bassicinstinct

This could explain why he is totally quackers.

I'm still struggling to appreciate just how conspicuous, from an audience's perspective, something [b]in a bass players ears [/b]could possibly be!!??!! I struggle to see mine if I look in the dressing room mirror between sets but, as I said, that may be more to do with my eyesight than the undetectability of my ear defenders.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='424246' date='Mar 3 2009, 03:59 PM']Would that be a fact, or your own opinion? [/quote] Oops!! Forgot - sorry!!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='424209' date='Mar 3 2009, 03:24 PM']Much less - they are totally flush or even recessed within your ear. Alex[/quote] Blimey!! Well, you certainly learn something everyday here on BC eh? I still wouldn't call the ER20s conspicuous though. Although that could be down to my failing eyesight I suppose!!

[quote name='steve' post='424194' date='Mar 3 2009, 03:15 PM']I've used ER20's at rehearsals for quite a while now, but didn't use them at our last gig about a week ago because i didn't want to look like a kn0b. (it was a very cosy pub gig where the punters are within touching, or guitarists-head-kissing distance ). My right ear is still ringing worse than it use to, so it'll be ear plugs at gigs from now on. What I need to know is are the ER15/25's less conspicuous than the ER20's?[/quote] As far as I'm aware, the ER15/25s won't be any less conspicuous than the ER20s as the only difference is in the attenuation. If you don't want to look like a knob, what are you doing on a stage? Seriously, unless you're actually standing right next to someone, I really wouldn't call any of the various options conspicuous and, FWIW, I reckon your hearing is a little more important.

[quote name='Toadonroll' post='424163' date='Mar 3 2009, 02:47 PM']Q: What's the only thing in the whole world more boring than U2? A: A Basschat thread about U2. Step aside people, your work here is done. Nothing to see...[/quote] Fair point. I shall try to resist any further participation.

[quote name='51m0n' post='424142' date='Mar 3 2009, 02:30 PM']You see once again you try and say one thing and I'm pretty sure I'm hearing a different meaning here. I [b]think[/b] you are trying to say how much U2 have done to extend the canon of popular music, and yet the list you give of influenced bands is one that corresponds exactly to my list of thoroughly overrated drivel. Wow, thats scarily accurate.... So if I liked U2 I might like Coldplay and Radiohead, or Snow Patrol? Damned glad I am where I am on this one then! [/quote] You and me both mate.

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='424120' date='Mar 3 2009, 02:07 PM']How does that actually work, then? I have the wax problem but I don't see how ear plugs prevent it building up?![/quote] The wax naturally builds up in order to protect your ears from the excessive noise levels they are being subjected to in the absence of ear defenders (NOT ear [b]plugs[/b] - totally different thing IMHO). When you start to regularly wear the defenders, the wax does not build up becasue there are no excessive noise levels from which your ears need any protection. Q.E.D. At least, I think that's how it works.

A few years ago, I went totally deaf in both ears for a total of 7 weeks!! During that time, I did the olive oil thing for a couple of weeks and then had my ears "irrigated" by the nurse (as I understand it, you cannot get your ears [b]syringed[/b] anywhere other than at hospital). None of that worked so I eventually went to hospital and had them syringed and Voila !! all OK. Just compacted wax. I bought myself some ER20s and swore that I would never rehearse/record/gig without them. Predictably, I wore them a couple of times but gave up on them as I convinced myself that they were making me feel "cut off" from the rest of the band (rubbish, by the way). Fast forward to December 2008 when I started to go deaf in one ear!! I immediately startd to appy olive oil to both ears twice daily. I eventually did lose the hearing in both ears (again!!) and I did a gig on Boxing Day totally deaf BUT, I assume because I had persevered with the olive oil, by the time I did the gig on 27th December, both ears were completely clear again and it transpired it was the same compacted wax problem. Suffice to say that I have now stuck to my guns and I wear my ER20s every time I play and, touch wood, there have been no further problems. A hard lesson well learned I think. Just my 2 pence worth.

[quote name='Clockworkwar' post='424074' date='Mar 3 2009, 01:07 PM']I thought he was an Ashdown man?[/quote] He understand that he certainly is/was. But there are some things even [b]THAT[/b] doesn't excuse!!

[quote name='51m0n' post='424022' date='Mar 3 2009, 12:00 PM']Yeah right, like I could be bothered to figure out how many records they've sold over the last 50 years for countless artists! I bet it would knock U2 into a cocked hat and then some, and then theres the amount of advertising based around there work, or just airplay - but these are not why I put them forward, I really believe they truly added to the popular canon, and therefore are more relvant to me than U2 could ever be.[/quote] Agree with you totally.

[quote name='51m0n' post='424008' date='Mar 3 2009, 11:52 AM']How about The Funk Brothers?[/quote] Here come the sales stats.........................................

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='423621' date='Mar 2 2009, 08:24 PM']That's right. One would be expressing the opinion that a band could be more or less highly rated than one believes they should be. In some peoples opinion, I'm under-rated as a nit-picking pedant. Personally, I think I'm on an upward curve IMO.[/quote] You certainly seem to have embarked upon a passionate voyage of positive pedantry.

Just to clarify, I'm talking about the fingers on Freddie's right/plucking (non-fretting) hand.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='423536' date='Mar 2 2009, 07:02 PM']I saw a bass player in a band doing it the other week, every thirty seconds or during every number he would lick his plucking fingers, it got so i couldn't my eyes off him, pluck, lick pluck. don't know what it did to the strings. then i read in Mag today John Deacon did it to.[/quote] I've seen Freddie Washington do it live with Steely Dan too, so it [b]MUST[/b] be a good thing eh?

First gig of 2010 booked. Scary.

[quote name='Linus27' post='423395' date='Mar 2 2009, 04:36 PM']You mean you don't have the entire works of Bono and boys??? Disgusting. You should download it now :):) Hope to chat with you again soon.[/quote] I know. I'm sure you can imagine how deeply ashamed I am. Look forward to chatting with you too.

[u][b]Linus27:[/b][/u] Could [b]not [/b]agree more with the final para of your last post. I would no more expect to persuade you toward my opinion than you would expect me to dash out and buy the entire U2 back catalogue.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='423293' date='Mar 2 2009, 03:11 PM']Absolutely no offence intended but yes, you are. * Band is 'over-rated' = Opinion * Band is 'under-rated' = Opinion * 'Bad' = Opinion * 'Good' = Opinion * Measurable number of people think band is 'good' = fact * Large number of people think band is 'good' = fact * Band is successful because large number of people think they're good and buy their product = Fact * Succesful band considered to be over-rated by measurable number of people = Fact * Band is over-rated because it's 'bad' = Opinion * Band is 'bad' = Opinion * Opinion is fact = Opinion * Opinion is not fact = Fact[/quote] No, I do appreciate all of that. [b]But [/b]does that not mean, then, that no band can be over or under rated - except in someone else's opinion?

[quote name='Prosebass' post='423247' date='Mar 2 2009, 02:31 PM']I remember "Pop Tarts" being quite popular a few years ago[/quote] Erm, 'nuff said.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='423224' date='Mar 2 2009, 02:18 PM']I scorn this convention, so recurrent on these and other pages, that the more units a band sells, the (less talented / more overrated / more worthy of disparagement) they are. I also reject, with a careless laugh, the absurd proposition that anything popular [i]must[/i] have been hyped by a illuminati-like group of sinister marketing fiends. These arguments crop up again and again and again and again and again and again. Someone dislikes a band / style / genre / amp / instrument / individual / company and deploys transparently false logic to buttress their entirely subjective personal opinion. If you don't like U2, fine. I don't much, either. That's all there is. No facts, no theories, no nothing. But please don't take me for the sort of gullible hamster who would accept the ludicrous assertion that there's factually such a thing as a 'good' band; that 'bad' bands sell lots and 'good' bands don't sell lots; and that we're all being 'manipulated' by a cabalistic marketing machine. Trust me, I'm an entirely different sort of gullible hamster.[/quote] Amen to that!! It just seems to be that if a band or artiste of questionable quality and/or talent (and it's a given that it [b]IS[/b] all subjective) sells shedloads of product, that would tend to suggest to me that there is at least a possibility that they could be considered to be "over rated." On the other hand, is it not the case that there are countless bands or artistes of glaringly obvious quality and/or talent who sell little or nothing or may even be unsigned and would it not be reasonable to consider them to be "under rated"? Or am I missing something?

One word: [b]Westlife.[/b]

144 million album sales means an act [b]can't [/b]be over rated?!?! The logic of that proposal [b]totally[/b] defeats me. I'd have thought that the very fact that sales were high would tend to lend credence to the allegation but, hey, what do I know.

[quote name='Shambo' post='422625' date='Mar 1 2009, 08:21 PM']I am unashamed of my dislike of U2. Years it's been going on now, man and boy. I could never miss an opportunity to express my dismay that such a banal act has inflicted itself on my conciousness for so bloody long. U2 week on the BBC? A new album by a tired old act masquerading as a social event, a musical happening. Just one long commercial for a band I've never liked pumped out over all the BBC's networks. There's been no escape and it really grinds my gears. If I was in any danger of buying a TV licence I'd be gutted at patronising such corporate shillary... and such hoary old, foot on monitor, rock god posturing. I didn't like it 25 years ago and I don't like it now. [/quote] How negative!! On the button though. IMHO, obviously.

[b]For those of you lucky enough to have missed it on Friday night, I think this rather speaks for itself:[/b] Although I am sure I'm probably wrong. He's a rebel that Bongo, isn't he?