peteb

That's where we're different - as soon as work and family commitments allow, me & the missus will be moving to somewhere with a far warmer climate (UK's suicidal politics permitting)!

Er yes. Britain is an island in the North Atlantic and has a 'maritime climate'. This means that it rains - alot...! I think that your description of music festivals, freedom, fun in the sun and 'free spirited' females is part of the american dream. Unfortunately this dream also has a negative side to it, which we regrettably have seen way too much of in recent months. But then again, I don't think that you have ever denied that, although too many of your compatriots do seem to be in denial.

Quite recently I got a 91 Stingray in a trade - natural, m/n, original bridge with dampers but no skunk stripe. His notional value for the Ray was £900 and the trade ended up being for a 90s USA jazz plus £100. When I was looking I saw Stingrays go s/h for anything between £650 (for a modern day one with a fair few dings) to £950 for an older one. I would guess that the latter figure (or maybe a fraction more) would probably be about right in the current market.

Rudy Sarzo was the first guy I saw using that finger as a pick technique. I've tried to work on it on a few occasions but never really got it down. I used to play a version of Hot For Teacher in a band 30 years ago. We used to play original material but did HFT as an encore. We had to drop it in the end, as we were billed at a gig in Birmingham as 'the band that plays a great version of Hot For Teacher'! You need a hell of a drummer to do it justice! I have just listened to the clip above and the bassline is pretty much how I remember it. Probably easier than you might think at first, the little runs every second line of the verse are just a partial blues scale (starting on the 4th). You just need to work out what he plays under the solo. The solo'd bass track will help a lot.

Fair point.

You seem to be assuming that Bruno is a frustrated artist desperately looking to redefine the genre, just he can't until he has paid the mortgage off. There is also an assumption that he is capable of doing this. Of course, he may be perfectly happy following in the footsteps of his heroes whilst making shedloads of cash doing so!

First gig depping with a R&B this afternoon, whilst their regular bass player recovers from some serious medical treatment. It went pretty well - obviously no rehearsal (first time I met the guys was at the soundcheck) but we got through everything, with one slight issue that they play Black Magic Woman in a different key to what I was expecting. Good drummer, all great guys and overall really good fun. Roll on the next gig in a week's time.

Time will tell if he will be regarded as having reached quite those dizzy heights. However, you can't dispute that that he is a top commercial act with genuine talent, who is very successful.

I can't see what the issue is? Bruno Mars is very obviously a commercial artist - does everyone who makes a record have to be a Miles Davis or a Joni Mitchell type of artist??

I imagine that he would have done for this particular song - it's basically just two riffs! There is a hack for playing the chorus of the Immigrant Song if you can't get the speed to play it cleanly. You just play the major pentatonic rather than a full scale. I've seen Michael Anthony doing this on a live clip (tbf - he was also singing lead vocals at the time)...

The dude is 84 and claims to have ten movies, six albums, four Broadway shows and a number of other projects on the horizon! Hardly someone who’s no longer relevant and has it ‘all behind him’. The thing is that he has had a pop at a few sacred cows (Macca, Jackson, Prince et al), which has upset a few people when their heroes are being dissed by someone of his undoubted pedigree.

He's hardly a has been - at nearly 85 he is still as busy and successful as ever. Its hard to believe everything he says, but then again some of his rather outlandish claims seem to check out and it is difficult to argue about musical worth with someone of his pedigree. I think he has a big mouth and just doesn't care what people think! Not always an admirable quality but entertaining nether the less.

I know that his comments on the Beatles and Michael Jackson are going to upset some fans, but he has his point of view. You have to admit that both this and the GQ interviews were pretty badass and that he is possibley the most indiscreet man on the planet. I found the 'Ghetto Gump' (his words) stuff fascinating and some of the more outlandish claims might seem unbelievable, but are have already been collaborated (by Richard Pryor's widow etc).

I do that as well sometimes to save time. I doubt anyone in the audience will notice. The Immigrant Song isn't that difficult once you work out what JPJ is playing - just learn it at a slow speed then increase the tempo. You do realise that in the chorus he is just playing major scales and moving up a whole step then a half step (2 x Amaj, 2 x Bmaj then 3 x Cmaj)?

That may be where you're going wrong

I've just heard that Pat Torpey, the drummer best known for playing with Mr Big, has passed away due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 64 years old. Great drummer and by all accounts a nice guy...

Where do you guys meet these people? I've been gigging for 40 years and never had this issue.

Just had a quick look at the Facebook page and I see it seems to be pretty much a nationally based band, certainly no one I recognise. The Trades Club has always been a great gig when I've played there - have a good one...

Actually, the fire escape isn't too bad if its not wet outside. Mind you, it is in a valley in the Pennines, next to a river in an area prone to serious flooding so it does tend to get a bit wet at times! If you don't mind me asking, what is the name of the band and who is the guitarist? I might well know him if he lives in Leeds or is known round the area, especially if he has played the local blues circuit...

Great club venue (apart from the load-in - up the fire escape or a narrow staircase indoors)! I've had a couple of great nights there. I would have had a drive over but unfortunately I'm gigging in Leeds that night...

Trades Club??

Where in Yorkshire out of interest??

I've been using a double gigbag for about seven years now. It wasn't cheap by any means (it's an iGig) but it carries a couple of basses in safety as well as having three big pockets for carrying leads and anything else you might need on a gig. The one thing about it is that you really do not want to be carrying it about on your back with two basses - I did that once at a festival gig and nearly did myself a mischief! However, in a strange way that is another thing I like about it as it is too heavy for someone to quickly grab hold of and leg it, therefore deterring potential opportunistic thieves ...!