seashell

Yes, but not unbearably so (about 30 degrees) Just remembered, this thread isn't in Off Topic! So to keep it musical..there are local musicians in every bar and restaurant, really good stuff. But the highlight for us was a little jazz club we found right near our hotel in Havana. Fantastic atmosphere, the band were phenomenal and the entrance fee of (about) £9 included two free drinks!!

I've been to Cuba. That was quite exciting. 😊

I'm not much into Abba, but have recently been learning 'Dancing Queen' for a band I may be depping with. I managed to get the 'dots' on line - I don't sight read but can pick it out slowly and it did really help. It's a very interesting bass line and would have taken me ages to learn by ear.. and I'd probably have got it wrong anyway. I'm quite enjoying playing it now 🙂

Haha, reminds me of this. See what he does at around 1:38. Astonishing... both hands, both feet and still manages to adjust his glasses AND look cool.

And during the first verse of Honky Tonk Women, I take both hands off the bass and clap ostentatiously. I want everyone to know that I haven't forgotten to start playing - there is no bass on the verse and I'm deliberately not playing. Top tip - do not attempt this without strap locks 😁

Haha, I was doing this only last week playing 'It's Only Rock n Roll' - lots of open Es in that. What I lack in musical ability, I try to make up for in theatrics. I like to think I usually get away with it 😁😎

I'd say 4-4-0-0 One is a very old friend, the other two are friends of his who I got to know through him. I guess I'd consider them as friends now, although I wouldn't socialise with them without him.

Not a gig, but I once had a near disaster after a rehearsal. Drove home, took bass out of car and then realised I didn't have my handbag with house keys, phone and money! Looked everywhere in the car, under seats etc, but no sign of it. Drove back to the studio, but they had already packed up and gone home. I have a friend who holds a spare set of my house keys, but of course I couldn't ring him as no phone! So I drove round to his place and luckily he was in. It was 11 pm and he was already in bed, but not asleep. He was astonished to see me there all folorn on the doorstep! Anyway, I collected the spare keys, drove back to my flat.. and as I neared the building I could see my hand bag lying there in the gutter! It must have fallen out somehow when I was getting the bass out. I had also obviously driven over it as I returned to the studio, as my keyfob for my work's car park was shattered. But luckily my phone was still in tact! What a relief!! PS - the following week another band member left his van keys in the same studio, and didn't realise until they had locked up as he had gone to the club next door for a drink. And then the next week I left behind my digital recorder containing all the live songs I need to practice to at the same place! Both times we managed to get them back the next day. I think the young guy who runs the place must now despise us as a bunch of absent minded old gits. 🙂

Many thanks for the suggestions, peeps. I'll certainly have a listen to all that. The podcast sounds interesting. I've never really bothered with podcasts before, so maybe it's time I started. And thanks for the good wishes, Teebs. I can't wait. This is the first holiday I've had outside Europe since 1990! 🙂

My friend and I are off to Cuba for our hols in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to hearing some Cuban music, but I'm not all that familiar with it. Can anyone give me some suggestions for Cuban music we could play in the car on the way to Gatwick to get us in the mood? Thank you, Basschat 🙂

My great grandfather was Scottish, and thanks to him I have a Scottish surname. I've only been to Scotland twice... I really hope to remedy this and make some more visits in the next few years. I'll raise a glass to my Scottish cousins tonight. Lang may yer lum reek 😁

Including me, haha! 🙂 My Mum was always open to new influences, but Dad was a typical Dad! 🙂

Twas ever thus. In the swinging 60's we used to get Andy Stewart and Moira Anderson!!

I know plenty of women who have gone in the men's without the use of any device. Just got fed up of waiting. I also know plenty of men who have gone in the ladies at a certain music club I frequent. It's usually full of old blues men and so the queue for the men's is actually longer than the ladies. I live such a low, dirty life! Haha.

Me too, never heard of the Breeders. So apart from the others that Barking mentions I've only heard of Parquet Courts and Pigs x 7. (Both of which I think are rather good). Oh, and 'Various Artists' .. they're always good, haha! 🙂

Haha, yes. He's more of a Keith than a Charlie tbh, but kudos to him for stepping in! And thanks for your kind words, Doug ☺️

Indeed, and thinking of 'Red' .. Little Red Rooster. IMHO Stormy Monday is worth learning in advance because it departs from your usual '1, 4, 5' chord progression. Although there seems to be a zillion versions of it, so you'll be lucky if everyone is playing the same one, haha! 🙂

Haha, yes indeed! They were playing the Rock n Roll circus film silently on a screen and it was the first time that I'd realised that Tony Iommi had played with Tull for that! Will supply you with all the gory details tomorrow, Kev!

I suppose it depends on the type of jam, but in my experience 'Hey Joe' and 'Little Wing' are pretty much expected. Plus any 12 bar, as Japhet points out above. A, G and E seem to be favoured keys IME. Others that seem to crop up regularly are 'Like a Rolling Stone' and 'The Weight'. My local jam does cater for the more mature audience, as you can probably tell!!

10 o'clock yesterday morning and I was just up and pottering around the flat when I received a phone call.. could I dep with a Rolling Stones trib band, performing that very afternoon? Load in time, 1pm!! I madly said yes. I depped with this band for a few gigs over the summer and really enjoyed it and I got to know the songs really well. However, I hadn't played any of them since the end of August and I didn't really feel 'match fit'. Still, it seems they were desperate. There had been some sort of falling out the night before, leading to the departure of both bass player and drummer. The gig was a 'Rock n Roll Circus' event, featuring a John Lennon trib, a Who trib and the Stones trib 'headlining'. I had in fact intended to go along to watch with a few friends, so I had to let them know I'd be going on ahead and actually playing!! The Who drummer agreed to be both Keith Moon and Charlie Watts for the night 🙂 It was a smashing afternoon. There was an MC all dressed up like a ring master and a very good magician doing conjouring tricks with balls (steady, discreet!) which all added to the rock on roll circus atmosphere. However, I felt very nervous as I was completely unrehearsed and was just hoping that it would all come flooding back. As we were last on, my nerves just grew throughout the afternoon. When I got up to play I decided not to do anything flashy, just concentrate on trying to remember it all, and to stay at the back and not to try to move around much. A pretty good Bill Wyman impression then, haha! 🙂 Afterwards everyone was very complimentary, especially the 'John Lennon' who I know slightly but who hadn't see me play rock n roll before. So I took that as the biggest compliment, as he made a point of coming up to speak to me. However I felt I had only just got through by the skin of my teeth and delivered quite an array of bum notes! Saw some vids of it on line today though, and I didn't sound as bad as I thought, so that was a relief. Looks like I'll be doing another one on Friday!! I'll be better prepared this time though 🙂 I love my life 🙂 🙂

Brilliant story, thanks for sharing x

Not usually, but last year it was a nightmare!!!

..and if it's September, at least it won't be snowing ❄️ !!

I liked it when it was the same weekend as the National Knitting and Crochet Show!! (or something similar). The knitting ladies always had a good laugh with the bass players in the lift! 😁 Not sure if I'd like it mixed in with a guitar show. Much as I love and respect guitar players, it's nice to have an event totally dedicated to the bass!! Anyway, we'll take what we're given I guess.

September!! Seems a long time to wait. Still, it might be better for me really, as I'm on holiday (again! 😁) in Feb, so it spreads the pleasures out through the year a bit more.