Joel McIver

[eating big bag of popcorn] 😁

I've developed a whinge-proof outer layer at this point. Twenty years as an editor and author will do that to you 😝

Hi all, I've read and enjoyed every comment on this thread. Although I'm not an organiser of the UKGC/LBGS as such, obviously my magazine is associated with it and I do take part in recruiting the celeb bassists, as well as being on stage a fair bit with them over the weekend -- so I'm keen for it to do well. We have a postmortem meeting this week and I'll raise the following points: 1 Noise/no-noise periods have to be monitored firmly. 2 More exhibitors, both big and small companies, are needed. 3 Bigger names would be welcomed. I get that a lot of people haven't heard of John Patitucci (although he does have four Grammy awards :-)) so yep, a John Taylor/Paul Turner/Robert Trujiillo or two should be considered, £££ permitting. 4 The Tone Zone didn't work out there on the floor as it wasn't really audible. 5 Upstairs rooms could be used for various purposes. 6 Audio bleed from one room to the next should be controlled. Thanks for coming along, and commenting too! Cheers Joel McIver Editor, Bass Guitar/Bass Player

Hi, BGM editor here. I drop in to BC from time to time and enjoy the content without feeling the need to contribute, but I thought I should probably address this comment: "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Its easy to spot who gets a review and how well it will do is what advertising space gets bought.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]If Mayones and Sandberg get (another) review, mark my words it'll be within 3 pages either side of a corresponding advert.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Its just how magazines work. Always has. Same with album reviews, take a half page ad out in a music mag, you'll get a glowing review and maybe a small feature too !!"[/font][/color] This is absolutely not the case. Ad spend does NOT ensure a gear review, let alone a glowing one. I get on well with the advertisers and am always happy to consider reviewing their stuff, but whether they book an ad or not does not influence that decision. Ad sales are handled by a different member of staff and we work independently of each other. If anyone is in doubt about this and would like official confirmation from Future, I'm happy to forward messages. My email is [email protected]. Keep up the good work, I admire the breadth of knowledge at BC and your community spirit, which is why I run a monthly column devoted to what goes on here. Cheers Joel McIver

[quote name='sandblast' timestamp='1435840594' post='2812910'] I must admit that i find contacting them and contacting them exhausting. I'd be quite happy if they just put the videos up on the BGM website or on their YouTube page. [/quote] Sorry for the delay in answering this. I'll have a word with the tech dept. Joel

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1435015853' post='2804772'] As a qualified journo and an amateur bassist, I would cut somebody's throat for a job at that mag. I would seriously LOVE that. [/quote] We're always looking for decent writers, so feel free to drop me a line with some ideas at [email protected]. Joel McIver Editor

I enjoyed reading this thread, you lot. To whoever posted that Billy Gould would make a good addition to the bill, I couldn't agree more, but when I invited him to perform he said he'd love to but would be in New Zealand that weekend. Come and say hello if you see me, I'll be the one running around like a nutter! Cheers Joel BGM editor

[quote name='jacko' timestamp='1398694188' post='2436621'] Given that it always seems to be the same complaints every time this subject comes up, maybe he's not that interested in our opinions cos nothing has changed in the way the mag is presented for years. [/quote] Hey all, I'm definitely interested in hearing your opinions, positive and negative, about our magazine, so feel free to express them here or to me at [email protected] if you prefer confidentiality. Cheers all Joel McIver

Dear all, many thanks for inviting me to the Bass Bash today. I met some great people and managed to get through the Q&A intact. Thanks for taking it easy on me and keep up the great work! Cheers Joel McIver Bass Guitar Magazine

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1358448977' post='1939477'] It's a shame that Joel hasn't come on here with his viewpoint at this moment in time. From what I've seen from his posts on here, he seems a decent enough bloke willing to hold his hands up if something has gone a bit pear shaped with the mag. Maybe the foul up was at the printers as has been mentioned previously? The double Fender ABG feature aside, I thought this months copy was a good read, but have started getting a bit bored with reading about bass players who don't use a particular technique or a 4/5/6 string bass. That definitely needs to be binned - I'd rather have those pages devoted to another interview devoted to a particular bass player (any genre, don't care which), which would be far more useful. [/quote] I'm here guys. I'm completely gutted about the errors in the current issue, a couple of which are my fault and others were mistakes made by the office staff. Apologies, we're working on it. Joel

Glad you like it captain!

Thanks chaps, all points read and noted. The mag has tons more cheap bass reviews in it now and we're about to begin a bass restoration column, both ideas gleaned from you lot. Cheers!

Back after a couple of weeks and I'm very gratified about the friendly comments and suggestions. There are too many to address here (I'm on deadline with issue 82, which is a 25th anniversary Jaco cover) but I've noted every single one. As the Austrian Oak said, I'll be back! Cheers Joel

Thanks for the feedback and welcome, everyone. I won’t hang around all day as I don’t want to give the impression that I only came here to nick your ideas, but I’ll be back tomorrow. > what about rotating the various schools that offer these course annually (ACM, BIMM, etc) so as to still cover the subject but avoid the annual repetition as hopefully their syllabuses vary a bit? Good idea. That will happen at some point. > Welcome to the Forum, and congratulations if the new Job was something you really wanted (im guessing it was) Thanks. It absolutely was. I’ve been a magazine contributor since 1996 and in all that time I have never wanted to edit any mag except BGM, simply because I’m a bass geek. > Hi Joel, what did you think of Slayer at ATP? I didn’t go! Seen ’em too many times, met and interviewed them endlessly. Which reminds me, I must get that Tom Araya cover feature sorted… > Something I see in Guitar magazines regularly is an in-depth article on the history of a particular manufacturer or instrument. I feel this would be a fantastic addition Agreed. We do this to a lesser extent with Essential FX and it would be easy to extend to basses/amps. > I don`t know if this has been suggested but how about a feature where you focus on one guy`s collection with lot`s of nice photo`s and some background about how they got the gear? Yes, great idea. > And to make it all clear, I don't actually dislike the feature. I would just like to see more of those girls and guys who actually do something unusual, have something [i]else[/i] to say. Noted. > You are a brave, brave, man! No, you lot have been extremely welcoming! > how about a "Me and my Bass feature? Yep. > is the heavily advertised and reviewed TC BG 250 combo really made in UK? I’ll check. > as previously mentioned, give three writers a budget of £300 to buy eg 'best bass for metal' or 'largest rig' and let them battle it out Definitely. > A series of articles showing a proper, scientific method to prove/disprove that wood has something to do with the tone of an electric bass guitar. One article rather than an entire series I think, but yes. > A 'debate' section, with two experts arguing about the topic of the month, eg 4 v 5 string, valve v SS, BO v NT, etc. etc. Good idea. > Get a selection of Jazz basses in for review - high and low end Fenders, along with both cheap and expensive copies, like Squiers, Faridas, Laklands and Sadowskys. Then let reviewers compare them blindfold........ and no cheating! Love this idea! > Maybe the magazine is aspirational in a similiar way top gear is for cars i.e. it highlights basses (cars) that we can gaze at from afar but never actually afford. No, that’s not the case. I’m not just spouting marketing-speak here: the mag has to cater for all tastes and budgets, and offer actual real-world solutions. The expensive basses look great, for sure, but without exception they are all practical, working instruments that any touring or studio musician can use. There is no space wasted in the magazine on guitar porn for its own sake.

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1341424162' post='1718830'] Hi Joel, Welcome aboard - I subscribe to the mag (thanks to the missus buying it for me for chrimbo) & quite enjoy reading it. Would I be right in saying the boo-boo in the most recent issue was Andrew McKinney being called Paul Geary ? I had a lesson with Paul that night & we had a chuckle about it.. [/quote] Got it in one! I had the proofreader flogged the next day...