Len_derby

Welcome Tom. Boyfriend of Susans

[quote name='Rasta' timestamp='1319835450' post='1419270'] I personally love my Gong...some fantastic bass playing from Mr Howlett...but i'm sure this should be another thread!!!! [/quote] Start that thread! In the meantime I'll have a cup of tea, lovely cup of tea.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1319831304' post='1419214'] Saw Humble Pie a few weeks later at the same venue, much more my cup of tea. [/quote] Now they were a band and a half. Greg Ridley and Jerry Shirley were one of the great un-sung rhythm sections. 'Live - Rockin' the Filmore' is one of my all-time favourite albums. Back on-topic, I saw Hawkwind at Derby in (I think) 1974. 'Space Ritual' was their current album for that tour. Stacia's were the first pair of real boobs I'd ever seen. Happy days.

Anyone heard a drum solo that was more than just an opportunity for a fag/toilet break? Just wondered.

The whole world has got noisier. More traffic (road and air), more gadgets etc. means that the ambient background noise we all live with has gone up steadily over the years. The increasing infantilism of our culture means that cocooning loud noise is seen as a comfort. To shut the F*** up and listen to someone else needs a sympathetic maturity that's beyond a lot of people it seems. One day only the very rich will be able to enjoy silence. Got out of bed the wrong side this morning? Moi?

Isn't it the often the supply and demand laws in action? For reasons set out above, fewer people play the drums. As a result, it appears to be possible to hold down a place in a band with a lower level of ability than it would be for bass. In the land of the blind the one-eyed man in king.

Magnificent.

There's a dvd by Jack Bruce called Golden Days. It contains 2 shows, the first with a band the second is solo at the piano. Currently on sale at Amazon. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Bruce-Golden-Days-DVD/dp/B004X6U82M"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Bruce-Golden-Days-DVD/dp/B004X6U82M[/url]

Just took delivery of a Zoom H2 handy recorder I bought from Clive. The transaction was a very pleasant and efficient, with plenty of good communication. The item arrived promptly and well packaged. I can recommend this BassChatter as someone to do business with.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1319126219' post='1410337'] Oops, I didn't mean to dis the follicly challenged, who can also be quite distinguished [/quote] No 'dis' taken. I try to be clean and presentable. Distinguished? Well just take a look at the avatar picture... To get back on-topic, if I had to chose one it'd be A.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1319124968' post='1410307'] I rather like long hair on the older gentleman. Let your freak flag fly, that's what I say [/quote] Yeah, you're right (said he with a sigh, rubbing his bald spot)

Is C Guy Pratt?? B (Steve Harris) just illustrates how ridiculous long hair looks on the older gentleman. C looks a cool dude, but I don't know who he is.

I've been following his career since I saw him play with Rory in about '74 at Derby Kings Hall. He's written a book called 'Riding Shotgun'. A very entertaining autobiography, with lots about RG, as you would expect. I've never seen it in a shop, I got mine from here. [url="http://www.ridingshotgun.co.uk/"]http://www.ridingshotgun.co.uk/[/url] His bass solo on the live recording of 'Bullfrog Blues' is a corker.

Welcome Kelso, looking at your time of posting I guess you're on the shifts. I like the idea of doing Motown and country. P-bass covering both? Anyway, hope you enjoy this place.

I played the 'Argus' album to death when it came out (I was a teenager at home then and used to stick it on the family StereoGram). I can't recall ever hearing any band cover their songs, which is quite interesting really.

Welcome Stevie. That's good band name - phoenix rising. Do you play any Wishbone 'Ash' songs? I'll get me coat......

[quote name='bear-foot-bass' timestamp='1318876897' post='1407320'] this is generally not music performed for the enjoyment of the audience but to be sung along to en masse [/quote] Hit the nail on the head. If we discourage the congregation joining in with the songs we've failed in our primary role. I'm a regular in a worship band, playing on average twice a week at a service. I pretty much agree with the comments made so far. One bit of fun I have hasn't been echoed by anyone else yet. We have a keyboard player who hasn't yet learned how to use the foot pedals on the organ. So when she plays the old style hymns I play the bass stave. It's a great sight-reading exercise and also makes me appreciate how inventive some of the older composers were, e.g Parry.

Magnificent Seven by Clash off the Sandanista album.

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1318517190' post='1403212'] Tuning up my Precision and the promoter walks up and says -What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? -um, tuning my bass? -I booked you three months ago and you're only tuning up NOW? (a true story that happened to someone else, maybe it was you) [/quote] Nearly as good as 'Bloody hell, wasn't it in tune when you bought it'?

Yes indeed, a factual legend. I've seen him with Wilco about 6 times over the years. As far as I can recall they've played pretty much the same set. So, hats off for his obvious enthusiasm.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1318103001' post='1398198'] I agree and you don't see this so much now, but it was quite usual in the seventies, for example. I saw old footage of a TREX gig on TV recently and Bolan spent quite some time tuning up on stage before their set. Nowadays an extremely professional and co-ordinated show is expected as a bare minimum, even from unknown artists. [/quote] All part of the style of the times. We used to sit crossed-legged on the floor too, all polite and waiting to be enthralled Also, whatever the 'vintage' market may try and tell us, there was a lot of crappy instruments about then. I know, I used to own some of them.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1318102740' post='1398193'] I don't necessarily mean [i]way [/i]out of tune to the point where it's painfully obvious, but a more subtle effect... I have played in a band with a brass section consisting of trumpet, tenor/baritone sax and trombone and they would sometimes deliberately play (very slightly) out of tune with each other, which resulted in a much fatter overall sound. [/quote] Yes. This will be what is known as 'beats'. Where two or more soundwaves that are very close to each other in frequency create a throbbing effect when the waves cross over each other. It does sound very tasty in a horn section.

An interesting one. I think the mind-boggling dullness of some bands is nothing to do with the tuning. Out of tune they'd be even worse. Perfect, 'concert' tuning only takes you so far in pop/rock/blues/jazz. The micro-tonal subtleties of African music was adopted by jazz and blues and resulted in the bending and sluring of pitches that is now an accepted part of vocal and instrumental music. If you listen to Miles Davis he often plays sharp. I seem to recall Jack Bruce, in an interview, recomending playing slightly sharp in some circumstances to create a 'sense of urgency, and draw listeners in'. Of course, I might be talking Boll***s as I'm on my third bottle of Old Thumper.* I do think that having easy, cheap access to good quality digital tuners has de-skilled us for 'by ear' tuning. But that's another topic. * Does a brisk walk to 'Cheap Booze n' Fags' and back count as healthy exercise?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1318081349' post='1397907'] I don't really understand this thread. If you think some of your band mates are numpties, then why are you playing in a band with them? Shame on them for being idiots. Shame on you too for putting up with it. [/quote] Maybe I'm out of step, but I thought this thread was quite funny. I think we all realise that we've been a pain in the whatsit ourselves sometimes. Stones and glass houses etc.

'You know those charts you'd written out for me, did you take them back again? Beause I can't find them'. No, I didn't take them back again. I gave them to you mate.... Happened to me this Wednesday.