Len_derby

There's a Paul Chambers 'Eight Classic Albums' CD box set that I can recommend. It would make a great companion-piece to 'MR P.C.' the book written by our very own Bilbo.

He's just about finished a very short tour with the Mississippi Mudbloods and this was taken at The Flowerpot in Derby last Friday night. On a couple of songs Ian swops vocal and guitar duties with Lightning Malcom, who is playing bass for most of the set. For those of you who are Siegal fans, the show was absolutely storming. Even by his standards.

Hiya Mitch, welcome to Basschat. The Staffordshire Moorlands is a fantastic part of the country. Years ago I spent many an hour climbing on The Roaches, Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks. If you're new to on-line forums I suggest taking a laid-back 'pinch of salt' approach. These places are full of no-hopers and misfits masquerading as Alpha-Males.

Welcome aalam. Enjoy your time on Basschat.

Welcome Julius, enjoy BassChat.

Go man, go! Looking forward to hearing all about this!

I had a couple of dry joints re-soldered on my HA2000 about 3 years ago. Since then I've used it almost every week for rehearsal or live and it's been 100% reliable.

Played a charity gig for Sight Support Derbyshire with the Daz Kelly Band. A great night and £750 raised for the charity. We were due to share the bill with a young female singer who was going to sing some of her own compositions to backing tracks. She didn't show up so we did two sets, probably two hours of music altogether. There were lots of visually impaired people there, unsurprisingly, and the cliché seems correct. There were a lot more interested comments and questions afterwards about what we played compared to a normal gig. A hearing-attuned audience. The event was held at the county cricket club pavilion. I particularly enjoyed parking my dirty Clio in the Chief Executive's named spot and having a vile dump in the visiting team's dressing room.

One of the band last night said his mic 'smelt of wee'. It made me decide to get some spray to give our mics a healthy clean. Does anybody have any suggestions or experience on what to use and how to use it please? The mics are SM58s.

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1382638275' post='2254895'] Interesting, not sure about the Band of Friends,exactly because of the "New Rory" thing. Hair,checked shirt,battered Strat. Id feel more comfortable if he didn't look/perform like the great G Man. That aside I too am a big Gerry McAvoy fan, and always thought that Ted McKenna was by far Rory's best drummer. [/quote] Know what you mean, but the chance to hear and see Ted and Gerry working together - got be worth the misgivings? I got the chance to have a beer with the band after the show and I got the distinct feeling that it wasn't the guitarist's preference to dress up like Rory. For one thing, he's about a foot taller!

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1382630963' post='2254723'] I've been reading about this on a Rory forum. I'm a massive RG fan. RG was a major crime novel fan, and apparently this is how the project came about. The recent remasters of his albums sound excellent, and if it brings new fans to his work, then that's great. Has anybody on here been to see the 'Band Of Friends'? I'm a bit put off as it looks like a tribute act - I think Gerry's playing was/is great, and Ted McKenna on drums is a draw, but the frontman just looks like an RG impersonator to me....right down to the dress sense and identical Strat! [/quote] I'd say go. I saw them earlier this year. Not really a tribute band, more a 'homage' if that makes sense. The guitarist is an American, barely said a word between songs and didn't really try to be Rory. It's very much Gerry's show and he has some cracking anecdotes.

I've just traded my '57 Reissue Precision for Darren's Jazz Special. A good, hassle-free exchange with tip-top communications from Darrell. The bass was exactly as he described it and hopefully he'll be as happy with the swap as I am. There was a nice welcome from Darren and his lovely family too. You can deal with this gentleman in confidence.

I love Dave Bronze's playing, especially with Eric Bibb. Check out 'An evening with Eric Bibb' a live concert recorded in Australia and available as both DVD and CD. A master class in how an electric bass/acoustic guitarist duo can work.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381528108' post='2240489'] I played guitar in a church music group for a lot of years. Only do it if your motivation is primarily spiritual (whatever that means) rather than musical, or you will end up very conflicted. [/quote] Agree with that one. It's not about 'performing' as such, but facilitating other people's worship. Also, you will find fellow musicians who have a different attitude to practise, rehearsal and 'getting it right' than those in the secular scene. It drives me bonkers sometimes. As for the Blues Brothers clip, I've always thought it was Willie Weeks on bass. I don't know where I got that from though. I'm sure somebody with a better quality anorak to mine will put me right if necessary.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1380360205' post='2224193'] Yes, Rory and Paul Kossoff were always mentioned in the press for the beaten up look of their guitars. They stood out so much in the shiny world at the time. [/quote] At a (much) lower level of skill I remember that most of us playing guitars and basses back in the 70's had bought them new on the 'never-never'. Usually with their mum having signed the H.P. agreement. That was the most common way for a kid to get an instrument. Probably the cheapest in terms of cash needed up-front. Before the internet the second-hand market was miniscule (certainly in small towns).

Interesting observation. I remember seeing Rory Gallagher for the first time, in about 1973. As an impressionable teenager I was genuinely stunned that he was playing such a beaten-up guitar (sunburst Strat). I'd never seen anything like it before.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1380217296' post='2222492'] Doesn't anyone here just enjoy playing for the enjoyment of it? [/quote] Guilty as charged M'lud. I don't mind playing to one man and his dog. If it's a cute dog, even better. I think of playing in public the same way as I do about job applications/interviews. If you don't do it regularly, when something comes along that you really want you're not sharp enough to do yourself justice.

I use a Roland Cube 100. Enough volume, unobtrusive size and shape and it's possible to easily get a nice clean tone. If needed, it directly DI's into the PA and the combo speaker stays on to use as an onstage monitor. Not all combo speakers stay 'on' if DI-ed. I used to use a ABG, but got rid of them for the reasons mentioned above. Now I play what I feel like taking out that day. No one notices anyway.

Welcome!

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1380130065' post='2221313'] !5 minute changeover, good luck. [/quote] Just enough time to don cagoule and over-trousers. Jokes to one side, one of the bands I play with do a lot of community and charity events. Some outdoor, some indoor. It's my experience that a lot of the organisers, who are usually lovely and committed people, often have no real idea about what's involved in putting on a band. If possible, you need to communicate early and tell them, 'right, this is what we need....etc'. I've often found the organisers are relieved that someone in the know can help them make it happen. A win-win. I wish I'd got a tenner for every time one of them has said 'Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that'. A current example, I'm liaising with the organiser of an indoor fundraising event where we are to play a quiet set whilst other things are happening. I've persuaded the lady that we really need to be as close to a power-source as possible. It's for a charity supporting the independently-living sight impaired community. She just hadn't realised that we might have trailing cables. I'd prefer a better way to get in the papers!

What you are doing is great Sylvia. I'm sure we all appreciate it, and I can see the point of the big name involvement. But, we seemed to have stalled on the money raising. So far, it's been 'normal' basschatters sweating it out with the bass and rattling the tins in relatively lowly gigs who've raised the money. I'm happy to be proved wrong, but as far as I can see 'celebrity' involvement hasn't put a penny on the money raised. I know we hope it will, through publicity and auction value, but I'm concerned we might lose momentum. Particularly as there are members asking for the bass to gig with. Please don't take this as a criticism of what you're doing, and like a lot of us, I have very personal reasons for wanting to assist cancer research. I'm just suggesting a re-think perhaps. My take is that it's the Little People working together who really change the world. Len

Welcome Paul. There's some great basses on sale here at the moment, and at very attractive prices. Here's a tip for a newbie. Play with other people. It really accelerates skill levels. Of course, you may be doing that already. In which case, we look forward to your postings in the 'why is it such a pain trying to keep a band going' threads. Enjoy yourself! Len

A charity event with the barn dance band. A full dance-floor, free bar for the band and over £1000 raised. Great night.

Welcome Saxy Beast. There's some who have made multi-million pound careers by vaguely mastering the 12-bar blues.