blue

Yeah, if there are any decent jams or open mics you should go. Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1459901067' post='3020768'] No worries Blue! It is time for better wages, for work done, but it will damage certain industries for sure, and as you say, some businesses are petty and want to bend as many rules as possible. We just have to hope they can be brought to heel. You are indeed wrong, I'm very much pro living wage and pension, I just can see both sides. Unfortunately for struggling industries like pubs and live music, this adds another worry for them and how they will survive. Yet in more steady industries, this could not be more welcomed. I work part-time as a bass player and part-time in a supermarket, and the supermarket are more than able to increase pay and narrow pay scales for managers and non-mangement. The pension thing is most welcomed for me, I pay in via my supermarket job and can move the pension around should I ever need to, and at a lower cost of the private options I looked at. [/quote] My concern are the high same salaries of these executives over here compared to the workers. Why can't they live on 9 million a year as opposed to 10. I'll never lose sleep over the wealthy taking a salary cut. Blue

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1459888163' post='3020668'] I must say, Chuck Rainey (along with Anthony Jackson) is at the top of my faves list. They just have that magical 'something special' vibe going on. [/quote] Cool, those guys are the relevant cats for my generation. When I hear a cool riff or lick from either of them I always give them a ; "That's the sh*t!" Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1459898430' post='3020758'] By law everyone in the UK over 25 earns £7.20, a large jump of 50p per hour, and now is auto-enrolled in to a workplace pension, yet more added cost to the bar/venue as they pay in and match what the employee pays in. So in the past year or so running even a small pub has become more complicated, in just an in house sense. Add to that the residential bother many venues find themselves in and you don't get a terribly healthy outlook. It is workable, the current model just needs to change/be adapted. You are correct Blue, pubs are a fixture of the community in the UK and there once was a time in Portsmouth, where I live that we had a pub on every single street corner. That's LONG gone, and just yesterday two pubs were forced to close down due to costs and unworkable regulations. Even our clubs in city centres away from residential areas are still lumbered with strict noise level regs etc. [/quote] Hey, thanks James. Sounds a little like what were trying to do over here. Well, at least the super progressive liberals like me. We want a mandatory $15.00 an hour law. There will be some collateral damage to some businesses and people , but overall it's a good thing. Thing is businesses like Wal Mart would close stores before they would start people as $15.00 an hour. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1459891634' post='3020696'] It should be noted that bars in Europe are probably closer to the States rather than the UK - bar bands generally play three or four hour shows over three sets. [/quote] Hi Pete, Yeah, that's getting close to the way it is over here. Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1459891210' post='3020692'] That shows the vast difference in playing in America vs the UK. Generally Pubs shut no later than 1am, with noise abatement laws shutting the music off by 11.30pm so for bands to be playing 4 hours you'd be starting before the pub was even 1/4 full. The culture of going out in the UK is vastly different to the States it seems. Similar show lengths for originals, but different procedures. Sound guys that are in house are paid by the house who also cover bar and door staff. Costs are higher, especially now with our new national living wage for over 25's. [/quote] Tell me about this national living wage for those over 25? Yeah, I think your pubs are zoned in residential districts. Our bars are zoned in business districts, there are no residents to disturb. Blue

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1459886008' post='3020655'] Blue, mate, that's not about music, it's about performing. I am the same, I need that audience, that interaction, to feel good. It's that or the booze! [/quote] I'm not that good with it. I'm usually looking down at my shoes during the applause. Blue

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1459672190' post='3018447'] Not bad, that. Nothing special but nowhere near the horror I was expecting. [/quote] This is a lot better than his performance on The Letterman Show. Late night American TV. I like this. Blue

[quote name='DiMarco' timestamp='1459864891' post='3020351'] They do want to gig but they don't know it. Gawd the energy you get from a great crowd... It beats sex. [/quote] I think that's true for some guys. And some don't gig because there is no place to gig for the genre they play. Some don't gig because they live in small market areas where there's no place for any kind of band to gig. Blue

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1459877667' post='3020528'] I was fulfilled last night. Practice was really good, we rehearsed really well for our gig on Friday...at which we shall probably have an audience you can count on one hand [/quote] Yes, the "small turn out". That's a part of the gigging world we all have to deal with. It can happen to any band. Blue

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1459860046' post='3020303'] You light weight!! I used to do tours of American military bases in Germany, which would be 5x45 mins per night, every night of a tour!! And 6x45 mins a night in a club in Denmark, six nights a week. I dunno...some people ain't lived... Carry on Rocking Blue. [/quote] Yeah, 5,6 45 minute sets would be cool for me. Daryl

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1459877473' post='3020524'] Can any of you get fulfilled just by listening to music, experiencing it? [/quote] For me, no, not really. I need that attention, applause and cheering after we play a song to feel fulfilled. Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1459844840' post='3020103'] There's no way a band could play two 4 hour sets over here on the same day. We have strict noise abatement laws that would see to that. And where everything is much smaller and closer together the clientele cross over wouldn't appreciate it and you'd be hung out to dry by your fellow musicians. It's just not the format for gigs in the UK. And as I said the band's themselves would struggle mostly as most have barely 50 songs in their repertoire. There's certainly some culture differences with how bands operate. Out of interest Blue, how does the average original gig in a small venue work? Over here you typically have a 3 hour gig with 4 bands on with a ticket price ranging between free and £12. Average price of £4 in my area. Edit - small venue defined as <200 cap [/quote] We never get to play all the songs in our set lists. 4 hours is not enough time. In Milwaukee there are 3 originals clubs, Garbaldis, Frank's Power Plant and Linnemans. Plant It's generally a four hour show featuring 3-4 originals bands. There is a $5.00 cover and the bands are responsible for paying a house sound guy. Blue

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1459809730' post='3019991'] This is near bass playing perfection for me. Willie Weeks on Donny's classic Little Ghetto Boy. talk about dancing around the chords, his playing is just wonderful on that P Bass. he reminds me of James Jamerson. possibly where he got his style and influence from. [/quote] Another winner with this track. I was at this show, the songs that were decided at The Bitter End in the village. I think some of the album "Donny Hathaway Live" was recorded at the Troubedor in LA. Blue

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1459811938' post='3020004'] The mighty Jimmy Lea, live, I saw him play 36 times with Slade and once solo.[/quote] I forgot about Slade, this is great stuff. Blue

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1459789167' post='3019657'] I think "best" may be the wrong word in this context. However, Ron Wood ............................... is he a bass player? [/quote] Excellent post. This and "Spanish Boots" ar eexamples of how nifty Ronnie Woods Bass playing is. Blue

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1459815222' post='3020019'] It's not what some old people want to do either, believe me. [/quote] Agreed, I would think the market for that type of band would be pretty small, Blue

[quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1459811174' post='3019998'] TBH Blue your input generally in this thread is pretty patronising. You adopt a position of being an elder statesman, an aspirational figure perhaps, but ultimately there are players younger than you reading this who are doing things differently either because they play different music to you, or they have different aspirations (4-hour bar gigs? Really?) or they have musical interests that are broader than just playing bass guitar in a given genre. You come across as being fairly small-minded in comparison with most contributors here. And I don't think it's an age thing I think it's just that you've been stuck in making music in one very limited way for a long time. You can't seem to understand that some people do it differently and enjoy it just as much as you, or more than you do. Playing formerly-popular songs to drunk middle-aged people for money isn't what young people want to do. It's not why anybody learns to play an instrument. I'm sure it's not why you learned to play and it's certainly not why I learned to play. I can understand why those who are pursuing a career as a professional musician will play weddings and so on but I'm in the position where I don't have to do that, and frankly I don't feel like I'm missing out. [/quote] I thinks it cultural and I think many here misinterpret just about everything I post. There are younger musicians here that have more experience than me with a more contemporary approach to music, which I have acknowledged multiple times. You really have everything about me 100% wrong. And by the way, I'm not in a traditional cover band and we don't play formerly popular music to middle age drunks. As a matter of fact if you saw us you would probably think we were an originals band. We have released two CDs of originals. I never encounter drunks at our gigs. With all due respect you've got my story all wrong. Blue

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1459805264' post='3019933'] well actually you said "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Most start up bands don't stay together long enough to see they're first gig". [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]regardless, some people are happy to gig once a month. if you are implying that an originals band that plays a gig once a month and are happy with it are some how less of a band than a covers band that plays week in week out, then you are looking at music from totally the wrong angle imo.[/font][/color] [/quote] I am not implying anything and if an originals band wants to gig 6 times a year it doesn't make them less of a band. They just wouldn't be a fit for me. Blue

Any work from guys like Chuck Rainy, Rocco Prestia or Willie Weeks. Blue

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1459772989' post='3019398'] Amazingly, no I didn't . The clincher was when he said they weren't bothered about getting paid either. So I'd be learning songs for up to 18 months for the possibility of a gig for no money. He was practically talking me out of getting involved as we chatted. [/quote] The above is an example of these opportunities that don't make sense to me. Blue

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1459769249' post='3019321'] Sometimes time away from gigging and just focusing on playing in ones bedroom, really can add enjoyment to it all again, and make you a vastly better player. It's all down to situations and personal aspirations. As for set times, yeah there's no way a lot of the bands I know could cope doing a 4 hour set. A 4 hour set would easily include 80-100 songs, most bands I've worked with don't even have 50 in their entire roster, let alone their set list! [/quote] In the summer we can have 3 four hour gigs in one weekend. Last summer we had 2 four hour gigs on the same day. A 2-6 and a 9-1. It's fun. Blue

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1459766525' post='3019274'] Our audience cries at the idea of a 4 hour set too. Imagine putting up with our nonsense for that long! [/quote] Again I think it's cultural difference. For our 4 hour gigs here in the states not many people stay for the whole night. The crowd we have for that 3rd and last set is not the same as the crowd we had for the 1st set. Blue

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1459758674' post='3019161'] all but one of my start up bands have played shows, one in fact had a full set written, cd recorded and gig performed in the space of 2 months... does this make me some miracle worker? [/quote] I don't know. I'd really have to hear the band. Remember, when I'm talking about gigging, I'm talking about gigging every week. Not the occasional gig that comes along or gigging once a month. Blue

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1459729196' post='3019078'] i don't give a f*** about money. but I'm not a pro like yourself Bgood man Andrew. [/quote] I'm not a pro either. Just because a person does this for a living doesn't make you a pro. Blue