bassace

Or Tuba Smarties, by Mr Flowers if I’m not mistaken.

We’ve been asked to turn down the tempo.

Fretless?

I don’t make a big thing of it, the music, I’m not a boaster. But occasionally I come up against the Pringle pullover brigade and can’t resist telling them I’ve played at Wentworth. When they all look suitably impressed I have to let it down and explain that it was with the band. They lose interest then.

Occasionally I get asked if I play the double bass properly. I assume they mean with a bow. But not long ago I was in the dentist’s chair. He knew I did gigs and said ‘do you get your bass out and just start playing?’ I asked ‘do you get your drill out and just start drilling?’

I’ll answer my own question. It’s great for double bass: I use it mainly flat but when I’m playing on a carpet a bit of the dirt channel gives it just the edge I need. With the 10-2 cab, unbeatable.

6 ohm?

Always be very nice to the caterers/waitresses and it’ll pay dividends in the form of good food. Best buffet? We played at a Christmas party put on by a mega hotelier. He had top waiters from most of his hotels just serving the buffet. We went up and the guitarist exclaimed ‘have you seen the raffle, guys?’ Fool, that was the buffet. Going home, I slid the car off the road. It was that good.

Dave bought a Martin Bass from me. He came out to collect it and I met a very pleasant guy which meant the sale was easy to do. Deal with confidence.

In the same way that we don’t all catch flu.

Outstayingwelcomeitis?

There was a lot of busy bass playing in that era. Herbie Flowers wasn’t immune.

I’ve got a 6yd skip arriving on Friday to assist with our house move. I have a banjo that belonged to my grandfather but it’s time to give it the heave ho. Perfect pitch and all that.

Good post, Fionn. The short answer is yes. Maybe better bass but certainly better musician. At the age of ten I was packed off to boarding school wher I started in the Chichester cathedral choir. My dad was no fool because it meant I had a good education on a choral scholarship (50% discount). We rehearsed and sang at least one choral service six days a week with one day off. That day we would go on all sorts of expeditions, swimming in the sea in summer and crawling under the Goodwood motor circuit fencing. And we received a bloody good education. But to get back to the music. Being immersed in that stuff you couldn’t fail to have a good ear for all parts of the harmony and without trying I became an ace reader. A bit like learning to speak by hearing talk all round you. I left a fair bit before Leonard Bernstein came to conduct the premiere of the Chichester Psalms but we went to sing the hymns at the British Legion Festival of Remembrance. I can fairly claim that the first stage I performed on was at the Royal Albert Hall. To stand on that stage in the silence while all the poppies rained down was an emotional experience, even for a twelve year old not long after the end of WW2. Several of my contempories went on to glittering musical careers. I just play the double bass.

Professional musician = unemployed person.

There’s also a British Standard finger.

A jazz musician never plays the same thing once.

Great article.