Thunderthumbs

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='206756' date='May 26 2008, 07:37 PM']But Jazz is for gits. We've established that.[/quote] I'm half git then

I too was brought up with parents who loved country & western. So I too have a liking for a lot of C&W (no closet for me). One of my favourites as a youngster was Merle Haggard's version of Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues". And Don Williams has written some beautiful stuff throughout his lifetime, and none more poignant for me than "You're My Best Friend" which my dad had played at my mum's funeral. The lyrics just sums up their relationship perfectly. There's the same blinkered view of C&W by many which compares to the "Jazz Club" view of jazz in general.

Great gig, at a bar on a holiday camp in Yorkshire. Makis Leisure Complex at Southcliff Holiday Park in Bridlington. Full of kids with their parents, but everyone had a great night, so it was a good gig on that front. Managed to shave half an hour off the time coming home too through the lack of traffic at 2am!

The band I work with, I joined two years ago. At that time, they were a competent "clubland" band, but nothing more. We worked to improve the set, to make it more flexible, so that we could literally play any type of venue. Most of our work came through agents. We've slowly but surely tried to build our reputation as a functions band. That appears to be making its mark this year, as most of the bookings we have are for private functions. I can't agree more with most of the comments above. We recently invested in a new HK D.E.A.con PA system, and it has to be money well spent as far as we're concerned. But above all, I think the key issues are look good, sound good, and above all, be professional at all times. There's no point looking and sounding great if you're late, discourteous to clients, etc. That's a complete no-no. Don't forget, the customer [b]isn't[/b] always right, but the customer [b]IS[/b] king. And don't expect huge rewards instantly. The rewards will come in time. Just make sure you're always looking for constant improvement, however small that improvement can be.

PM'd

Really nice collection that. One for every job there, eh? I'm also liking that Carvin. Looks really nice.

I went through a new GAS just around Xmas. At the time I had an Ampeg top and SWR cabs. Prior to that, I used Trace Elliot. My gear was quite a few years old and I just wanted a change. I'd heard some stuff at the Bass Day in Manchester, but never got any real chance to sit and test them out. I was impressed from what I'd heard from the EBS stuff, so drove down to Brighton at the beginning of January to Bernie Goodfellow's place, as he's the supplier of EBS in the UK. Gave him a ring the day before, and told him what I was looking for, and when I got there, he'd pretty much got one of everything in so I could try the lot. I spent about 5 hours there, and went home a very happy chappy with my new EBS rig. As I saw it, even if I went home with nothing, all I'd lost was a tank of diesel, rather than buy something on someone else's say so and then find out it's not for me. So my advice would be as others have said. Source the kind of gear you might be interested in, take your own bass (very important), and go to every place you can in at least a day or two (London's the obvious place, but I'd try and get Brighton in too if I were you). Ring all the places you're thinking of going to beforehand, and make sure they've got in what you want to look at/try out. Tell them how far you're travelling so hopefully they'll make the effort. In my opinion, it's worth the long drive and a stop over in a cheap B&B to go home happy with gear you love, than get something mail order and not be happy.

I'm with thinman. Sometimes, the one's that should be really straightforward are sometimes the hardest. Especially ones where there's not a great deal to them, so any tiny deviation from timing is hugely noticeable......"Sex Machine" being a prime example. If that's not tight as a gnat's chuff, then you're in serious trouble. Oh, and Steve Harris is one damned fine bassist (and that's coming from someone who's not a huge metal fan)!

I play this too, and I know where you're coming from. wotnwhy's right though. Best way for me is index and pinky, so strengthening exercises is probably best if it doesn't appear to be feeling any easier the more you do it.

[quote name='Merton' post='184655' date='Apr 24 2008, 04:51 PM']Are you sure you're not playing in my covers band??!!! Our male singer still has to have the words on a music stand, 6 years after we started the sodding band. I know we're constantly adding new songs, but for the love of god, having the words for Alright Now is unforgiveable!![/quote] Good God, I thought it was just me! I told our singer the other day we should be listed as a 5 piece band, not a 4 piece, as the singer's music stand is quite literally a permanent member!

Always been my fav MarloweDK vid... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x_RaSv1U9Tk"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x_RaSv1U9Tk[/url]

We play at a pub in Rochdale called The Dog & Partridge now and again (oddly enough, next Thursday - 1st May). They're not a clapping audience (predominantly in their early 20s), but strangely enough, you can look round the audience and see them tapping their feet, singing along, etc. so in an odd way I like playing there. Bookings go through Gavin at [url="http://www.livemusic4u.co.uk/"]http://www.livemusic4u.co.uk/[/url]

[quote name='BOD2' post='184365' date='Apr 24 2008, 10:52 AM']Guitarists that play the intro notes to every song to make sure they have it right just before the song starts (yes, even at gigs)...[/quote] +1

[quote name='ahpook' post='184417' date='Apr 24 2008, 11:45 AM']a band i was in years ago played metroland at the metrocentre once. that was weird...massive PA, kids on fun rides...and a bunch of us crusties playing...[/quote] I had a similar one years ago at Pontins in Morecambe. Booked to do an afternoon show. When we got there, we found out it was for an annual get together of under 11 football teams from all across the north of England. Spent most of the afternoon watching kids making themselves sick through running in circles on the dancefloor, or taking the knees out of their trousers sliding across in. That, and fighting the onslaught of flying toffee wrappers. Also did one in a church hall playing to a room full of pensioners just one or two breaths away from meeting their maker. We were asked to turn down so many times, it got to the point where I couldn't hear myself play. Pointless being there.

Get in touch with Bernie Goodfellow at GB Guitars (Brighton). I made a round trip from Manchester to Brighton in a day to buy my new cabs from him, and spent hours with him. Well worth the 600 mile drive. Great bloke and will give you sound advice.

[quote name='Rich' post='176229' date='Apr 14 2008, 01:09 PM']He used a Zon Legacy, one of the all-graphite ones (quite an early one, I believe?). On the last It Bites album/tour he was also using a Thumb 6 for that low B rumble, and a fretless Yam BB in 'The Ice Melts Into Water'. Fabulous band, criminally underrated. I just wish Frank was still involved.[/quote] +1 for Dick Nolan/It Bites/Frank, etc. Although my mate went to a friend's house party where he'd hired Frank for the night to talk about philosophy, and said that he's got his head firmly stuck where the sun don't shine, so maybe he's not the same Frank we love and remember. On the Celeb gear front.....I used to own an Aria SB900 whose previous owner was Tony Butler of Big Country.

D...R...O...O...L

[quote name='fleamail' post='166471' date='Mar 30 2008, 07:19 PM']And if I was to buy a guitar now it would be a Gibson 335 in Cherry Red [/quote] That'd probably be my choice too.

Just a follow up to my previous post. I finally got round to going watching Stuart's band last night. Really good band. Lots of great bluesy rock tracks, and played by people who obviously really enjoy playing it. I had a great night (my two mates commented the same by the way, Stuart). And "Marvin" (the Carvin/Marleaux) looked and sounded great. And to top it all, Stuart's a top bloke. See you again soon, Pete.

[quote name='Baldwin' post='164648' date='Mar 27 2008, 05:34 PM']I've heard lots of good things about the Lakland Joe Osborn 5 and I'd really like to try one out[/quote] +1 to that. Bought mine off here a few months back and absolutely love it. It's even demoted my Marcus Miller Jazz to a back up bass now!

[quote name='Col' post='162839' date='Mar 24 2008, 09:12 PM']He's been mentioned on this forum before, but Marlowe DK on youtube has some nice slap and funk videos, I like this double thumping one: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_evMBRIm2rY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_evMBRIm2rY[/url][/quote] +1 for Marlowe DK. Some nice tidy stuff on his channel.

45-105 Elites Stadiums on my 4s, and 45-130 on my 5s.

For use on your PC (works with MP3 and CD), try "Best Practice". It's free too. [url="http://www.xs4all.nl/~mp2004/bp/"]http://www.xs4all.nl/~mp2004/bp/[/url]