Silvia Bluejay

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1349802841' post='1830762'] Why no "all of the above" option?? [/quote] +1! Wouldn't mind Good-Looking, Scantily Clad Boys With Basses either PS I've voted for No 2 but I'd have voted for all if possible.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1349778086' post='1830282'] Don't you mean "Miglior filo mai" When in Rome and all that? [/quote] Back in London now! I used English in that post in anticipation of coming home later today

Back home after the fastest Gatwick-airport-to-W4-front-door time ever. ALL trains arrived within seconds of me getting to the platform. Landed at 4 pm, got home at 5:30. Never happened before.... PS Hobbayne was the only person among us (and that includes me) to make a relevant, on-topic post to this thread! Thanks, Paul, appreciated

Right, Stradivarius was made in Cremona and I'm in Florence - junk shops here only have Leonardos and Michelangelos... want one? Forget about the Roman ruins - modern-era earthquakes have nearly flattened them by now - check out the Renaissance instead, lots more fun PS It was a quick hol to see my Mum and Dad. Average temp 24 deg with sunshine. Still warm but coming down in buckets now. I'll be back in That London this evening.

Best. Thread. Ever.

LOL, forget about the country-specific allocation of BC's advertising slots, perhaps I should set up a music and luxury goods import/export company instead

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1349686516' post='1828970'] Bring me back a Ferrari would you? [/quote] You'll have to do with something a little less valuable this time, but I'll see what I can do in the future

I am currently in Italy, logged in to this site on my own netbook, and I'm seeing a number of advert banners on this site which are in Italian and advertising Italian products and services. (I'm not remotely interested in them - I'm only a visitor in the country!) I'm not mentioning this as a problem at all - only possibly as a waste of advert space... it just looks so odd to me Keep up the good work, guys.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1349599775' post='1828018'] Weren't Eko basses made in Florence? [/quote] I remember the name but didn't remember where it was made - Wikipedia helped: [quote] [b]Eko[/b] is an Italian manufacturer of electric guitars, [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel-string_guitar"]acoustic guitars[/url] and similar instruments, catering to professional level and manufacturing largely for export. It is located in [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recanati"]Recanati[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marche"]Marche[/url]. Their products include [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_guitar"]classical guitars[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-string_guitar"]12-string guitars[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_top_guitar"]arch top guitars[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_guitar"]electric guitars[/url] and [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_bass_guitar"]acoustic bass guitars[/url]. Eko guitars gained high popularity during the rock'n'roll craze of 1960s, becoming the largest guitar exporter in Europe. Their electric models were often highly ornamented with pearl, featured 3 or 4 pickups and recognizable "rocker" switches for pickup selection. The acoustic models were popular in country and folk rock bands of the late '60s. The best-known models of '60s include:[list] [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_400_Ekomaster&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko 400 Ekomaster[/url] ([url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Jaguar"]Fender Jaguar[/url] shape with flat-top, [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagstr%C3%B6m"]Hagström[/url]-style control panel), [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_500&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko 500[/url] (Fender Jaguar look-a-like), [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_700&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko 700[/url] (original triple-cutaway design with "hockey stick" head), [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_290&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko 290[/url] (also known as Eko Barracuda, semi-hollow flat-top electric), [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_Rokes&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko Rokes[/url] (rocket-shaped electric, made popular by an Italian pop band of the same name, The Rokes) [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_Kadett&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko Kadett[/url] ('67 original double cutaway with characteristic long "horns") and [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_Ranger&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko Ranger[/url] (the best-selling Eko product, acoustic in 6 and 12-string version). [*][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eko_995&action=edit&redlink=1"]Eko 995[/url] (violin bodied 4 string bass wildly popular in the late 60's) [/list] Eko also produced guitars for Vox in the '60s,in the USA they were distributed through LoDuca brothers of Millwauke Wisconsin. In the UK the instruments were imported by [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rose-Morris,_London&action=edit&redlink=1"]Rose-Morris, London[/url].[/quote] I must admit that I still prefer Warwicks, though!

If I tried to find a Warwick from the mid-60s I'd be doomed to failure, so I won't

I'll make sure I come along to Uxbridge too! Currently in Florence after an adventurous flight, posting from a PC with dial-up. Frustratedly yours...

I am not sure the lady in question would be happy to see herself being described as a stray woman, m'lud... Great gig, despite the horrendous weather. Many more photos and videos to follow - these were only a quick selection I hurriedly made last night. I may even enter some into the October Photo comp!

Some photos from tonight's gig!

YAY! See you there!

I guess you can expect another 15GB or so of footage from tonight's gig... unless Jack (who was lumbered with no fewer than four DVDs to check the other day) takes me to one side before the gig and "has a word"!

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1349379102' post='1825600'] [size=6][b]BASSIDA[/b][/size] [media]http://youtu.be/8vITKFi2W_o[/media] [/quote] Good stuff. I'm still not into slapping, though! Are Prince and the bassist miming there? I couldn't see a lead or evidence of wireless on their guitars.

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1349378338' post='1825584'] You look like a slapper to me. Oh, hang on...erm. xxx [/quote] Heh - appearance can be deceitful...

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1349373092' post='1825477'] "Personally, I'm not into slapping, but many of you are, so enjoy " You've got to be into slapping - IT'S THE LAW! How else can you prove your masculinity? [/quote] Hmmm.... interesting theory - might be that having two X chromosomes is incompatible with slapping. Or at least that's the excuse I'm going to offer for my slap-ineptitude from now on

I do hope the idea of having a BC corner will come to fruition, as that would help massively from the point of view of meeting up, even briefly, with other BCers. Jeff, I don't play in a band - so far I've only been "playing a bit" at home for my own enjoyment. I'm slowly getting round to the idea of taking all this more seriously, though, and perhaps start jamming with others. But it's still a bit up in the air at the moment. Are you in a band?

Got the t-shirt - it fits! Will take a photo when I have a moment and post it as soon as I find an excuse to do so

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1349354176' post='1825158'] Though actually there are isolated bass tracks for half the album on YouTube now! Some very nice people have even mixed them into the original track ad they sound AWESOME! [/quote] Bless 'em - took 'em the best part of 30 years, but they got there in the end

[quote name='jcater' timestamp='1349351393' post='1825077'] Never been to the show. How good is it? What sort of thing goes on? The website does not seem to say much yet jeff [/quote] Indeed, at least at the moment, the 2013 lineup for shows and masterclasses appears to be a lot sparser than this year's. Let's hope for the best. To answer your question, Jeff, in the past few years we have seen a fragmenting of the music fair scene in London. In the 90s and 00s we had a huge, well-attended London Music Show every year, where All The Big Names would exhibit - all of them, Fender, Jackson, Gibson, Roland, Dean, Yamaha, Warwick, Marshall, Peavey, Ibanez, you name it, each had a massive, GAS-inducing stand. And equally big names were invited to perform and/or hold masterclasses. On different occasions I saw Paul Gilbert, all of Maiden, Tony Martin (Black Sabbath), Tony Iommi, Rick and Francis from Quo, Jennifer Batten, James Lomenzo (then of Megadeth) and many more I now forget. Attending their short but sweet performances or classes was included in the ticket price. In the last few years that has been replaced by the London Drums Show, the London Bass Guitar Show, the London Acoustic Guitar Show, the London Electric Guitar Show (now cancelled for this year). In the case of the Bass Show, the awesomeness of the performances and masterclasses and the names of the stars attending are still as big as before, and some of the large manufacturers still have stands there, but several others are notable for their absence. The majority of exhibitors this year were (GAS-inducing) resellers stocking a limited number of basses and pedals etc. from several different makes. There was a busy schedule of shows and masterclasses, plus a big show with a separate entrance fee. It's good for keeping up to date with new equipment coming to the market, new models being showcased by the manufacturers who still have their own stands at the fair, and GASsing all around, as well as seeing performances by our idols or awesome artists we didn't know before. Because of the noise, though, it's not a very good place for actually trying out the sound of whatever you may be interested in, unless the retailer provides a headphone amp. In my opinion, the show is still more than worth the entrance fee. And knowing that I can meet up with BC friends is a big added bonus!

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1349350913' post='1825062'] With the majority of the songs I play very close to the original, especially the Cliff Burton basslines! I usually improvise a tiny bit on mellow sections like the interlude in Master Of Puppets though with a bit of a chorus effect (nothing distasteful though!) Some tracks I feel the bass could offer a little more in locking the drums as guitar together, and grooving, rather than just playing root notes on the 1st and 2nd beats... So I do alter them a bit. Partly to improve the overall sound and feel, partly so that I don't get bored (and that I don't look rubbish/lazy ) [/quote] And if you cover anything off AJFA you have total freedom to create your own basslines, as nobody knows what the original ones sounded like

The book is now with me and will keep me company at the airport, and during my flight out to Italy, tomorrow and back in a few days' time. If I survive it (the book, but hopefully also the flight), I will add my tuppence to Jack's, and then pass the book on as per his request.