chriswareham

RhythmSection could be my long lost twin with that choice of albums, although I'd probably add Closer by Joy Division which squeaks in by being released in 1980. A more left field choice would be the genuinely unique Advantage album by Clock DVA, early industrial electronics meets jazz and funk in a sublime mix that wasn't to be repeated as the line up imploded on the subsequent tour.

An acquaintance when we were both teenaged wanted to play bass. His family were minted, so off he went to some bass academy in California with his first bass, a Musicman Stingray. I learnt on my own by playing along to records with a loaned Marlin bass bought from a catalogue and thne some Korean made Aria thing. He came back able to play other people's bass lines with great precision and faultless technique. My playing was rough and ready. He couldn't write a song if his life depended on it. I write my own songs. So yeah, music theory is great, but too much can completely stifle your creativity.

I always get her confused with Sara Lee, as both are brilliant bassists with a connection to Gang Of Four as well as David Bowie.

I had the Mk III version as my first amp head. I seem to recall it differed to the Mk IV in not having the graphic EQ. Built like a tank, and sounded brilliant through a Peavey 1820 (one eighteen inch Black Widow and two ten inch Scorpion speakers). I can confirm their durability as it even carried on working after it was dropped down the outside stairs at Nottingham Rock City. More recently I had a Mk IV as a stand in when my SVT was being repaired, and was able to confirm my memories of these old Peavey heads were not rose tinted!

Since my all valve amp head is stored at the rehearsal studio, I decided to get a cheap solid state amp for use at home. I've always loved the look of the Acoustic Control stuff from the 1970s, so I bought a model 140. Despite being the amps of choice for many top flight bassists back in the late 60s and 70s, they sell for very low prices these days. I guess it's the valve versus solid state thing, where many assume a completely solid state amp is not going to have any character or sound too quiet. Well, this beast is not only full of character, it's also unbelievably loud. It's supposed to be used with a 4ohm load for peak output, so I initially set it up to use two 16ohm 18" speaker cabs to get an 8 ohm load. It was so staggeringly loud that I'm now using it with one cab for a 16ohm load and even then the volume is only at 10% before it's loud enough to shake the walls of my music room. Not bad for an amp that supposed to only be rated for 120 watts!

I miss the Simms Watts AP 100 and ported 15" speaker I had as a student. Just assumed all valve amps sounded as good, and let it go when I needed some money for food. Should have tightened my belt and kept the bass rig ...

Check out the bands 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand, both featuring David Eugene Edwards who alternates between guitar and banjo. I have to confess I couldn't stand the sound of the banjo before hearing these two bands, but have since toyed with the idea of buying one.

Try the "Join My Band" website? Seems to work quite well down here in that London, where it seems to be first port of call for people seeking band members.

RhysP: most of the arpeggiated parts were Jupiter 4 rather than 8. A very different synth from the later 6 and 8, quite limited voice architecture in comparison but the 4 is still a great synth. I own one, and if I could only keep one instrument then it'd be the JP4 rather than any of my basses!

Singer: "Can't rehearse today, as I've accidentally erased the cassette with the drum machine data on it". Guitarist: "I can't record today, as I've got an audition for another band". (The recording had been booked for weeks). Best one was the singer who turned up to rehearsal, but after his mobile rang he disappeared. As in his parents phoning us up days later to see if we knew where he was type of disappeared. Turns out the call at the rehearsal was from his wife who had just discovered the emails between him and his ex-girlfriend making it clear they were having an affair.

If you were closer to London then I'd suggest The Gallery. They did an incredible job turning a very fragile semi-acoustic from matt yellow to glossy black.

[quote name='randythoades' timestamp='1450458804' post='2933091'] Completely ridiculous Aria FB series: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-ARIA-PRO-II-2-series-FB-bass-guitar-pro-defretted-schwarz-japan-/301817500762?hash=item4645b9945a:g:TNkAAOSwHQ9WZAEz"]http://www.ebay.co.u...NkAAOSwHQ9WZAEz[/url] As far as I know they were a low to mid level series and certainly not above SB1000 territory, especially with the defret. 2 hopes. Bob Hope and No Hope. [/quote] Only just seen your post, but that looks identical to my first bass. Made in Korea, bought new in 1990 for £190. It was awful - the body was some kind of chipboard like affair covered in a thick (4 to 5mm) layer of some plasticky resin stuff. The headstock snapped off it, and I thankfully bought a mint Westone Thunder 1A with the early style of logo.

Ampeg fridge and a new weightlifting hobby?

Pretty much anything by Skinny Puppy after the first mini-album. Once Dwayne Rudolph Goettel joined the complexity of the samples and arrangements was difficult to replicate.

13 - I never knew about the piano smashing incident. I got the one about lecturing Welsh schoolchildren about drugs right, but I seem to recall it was the Welsh Assembly where he recommended legalising drugs. Quite easy to confuse politicians and children though.

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1451471177' post='2940671'] Good coverage on the late BBC news last night. More than I was expecting so just shows what a legend he is. [/quote] Surprisingly good coverage on BBC News 24 as well. That included an interview at one point with John Robb (Membranes/Goldblade) which was very insightful.

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1451417613' post='2940351'] Thanks Chris, I'll check those out. You haven't converted the Luddites stuff to MP3, by chance? Can't get it anywhere as I've not used vinyl in some years! [/quote] PM'ed

I find twin humbucker short scales don't lack growl. I can thoroughly recommend the [url="http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/basses/jet/g2220-junior-jet-bass-ii-rosewood-fingerboard-black/"]Gretsch Junior Jet[/url], made in China but very good quality and excellent value.

Oh, and if obscure Post-Punk is your thing, then some other gems I've recently come across are Fallen Apart and a band from the then Yugoslavia called Komakino. There's a healthy scene consisting of new bands influenced by this stuff as well, such as Led Er Est.

If it's the same band, then I have the following by them: Altered States (7" single) The Strength Of Your Cry (12" single) As well as a recording of the Peel Session. Sad to hear the drummer ended up in the execrable Beautiful South.

Take away the iconic image, the humourous quotes and the rebellious lifestyle - then he'd still be a legend solely through the raw intensity of his music. I started playing double stops and using distortion because of him, and one particular show at Brixton Academy ranks in my top three gigs ever. Think I'll get a Motorhead tattoo in his memory.

Quoting posts doesn't work on Android (very latest version on a Google/Motorola Nexus 6).

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1450916447' post='2937097'] I've always really fancied a 4001 or 4003 - I love the look and the sound. [/quote] As kodiakblair suggests, check out the Rickenfakers group on Facebook. I'd suggest going for an old Japanese faker, as they tend to be closer to a real Rick in terms of sound and look than a modern Chinese faker. The build quality on many of the old Japanese fakers put modern Ricks to shame as well.

[quote name='Chownybass' timestamp='1450948213' post='2937212'] Hi! It's exactly the same spec as the short scale model. But it's 34"... we had to make it a little heavier to solve some neck-dive issues, so now it's perfectly balanced. I am busy editing together a little video demonstration of it, which I'll post in the Affiliates area of the website. It's the same price too (£360), but will come in only 3 colours (Emerald Burst, Sapphire Burst and Tobacco Burst). This final production prototype we've just had is perfect, so we will spool it into production for delivery about March/April time. We'll start taking pre-orders in the new year. (At which point we'll add it to the website and Facebook pages) [/quote] Any chance of a black option at a later date? EDIT: scratch that, the Sapphire Burst on your existing model is gorgeous!