Captain Bassman

Recent request from our singist... Not difficult - took about 15 minutes to learn in all - but surprisingly satisfying to play, especially in the choruses with that nice movement through the chords. Sounds like a programmed line to my ears. Wasn’t keen at first but one I now always look forward to playing in the set list. Life’s weird innit?...

Our version of Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd is based closely on Brother Strut’s excellent cover. Simple to play but a fun heavy groove in the choruses. No bass visible in the video and it sounds like a synth but Paul Turner (Jamiroquai) was involved around this time, I believe.

I read somewhere that it was David Hungate. Sure sounds feasible - P bass with a pick...

Love Maze. One of my all time fave summer tracks;

Simply stunning mate and truly different. Welcome to the club!

Thanks Dave (from another David!) It was a truly fantastic rig and one I needed when we used to play lots of big corporate and outdoor gigs. Weighed a ton but I had castors for the cabs and a pull-along Gaitor case for the head thank God. I still have the DB750 head, will never part with that and plan to use it again soon. I used to run it flat at every gig, the tone and presence was just perfect and I never had to tweak anything. I sold the cabs though when I went to a Class D amp. The bass is my one-off Jaydee GA24 that Mrs CB bought me for my 40th. I’m a very lucky chap!

I’m terribly camera shy - hate posing for pics and hate looking back at them! - so there’s not many to choose from but this was taken a handful of years ago at a charity gig (guess the charity anyone?). Damn I looked a lot younger back then...!

One of my favourites too. It’s now 20 years old but sounds like it could’ve just been recorded yesterday. She’s the absolute master of slow groove bass playing. I seem to remember reading an interview where she stated that she deliberately practiced playing simple notes at snail’s pace to perfect her timing and feel. Bittersweet, The Way and Ecclesiastes: Free My Heart are regulars on my iPhone rotation.

This is gonna sound real limp against other posts citing punk, metal, etc but my first childhood interest in bass was sparked by.... Merrill Osmond! 😲 Actually it was his voice first (incredible...) followed by that weird big guitar with only 4 strings that he wore. My older sister had been given The Plan as a present and we played it to death - her for the Osmonds ‘thang’ but for me it was Merrill’s voice. When I realised his big guitar was in fact a bass I knew exactly what I’d been hearing leaping out of the speakers at me and what I’d been humming along to in my head. From then on it was bass all the way. It was what I heard first in a song and what got played on repeat in my head (along with drum parts). I had uncles who were big into blues and Elvis (name that tune...) that got me into guitar in the first place and so I just loved those rock n roll bass parts that Stuart Coman played in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s on his various productions. Then came the ‘80s and what a wonderful time to be a budding bass player. But I had to make do with 4 detuned strings on my old Spanish 6 string until I bought my first real bass in ‘85.

This ^... If you don’t want to pay for an extra seat and leave your bass at the mercy of baggage handlers. It should come out at the oversize section of baggage reclaim rather than the usual carousel. On a related note I’m currently on hols in Portugal, flew easyJet as usual and brought my new Yammy silent guitar in the cabin as my hand luggage. It’s in a slightly narrower than usual gig bag with a pocket for anything else I need on board and fits in the overhead bin. Point I’m making is that the EZY crew couldn’t have been more helpful, offering to keep it up front with them if bin space was too restricted. Fortunately there were a few empty seats so I managed to keep it overhead. I notified EZY in advance on their e-chat thingy that I was going to be carrying an instrument in the cabin and took a screenshot the conversation just in case. Didn’t need it. Now all I need is a nice Status Streamline to test whether it works for holiday bass practice! 👍

It’s not the airline that actually handles your gear/luggage but the handling company they employ, and this will be different according to the country you’re aiming at. Also different at different UK airports. Unless you’re actually taking it in the cabin with you then I’d go with a full fat flight case as already suggested.

Get away from the cheesy stuff that he’s more we’ll known for (amongst the uninitiated) and you’ll find lots of hidden gems and top class sessioneers behind his incredible vocal range. Here’s one of my favourites, from the Vox Humana album. Sanborn on sax and Nathan East on his trusty Yammy... There’s also a really nice live version of this on his “From the The Redwoods” show featuring Shanice on vocals (who??) and Ready Freddie Washington on acoustic 5 string. Noice...

Such a shame the company can’t seem to get a grip on QC and management issues. I have such GAS for one of these right now...

I had one exactly the same, same colour, as that. Bought new from the Bass Centre in ‘95 and traded back in for a Streamer Stage 1 5er in ‘99. Cracking bass that Fortress. Beautiful neck!

Twice...

Ryde C*ck Inn....

Louis Johnson’s line on Michael McDonald’s I Keep Forgettin

She came slidin' down the alleyway like butter drippin' off a hot biscuit The aroma, the mean scent, was enough to arouse suspicion in even the Oldest of tigers that hung around the hot spot in those days The sight was beyond belief Many a head snapped for double--even triple--takes as this vivacious Feline made her her way into the delta of the alleyway where the most Virile of the young tabbies were known to hang out They hung in droves Such a multitude of masculinity could only be found in one place And that was O'Malley's Alley The air was thick with cat calls (no pun intended) But not even a muscle in her neck did twitch as she sauntered up into The heart of the alleyway She knew what she wanted She was lookin' for that stud bull She was looking for that he cat And that was me Tommy the Cat is my name and I say unto thee Say, baby, do you want to lay down with me? Say, baby, do you want to lay down by my side? Ah baby, do you want to lay down with me? Say, baby? Say, baby?

And he still looks sooo cool! Interesting that BNH and MF Robots were on the same bill. Jan Kincaid (BNH co-founder and drummer) left them a couple of years ago and set up MFR. Obviously no hard feelings there with his old band mates. Great that you got to meet Bluey. A giant talent and absolute gent.

Interesting choice of cover but they managed to pull it off quite well after a slightly nervous start from Mike! Nathan is such a tasty rythmn guitarist, nice sound here too. Equally as talented as his big bro in many respects.

Off Topic... Meaningful vote #3,256. Predictions?

Plays like triglyceride-rich bovine lactate lipid substitute.