BrunoBass

Some of our song choices are too obscure I think; the majority of our pub audience won't know Buckcherry or Temperance Movement. Yes they're cool songs and I enjoy playing them but they are not exactly crowdpleasers. There's a bit of an intra-band difference of opinion on this issue.

Angel Olsen's 'My Woman' is the album I've most enjoyed this year. It starts with stroppy, electro tinged indie pop and slowly evolves into dark, brooding Americana with a hint of classic Fleetwood Mac. She's really good I think. My 16 year old son insists I listen to Kendrick Lamar. I haven't got round to it yet, not being much of a fan of modern hip hop, but perhaps over Christmas I'll find an hour to sit back with some headphones and a large single malt and see what I think.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread here but it's better than starting another one the same, and it's pertinent to my current situation. So, bass players in covers bands: is it important to you to have some influence over new additions to your setlist (in order to have your tastes reflected in what your band plays) or are you happy to play what you're told to play (whether you like the song or not) just for the pleasure of being in a band?

I recently sold my old Tascam Digital Portastudio. I use Garageband on my iPad mini a Samson USB mic now. Excellent sound quality and ease of use. For building demos with live acoustic instruments and vocals it beats the Tascam hands down.

I play bass and provide BVs. I also look after our Twitter and Instagram accounts (our frontman does Facebook and our website) and along with the others come up with our set list, load in and out and set up / tear down.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1481209645' post='3190587'] I guess a spring washer or a rough sided washer might help [/quote] The other night I did my usual pre-gig tightening of the nuts (knock yourselves out, double entendre fans) and they were still loose by the end of the gig. My strap ends are particularly thick and 'spongey' though which might explain the movement?

Kong Pitch Black. Fast, accurate, nice big screen. And cheaper than the TC Polytunes my six string bandmates use.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1481199680' post='3190416'] I find the outer nut that sits on the washer can come loose. [/quote] Glad it's not just me.

My covers band includes two very capable guitarists but (not blowing my own trumpet or anything) the band member that gets the most comments at a gig is little old me, the bass player. I'm at best an adequate bass player but people regularly mention my playing and sound. I'm not a show-y, flamboyant player but my playing is quite 'up front' in the band sound and people seem to like it! I'm happy with that! It's nice to get positive comments.

'Let's leave it for January and will have a think.' That's your answer right there. I'd take that as it's over. Pity.

I'll say hi and chat to band members if they head in my general direction after the gig or during the interval, but I wouldn't approach them or seek them out. It's good to talk to other musicians though, whether they're bass players or otherwise. I'm more likely to talk to bands that we're sharing a bill with. I don't think I would ask them if they used Basschat! I find people are more likely to approach me for a chat when I've done a solo gig, rather than after a gig with my band.

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1480675749' post='3186262'] Yes, we play there at least once a year. [/quote] We got offered the Fairport Fringe there this year but had to turn it down due to holidays etc. Hopefully we'll be there next year. Great pub though.

I love dub reggae, particularly from the 70s. I can remember hearing it coming from the windows of the tower blocks across from where I lived in the West Midlands when i was a kid, circa 1977. I'd never heard anything like it, I didn't know what it was or what it was called then but the sounds, the space and sheer power fascinated me, and I'm sure subconsciously fueled my love of bass. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown is genius.

[quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1480938942' post='3188157'] Had possibly the worst gig I've ever played on Friday night. A best-remain-nameless bar in Aberdeen, a venue apparently on a slippery slope as it is (we were told that taxi drivers are telling customers it's closed down when they ask to be taken there!). There were times on Friday when there were up to 20 people in, but mostly it was 5 or 6. They eventually switched off the giant TV beside us halfway through our second set, which was nice, but left the others on. The landlord turned up drunk, glowered at us while sinking a couple of pints, then disappeared out again. Anyhow, the head barmaid was going around with a face on her like Judge Dredd. I honestly looked at her and wondered how she could get her mouth into that shape. So we played, occasionally with a few lonesome-sounding claps after a tune. It really was like a paid rehearsal. A few folks got into it, had the occasional dance or bout of fist-pumping. We finished on time, got paid, packed up and went home. Here's the best bit. When he got home, our guitarist found that the guy that books us in there (a 3rd party agent) had emailed him. It seems that the bar staff had emailed asking him to contact us and get us to turn down because we were "about 25% too loud". This is a new one on me. Why the bar staff didn't feel they could come up and speak to us between songs - as happens anywhere else - is totally beyond me. We're all in our 40s (at least) and not very scary. Fortunately, we don't have any further bookings in there. The punters are fine (when they turn up) but the management is beyond amateur. I won't miss it one little bit. First time I've ever really not enjoyed a gig ... spent most of my time counting down the setlist! [/quote] I feel your pain. We had a very similar experience recently. I refer you to my post here on 7/11: 'We played at a well known rock bar in the East Midlands which in the interests of professionalism I'm not going to mention. It was our second gig there, having been rebooked following a gig earlier in the year. In short, it was the worst gig I've ever played and I'm pretty cheesed off with the whole situation. We arrived to find that the person who booked us had gone home, and nobody else on the staff seemed to know or care who we were. We bought four friends with us which was good because they outnumbered the clientele for most of the night, and provided the only applause / audience noise etc. The songs we played when they went outside for a smoke were greeted with complete silence from the remaining punters, and I mean absolute silence, no acknowledgement whatsoever. The bar owner/ manager started complaining that we were too loud (we weren't). We explained to him that our amps and PA were balanced volume wise with the drum kit (unmiced, apart from the kick) and that we couldn't turn the drums down. He then proceeded to walk around the venue for the rest of the set with his fingers in his ears, which he clearly thought was very funny, but I thought was f***ing rude. Not happy.' It honestly makes me wonder why some bars or pubs bother putting on bands, if it's that much of a hassle for them!

Tarrant Anderson from Frank Turner's band uses a Laney rig, and a one of the guys I know in local metal band I Cried Wolf has just picked up a Laney endorsement. Laney appear to be alive and well.

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1480861919' post='3187608'] Hot, sweaty, full, a couple of free pints and a reasonable payer. What more could you want. a great night. [/quote] That's exactly the kind of gigs I love playing.

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1480861919' post='3187608'] Absolutely heaving pub in Arundel, candlelight festival on during the evening so the High St (where the pub is) was shut. Arundel is usually a real pain as far as parking goes, but we had passes for entry to the High St for unloading etc. and as the event was pretty much over security chap said we could just leave our cars there. Easiest time parking ever. We played well, the crowd were really enthusiastic (drunk?) - we even had people dancing on tables at one point! Highlight of the evening for me was a very nice young lady called Hannah who came and gyrated in front of me while her friend recorded it on her 'phone after we had sung Happy Birthday for her. Hot, sweaty, full, a couple of free pints and a reasonable payer. What more could you want. a great night. And of course we have been rebooked for next year. [/quote] That's exactly the kind of gigs I love playing.

Paddy McAloon is one of my favourite songwriters, criminally underrated I think.

Our last gig of the year last night at The Bell in Bicester, one of our favourite places to play. Really good night, we played really well, monster tone from my new Rockinbetter. Lots of 'up for it' punters, couple of office Christmas pub crawls all ready for a beer, a dance and a sing. A great way to bow of our what has been a good years gigging for us. I'm absolutely knackered this morning, I'm finding that the whole gigging experience increasingly takes it out of me, and I'm aiming to scale it back a bit next year.

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1480674255' post='3186247'] Hah! I'm playing in Cropredy in a couple of weeks. [/quote] Is that at The Brasenose Dave?

[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1480673277' post='3186238'] Cropredy has a lot to answer for! [/quote] Ha it sure does!

[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1480634807' post='3186086'] Banbury seems to have its fair share. [/quote] We do indeed, as does Leamington, just up the road. Loads of bands and venues to play, lots of festivals in the summer - not bad for a town of 45k!

I'm currently loving a bit of Giuda - an Italian band with a taste for 1970s glam influenced stomping bovver rock. Loads of fun, tongue firmly in cheek. I bet they're great live. Ace chunky bass tone too. http://youtu.be/28wL4Jvq2k4

I've just acquired a new bass with a bound fingerboard. I've never played a bass with a bound fingerboard before, and despite the presence of marker dots on the binding I'm getting lost, because I can't see the ends of the frets. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get around this problem? My initial thought was to mark thin lines on the binding with marker pen, but I think these would soon rub off. Another idea was to scratch lines into the binding at each fret and then cover with marker pen which woukd leave a thin black line when rubbed away. However I'd rather not permanently mark the binding if at all possible. Any ideas please?

I was a massive fan of R.E.M. from the first album right up until Monster, and apart from the occasional flicker of greatness thereafter I lost interest after that album. Indeed, I consider Out Of Time and Automatic For The People to be amongst the greatest popular music ever made. In my opinion they should have called it quits when Bill Berry left, but there you go. A fantastic, inventive band that left an important and envious legacy.