BetaFunk

I always thought that Tony Orlando & Dawn were up there with ELO in the top poptastic stakes. Who hasn't shed a tear (especially after 10 pints) to Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree or marvel at Knock Three Times?

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1386794183' post='2304753'] When I was a kid, listening on my parents dansette, all of the above were played along with mud etc. now where is the o p ? [/quote] Yes that pretty much sums them up for me. Cue Smashie and Nicey!!!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1386793633' post='2304738'] Have done a lot of travelling by train this week and have consequently done a lot of listening. I sooo love this music, it's untrue. I did a piano trio gig recently which was recorded and it had some of my best playing on it ( hidden amongst the train wrecks ). Nice to know you are still improving at 50! Elitist my hairy a***, some Jazz is just beautiful. [/quote] I was listening to Radio 3 last night of a recording by the Kenny Wheeler Quintet (Stan Sulzmann, Reeds - John Taylor, Piano - Chris Laurence, Bass - Martin France, Drums ) from the London Jazz Festival. I must say that it almost brought a tear to my eye when they said that Kenny was helped on stage and is very frail these days (he's 83) but boy when he played that Flugelhorn it was magic. I've seen him numerous times and love his playing. A fantastic sound from a great band. What a line up!

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1386791274' post='2304682'] This has turned into an elo thread. What about Neil diamond, mungo jerry, Lynne Anderson , the rubettes boney m etc. ? [/quote] That's strange because when i think of ELO i also think of those performers. Very 70s middle of the road pop pop-pickers.

He's not the new guitar messiah.......he's just a very naughty boy.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1386770226' post='2304251'] Perspective (to answer the OP's question) [/quote] Perspective? Isn't that an old Barry Manilow track?

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1386764487' post='2304136'] This is brilliant! What bass is that..? [/quote] Ibanez SRX700?

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1386760996' post='2304079'] yep, you've convinced me, one man's cheesy is another man's classic is a another man's fun song [/quote] Indeed. Perhaps we've discovered that there is a very thin line between 'cheesy', 'classic' and 'fun' songs.

[quote name='still-young' timestamp='1386698918' post='2303266'] Okay I have thought about it and I really want the squier one, I know it's shallow but it's the nicest looking, the cheapest, and closest to an actual bass vi, if I got one would I have to flip the nut to string it leftie? [/quote] I've found that the best resource for all things Bass VI is the 'Bass VI Players' Facebook page. I'm sure that someone on there could answer that question and you may find that someone has done it already.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1386760781' post='2304072'] The level of playing standard on all this stuff from that period of gems never stops amazing me. And not to mention the top, top arranging and writing is criminal. It was great how most of the players and writing/arranging teams on those sessions drew from all their Jazz background experience. Thanks for the video post, not stumbled on that one before. [/quote]\ Yes, really impressive. In the 60s and 70s an album would often be released with no sessions musicians listed at all. It was only later that these musicians got the credit they deserved. It took me years to find out who played on the first few Laura Nyro LPs and when i finally did it was just all the regular New York first call session musicians. Talking about session musicians it's worth listening to these podcasts: http://www.insidemusicast.com/archives/ There's some great memories of session work on some of those podcasts. The Chuck Rainey one is fascinating where he talks about those days when there were New York session players played on all the hits recorded in NYC and West Coast session musicians that played on the hits recorded in LA.

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1386758055' post='2304026'] Ah my lecturer was discussing this book with us. It sounds like an amazing read but the cheapest I can find it is for £99.. Knowledge is valuable I guess.. [/quote] Unfortunately all those sort of books are expensive. A library somewhere may well have it though. I saw George Russell with his band a few times in the 80s and 90s. I also went to listen to him talk about the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organisation on stage before a gig once as well. Unfortunately i can't read a note of music and 90% of it went totally over my head but it was still an interesting experience!

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1386676216' post='2302877'] it don't get cheesier than Nellie the Elephant, always our final song, but yeah there's a lot of snobbery going off when bands say 'we're not doing this or that because its too cheesy, a pissed up crowd on a Saturday night love to singalong to a cheesy/classic song (delete as applicable), and we are entertainers aren't we? [/quote] I don't see Nellie The Elephant as a cheesy song. It's just a fun song. Playing something like Copacabana would be cheesy.

Here's an example of a Film Soundtrack that Carol Kaye played on.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hVF4u01kKs

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1386755549' post='2303969'] You'd be surprised. I have met two bassists who'd never heard of her. A great lady who is still playing at 78 years old. [/quote] I'd be amazed if anyone on BC hasn't heard of her but if they haven't then what a pleasant discovery! No one really talked about any these session players at the time and they certainly weren't talked about in the way they are today. It took a long time for them to get the recognition for what they brought to those recordings.

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1386712177' post='2303626'] You've heard her so many times without even knowing. [/quote] Oh i know alright and would expect i'm not the only one who knows.

This good enough? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E4mSZXwx2I

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1386679122' post='2302936'] I'm a dad - do I count? [/quote] Indeed you do! I was just surprised that so many peoples Dad's had ELO LPs. I didn't know anyone of my age that had ELO LPs in the 70s. We were all into anything but ELO in those days.

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1386679122' post='2302936'] My dad is into classical and opera - he has hundreds of classical albums! He would play piano all afternoon on a Sunday - Chopin, Grieg and Debussey mostly [/quote] That really sounds fantastic. Yesterday i was listening to Debussy's Complete Piano Music on cd but to sit in room with someone playing something like that on a Sunday afternoon is a bit mind blowing to me. Brilliant.

[quote name='JuliusGroove' timestamp='1386614504' post='2302221'] Ah excellent.. I'm pretty sure I can use Milestones as an example of the roots even if it's not the first song that did use it. But I know I'll have a stronger piece if I can really break down where it came from. [/quote] This may be of interest to you...... http://www.georgerussell.com/lc.html

[quote name='ash' timestamp='1386616952' post='2302270'] I decided against it as on closer inspection I wondered if it were possibly NOS? No serial number plate is odd and the lack of position markers on the fretboard made me think it may have originally been fretless. A rarity however and £460 is pretty good going for a Modulator. [/quote] Yes, i decided to pass on that one as well.

I'm 60 but certainly wasn't listening to anything like ELO in the 70s. That was thought of as TOTP fodder at the time to me. This was a rich period for music so surely there must be some Dads out there that were into The Clash, Joy Division etc.

Come on then, who's going to be taking that trip to Essex to pick it up?

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1386606982' post='2302084'] OK. Fair point. One does tend to forget that the cheaper end of the bass scale wasn't always as good as it is now. [/quote] I also should have said that i have a Squier Bronco that i paid £88 (brand new and including postage!) for about 5 years ago which in my opinion is better than a couple of 70s Musicmasters that i've played. I do think though that the Bronos at the price they were when i bought mine were a steal.

What about one of these.... http://www.eastwoodguitars.co.uk/Bass/sidejack-bassvi/images/sidejackvi-big/1848sidejackvintagecreamFINAL.jpg

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1386607382' post='2302095'] In honour of Spike Milligan I have to ask - what were ELO doing in your school uniform? [/quote] That's an image i won't be able to get out of my head for a while. Brilliant.