skankdelvar

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1408784514' post='2533399'] Having said that, up and coming bands often have to pay (OK, "contribute to the touring expenses of") bigger/more well known bands they support on tour. [/quote] Indeed - and I reckon it happens more often than we think. That '[i]with very special guests ...[/i]' thing on posters always seems a bit suspect.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1408798257' post='2533562'] I take it the band split up later on..? [/quote] Indeed. It was on borrowed time from that moment forth. That the drummer also brought his 'partner' to rehearsals; that she would offer 'objective criticism'; that they were always late to arrive and early to leave; all made their contribution to his departure. Among other enraging acts was his airy, boastful disclosure that the major public company where he worked as a senior accountant was engaged in a substantial tax evasion scheme of his authorship and which also involved the redirection of public PFI funds. So I dobbed him in to HMRC.

As others have mentioned, it is not just the young who pick up other peoples' instruments without asking first. Only time it happened to me was during a first rehearsal with a new band. Went outside to get something, came back and found the drummer strapped into my bass and cranking my amp up with an idiot grin on his moon face. So I asked him if it was OK if I had a go on his drum kit. 'Oh no,' says he. 'I don't like other people using my gear'. The guy in question was about 60 at the time. Clueless-ness and narcissistic entitlement is ubiquitous.

London pay-to-play promoters have been up to this old game for at least 30 years; first time I encountered this practice was about 1982 at The Rock Garden in Covent Garden. The lure for young bands was the fabulous myth that West End venues would be packed with A&R scouts on the hunt for the next big thing. It was all bollocks, of course; the audiences were mostly Japanese tourists who'd sit at their tables nursing a half of lager top and clap politely between numbers. Other, less streetwise bands would tell us that the numbers would always fall [i]just [/i]short of the threshold at which they would be paid. Funny, that. London's glamorous West End was - and still is - a complete snake-pit for 'hopeful' bands. Last time I gigged there we did a support for a mere £50 petrol money just for the fun of sharing a stage with a band who had been our 'major influences' back in the day. [i]Even then[/i] the promoter ducked me for an hour after the gig until I barged my way into his office past a rather camp 'security' guy and laid the matter out for the little reptile in forceful terms. London pay to play? Forget it. If possible, spend the money hiring a room locally and promote one's own gig.

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1408549191' post='2531282'] Perhaps you should consider the "will post at free of charge In soft case " option - what could possibly go wrong? [/quote] What indeed? It's a long way but I suppose I could try to time it to fit with one of Dr Dave's gigs. [size=2]Sings: [/size] [size=2]I might go four hundred miles[/size] [size=2]And I might go four hundred more[/size] [size=2]Just to be the man who bought[/size] [size=2]an ancient semi-hollow Commodore[/size] [size=4]It's all Blue's fault, anyway. [/size]

Bump for old thread and renewed interest in hollow bodies.

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1408521204' post='2530886'] How about this - [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/semi-acoustic-bass/1074534791"]http://www.gumtree.c...bass/1074534791[/url] ? [/quote] Yum! Very nice. A 426 mile round-trip to pick it up...could be worth it. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

My first bass was a Commodore semi, now long gone. 37 years on I have conceived a GAS for another one but they're a bit thin on the ground at the moment. [size=3]Something like this would do nicely.[/size]

Piece about [url="http://ultimateclassicrock.com/darryl-jones-joins-stones/"]Jones joining the Stones[/url] - includes a rare band shot of the 'actual' Stones. [size=3][b]L-R[/b]: Jones, Richards, Jagger, Wood, Leavell, Watts. Guess who gets songwriting credits and who doesn't.[/size]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1408335756' post='2529053'] The app that Skank linked to wants to install all manner of browser toolbars, & while it's possible to turn down the first lot, I gave up at the second hurdle as there seemed to be no way of declining the free PC Health Checker that it desperately wanted me to have. [/quote] Arrgh! Sorry for pointing you at a spamware-laden app. It would seem that things have changed since I downloaded this some while ago. At the time it came without any superfluous add-ons and that's the version I use. Last thing I'd want to do is subject BC-ers to unnecessary trouble. I shall delete my post accordingly

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1408295793' post='2528739'] Seriously though, I'd give both bollocks for a fresh packet of Abbey Crunch. [/quote] Petition to bring back Abbey Crunch [url="http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/abbeycrunch"]here[/url].

I can't help thinking that the pick-up rout (with transparent cover) is crying out for some period-correct biscuit crumbs. Thing is, old biscuits are difficult to find and are often in poor condition while modern biscuits just don't make the cut. So after years of painstaking experimentation I've started baking vintage-spec biscuits using 'Golden Age' original formulas including Trio, Butter Osbourne, Devonet, Tunnocks Wafers and Peek Frean Badgerifics. Drop me a PM or watch the manufacturing process [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"]here[/url].

It is a little-known fact that Nazi Reichsleiter Martin Bormann was an accomplished Kazoo player.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1408123360' post='2527406'] The excellent Waldemar made some slightly smaller trees as per the originals [...] [/quote] The new ones look ten times better! Serial # plate looking good. All round splendid job. Happy happy joy joy.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1408035478' post='2526514'] They don't make 'em like that any more! [/quote] Indeed, though it is no laughing matter. Mr Blackman was an exponent of musical agit-prop at a time when it was neither popular nor profitable. Consider: The choice of song - Mule Train - is designed to evoke the sense of endless, enforced labour, each slave harnessed to his fellow. The Mule is quite clearly representative of Oppressed Man. The tin tray is a symbol for Revolution while Mr Blackman's head and torso are emblematic of the existing body politic. Each blow he strikes upon himself is analogous of the blows that Revolution must make upon the fortress of Reaction. In beating himself thusly he makes a personal sacrifice on all our behalves; it must have bloody hurt, doing that twice nightly and three times on matinee days.

It is disgraceful that the power of music to change society and address the profoundest of issues can be diluted by cheap hawkers of 'fun' and 'entertainment'. For a truly searing social indictment we must turn to Mr Bob Blackman's performance of Mule Train with tin-tray percussion. The whole vid only lasts 88 secs but those pressed for time can bathe in his unbending indignation at about 0:33 [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IbvVTXOIo[/media] [color=#ffffff].[/color]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1407779305' post='2523956'] Oops, thanks mister. [/quote] Not at all, Sir! If you'd not been kind enough to find the page in the first place we'd all be less the wiser.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1407850294' post='2524627'] Anyone got ideas on how to get the flaky paint look ? [/quote] Sharp pointed implement like a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradawl"]bradawl[/url]? Pierce the finish then flake it away in small amounts. The exposed wood will need darkening to simulate the passage of time - maybe a solution of water and fag ash (for that authentic vintage smell).

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1407775799' post='2523894'] [url="http://notomguitars.com/pages/valuations."]http://notomguitars....ges/valuations.[/url] [/quote] Broken linky fixed: [url="http://notomguitars.com/pages/valuations"]http://notomguitars.com/pages/valuations[/url] Their £30 for a basic valuation seems reasonable under the circs.

[quote name='Mr Arkadin' timestamp='1407765636' post='2523718'] Sadly the selfie just reflects what kind of society we've created. [/quote] The first time I saw the word 'selfie' I assumed it was a euphemism for masturbation and it turns out I was right.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407705057' post='2523253'] I have already designed and patented the iSledgehammer [/quote] I prefer the old Sledge Hammer. [size=3][b]Hammer[/b]: Trust me. I know what I'm doing.[/size]

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1407704843' post='2523248'] I think most on BC realise that- it was the posters over at OSG who apparently didn't. My personal feeling is it's nothing like he ordered (in terms of representation on the Spitfire website) AND it's a disgusting guard. But then, I dig surf green, so i'm not exactly a beacon of fine taste. [/quote] I agree in every respect, including liking surf green which is an indication of [i]very[/i] good taste afaic. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

To be fair, the OSG Spitroast (nice one, Roland) while 150 pages in length has presumably been going a while longer than similar threads on certain other forums we might mention. There but for the grace of God go we. OSG is quite a jolly place. I lurk there sometimes for Electric XII porn. [size=3][b]Electric XII[/b]: Rockin' that smurf hat[/size]