as long as she gets belly rubs? Never sell that

I love a story with a happy ending.

Forgive my ignorance, what's that one on the left please?

I concur