tauzero

We do mainly 80s, with a fair bit of ska and reggae in the mix. So our first song is always "Space Oddity", which is from the 60s unlike anything else we do and is also the song with the most chords in.

Buggles and "Video killed the radio star". Eludes the Guinness records as there was a subsequent number 16 and a couple in the low 30s. I was going to suggest Sonique and "It feels so good" but a quick bit of research showed that the single after that hit number 2.

The lyrics make a lot of sense when you consider what it's about. The sleeping satellite is the Moon. I shall leave it to the reader to research the relationship (for example) of the eagle. Owen Paul didn't quite hit number one with "My Favourite Waste of Time" (got to number 3) but didn't do much subsequently.

Speaking as one who made the transition 45 years ago, I'd say that if you play (say) A B C D by moving your index finger up three times from the 5th fret rather than playing either open 2 3 open or 5 7 8 5next string, you've come from guitar and you're effectively doing barre chords. I started playing guitar classically, then went on to play with a plectrum, and when I took up bass, used my fingers. I have occasionally played with a plectrum, and when I play guitar, I play finger picking or plectrum as required. Due to the carpal bone of my right index finger being broken when I was beaten up 40 years ago and not being set properly, my forefinger and middle finger are a bit out of line and that (even now) makes even picking tricky, so for what would normally be fast alternating picking, I may use a plectrum instead.

Revolution by the Beatles. A few driving seconds, then drop to dirge mode.

"The Begotten"

In honour of the late great Clive James, "Black Funk Rex".

Ancient Beetles. Hmm, has a certain ring to it.

One local band from a few decades ago was "Emma Gibbs loves badges", which was the headline to an item in the local paper. One band I was in was looking for a name, and the keyboard player came up with "Naked Touch". The rest of us tried our best to think of an alternative, but we didn't manage to come up with anything. Another local band that a fellow BCer was the bassist for called themselves "Good Question", which I thought was inspired.

The neck on my Sei Original needs adjusting on a fairly regular basis as it seems quite sensitive to temperature changes. It's headless though, so access is dead easy and it takes me under a minute to do it (including digging out a capo and allen key set from the gigbag). Just another of the ways in which headless instruments are superior to headed ones.

Ditto, except that all the covers are obscure. I was until recently in a covers band, an originals band, and a tribute band. I'm no longer tributing, but I did have all bases covered for a while.

I have suggested that we do one. "Cum on feel the noiz" - a Slade cover that Oasis did. Although our lineup (guit/vox, keys, bass, cajon & bongoes) means it will sound nothing at all like either.

Oh good, it's not just me. All the other ones in the OP, yes. Got inured to Mustang Sally in one band, and we actually made a conscious decision to do it in another.

The guitarist with a previous band complained that nobody else turned up to a rehearsal. However, we hadn't actually booked a rehearsal for the day he turned up...

Will the stage be reinforced for the purpose?

Try the microfibre one in OakFurnitureLand (really nice, we fancied leather but this was lovely), but do it before the 1st December as their prices go up. And they don't do Black Friday. Black Friday savings - Haynes manuals for motorcycles.

I am in a similar situation to the OP - with the additional constraint that there can be no change to the PA as the percussionist supplies it and that's the way the others want it (it's a Peavey mixer-amp and a pair of Behringer 12" speakers, rather than my Behringer X-Air and RCF ART speakers, with me supplying a Behringer wedge monitor). I haven't yet got round to actually doing it, but I want to try a Barefaced BB2 in front of us facing forwards as FOH, and a One10 facing me as my monitor (I have two three amps so that's not a problem). I just need to actually get motivated enough to do it.

Doesn't all the spare sound drop to the bottom anyway, so the wadding at that end will catch it?

Drawing for first place - Cort GB4, bought for a Marillion tribute band and now destined for underuse (but a lovely bass regardless), and a Line 6 HD500 bought for a ridiculously small amount of money. Potentially joining them - Basschat cab kit, when I get round to building it.

They are settling but G and D are still dropping almost a semitone a day. Worse than the Ashbory strings. I now have to decide between loosening the top strings back off and reducing the windings round the peg or continue as it is with two layers of winding on.

I have a 5-string Kala SUB, 20" scale, which comes with Pahoehoes on it. It's been on the back burner for a little while after I initially tuned it up, but I've now started up with it again and spent the last week or ten days tuning it at least once a day. Strings finally seem to be settling down, but they've been even worse at settling than the silicone strings on my Ashbory were. So I'm looking around for possible alternatives. I don't want any of the metal-wound strings (nylon core or metal core) as they don't have the same tonal character as the rubber ones. The Silver Thumpers are interesting but, although Aquila tell me they make a 5-string set, I haven't been able to find one. And Thundergut 5-string sets are for the 23" scale of the current Kalas, not the former 20" scale. So, any suggestions for alternatives to the Pahoehoes? Does anyone know if Thunderguts will work on a 5-string?

I was on a cross-channel ferry many years ago where the on-ship entertainment was a duo with either a very limited drum machine or very little knowledge of music, who did "Delilah" in 4/4. I listened to it with a sort of horrified fascination.

My wife used it when she got a tattoo, many years ago. I suddenly got a rash. Turned out I was allergic to the bloody stuff.

There's a guy in a blues band in Birmingham who can't use his right hand (I presume from a stroke), but continues to play bass by using hammer-ons and pull-offs with his left hand. If I'd closed my eyes, I would never have realised.