Old Man Riva

I’ve used Bass Direct to sell basses on a commission basis ranging from expensive vintage instruments to sub £1000 ones and they’ve done an excellent job every time - on a few occasions managing to get me more money than I’d requested/they’d advised they could. Based on my experience I can’t recommend Bass Direct highly enough...

Mani should’ve been more careful, too...

Looks lovely, sir! May it bring you many years of fun and fulfilment..! How do you find the Low Tension Flats?

Really enjoyed it (seeing Wreckless Eric on TV is always a bonus!), though, as Frank referenced, Noddy was a bit on the (over) enthusiastic side. I seem to recall there was a programme on BBC Four a while back along similar lines, though not sure if it’s still available. Freeview does the job for me - any service that gives me access to The Sweeney, The Professionals, Columbo, Kojak, a bit of 70s footy and the Friday evening music stuff on BBC Four can’t be bad! The recent addition of Sky Arts is a real plus - it’s the one Sky channel I wished I had previously but now it’s part of Freeview all’s good...

From a bass perspective there are some really good Tim Lefebvre interviews on YouTube where he discusses his work on Black Star... well worth a watch.

Adam Buxton is a big Bowie fan - his podcasts/radio shows are well worth a listen re. Bowie. It might be unfair but I always tend to think of Visconti being like he’s portrayed in the Adam Buxton/Warszawa clip!

Love that! (live performance). Thank you so much for posting/sharing...

A mate sent a link to this, which I’d not heard before (the band or the track). In a parallel universe Hawkwind, Neu, Bowie, Buzzcocks and their associated mates all met in a field, plugged in and got on with things...

I really like that! It sounds like the end credits to some obscure 1970s US (West Coast) cop show... Thanks for sharing...

I concede..! I agree. It’s not for everyone, it has to be said! I think Pete decided very early on in his career to focus on throwing shapes and the rest would follow... which it did!

None as low as Mr Pete’s..!

I’d encourage anyone who wanted to learn a bit about funky bass playing to listen to The Meters. The bass player, George Porter Jr, lays down some terrifically funky lines. Generally not too taxing to play, (and brilliant to play along to) George’s feel for the bass, and his brilliant use of space (i.e. every note counts, and there’s often tons of space between them), for me, make them essential listening. I wish someone had steered me towards them earlier in my bass playing years!

Same here! I thought he’d left the music behind with The Invisible Girls... turns out he had!

An ode to JCC...

At a guess (and it is a guess as I have no knowledge of the bass other than from Bubinga’s post) I reckon Mark will be aware of how it’s listed rather than it slipping through the net. I’m a fan of Mark and Bass Direct but I’m surprised it’s listed the way it is - I personally think they’d have been wiser listing it as a parts bass, with specific reference to the vintage neck and then other quality component parts. But, hey-ho, it’s not my business and I’m sure they can see the logic in what they’re doing!

These get a good write up, seems a decent price too... https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/modern-bass-guitars/sire-version-2-marcus-miller-p7-alder-4-string-black

To add a bit of context... whilst I’m not saying that I think the neck is worth it, if you were to look to buy an early 1970s Jazz neck then it’d probably cost around £1000 on the conservative side - as I say, I’m not defending the cost, just giving some context on one of the component parts. Add the cost of the body, finish, Aguilar p/ups and other hardware and it would probably cost what it’s listed for to put together - and yes, I’m aware that it’s entirely possible to put together a bass of similar/superior quality for less money!! Also bear in mind that, given the type of bass it is, then it’s also entirely possible that it’s a commission sale where Bass Direct will be taking circa 20%. If it came up for sale on this excellent site for circa £1000-£1250 it wouldn’t be a great surprise (to me, anyroad!) if it were to sell. As I say, I’m not trying to justify the price (as it’s worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it!) just trying to add some context regarding how much it would cost to put together the same bass, esp. with the cost of a vintage neck included. And personally, if it were my choice, I wouldn’t be listing it as a Fender either...

... well there is that to it! Where are Half Man Half Biscuit when you need them?

That, my friend, sounds like the makings of a terrific set. What else do you do? I’ve tied myself up in knots with the Roadrunner track. I’ve convinced myself that we used to listen to a single version where, once you’d got to the end of the A-side, you’d flip it over and the B-side would be a continuation of the track. I can’t find any confirmation of this anywhere, so can only imagine that I’m, erm, imagining it... Edit: Ignore that, I’ve just looked at Wikipedia...

I’m putting it solely down to cheaper or cut price tickets, but the midnight train seems to have had its fair share of passengers over the years... Sometimes it can be fairly definitive in its destination, and sometimes not!

Whilst not as bad, due to me being not ‘up’ on the popular beat combos of our time, I thought the band was Nigel Hitter and the track was called Shame! But, yeah, your misunderstanding is worse!!

I like this a lot...

I was 17 when I first heard it. A mate bought the album and knew a bit about the situation in South Africa and told me more about it. As with you it was this song that led me to learn more about Apartheid (I became a member of Amnesty International as a result - actually physically writing letters in the pre-online/internet/email era!). Again, like your good self (and in line with the other song of the era you’re referring to), since those days I too have also met nice South Africans! The Biko track is an amazing piece of music, IMVHO...

Hearing this for the first time (and since)...

This was released around the time I really started to learn the bass. Along with tracks like Roadrunner by The Modern Lovers and Spanish Stroll by Mink DeVille, the Wreckless Eric track was great to try and play along to. As I fumbled through it was the first song where I was aware of hearing/properly noticing a high bass noodle! - it blew my mind! (edited to say, I think Derek Forbes played a similar noodle on the intro to Simple Minds’ debut single Chelsea Girl - and what’s good enough for Mr Forbes..!) Hearing this on the radio was a breath of fresh air...