drTStingray

The first time I heard of Marcus Miller was on this track and the album Adrenaline of 1979 by David Bendeth - there are several tracks which sound like Level 42 before Level42.

https://youtu.be/_jzoogxoYWg

1 hour ago, EssentialTension said:

OK, I  remember Yardley's. I bought an Aria there in probably 1980/81

You’re not John Taylor, are you 😎😀

I’m interested to hear your story on this @Bean9seventy - rather a lot of people who weren’t playing punk or ska in that era also walked away from them, myself included although in my instance it was rather earlier in the 70s. 

22 minutes ago, Coilte said:

In 1970 this was one of my favourite albums.

 

 

Almost anything on Island at that time was great. 

4 minutes ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

I was not around in 1970, so, I did some googeling and saw that this song got released in 1970. It has one of the first basslines I learned to play and I still enjoy playing it on my 74 P with flats:

 

 

One of the first non rock songs I liked - and learned to play early on on the 70s! 

No I wasn’t in Brum by then. I drove a long way with the Acoustic stuff having phoned them first about it - I think Yardleys shop may have been Musical Exchanges by then. I was furious anyway. Musical Exchanges had a “bit of a reputation” in the early 70s, and several of my mates referred to them by the name of a children’s comic story gang led by someone called Ali Baba. 
 

I recall going to Romford (Soundwave Bassplace) around that time - and it being full of Trace Elliott equipment and bass players emulating Brit Funk - dunno if @Bean9seventy experienced that place - I recall on leaving the shop my eyes coloured everything a strange green hue from all the Trace amp lights they encountered for a couple of hours 😂

I too had the Black Sabbath album - there roadie lived in the flats near me and their white Ford truck was often parked outside. 
 

For me in 1970, a snapshot of music interest was - Free - Fire and Water; Jethro Tull - Aqualung; Ten Years After - Watt; The Faces first album. 
 

This track has what I consider one of Alvin Lee’s best guitar solos - from the album Watt - bass is pretty good as well. 

https://youtu.be/cwQp9CEGplE

1 hour ago, EssentialTension said:

 

Where was Musical Exchanges? One memory says Snow Hill and the other says Broad Street.

 

I'm 35 years away from Brum, some of it is a bit vague now.

It was originally Broad St (had a Dave Hill Superyob guitar in the window for some time). It wasn’t a very big shop and they moved two or three times IIRC. 
 

Snow Hill/Constitution Hill was Yardleys (certainly till the early 80s). Imprinted in my memory as they refused to put my Acoustic 371 stack on consignment as ‘too old’ - it was about 10 yrs old at the time - I think they wanted me to trade it in as they had a stack of new Acoustic equipment. I think Musical Exchanges ended up in the Yardleys shop. 
 

This was all around the time of Level 42 being of great interest to most bass players - and so they should always be!! 😀

I don’t recall when they moved but it was late 70s - did Musical Exchanges move to the Navigation St shop? 
 

My new Stingray came from Jones and Crossland (Smallbrook Queensway) around that time. 

2 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

Does the battery box make any difference to anything?

Probably not - my USA Sub has a generic one and has been fully functional for nearly 20 yrs - also survived a previous owner letting the battery leak in it. 
 

The tuners are likely to also be functional but you will likely find the Stingray Special to be exquisite in every way. It depends on your needs and desires whether that is appropriate - best bet is to try both - I mentioned before about two pick up versions - the SBMM is also available in that format. Worth trying them all if you can. 

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I agreed to buy a 2kw active sub. They also expected me to buy an SVT head and 8x10 to suit their big stage dual amp dreams and have it all within a few weeks for rehearsal. Now they still need all that gear plus a bassist!

I’m sorry to hear this but it seems to happen all too often. 
 

Some proper’s perceptions and expectations are ridiculous!! In my experience, non bass players have little idea of what makes a particular bassist sound - er - like that bassist!! 
 

Was it the Who who used dummy cabinets so they could blow them up? Sounds like some of these ‘you must have an SVT and fridge’ people should be obliged with a cardboard cut out and the real sound coming out of a class D with 2 x 10, DId, and with a decent monitoring mix!! I would also be requiring the proponents of the huge gear to pay out of their own pockets to transport it, and preferably lift it into place each time 🤣

5 minutes ago, WinterMute said:

Comparing the Sterlings with standard Rays doesn't reveal a lot of difference in my experience, a good spec Sterling is a match for a standard Stingray both in 4 and 5 string versions I think, but the specials, the BFRs and the Anniversary Rays are something else, I have a 20th anni SR5 that is spectacularly good, I've played the 4 string version too, it's excellent, probably the best version of the Stingray.

 

Might be worth tracking one down for a trial.

The main difference is the hardware - and particularly cheaper tuners and stuff - not sure about the battery box these days but certainly used to have a cheaper version of the MM one. 

7 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

 

I bought a Fender Precision there in 1976.

But not that shop location? It was on the corner of John Bright Street/Hill St/Navigation St almost opposite the New Street Station signal box and Bristol Road bus terminus before moving to Dale End? 

12 hours ago, Bean9seventy said:

the mecca type bands had disco favorites ,

taste of honey, boogie oogie oogie

chic, everybody dance (plectrum heaven) & as you say various EWF joints

 

"Not dissimilar to the band which plays on Strictly Come Dancing" ?

 

100% true,

"Come Dancing" was in fact better in the 70s, 100% more user friendly, anyone, any dance couple could have a go & get a chance to seen on TV

 

& its as you say very much a live music type experience even today

 

so yeah 1976- 1980 i saw a few modern ted heath / mecca type line up bands inculding "for TV" at The Lyceum Ballroom, cheers ,, 

 

i missed the bob marley gig in 1975 ,

 

 

 

You could almost be quoting part of our 1979/80 set - included Taste of Honey; Michael Jackson; War; Edwin Starr; Chic; Sister Sledge and many more. The besuited (well, satin stage clothed) R and B/disco/funk players were having the pleasure of playing Louis Johnson, Abraham Laboriel, Bernard Edwards bass parts, and it was a pleasure, and quite lucrative.
 

From a different angle, the more disruptive elements were playing more agricultural, punk based rock.

Bands playing in social clubs were playing chart stuff like Sultans of Swing, Another Brick in the Wall, along with the more standard Smokey songs, and all the strict tempo stuff (in between Bingo performances). 
 

No one was playing ‘rock covers’ like All Right Now and all the others so beloved today - rock music like Magnum was played in pubs. 
 

You could also go to smaller venues and watch such eclectic performances like National Health (Dave Stewart - morphed out of Hatfield and the North and originally with Neil Murray on bass). 

38 minutes ago, JJTee said:

Is there any live footage from the late 70s of him actually playing a Stingray? Always seems to be something else. In fact, the 1996 Budokan gig is the only time I’ve seen Bernard physically playing a ‘Ray. 

That's the only time I’ve seen footage of Chic playing live at all - I missed out on shows by them and Sister Sledge circa 1980 as I was gigging. Plenty of TV sessions, some with the Stingray.

I always loved their sense of detail - you’ll find the Stingray had a black scratch plate when BE was wearing a black stage suit - a white one when wearing a white stage suit!! 😎

Didn't matter when wearing the BC Rich. At that time Ibanez Musicisn basses in natural mahogany were popular with funk/Disco/R and B bands - along with similarly coloured Alembics (Louis Johnson; Rose Royce; John McVie), and Wals. Plain, darker wood basses were fashionable. They also sounded great. 

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I think it was left to him in BE's will

 

Edit: trying to find a YouTube clip to substantiate that, I think I've got that wrong. Rather, BE gave it to him deep into a late night pıss up. Imagine waking up with a clattering hangover and thinking, I wonder what foolishness I got up to last night...... oh ffffffffffffffuuuuuuu......

 

The good news is that JT still uses it on tour

 

There was a Bass Guitar Magazine interview with JT where he talked extensively about the bass - even quoted the serial number!! 

1 hour ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

Apparently, he also played G&L and Spector basses later in his career but I could not find any photo of him playing these. Maybe in the studio only?

Also seen playing a Yamaha (BB?) in the studio, with John Taylor whilst recording a Power Station track (Get It On). 

Nice - some guys from a Mecca band played in our band for a while - they worked fully pro there was so much work. 
 

Their Mecca band did Earth Wind and Fire and other complex stuff - about 20 people in the band. Not dissimilar to the band which plays on Strictly Cone Dancing - but 1980!! 

2 hours ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

The new US Stingray Specials really are something else and as much as I like mid- late 80's Rays, I think the new ones are well worth trying out if you can find one.
 

The build quality is superb, the new beefed up electronics are brilliant and they now weigh around (if not under) 8lbs so are really comfortable too. 

This is good advice - also the Stingray Specials have exquisite necks (roasted maple; very light oil and wax finish). I would check in with shops before going to try one to be sure they have one in stock. A good bet is Andertons, Guildford though maybe some distance from you. I would also recommend strongly an HH version - a lot more variety of sounds whilst still having the classic Stingray sound.  

Omg this thread is in danger of morphing into a standard Basschat Rickenbacker thread 🤣 

Once again @Bean9seventy is partially right - people in Mecca dance hall bands did sight read the stuff but only some played with picks 😉

The band I played in played more than one Parliament cover!! Not using a pick I might add. 

14 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

Huxley throwing epic dance move (1958)

I think you may have that wrong Mr @skankdelvar I’m pretty sure he was into bee bop - maybe Lindy Hop? 😏

21 minutes ago, Bean9seventy said:

43 is good as well 😏

https://youtu.be/JSj0PXJ6d5Q

You have to read between the lines (or the commas)!! We have had these threads before and whilst some is difficult to follow much is not that challenging… I get the impression he thinks some of us don’t get the points he’s making - which is very likely if you weren’t there - it’s extraordinary really that there was a whole U.K. dance scene based around several bands and really good dance music (with exceptional bass) in the early 80s - hence the responses……. 🤪

My earliest unlacquered roasted maple neck is on a 2014 Classic Sabre - the neck hadn’t discoloured on that - I’ve had an SR5 with standard oil and wax finish on maple neck since 2003 and that has changed colour - it’s basically darkened significantly and started to develop some figuring, which to my eyes is quite pleasing - it doesn’t simply look dirty though I know what you mean as they can do. Whilst neither have been on a world tour 😂 they have both been gigged extensively. 
 

As I said before, we all have our preferences - my Classic Ray with lacquered neck is equally playable on gigs than the other but in you get chance, try a Special - the necks are exquisite - they do pop up used occasionally though mine are going nowhere!! 
 

On 28/12/2021 at 08:55, Burns-bass said:

So the point here is that:

 

- Most funk bass players in the U.K. didn’t play Fender basses.

- The scene as we know it now was emerging, and the narrative imposed on history doesn’t always resonate with someone who was there at the time (see the 60s etc.)

- At the time Mark King wasn’t considered a funk pioneer, but this label has been applied retrospectively

- There was a small group of U.K. funk bassists clustered around London and Denmark Street that pioneered the genre

 

This is all good stuff. Personally, the fusion stuff here and the white socks, shirt strap Acid Jazz stuff that emerged from it leaves me utterly cold, but I’m sure the scene was a lot of fun.

 

 

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