casapete

I can relate to that Paul. Mrs CP usually manages to get me to dance for one song a year on NYE, and that is how I feel, apart from the ‘used to dance’ bit.....

Great stuff, well done!

Superb!

I saw Rory in the early/ mid 70’s. Managed to convince my mum that I didn’t need to stay in that evening and revise for my Maths ‘O’ level exam which was on the next day. Rory and his band were absolutely superb. I got an ‘unclassified’ in my exam.

I’m sure Douglas doesn’t mind me correcting his mistake. After him picking me up on my casual use of the apostrophe many times, it’s a rare (but probably futile) opportunity to try and even the score.....😆

Sky Arts showing ‘Oil City Confidential’ in tribute at the moment.

Whilst Lennon and McCartney wrote ‘Love me do’, the song Twist and Shout’ was not one of theirs, being written by Medley and Berns and a US hit for The Isley Brothers in 1962.

As a child of the late 50’s , the Beatles were incredibly important to me and my interest in pop music, which has remained to this day. Then I heard The Stones and the Beatles took a back seat for the following decades. Still a massive Stones fan, but I must admit the recent documentaries on Macca and The Beatles have made me rediscover their greatness all over again. I think that both bands have been key to most of my contemporaries, and influenced so many others along the way.

Think mine new was £79, maybe 10 years ago though. Was a rather nice dark blue with a white plate IIRC.

I had one, bought new from a local SR shop. Decent bass for not a lot of money, although mine went in a ‘Last in / first out’ cull a year or so afterwards.

Me too. Having to turn both volumes down to turn the bass off can be a right PITA.

Make the method for fitting IEC mains connectors universal. I think the straight side should be at the bottom, but every time I use my Fender Rumble combo I forget that it’s ‘upside down’. All my other amps are the other way round. Also make battery compartments on active basses more robust and easier to use. I’ve always thought the type that Musicman use are the best. Think Fender have used these for a while now too.

I think you and the band deserve better Mick. If everyone's not pulling their weight, then it’s only a matter of time before things go t*ts up, so you may as well get it out of the way and then move on. Sure, a new singer may have similar ego issues but then again may not. Stress to any new members that homework needs doing first to keep rehearsals fresh and enjoyable for everyone too. Good luck!

Squier do the FSR Classic Vibe Bass VI in various non burst colours, including Shell Pink, Lake Placid blue, Purple Metallic and Walnut. 😊

680

You would think so. In fact Martin have been using a laminated birch composite on the necks of their lower end acoustics for a while now, calling it ‘Stratobond’.

Other guitarists with finger injuries include Jerry Garcia and Tony Iommi. Its amazing how people can adapt and continue to make music.

Robbie McIntosh and Michael Messer’s Blues party at Pocklington Arts Centre in ten days time. Acoustic and slide guitar brilliance, looking forward to it.

We’re trying to maintain our ticket prices to pre-pandemic levels at the moment, but it’s inevitable that it won’t be sustainable for much longer. We have 11 people who rely on the show as their main income, so it has to be feasible in order to continue. I just hope people understand that when deciding whether to come to our gigs!

My main work in a tribute band (playing mostly theatres)has been pretty good in 2022 considering all that’s been going on. Our audience numbers have been what we’d hoped for, but many of the gigs were booked for before or during the pandemic and rearranged, so we’re under no illusions that 2023 may be the same. I fear for our industry generally, with energy prices inevitably taking their toll on leisure choices. Combine this with our band’s overheads rapidly rising and it starts looking pretty grim. Spiralling costs in fuelling our vehicles and hotel rooms more than 50% up on recent years don’t help. Theatres have been more willing to look for ways in which to increase their revenue, many at a price to bands like mine. There does seem to have been a massive effort to recoup revenue lost during the pandemic in whatever way possible. All this does make it seem like we may be in for a rough ride - I sincerely hope I’m wrong. To finish on a more optimistic note though - gigs for my acoustic duo are looking good for 2023, with our regular venues committed to bookings along with a new regular gig looking likely. 🤞

Me too. A great watch, Rick Rubin asks some brilliant questions and also knows when to shut up and let Macca talk. This series (along with the ‘Get Back’ one) made me realise even more what a genius Macca was.

Find out what each is worth, and then sell the one that best sorts out your financial situation.

Beat me to it Steve. I’ve had ClearTone cables for years and they’re still going strong. As others have pointed out, you can’t go wrong with leads featuring Neutrik connectors and cabling such as Van Damme.

That sounds like the same as here in East Yorkshire, where bands can expect similar fees if they are a draw. Having said that, I remember earning the same amount 15+ years ago on such gigs! It’s one of those situations where you can see both sides - a pub has to make a profit, and because most bands are either amateur or semi pro ( however you define that...) then they assume you’re doing it primarily for enjoyment rather than for the money which is probably how it is. Nothing wrong with that of course, but with the massive rise in energy prices and potentially fewer people leaving home to drink a few £7 pints whilst watching a band, it’s not looking likely to rise anytime soon.

Just back from playing in Scarborough with my acoustic duo. It’s a cafe / restaurant on the harbour side called The Lookout, only small but with a very appreciative audience. We play it on average about once a month or so, and it’s my favourite venue. Small PA engineered by the organiser who happens to be a tidy bassist too, so I just rock up with a bass and combo. Tonight I went back to using my old Washburn AB20 - for the last few months I’ve been playing my little Ibanez - and I really enjoyed getting back to a 34” scale bass. Just use a Fender Rumble as a monitor so it’s an easy load in /out. Tried just going ampless but due to the position of the PA cabs it’s not quite enough for me to hear myself clearly so I don’t mind. Next gig there is end of November, and we’ve been promised regular nights into 2023 as well so happy days. (Just added a pic of the view from the cafe balcony)