Mickeyboro

That's awful! My sympathies. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I did see Stevie Wonder at Wembley after returning from Majorca in 1980 with the trots. For every number I saw, I heard two from the cavernous Arena loos. Fortunately Stevie didn't notice...

I pushed myself into it by telling the band I joined I was proficient. Then I become proficient, as the others have said through sheer hard practice. As my pal WaterofTyne says, you need to know what notes to hit but don't need to have a lead-standard vocal. The effect is all...and it's satisfying to play a part in that.

Nice one! Same colour scheme as mine - I reckon the flash must be reflecting from the neck as that looks lighter. What strings are on? Mine came with rounds but I keep meaning to fit flats. Well done my friend...welcome to the Guild owners club (fretless branch)

Bob Marley was very much in favour of the 'erb! ;-)

Their gimmick was they had an acoustic (not electric) guitarist who also wrote the songs and sat on a stool on stage. So it was down to the bass player to add to the visual appeal! Saw them live but was not really that imporessed (though the single is a good un). They drew things out a bit, so got trampled by the likes of the Damned and Eddie and the Hot Rods!!!

You can take tablets for that!

Rhinos Winos & lunatics by Deke Leonard. But as I'm his pal, I would say that! Amazon review below... During the 1970's Deke Leonard was guitarist and vocalists with classic Welsh space-rockers Man. For those of you who ain't never heard no Man, it's a bit like Grateful Dead without the boring bits. They are still around now. You can stumble upon them in small workingmen's clubs in Wales or 5,000 seater halls in Germany. It is like encountering someone engaged in a craft that was thought lost to humanity. Imagine of Kurt Vonnegut Junior had written a "Diary Of A Rock'n'Roll Star" type book and you will come somewhere close to imagining the way Deke Leonard writes. Tales of bizarre rock'n'roll excess-not the usual room smashing,far from it. Bassplayer Martin Ace's antics have a gentle Zen surrealist aspect. Leonard ably brings these events to life with his excellent and funny descriptive writing. He fleshes out the trials and tribulations of a 70s rock band by philosophising on the human condition,insulting or complimenting well-known personalities of the day, and lecturing at us on politics and history like the old-fashioned Welsh valleys lefty he most probably is. The part where Man encounter legendary Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper is quite simply one of the most moving and funny things I have ever read. Thoroughly recommended.

I guess that depends on (a) how I do and ( if Will is out of hospital and able to play. Not in that order! Otherwise, I'll be dancing around behind the merch stall again. And yes, Chris, A Hard Way to Live is the last number. My favourite is Map of India: 'I got a map of India on my wall Some of us got dreams left and some of us got nothing at all And me I don't know which side of the wall I fall'. M

If you're in S Wales, please come and see this BCer doing the biggest gig of his life deputising for Iceberg's bass player who's been hospitalised (get well soon, Will ). We're supporting Nik Turner's Space Ritual on Thursday 8th. Oh, and Deke has always been my musical hero, so I'm on cloud 9 right now! From merchandise seller to bassist in one fell swoop...

That is truly scary...no wonder the 'birds' made themselves scarce!!

A fireworks party at a pub...unil they were forbidden to do the Fireworks by Health and Safety! What is the world coming to? V unpopular with the band by announcing 'Hard To Handle' (which they all hate, and was not onthe set list) as an encore, then congratulated when the pub went wild!

A Stingray, isn't it? Guy Pratt in his book admits to having been their studio bassist...

Do they think you're Homer-sexual?

Alun gets it

Read it in two days - thta's how much fun it is. Next?

Well, we did the gig to 25 people. But pmly just. I nearly chinned some bearded weirdo in an Engerlund shirt who came in from the other bar and interrupted our soundcheck with a demand we turn down. When I said we had our audience to entertain, he snorted and said 'it's a national thing'. Glad they lost!

Yeah, my band are playing in Alton. We have invited a lot of girls to make up the numbers! There's a big screen in the other bar so we're hoping we might get away with it. Failing that, drinks are included in our fee! We'll just have to drown our sorrows... PS I hate rugby!

PM'd!

25 Oct 2007 Devil’s Slingshot in London at the CC Club London 26 Oct 2007 Devil’s Slingshot in Leed’s at Rios Leeds 27 Oct 2007 Devil’s Slingshot live at JB’s in Dudley I'm talking to Billy next week for a magazine article and wondered if anyone had any questions they'd like putting on their behalf...particularly gear-related stuff.

If so, please give me a pm!

Okay, it's yours!

I have a new (still sealed) Fancy DVD by Les which I'd be happy to let go for £5 plus 50p postage....anyone interested?