seashell

It has to be Welcome to the Pleasuredome by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Because my dear late friend Lana Newman is in it. She looks so gorgeous (in the bath with the snake) and was a truly lovely person with a great sense of humour.

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1395433114' post='2402534'] This. The Sausage King. ( Not Karlfer, Lorne). [/quote] Which reminds me. We haven't seen Lord Sausage around these parts lately. Hope he's OK.

[quote name='aende' timestamp='1395421103' post='2402314'] Border Collies can do anything! [/quote] He can probably play bass better than me! :-)

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1395419133' post='2402275'] J.S. Bach Through a Ouija Board, obviously. [/quote] Funnily enough I have been attempting sone Bach recently. I came accross a book in a music shop 'Bach for Bass' . There are liads of pieces all written out on bass clef. Very tricky! They all go in unexpected places and they are rekentless. You don't get a breather during the guitar solo! So can I join your seance, please?

[quote name='keeponehandloose' timestamp='1395357004' post='2401672'] a hand pump for inflatable toys. [/quote] KevB's gonna need one of those for his inflatable woman!

[quote name='bumnote' timestamp='1395353327' post='2401608'] We used to take a plaster of paris chicken that we would award at the end of the night to the one who had made the most mistakes or one spectacular one. [/quote] Another fine idea! The Chicken of Shame! To be passed like the Black Spot from one culprit to another : D

That's great news Twincam! Sounds like a good plan :-) Let us know how it goes.

Jah Wobble. Found him totally inspirational at LBGS 2013 and would love a 1-2-1 with him.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1395345466' post='2401460'] I don't think you're an average anything, Debs. [/quote] I was thinking the same thing! :-) But other than that, I agree with Deb's post. Especially the bit about joining a crap band as a starting point. Exactly what I did

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1395341154' post='2401412'] At least 200mg of Tramadol and some clean pants. [/quote] Again with the pants!

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1395321192' post='2401045'] And thanks. I'm hoping we won't need too much luck, but it still helps. [/quote] Good point, of course you shouldn't need luck! A professor I worked for about 10 years ago insisted that in written communications to students prior to exams, we should never write 'Good luck for your exams', but rather 'I wish you success in your forthcoming exams'. A nice turn of phrase which I have used at work ever since. So...I wish you every success with your forthcoming musical venture!

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1395333844' post='2401292'] Kazoo, incase we do Crosstown Traffic. [/quote] Excellent suggestion. A kazoo always comes in handy. You could use it if your guitarist didn't turn up as well!

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1395330628' post='2401236'] If summer, a large electric fan. G. [/quote] Queue loads of 'fan' jokes along the lines of 'it's the only fan you're likely to get' .. etc etc C'mon BC'ers, don't disapoint

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1395330449' post='2401233'] Very difficult to play wearing plasters so I always have superglue in my gigbag. Obviously you just superglue over any blisters or cuts on your fingers. [/quote] I seem to have mastered the art of playing with fabric plasters on my fingers! Still can't play with a pick, mind. But I'm a whizz with the old Elastoplast, lol (Have to admit it doesn't look all that cool though)

I think competetiveness can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand it can drive you to achieve great things. On the other hand it can lead you to give up on things that you could have been 'just OK' at, but maybe got a lot of fun out of. If you only have limited time (like a lot of us do!) you may want to rationalise what is worth plugging away at and what isn't. For me it would be 'it would take me the rest of my life to learn to play with a pick so I'm not going to do that' but 'I might be able to learn a bit of slap in the next year or so, so I might give that a go'. I hope you stick with it if you can get some joy out of it. But if other things are more pressing you might want to give it a rest for a bit.

What a shame that she wouldn't accept the voice coaching idea. I'm sure that would have helped her in her day job as well. Anyway, good luck with the new incarnation of your band.

I'm not sure if it's that unusual but I always take plasters. Never know when there's going to be some equipment related accident. Or blisters. Edit to add - they have to be fabric plasters. Can't play with waterproof plasters on your fingers.

Thanks Kev and RR. Kev - that cliquey place sounds like a nightmare! At least we didn't run up against that sort of thing. They were all really friendly. But may have been less so if we had chucked our weight around and acted like we could ignore the 'rules'

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1395150512' post='2399195'] Check out the three fingered technique of Mr Billy Sheehan, you will never need a pick to play fast again. [/quote] I recently saw a bassist (female incidentally) do this at a local gig. I was very impressed . I have had a little go at it, but really need to improve my finger strength and co-ordination. I reckon it would be more achievable than picking though.

Last night we played at an Open Mic at a venue in Brum where we hadn't played before. The end result was a successful and fun night, but bear with me if I have a bit of a rant first. We had been told it's a popular venue so get there early to put your name on the list. Drummer and I duly turned up early. Organiser seemed a nice friendly chap, put our name down for the opening slot and told us we could do 3 songs. Singer and Guitar turned up shortly afterwards and we told them what the situation was. We had about 1/2 hour to wait until it all started. During this time, Guitar started saying 'I think we should do 4 songs, if they're giving us 15 mins we can easily do 4, who's going to die if we break the rules?' etc etc. The others seemed to be agreeing with him. I begged to differ and got a bit stroppy. Replied along the lines of 'We are total noobs to this venue, we have no idea what the house rules are, how laid back or otherwise everyone is. We have been given the opening slot and we don't want to get up and make a bad impression by breaking their rules and thinking we can do what we like.... blah blah.. professionalism... reputation.... reliability etc etc' Ending up with 'I am not prepared to do 4 songs unless one of you goes up to the bloke and asks if we can and he agrees'. No one seemed willing to go up and ask him. I do feel like 'the Mum' of the band sometimes. The bloke told us he would call us up at about 8.30. Time arrives and Guitar gets straight up on stage and starts setting up his pedals - without even an 'OK if I set me pedals up now, mate?' Bloke looks at him a bit quizzickly, but then gets up and announces us (afer re-iterating to us that we were to do 3 songs!) Anway, after this initially awkward start to the evening things improved considerably. They were a very friendly crowd and we went down really well. I think this was partially because we were the only full band in that night, the rest being solo performers and duos. At the end of the evening the bloke asked us to fill in a contact sheet and encouraged us to come back again, which I thought was a good sign. Drummer and I stayed to the bitter end and watched all the other acts which was also quite fun. It included a few kids singing Show Tunes and a pair of goths doing acoustic covers of gothy stuff which they kept forgetting half way through. Hilarious, in a nice way. And then it turned out it was the birthday of one of the regulars so everyone got cake! So all in all a very good night.

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1395149619' post='2399179'] I currently pay £25 for a one hour lesson, although it invariably extends to two hours with an extra hour of bass therapy discussion. [/quote] Lol, me too. My lovely teacher always gives me extra time. In fact he sometimes says to [b]me '[/b]How are you for time, can I just show you one more thing?' Great value for money - and therapy as well, as you say Mark. I remember the first time I realised we'd actually become friends, when he suddenly said in the middle of a lesson 'What do you think of the Budget then?' (As in the Chanellor's budget, not some obscure band)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1395065229' post='2398180'] Edge of right palm on the bridge, use as a pivot and anchor point and for muting... hard to explain! [/quote] Honestly Mark I think it's beyond me. I've had my treacher show me in lessons and everything. If picking was the only way to play bass I think I would have given up long ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU28GHMcYxM

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1395056190' post='2398056'] It's not far from One-off-the-Wrist. [/quote] Lol! And from a Mod, too Back On Topic... I was somewhat re-assured to see that several of you can't get the hang of pick playing. Not just me then! Our guitarist keeps on about getting me to play with a pick in order to be able to play faster. But I've tried it, really I have and the only result is that I play much, much slower. I'm sure if I had about a million years to practice I might eventually get the hang of it. But it's taken me 3 years to get where I am with finger style (ie not all that far, lol ) and I just don't have the time to go back to square one just to be able to play with a pick. I applaud anyone who can, but I'm afraid I don't think it's for me.

Brilliant, Sean. This is so good to hear. :-)