ricksterphil

Played The Bodega in Nottingham for a Bowie 75th Birthday Celebration gig. We headlined it with a support band and a solo guy on guitar all doing Bowie. Fabulous night, place was sold-out and absolutely jumping. People were coming up post gig with their eyes shining saying what a fantastic gig it was. Some night just gel and this was one of them.

me and my Mike Lull P4 the band....with me looking a bit grumpy having been separated from my beer in order to do this photoshoot

Quite liked the first album. Everything since that I've heard seems very bland and 'phoned in' I guess it's hard to break out of the mould which is why I have huge respect for artists like David Bowie who manage to reinvent themselves, often spurning commercial success. Bowie made some Turkeys (eg Tin Machine) but also some of the best music ever created

Many of us more experienced low-enders still aren't quite sure!

I did a gig at The Crown in Southwell for a 'Rock Night' with a mixture scratch bands like us and established ones. Great night and a good crowd in, with the bonus of an excellent soundie who brought his 7k pa rig (slight overkill for a pub gig perhaps). Last band on was a scratch band made up of peeps there on the night. The singer for this band was well trolleyed and continued topping up his intake during the set. He's the singist for a very popular local rock covers band and had dragged in a few friends so the atmosphere was bouyant. He'd blotted his copybook earlier while sitting near the front while the previous band were playing and yawning dramatically for everyone to see, apparently commenting on the song choices and had to apologize to them before being allowed to do his set. His antics were capped off spectacularly at the end of his set when his alcohol intake got the better of him and at the end of the last song he fell backwards into the drum kit, spraying toms and cymbals all around! Rock n roll eh! Cheesy pick of our little band with Brian the drummer at the back - easily the best drummer I've ever played with. (that's me in the cap.....but not the corner)

Check out 'Criminal World' off that album for a stellar bass line

Played The Lion at Basford in Nottingham. Storming gig and lots of lovely comments from punters. New band member added - Betty, our drummer Allan's dog

Played The Shed in Leicester Friday night. Small but enthusiastic crowd and despite the on-stage sound being cr*p, out front it was good by all accounts.

I'm not a fan of bass solos either, although I did enjoy one by Colin Hodgkinson during a gig for the Spencer Davies group - unbelievable string bending. I think Charles Berthaud has something good going on with the one I posted above and will be checking out more of his stuff. ...and Norman Watt-Roy is a genius for coming up with THAT bass line

Agreed on this one. A minor story of 8 petrol stations closed by BP ramped up to a full scale crisis. At least it makes the government look bad so that's no bad thing in my book

This is well worth a listen https://fb.watch/8fYIoZFR1L/

Private party in the garden of a lovely Victorian house. Great audience, free bar and fantastic food. Plus the hosts son Lewis came and played 2 numbers with us - so cool