casapete

Can’t find the YouTube link, but a while ago a guy was on there showing how you can restore a bit of the brightness of new strings by slackening them a off a little one by one and ‘snapping’ them sharply, making them whack the frets. This removes a lot of the gunk in the windings ( of roundwounds) and temporarily gives them a bit more life. I tried it and you could hear a bit of difference, although suspect it may give better results on really filthy strings? Worth a go and costs nowt....😀

Whilst I understand people not liking these voices, for me both Presley’s and Orbison’s are those which were intrinsic in my early appreciation of popular music. Sure, both recorded some stuff which wasn’t that memorable, but also recorded definitive songs of the 20th century. Elvis Costello’s voice is probably even more ‘Marmite’, and many didn’t like his almost sneering style. Strangely I was immediately drawn to it on that first album with it’s standout track ‘Alison’. Top fella too. 🙂

Perhaps something instep with BC readers.....

I’ve earned a living from being a gigging bass player for 30 years. Am now in my mid 60’s and will continue for a while yet, assuming my health allows.

I think I’ve subliminally bought into the idea of Fender or Fender influenced basses being my go to. Probably most of the bassist’s I’ve admired since I was a kid, from Jameson onwards, seemed to favour them and I guess it’s stayed with me. That’s not to say I’m blind to other makes /styles - I love Danelectro stuff and retro looking basses like Reverend etc. I also like Musicman basses which are the logical follow up by Leo to his classic designs. I had a Hohner B2A for a couple of years and loved the design, but let it go as couldn’t quite cope with the way it hung on the strap. Don’t think it was because I liked any Steinberger players, just enjoyed the radical design compared to a Fender. Wish I’d persevered with it as it sounded great!

I like EC on a Strat and a Gibson, although do feel that his tone in Cream ( who I didn’t particularly like) was wonderful. Like many others, I first heard that great Les Paul/Marshall tone used by him on the Bluesbreakers ‘Beano’ album, and even today it still sounds incredible. His signature Fender Strat was designed with an active preamp to try and get more Gibson-like sounds, but didn't get that close IMHO.

I’m hard pushed to choose between them - both amazing IMHO. I also feel that about another of Whitney’s covers. I love her take on ‘The greatest love of all’, but George Benson’s earlier version ( despite a few near pitchy moments) is also superb. Great song I guess.

I was driving back from my girlfriend’s house and heard the news about Elvis on Radio Luxembourg, who I think were the first station to broadcast it. Carried on listening to Elvis stuff on RL into the night and I’m sure at one point they played ‘Got a lot o’ livin’ to do’ .......😆

Actually it wasn't! 😆

That's hard to imagine. Lennon was killed December 1980, so guess your class was born in 1965/66, when The Beatles were world famous and still had maybe 4 or 5 years left as a band. I was 4 or 5 when The Beatles first became famous, and remember it all quite vividly. I guess by the end of the 60's and into the 70's the band maybe wasn't such a big deal as it had been for us?

Just an ‘expensive PA ‘ I think Douglas. Had he owned the ‘super’ version he may have had that spare channel? 😆

I’m in 3 ‘bands’ - my main theatre one (which takes priority), an acoustic duo and an occasional country band. I also fit in some deps and function gigs where possible just to try and keep my hand in and vary things a bit. From my experience it’s always a hassle with bands when people don’t share the same perspective and / or have day jobs which decide when the whole band can play / rehearse. Finding players whose lives allow them enough flexibility to fit in with everyone else really is key to a good working unit, and sometimes this can be almost more important than musical ability. I speak from experience.....🤣

Wonder if he didn’t have enough vacant channels on his mixer to accommodate 2 DI’s but didn’t want to look incompetent? Can’t understand any other reason why he was being so awkward.

Agreed Mick. I loved her 70’s albums, and even the Nelson Riddle stuff too to a certain extent. Wonderful voice.

If there are any Eric Clapton fans left (after his recent comments on vaccinations), Sky Arts are previewing a new biographical film called ‘Nothing but the blues’, airing at 9pm this Friday, 20th May. On the same night at 9.30pm on BBC4 there is a profile of Emmylou Harris called ‘From a deeper well’ . If you like this you may want to catch Linda Ronstadt in concert in 1976 at 11.30pm on the same channel too.

Isn’t it maybe just the model number (production reference?) Seen Fender use a PR designation on their amps.

Oxford is dreadful for parking. When we play there we have to park our vehicles a long way from the theatre, and the car parking prices are ridiculous too.

And the Kids.

The Groundhogs didn’t release their first album until 1968, but in the early 60’s were well known for backing many US blues artists over here, including John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed. Sounds Incorporated also were another band doing the same thing, backing Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard ,Sam Cooke and many more on UK tours and TV shows. They went on to open for the Beatles at Shea Stadium but never achieved success with their recording career.

I’ve never thought, it may well be? It always seems a bit desperate to me, as if you’re willing to trade for anything just to get rid! I get fed up with adverts that don’t offer any info - ‘ if you’re looking at this then you’ll know how good they are’ / ‘ plenty of info on the net’ etc etc. Also those people who can’t take a clear photograph or even be bothered with details on condition and even make and model. With selling cars, the old ‘one lady owner’ thing also used to bug me, but fortunately rarely seen these days.

WHY is for trades - what have you? Bit daft I know.

Billy Preston must have had the best CV of anyone! Bands / artists he’s been involved with include Little Richard, Ray Charles, The Beatles, The Stones, Joe Cocker, The Funk Brothers, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Sam Cooke and many many more. An amazing talent.

The US band ‘Clover’ provided most of the backing band duties for Elvis Costello on his first album ‘My aim is true’, before EC formed his own band ‘The Attractions’. Clover soon after morphed into ‘ Huey Lewis and the News.’