stewblack

Purely out of interest. Those Specials bass lines are, well special, because a lot of them were collaborative efforts between sir H and the legend that is Jerry Dammers. JD would come up with the rootsy ska stuff but Sir H, a lover of disco would add those popping disco climbs. Wish I could remember where I got that nugget.

I have had a major breakthrough (for me it is anyway), sent a song to learn for saturday's socially distant rehearsal. BL had some kind of weird oscillating digeredoo / broken squueze box being played at the bottom of the sea type sound at the intro to the track. This band is all acoustic instruments bar me and the piano. So I thought, wonder if I can recreate that sound on the FI? And boom, straight there first go. Looking forward to surprising them all.

I was in a book shop once photographing interesting looking covers on my phone so I could look for them cheaper online. Not proud of it at all, far from it, realised what I was doing and felt like the heel I was. So I don't do it any more. I never had the chance to show the appropriate loyalty to my local instrument shops because people doing the exact same thing I did in the book shop had already helped them go out of business.

Allotments are cool

That's great!

Only teasing, sorry I assumed that was obvious.

Yes but you can't argue with the truth though. Awful, awful songs.

One way I just remembered that I would sometimes cop out was to not always play the octaves Just follow the pattern hitting the root twice. It gave my wrist a rest for the odd line.

I used to be in a tribute to the Specials and some nights I dreaded that song. The repetitious octaves at that speed used to cause endless pain and cramping. But it taught me about the importance of finding a way to play with relaxed hands. Good luck with it fantastic tune. But not as much fun to play as Monkey Man.

Don't know what an ipad is but I use a tablet with ireal Pro. It's either a straight forward set list or chord chart depending on how I want to use it. Can't imagine going back to paper. But excel? Seriously? What is it with that bloody program. People go bonkers after using it I have a friend even designs spreadsheets...... for fun! Like it's some form of relaxation. I think it's enough to get him sectioned personally. Spreadsheets are not rock n roll.

If I can bear to carry on (82 has been a difficult trudge) then The FGTH songs will definitely make my shortlist. It's really difficult to maintain perspective. As the general standard plummets then passably good tunes seem suddenly amazing by comparison. As Chris's post illustrates there were some great artists (Talking Heads) but also some absolute stinkers (Robert Palmer, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen) who knows at another point in time, without that awful 80s production, even some of their stuff might have sounded half decent. But it's pretty doubtful

Exactly. Dave's cables were not just well made and to order and using quality components. They literally never fail. That kind of peace of mind is priceless. If something goes wrong on stage I don't need to think about cables, which makes fault finding so much faster.

Pre mother feckin cisely!

Yes yes yes.

I can and do solder. But I'm talking about OBBM here. The very best of the best.

I am a bargain basement bass buyer. Yep Vintage Reissue are good, yes Revelation too. However nothing, but nothing, comes remotely close to my Harley Benton MM-84A SB. Astonishingly good bass. If I had paid twice the price I'd have still got the bargain of a lifetime. Three times the price I would not complain.

Who must? Bruce? I doubt it, seems pretty clued up guy. I did acknowledge that he didn't only use a Rick, I just like his bass lines played with a pick on something Rickish. But only at home.

That's odd. I'm a TE fan but not a fountain of knowledge I'm afraid. Hopefully someone can clear it up

Never heard of this either 🤔