skankdelvar

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1330013435' post='1551442'] Other people (I'm one of them) would choose a band name that gives promoters and audiences some sort of idea of the music we play.[/quote] Which would be the logical thing to do. If your bandmates really want to be quirky and creative and humourous, why don't they just go and do some stand-up? KevB can probably give them some useful tips.

[quote name='kerley' timestamp='1329985004' post='1550677'] Adam Clayton is presumably happy enough to play the role he does and maybe doesn't want to go into other fields. That doesn't mean he can't or couldn't play more technically and creatively challenging music. [/quote] By strange coincidence, I found an envelope stuffed into my letterbox this morning. It contained a transcript of some off-mike dialogue during the most recent U2 recording session. [quote]Bono: ... and those poor wee babies. Me heart just melted so I got on the phone to... Mullen: Dat Pope. And the nuns. Edge: Are you done, guys? Adam - the chords are C - F - Bb. All the way through. Nice steady roots, please. I'll be doing a pattern... Clayton: With lots of delay, right? Loads of fecking modulated delay going in fecking polychromatic fecking counterpoint bloody ping-pong from left to fecking right and fecking back again over a fecking 4/4 beat. There's a fecking surprise. (rolls eyes) Edge: But... Clayton: Just like every fecking song you've ever brought in. All this fecking chiming wash. Just because you can't fecking solo. Same reason you wear the fecking hat. It's not like you're bald or anything cos you aren't. There's hair under that fecking hat, Dave. You just need people wondering if you're bald to take their minds off the fact that YOU CAN'T FECKIN' PLAY. (Wrestles guitar off Edge and whacks out some efficient jazz comping and a Wes Montgomery chord solo) Clayton: There, you big fecking bollocks. Fecking do that. Go on, fecking do it! Edge: Look, I... Clayton: I've been teaching fusion jazz bass at Berklee for 15 years under an assumed fecking name just because you do this fecking echo sh*t and I have to sit on the fecking roots 1 feck 2 feck 3 feck 4 and no-one's supposed to know that fecking Wooten - WOOTEN FOR FECK'S SAKE - rang me up and said "Give us a lesson Ad. I'll pay you". Bono: Those babies... Clayton: Shut the feck up about the feckin' babies. There's fecking bass forums out there that think I'm a fecking gobsh*te from down the fecking country plays like a fecking turnip. And because they think I can't play they rip the feckin' piss out of my fecking signature basses. Edge: I... Clayton: Have you got a signature guitar Dave? Have you? HAVE YOU GOT A FECKING SIG GUITAR? Bono: Babies... Clayton: No. You haven't. And you know what? You haven't even got a signature fecking delay. Feck it. I'm off. First thing I'm doing, it's a fecking Jaco covers album and I'll rip him a new fecking arsehole and then we'll see who's a fecking root note plodder. (Confused shouting, door slams). [/quote] [color=#ffffff].[/color]

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1329925769' post='1549866'] I think it's unlikely, given the level of correct detail... Why go to the bother of furnishing it with a correct neck code if you're going to couple it with an unconvincing body? [/quote] I agree it's unlikely. Either way, one couldn't really call this a 'genuine' bass. That said, how much do 70's necks go for these days? Maybe its worth parting out at £750?

[quote]Certainly, the neck plate's wrong for the period and flatters to deceive[/quote] I wrote this earlier and it's subsequently occurred to me that somebody might have replaced the body and used the 'wrong' neck plate precisely because they [i]didn't [/i]want to fool anyone. Contorted logic, but possible. Either way, there's a question mark and I wouldn't be plunging into the arcane world of '70's Fenders - Good or Bad?' - if I was just starting out like the OP. In fact, I wouldn't be plunging in even now.

TBH, there's enough of a whiffy smell about this that I'd pass. Not suggesting for a moment that your mate's a scammer, just that a scammer [i]might[/i] have been involved at some point in the bass's history. Certainly, the neck plate's wrong for the period and flatters to deceive Given the limited info to hand, there's even a remote possibility the neck's a fake - maybe an old Antoria or something redrilled for Fender tuners. Only way to get an indication is to: * Check the neck heel and see if it's got the recess for the metal adjuster plate. * Whip the tuners off and see if there are screw holes for smaller tuner plates For £750 you could get a nice clean Jazz out of the BC for sale forum. If you check the feedback section you'll know if you're buying from a legit BC-er. And for £1200, the world's your oyster. 'Vintage' basses. It's a minefield, as you can see from some of the other posts in this thread.

I suppose the most celebrated instance of audience contempt was the occasion when Mr Roger Waters (he alleges) spat on a fan for cheering during a quiet song. As every schoolboy knows, this event propelled Mr Waters into writing The Wall, possibly the most wrist-slashing rock album ever. A lesson for us all, I think.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1329790487' post='1547538'] you can't tell me the people who like them know anything about music when they accept such stuff...[/quote] Troo dat. They will almost certainly not know the difference between 4/4 and 6/8 time, nor will they be familiar with the circle of fifths. The mention of Jaco Pastorious will invite a nervous giggle and a comment on the lines of " 'Oo's 'e, then? Your Dad?". No-one should be allowed into a gig unless they can produce accreditation from a recognised school of music. Uneducated louts walk up and give us money and enjoy themselves. Do they worship our musicianship? No. They just "Want a good time", the pathetic losers. They're scum and I want to shoot them in the face.

I can see how pro musicians or those who are locked into a semi- pro band for financial reasons might hate their customers sometimes. In our day jobs, whatever they may be, who has not felt the urge to choke the sh*t out of some annoying numpty punter at some point. I know I have. And if - as is the case with bands - the product you are selling is yourself, then a tepid reaction must be particularly galling. But to slag off an audience for doing what most of us would [i]hope[/i] they would do seems a little strange. This weird logic may be explained by an underlying sentiment along the lines of "I'm better than these tasteless bastards, me". Well, that may be true, but that's the gig one is lumped with, and if one can't get a better one, then that's as good as one is going to be for the foreseeable future. Best to resign oneself - regret is a cruel mistress, y'know. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

I once felt contempt for an individual audience member. He spent the first set drunkenly stalking to and fro across the front of the stage, scowling and windmilling his arms and yelling at punters and screaming "You're a w***er" at our singer. He spent the second set trying to persuade us to let his fat teenage daughter "get up and sing along, you c**ts". It wasn't even a wedding, ffs. So yes, I have stood there and thought "You pathetic idiot". But not about people who are enjoying what I'm doing. How very odd.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1329757672' post='1546854'] gnostic [/quote] Nice.

[quote name='kerley' timestamp='1329754848' post='1546804'] The clubs are for those desperately seeking a sense of belonging and feel they share something with others by choosing the same bass (most probably)[/quote] Two interesting observations there and subsequently. It might indeed be the case that some of those 'club' members are the sort of chap that spends long winter evenings scanning Russian Bride websites the better to curtail his extended virginhood. Yet could one not level the same inference at people who join Bass websites like - er - where we are now? My good friend Kevin laughs immoderately when I mention the name 'Basschat', yet colours with irritation when I poke fun at his membership of The Rover P5 Owners Club. Are most men not defensively obsessive about their interests and seek the company of the like-minded? Being of a generally sunny disposition, I tend to ignore the faint and possibly unintended whiff of exclusivity inherent in the term 'Club' and assume that the second observation is the case. That people simply wish to share a possibly unhealthy interest in specific details and - perhaps - to swap practical information such the availability of spare parts, Rover air filters or Muscovite divorcees, etc. If nothing else, by confining egregious geekery to a well-signposted enclosure, the disinterested may pass by in safety. Long live the clubs! [color=#ffffff].[/color]

Cocktail sticks. Harder wood so they'll keep their shape when you cut them. Don't push them in, cut them off and [i]then[/i] sand them flat - you'll just bugger up the finish around the holes. I know - I've done it. Just push one into the hole as far it will go. Mark it with a pencil, pull it out and cut just inside the mark. Then you'll be flush-ish. Tiny bit of wood glue on the stick and shove it back in. Colour Matching: If you're picky, you can gently sand and colour stain the ends before you glue them in. If you're lazy like me, cut them microscopically too short, shove 'em in and dab a tiny, tiny bit of matching wax crayon or boot polish into the little depression. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

If one reads the thread, it appears (as far as anyone can [i]know[/i]) that the bass was sold to the purchaser by an employee of a maintenance company clearing rental premises where the previous occupier had died. The premises having been vacated, it is alleged that the property rights resided with the rental landlords who authorised their employee to sell it on; and that the current owner claims that the transaction complies with his home State's law and has been legally validated. Now that's what the thread's OP claims to be the case. The whole thing could be a hoax, a wind-up or a fabrication. After all, people will post any old nonsense to get kudos from their online community. The big fracas on TB (which actually isn't that much of a fracas by our standards here) is about the morality of the purchase rather than the loveliness of the bass. Which latter is what really matters, after all.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1329575505' post='1544431'] Personally, if I'd sold 150M records and still had royalty cheques coming in, I wouldn't give a toot whether I was considered trendy or not. [/quote] I believe that's certainly Mr Collins' take on the matter - he has been quoted as such in a number of interviews. Critical acclaim has never seemed to matter to the band at any stage in their career. More importantly, Genesis have enjoyed both cult 'credibility' and wide popular acclaim. Just not at the same time. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

Downturn of biblical proportions As so many others here have observed, opportunities now lie before you which would otherwise have remained unrealised. Easy to say, I know, but you're the sort of chap most people would be delighted to have in their beat combos. Talented, hardworking, loyal, quality gear and a tight, sexy little tush to draw the female punters in. Per ardua, etc. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

Outside the pop charts, I'd have thought there were crillions of guitar heroes under 25, all slaving away in different sub-genres. I can't name any though, because I haven't bought any 'new' music since 1986. Can someone fill in for me? Ta.

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1329381698' post='1541402'] some gifted musician who had insights into the middle earth and knew elfs and goblins personally. [/quote] It had to be said... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw[/media]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1329249179' post='1539631'] It's true. Marillion are 467 times more punk than Green Day could ever be. Punks lasting legacy is probably the DIY ethos in music. [/quote] And eyeliner for men. Don't forget eyeliner. Nice touch parking this thread in Basses. Keeps the riff-raff out.

Whether ultimately innovative or not, punk was an important moment in the development of pop music. If nothing else, it was tremendous fun. For all that some might exaggerate 'the end of musicianship', it is quite obvious that the pre-punk behemoths of bombast managed to soldier on for a good long while. Many are still with us, for good or evil. Rather than a ground-zero of destruction, it was more an injection of new-ish blood and new-ish attitudes to songwriting and performance. With the benefit of hindsight, many of the punk bands I loved were simply derivations of 60's garage or second-generation copies of the Ramones (to whom all praise). But the best ones transcended their limitations to produce some very interesting music. If punk's sole contribution was to enlarge the pop 'songbook', then it was a job well done. But the collateral benefits of "Let's give it a go", self-production and cottage-industry record labels have greatly benefitted the diversity of our musical community. God knows, Marillion wouldn't still be going were it not for the DIY punk ethos. The desirability of said outcome will depend upon one's tastes. [color=#ffffff].[/color]

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1329241262' post='1539462'] The Beatles? Who are they? [/quote] 60's boyband. No big deal.

Of course, were Mr Lennon still alive he might derive a certain satisfaction from these events. I imagine a certain impish glee twinkling away behind those spectacles. Funny too, how the Beatles, the progressive exponents of the sentiment "All you need is love" are being used as a baton by those who no doubt warbled tunelessly along to that ditty on its debut.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329240515' post='1539437'] Nothing is real! [/quote] ... and nothing to get hung (up) about. Jai Discreet - Om. Funny how people don't go "Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" anymore.

[quote name='Austin7' timestamp='1329234454' post='1539262'] For lack of a better term, this is what might best be called "presentism." There seems to be a deliberate attempt to ignore the past, to be willfully unaware of history itself. The idea is that if it's from the past, it couldn't possibly be important. The only thing relevant is what is happening NOW. [/quote] I take your point. Many young (and not-so-young) people consider the past to be irrelevant. Many older people consider the present to be worse than the past. Neither position sets one up for a happy and productive life. A degree of compromise and open-mindedness goes a long way, which is why I excorciate those who would intemperately condemn others for not sharing their scale of values. Particularly when it comes to elderly pop stars. As mentioned above, "WTF is PMcC" has become a (probably short-lived) internet meme. Those greybeards who have bunched their panties over this minor blip should put on 'Yesterday' and go and have a nice lie-down. All things must pass.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329163692' post='1538269'] How d'you like my new plastic surgery? Pretty smooth, huh? [/quote] 'Smooth' doesn't even begin to describe it. Lustrous, pearlescent and friction-free. It's like a big, beautiful graphite stringsaver of avatars. only globular. What about these irate Macca fans, eh? I shall have to deploy The Baddest Word Of All. [b]Le*non[/b] See, I did it. Said I would.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329163163' post='1538258'] I RESEMBLE THAT REMARK! [/quote] Changed your avatar again, I see. Fickle, that's you. Fickle.