peteb

I’m having a bit of a clear-out and have a Korg Pandora headphone amp free to a good home. Quite a useful little unit – great for practicing thru headphones and can be hooked up to a PC or iPod easily enough. I’m not looking for any money for it, just buy a big issue next time you’re out and about and tip the vendor a couple of quid. I don’t want to post this out so pickup only from Bingley in West Yorkshire and I’ll get the kettle on… Cheers - Pete

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1421180469' post='2658202'] I wonder if in 20 years the thread will be called [b] [size=4]Over 80 & Still In The Game...[/size][/b] [/quote] We can only hope so... I suppose that we can take inspiration from Pinetop Perkins who still had a full diary of gigs for the year ahead when he passed away aged 99 years of age and Honeyboy Edwards who was very nearly as old and still gigging when he died...

One band I’m in currently ends the night with a medley of Blitzkrieg Bop, Breaking The Law and Ace Of Spades. You can probably guess the type of crowd we usually play to…!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1420897193' post='2654714'] I'd be surprised if many pub bands were operating a business model. [/quote] Every successful one does...!

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1419338638' post='2638869'] Yes, thinking about it you (and the others saying the same thing) are probably right. SRV was brilliant, with great feel, and technique, but not really ground breaking or revolutionary so I'll withdraw my nomination for the list (Still bloody good to listen to and learn from though). [/quote] Actually, what I was trying to say was that even though he wasn't as massively ground breaking or revolutionary as the others I would still nominate him for inclusion on that list, just because he was so incredibly f***in good...!

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1419284234' post='2638418'] Really like him, but not so sure he would be placed in that very select few who inspired so so many. I mean VH started a whole gtr playing style all on his own.... and Hendrix just blew everyone away. Beck is Beck and still unique after all these years... so not quite sure I would put SRV in that league myself... Others might but I don't think he stands side by side with the most influential Gtrs of the last 50 in a top 5 or so..??? [/quote] I would say that SRV inspired countless players but was perhaps not quite as original as the other three, maybe more the sum of his influences where there wasn’t really anyone like Hendrix, Beck & VH before they appeared seemingly out of nowhere! However, he was undeniably s*** hot and I would say certainly ‘in the same league’. Probably my four favourite guitar players…

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1418685745' post='2632429'] I'm sorry to say I've had to resurrect mine from the boot of the car - got a 50+ song New Years eve gig with a scratch (but very good) band with at least 50% songs I don't know - it's a dinner dance do so I rather doubt anyone will be walking out. But just in case I do forget Moon River or any other of the songs I should know but have long forgotten, and haven't commited to memory from the two rehearsals, my music stand will be in use - don't want any of the people dancing waltzes tripping up because I've forgotten its in 3/4 lol!! [/quote] Surely that is exactly the type of gig where you would expect to see music stands on stage. However if I walk into a pub expecting to see a rock band and they have music stands visibly on stage when I'm expecting a bit more of an energetic performance - well I'm not saying that I would immediately walk out by any means, but it is a strike against them before they've played a note...!

[quote name='Old_Ben' timestamp='1418581027' post='2631388'] Have you tried it with a power supply yet to see if that is the issue? [/quote] I do need to check this out, but I am worried that it did work for a short while with a battery (at home) but didn't function at all on the gig!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyTTX6Wlf1Y

I have recently changed compressors on my pedalboard, swapping a new MXR for my old EBS. The idea was to keep the EBS for gigs where I don’t need the full board and run it linked to a tuner pedal. However, the EBS seems to be developing problems and I wonder if anyone here can help with a diagnosis? The EBS has lived happily on my pedalboard with no problems for 3 or 4 years, but since I am trying to power it with a battery it seems that it doesn’t want to work anymore. Firstly I used it at a rehearsal where it would not work but was ok when I disengaged the compression (i.e. in bypass mode). Then I tried it at home with a new battery and having applied a liberal splashing of switchcleaner to the jack sockets, pots and circuit board. I tried it with a different connector and a patch lead and it seemed to be working ok in the house but at the gig last night it would not work at all, either with the compression switched in or bypassed (or with a variety of connectors and patch leads). Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be? I’m guessing that it may be due to it being powered by a battery rather than the mains, simply because it worked ok on the board but have no other thoughts. If it makes any difference I am running it in multiband mode.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1418317465' post='2629139'] how on earth do people break Bass Guitar strings.???? are you pulling the strings off the fretboard. ? baffled on the technique people are using, to break a string on a bass. just how..? [/quote] It happens! Not very often I grant you (usually due to an old or damaged string) but when it does it's usually in front of the biggest audience you are likely to play in front of that year!

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1418146425' post='2627373'] Why are function bands let off the hook? [/quote] Because it's a different type of show with different expectations from the audience. As someone said earlier, a live jukebox in the corner where the event itself is the main attraction rather than the actual band...

There was a thread a while ago where a member here had done a dep at something like 48 hours notice, learning something like 40 songs, and had used an iPad to read the gig. The band had used that as an excuse rotary and not pay her m in full. I thought that was totally unreasonable. On the other hand, when I saw Thin Lizzy in 1978 they didn't use music stands and if you play in a rock and roll band neither should you! If you play in a function band or an orchestra pit or whatever, that is entirely different...

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1417730989' post='2623632'] They do, they've lived there for a very long time. [/quote] Yea, you often see them down at the Duck & Drake...

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1417741178' post='2623730'] No, I hadn't seen that one. Actually the older I get, the more I like Iron Maiden - I might have to go and buy one of their CDs. [/quote] Iron Maiden are another band who are happy to get up and play with their own tribute acts! To answer the OP, I would be delighted for Roger Daltrey to get up on stage with a band I was in, preferably playing Won't Get Fooled Again as that is the only Who song that I actually know...!

An interesting idea for a thread. When it comes down to it, I'm a bass player and the process for playing originals or covers is essentially the same. I started off playing covers in my mid-teens then exclusively played original material for ten years or so. After a break of a year or so I started playing covers in pubs / bike rally circuit with the occasional foray into the WM clubs. In the last few years I've been playing the blues curcuit and started playing some original material again (or as original as you get playing blues)! Like the OP, I have never been the main writer in a band. In fact, most of the original songs I'm playing now have been written by the singer with a guy who is not in the band, even thru me and the guitarist have written a couple of things or re-written some of the songs he has brought to us. As long as the songs work, who cares who wrote them?? I'm a musician and I like to play (money is secondary these days but I still expect to get paid). I don't care too much who wrote the material - just that the band is good, it gets decent quality gigs and can pull an audience...

Another one here happily using Monster cables for years. However, I do get all of my speaker cables from obbm...

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1417604628' post='2622094'] Thanks Pete, my interest has definitely been spiked by some of newer guys. I'm particularly enjoying The Jon Amor Blues Group. I haven't worked on walking lines for years so I'll make time for that too. I'm realising now that everyone does the Standards in a different way so I'll absorb as much as I can from the different player's. It's reignited my interest to be honest, think my playing had become stagnant recently. cheers Steve [/quote] Keep listening to the more contemporary stuff and I am sure that you will be on the right lines. I have sent you a link by PM that you might like if you are interested in Jon Amor - hope that you enjoy it...

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1417430401' post='2620152'] After over a decade of playing rock covers I've decided that a new band is in order after Christmas with a new direction. I'm at the point now where if I have to play sex on bloody fire again my head will explode. That said, I'm interested in looking at the blues (I know, it's a feeling not a genre) as there is something about the idea that I like. There are a few bands around here that are respected and I'm going to make time to go out and see them over the next few weeks to get a feel. But in the interim, I guess the advice I'm looking for is who should I be listening to and what do you blues guys consider to be the Standards that work in the pub/club environment? I intend to fully emerse myself in it over the whiskey fuelled festive period and to build up my blues repertoire to give me a shot at auditions in the new year. Cheers Steve [/quote] As someone who has always played rock but in the last few years has started playing a fair bit of blues, I would suggest that you listen to a few of the new guys on the circuit rather than just exclusively to the old classics. You might pick up on how things have subtlety changed in terms of tone and approach, etc. You could start by searching for guys like Travis Carlton playing with Kirk Fletcher on YouTube (picked purely as I was listening to him today) or many others who picking up the blues gigs today. You will find that the arrangements in blues are a lot more fluid than rock and that you will rarely play a song the same way twice. Also, you will need to learn how to play a walking bass line and keep it going for as long as necessary (I used to practice by playing a simple song like ‘Boom Boom’ for 15 minutes or so at a time and changing the line every second chorus). I would suggest that that you memorise a library of riffs and also work out as many different ways that you can think of playing the changes from the I to the IV, the IV back to the I and then up to the V, etc so that you are not just relying on simple chromatic runs all of the time. There are some decent blues gigs out there and I have had loads of fun and played all over country on the blues circuit (from the south coast up to the Orkneys)! However, be aware that in many places a decent rock band will tend to draw more people to the average pub gig than an equally good blues band. The better gigs are in blues clubs, pubs that have a specialist blues night or the many festivals up and down the country…

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1417355157' post='2619438'] The last two bands I've joined have set out to do something different, you get two songs in and "do you do any kings of leon, sweet home alabama, sweet child?" etc , I suppose you have to give them what they want? [/quote] No – I would say that one of the biggest mistakes you can make is pandering to the audience too much! Obviously you have to play stuff that your audience knows and likes but if you let them in effect choose the set list, then even though you will get a good reception you will always be yet another band playing the same old songs that every other band does. None of our set list would be on any list of overplayed tunes yet anyone with a passing interest of the genre (I try to discourage people from promoting us as Classic Rock) would know pretty much every tune. Therefore, when we play Guns n’Roses tunes we bring out Nightrain rather than Sweet Child and we play Sin City rather than Whole Lotta Rosie for the AC/DC tunes. The audience knows every song but doesn’t hear the same as every other band playing the pub circuit and we seem to be picking up a decent following after a handful of gigs…

Can't believe that no one has come up with Sweet Child of Mine yet?? Also, I would submit Whole Lotta Rosie & Enter Sandman...

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1417083139' post='2616843'] Of course you need to take into account the gig but if you are doing a posh date in LOndon for good money, then you make sure you wear proper shoes... even if you have to change into them. Shoes tell you a lot ... [/quote] Absolutely - and nothing screams rock n'roll as loudly as a pair of highly polished black wingtips...!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1416870885' post='2614663'] The thing is, charity is a very individual thing. While some of us might be very happy playing at a benefit gig for a new roof for the mosque or a fundraiser for cats suffering from Feline AIDS, others may not. [/quote] Fair enough - I am assuming that you are happy that the cause is worthwhile as well the event is legit and not just an excuse for someone to make money for themselves. The point is that doing the odd freebie is not going to hurt the majority of people here...

I am playing a charity event next weekend and not only will I be playing for free, I will be making a modest donation as well. I will not be the only one doing this. I know the people organising the event (in honour of a very good friend of a lot of us) and I know that they won’t be making a penny out of it. Also, I understand that the venue are letting them have the room for free (although I imagine the bar staff will get paid)! I am getting to an age where a few friends are starting to leave us all a bit earlier than expected. I have been surprised to learn at a couple of funerals in the past few years that the guest of honour had been very quietly (yet significantly) involved in various charities / fundraising and giving their time to help the less fortunate. This made me think that perhaps I really do not do enough myself – playing the occasional gig for free is the very least that I can do… If you don’t trust the organiser of a charity event then don’t play at it. If it is legit, then don’t make a fuss and just help out where you can…

I have just got one of the new Bass Sleeve bags. It's a nice bit of kit and does the job it's supposed to, although I'm not too sure about the storage pouch and a small compartment to put keys / phone would be nice. Still a nice bag and comfortable enough to wear on your back. I also have a double iGig bag, which is great and has lots of storage, etc.