JapanAxe

I've been down that road before when I played in a Stones tribute - that's my story and I'm sticking to it! What's your band? We've started a FB group called Glam UK with the aim of benefitting all the bands working in the genre.

Interestingly, neither of the projects I’m currently involved with required an audition, they came about through people I’d played with previously.

Thought I might add an update here. I’ve had some rehearsals with the party band startup where I knew the singer. It seems to be going very slowly as other band members’ commitments make it hard to to find dates we can all manage for rehearsals and gigs. No sign of the latter atm. More promising was being head-hunted by a drummer with whom I’d depped a few times. He was starting a 70s glam/pop covers trio and needed a lead guitarist. I was initially put off by (1) wigs and flares, and (2) backing tracks, but it turns out the former are not mandatory and the latter are for enhancement. The drummer is the kind of person who has good contacts and gets things moving. I’ve taken on the job of editing the tracks and bought a digital mixer to help with setting up our IEM mixes. There’s every indication that this band will be a goer.

This. Someone thought, ‘Let’s create a bass to make everyone happy by putting a P pickup in the middle and a J pickup near the bridge.’ No, it doesn’t work. The timeless glory of the P pickup quite naturally overpowers the pathetic weedy bridge J unit. Worst of all is where some goon has taken a lovely 60s P and hacked a hole as close as physically possible to the bridge, guaranteeing that the J pickup will sound thinner and weedier than ever. And it just looks wrong too. Countless numbers of PJ basses have been churned out at all price points, and they’re all wasted on my me (and of course my tastes are beyond reproach). Sorry to be so on-the-fence on this…

My preference is stage left (assuming a right-handed drummer). Close to the snare, and no chance of an unfortunate clash between bass headstock and singer’s bonce.

1. If I’m wearing stage clothes, change into my street clothes. 2. Pack up. 3. Drive home. Looking back over my 30+ year gigging life there have been very few exceptions to this. On one recent occasion that required a hotel stay, I joined a couple of band members in a nearby pub just in time for last orders. That single pint had me up 4 times in the night for a pee. You will not be surprised to learn that I have zero tales of post-gig excess and debauchery…

No way, I don’t want to lose my tall bloke privilege!

Chelsea Dagger by the Fratellis - a yobby shout-along for shouty yobs to shout along to in a yobby manner.

I’ve had this too when answering ads for bands some distance away. The risk to them is that once the initial excitement has worn off, the travel gets wearisome and they are left looking for a new player.

Oi! I live in Swindon. Yeah, fair enough.

My absolute worst load-in is O’Neill’s in Winchester. You have to stop on or next to a junction controlled by traffic lights and carry all the kit through to the back of the venue. Then park your car in a multi-storey and walk 1/4 mile back. The load-out is worse because by then the venue is rammed, and you have to drive all the way round the one-way system to get your car back to the venue.