peteb

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1426947570' post='2723826'] I used to play there. Is Fred still the landlord or did his daughter take it over? [/quote] Fred is still there and if you are referring to Sam - she's his wife, not his daughter...!

Just got back from playing the Bridge Tavern in Bradford. Very much a 'typical' small pub gig, it is pretty similar to the gig Blue describes, except it has a slightly strange layout that means that the sound is can be a bit hit and miss (depending on where you are standing). Been playing there for years but if I'm being honest it's not really my favourite gig - decent crowd but you don't get as many punters going as a few years ago (especially on a Friday) and it's a little bit too much like playing in someone's (admittedly rather big ) front room. However it fills out the diary and the landlord/lady are good people and have always supported various bands I have been in (and vice versa of course). Saturday nights tend to bring out a few old faces and my last band used to turn it into a bit of a jam / drinking session. Not so much in the new band unfortunately, due to most of us having to drive!

Just come across a good version from Billy Sheehan [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXbcPmekjP4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXbcPmekjP4[/url] Probably not too much help thru..! There are loads of decent clips of the guitar intro on YouTube, which is a pretty good start as it is played in unison with the bass...

I love playing big stages when I get the chance but onstage sound can be a problem! You sometimes get a sound crew who want to keep the onstage volume very low. You are then very reliant on decent monitoring, which you often won’t get especially if you are on one of the earlier spots on a festival or similar event. So it might sound great out front but the band aren’t grooving because they can’t hear each other! It is far better if you can hear your rig across the whole stage and are not so reliant on the monitor engineer…

By all accounts a horrible person but one of the all time great / most influential drummers ever...

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1423146172' post='2681384'] A keyboard player I worked with a few years ago mentioned to me that the other musicians that played for Texas were on about 70k a year when the band were at their most popular. This could be nonsense but the guy was quite a honest ma. If true, it`s decent money to do something you love. [/quote] I'm sure that's true, but you have to remember that it can be a short career. The ones who prosper in the long term are those who get the songwriting credits / points.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1422952805' post='2678663'] I'm not surprised that the wire sheared. I used to use the multicomp with a battery before seeing the light and getting a pedaltrain. The battery compartment is REALLY tight and there wasn't much spare wire to get access the terminals. Changing batteries was always a nervy time. [/quote] Yes, it is a bit of a design fault! Unfortunately, I was a bit previous in thinking that all was well with the pedal - one fault has been fixed but it is still not working! I will have to take it to an electronics guy when I get the chance / have a few quid spare!

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1423054266' post='2680015'] With the learning from pros thing, has anyone had a lesson with a named pro player? Cause I certainly want some! The pros are pro for a reason and if I can learn a little bit from whomever I meet of them then I'll be happy! [/quote] Yes - well a lesson from a pro who plays with some very big name players (recommended by Jake). I'm sure that everyone here could learn from the top pros, but probably not on a forum. What I would suggest is to book a one-off lesson, send him a few live YouTube clips and ask for a critique of your playing. Of course when you get there, ask them lots of questions. There some pros who are incredible technical musicians, but most are very solid, experienced players with a great ear. I always thought that I had a decent ear, but the guy I went to was different class...

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1423009397' post='2679654'] I completely agree. But I think it's human nature mate. OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I met Alex Lifeson!!! He was so NIIIICE!!!! OMG!!! They be dining out on that for a year [/quote] As you say it's human nature to want to meet your heroes and it is also part of the price of fame. Alex Lifeson handles it with good grace whilst Neil Peat doesn't...

Now gone - picked up by Ash this evening...

Another Xotic Jazz player - thoroughly recommend them, sounds and plays as good as any jazz I've ever played...

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1422455876' post='2672898'] Mono Vertigo may do it, their new Sleeve may be even better. The new Gator ProGo bag is very nice too. [/quote] I've got the Sleeve bag - it is pretty light and comfortable to wear on your back but I am not keen on the pocket to hold leads, etc. It is not the easiest to access easily.

Terrible bands can get plenty of gigs - if they are good at blagging them! If they can consistently pull a crowd then they must have something going for them - even if the likes of you and I don't rate them! There are plenty of good bands who do not work as often as they should do because they are badly organised.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1422557773' post='2674132'] I think this came up earlier, any band can't get gigs. Someone in the band has to know how to sell their band, get and book gigs. I know of several really good bar bands that for whatever reason can't promote and get gigs and there are marginal bands that can promote and gig consistently. IMHO it can be said like this; [i]"being good alone does not guarantee gigs" [/i] Blue [/quote] That is certainly true both sides of the pond. One of the least impressive guitar players I have ever played with has made a pretty decent living at times as a pro musician and still makes good money from playing to this day! He may be a pretty mediocre player, but he is very good with the business side of things and would make a hell of a booking agent, etc. Certainly the band I played in with him made very decent money the time I was with them…

It's hard to say. There are established bands that will go out for decent money but might not gig every weekend. At a bar level, there are only so many times a band can play the decent local venues in any one year, so to work regularly a band has to travel greater distances (still at pub money) or people play in multiple bands! Personally I play local gigs (and the odd motorcycle rally or other bigger event) with a rock band, but also play bigger (but fewer) gigs all over the country with another band appealing to a niche market. This also leaves me free to play the occasional dep and to play with other bands when a worthwhile opportunity arises. Funnily enough I have some friends in Texas who have same approach, only much more so. All really good players and more like hired guns, they could be touring with a band or solo artist one week and when they get back, playing a couple of bars with two different bands the following weekend.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1422466535' post='2673085'] I know what you mean Pete. I'm not looking and my band is a perfect fit for me. However, I always like to know whats going on and who's looking. I'm not native to Milwaukee, my history is in New Jersey. I don't have access to the Milwaukee inner circle or the grapevine. Blue [/quote] That’s kinda the problem of playing with only one band! If you are looking for other opportunities you need to play with more people, get your name out there and build up a bit of a reputation. Then your name is already in the frame when decent gigs do come up and someone is looking for a bass player…

TBH I'm a little bit surprised that you follow these adverts so closely - I don't think that I've looked at one for 30 years! I tend to find out about bands / new gigs through the grapevine and judge them on their reputation...

More songs from Hunky Dory!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1422272264' post='2670449'] Lennon was an outgoing people person, and I suspect Alex and Geddy are too. Neil can probably be filed alongside Kate Bush. [/quote] People person or not, Lennon had a level of fame that must have been very difficult to deal with and ultimately cost him his life. Alex & Geddy are by all accounts very pleasant affable people. I fear that young be doing Kate Bush an injustice by comparing her with Peart. There is a difference between shunning the limelight and treating people with such bad grace...

[quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1422221499' post='2670096'] I believe he doubles as a friend and riding companion. In the books he tells a couple of stories of how some fans have got just that little bit close and it has spooked him a little. He quotes John Lennon who was of course shot by a "fan" [/quote] Strangely enough, Alex Lifeson doesn't feel the need to make similar arrangements! NP may 'enjoy' a certain amount of fame, but Lennon was on a different planet in that respect...

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1422263662' post='2670329'] I watched a clip on yoo choob of Daryl hall off of " live from Daryls house" fame, ( absolutely superb series if you haven't caught it) and he was walking through an airport and folk were shouting out " hi Daryl" to him and I thought , that would annoy me, because these people don't know him on a first name basis. Maybe that's the price of fame. He was clearly in a hurry and folks kept stopping him for pictures, which he very graciously, posed for. I can see why these rock stars wear sunglasses all the time. It's to hide their dead eyes as they smile for the umpteenth time for some random photograph. Maybe we should not be so quick to judge famous folks attitudes when confronting " fans" ! [/quote] I think that literally is the price of fame. There is obviously a line where it all becomes too obtrusive but I don't think that exchanging pleasantries with well meaning fans is such an odious thing to do compared with the downsides of many jobs!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1422239055' post='2670253'] What are the LLs like in the UK. If the place is packed and they have an extraordinary night for alcohol sales. Will The LL let it "trickle down" and slip the band an extra $100.00? Rarely happens over here. However, on those nights we usually do very well with tips. Interesting because over hear tip jars are common for bar bands. We packed a place this past Friday night and there was over $200.00 in the jar. When it's that much we divide it up and pay it out at the end of the night along with our standard fee. I understand you guys frown on tip jars in the UK. Cultural difference I guess. You guys aren't as money hungry as us Yanks? Blue [/quote] Occasionally landlords will give the band a bit of a bonus if they get a better night saleswise than expected. Happened with us on Saturday night. The issue with tip jars, which tends to be a bucket being taken round the room depends on the venue. Some do but most don't. You can get quite a big boost to your money from the bucket, but pubs that tend to have a lower base fee if they know that they can rely on a decent tip collection. It's not so much that Brits are not so bothered about the money, more that there is a recognition that you're not going to make much from playing pubs! You will find that we're a lot hotter on how much we get paid when you start getting into function bands, eg where there is potentially money to be made...

Back in the 80s I played a Guild Pilot 4 string thru a Hartley Thompson bass preamp, powered by a HH V500 PA power amp. One channel of the power amp went into a Marshall Silver Jubilee 4x10 and the other channel powered a huge Yamaha 2x15 cab with JBL speakers. Sounded absolutely immense, but totally unpractical once I found myself in a band without any roadcrew! I couldn’t even lift the Yamaha cab on my own. In recent years I have been using a Mesa Boogie mpulse amp thru a variety of cabs. Originally I had a couple of SWR Goliath 2 4x10s, which sounded great but the cabs were getting a little tired and were not too efficient; then a SWR Goliath 6x10 (brilliant but I got a new car and couldn’t fit it in the back; and now a Bergantino 4x10 (Jigster’s old cab), which is a great piece of kit. I’m generally been using either a Warwick Streamer Stage 1 or an active Jazz (currently an Xotic)…