markmcclelland

Oh yes. Seems like a little thing but I guess really quite important. Noted and will be done. Thanks for that thought Pete.

Mate, that is really appreciated. Thanks so much for letting me know.

[color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] An extract from one of the latest entries. [/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] ---[/font][/color] [color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] The day kind of goes a bit wobbly when I check my email and there’s one from Paul. Actually, it’s from the owner of the business to him. It goes something like this: “We don’t need anyone in the warehouse but we are looking for someone to start in the office, doing the job similar to what you used to do."[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] I call Paul and he says, ‘If you want it, the job’s 99 per cent yours.’[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] I don’t see it at all. I get talking to Jenn about it and practically dismiss the idea. ‘What? There’s unemployment all over London and they have a basic office admin job and they’re thinking about taking on someone in Madrid who they’ve never met? Does that sound real to you?’ Of course not.[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]

Some technical issues have meant nothing new has been up for a while but it's up with a bang now. Loads to catch up on. The fallout out of Costa Blanca continues, the battle of the August Madrid heat goes on and one two minute phone call changes everything. Oh, and it's all happening in 2014.

[color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Diary update: Back in Madrid and August is biting hard. A Madrid August knows no mercy at the best of times. Where is the next good news, or any news for that matter, coming from?[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Huge difference between being a pro and having a pro attitude"[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Agreed to that.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I guess we only have to look at any one of a thousand footballers. Musicians too, I'm sure.[/font][/color]

[color=#292F33][font=Arial, sans-serif] Up to day 17 in the diary of a wanabee pro bassist. Fresh back from Costa Blanca and now in Madrid looking at how the music scene works there.Or doesn't. Also checking out my prospects. It doesn't look good.[/font][/color][color=#292F33][font=Arial, sans-serif] [url="http://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/"]marksdiaries.wordpress.com[/url][/font][/color]

Our first show was new years eve in the Holiday Inn, Camden. Now I'm just about to start booking us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P07CAHgLeE

Excellent. Thankyou very much and thanks for letting me know. Hope you enjoy it.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1452344587' post='2949062'] I see that you are putting a Part 2 online, now that you are back in Madrid. Are you going to analyse lessons learnt from your adventures on the Costa Blanca, how you would do things differently if you were to do it again and how this is going to affect your future plans?? [/quote] Hey Pete Thanks for checking in. First, yes, everything you suggested happened and future plans were indeed decided as a direct result of it. As I sit here now, what was last posted on Wordpress is about 18 months ago, July 2014. The diary is still continuing and is all there to be posted which is what's happening at the moment with that site. Until now, it's only been available on a paid subscription site. About two weeks ago, with prompting from a loyal reader, it finally went public and she's administering and editing the posts that go up there.

[quote name='DaveFry' timestamp='1452343308' post='2949046'] A young bull and an old bull are standing at the top of a hill . The young one exclaims " Hey . there is a herd of cows down there ! Let's charge down and bonk one each ! ". The old one calmly replies " No. We'll walk down there and bonk the lot of them . " [/quote] An old (well not that old) wise and played with a ton of famous people bass mentor of mine once said this a lot to me

So many amazing stories on here. I can't get through them all. Looks like someone could compile, publish and sell the lot of them. Hell, I'd buy it. Love the initial post but think the drummer who didn't think it would be that hard is my favourite. I've put the shoe on the other foot here before saying I've been playing over 20 years now and have auditioned plenty of people as well as being in the hot seat myself, passed a few and passed on a few bands who passed me. Millions of years ago, well, around 20 I guess, I'd got my first bass and learnt a bunch of G 'n' R songs purely with tab. Within a few months, I figured that if I could play them then I could learn other stuff so felt ready for my first auditions. I went to one and what they were playing was really simple and I was able to catch it by ear. But then the guitarist started calling out changes. A...C...Eb that kind of thing. I stopped it and said: 'Can't you just say first string fifth fret or something like that?' Well that was that audition over. Coda: A few months after that audition I did manage to get in my first band and started gigging with them four months later. Lasted for a few years. So I must have learnt something from that horrible awkward one.

No. You're just more mature and are enjoying the anticipation.

Amazing to see. For many reasons. Thanks a lot for putting that up.

Great story and very well dealt with. It's probably best to cut your losses at places like this as soon as. Nice friends the owner has by the way.

Maybe I'm simplifying it but it could be just possible you're trying to dive in too deep at once and maybe connect to everything at once. But yes, I've seen a few people mention you get a good teacher and that would probably be the best way to start, especially seeing how your frustration seems to be deep rooted and long standing. But if what you're playing works, keep going at that too. Don't let lack of theory stop you but yes, if you can get some theory into there, it would also be good. But hey, hundreds and more of amazing songs and basslines were written and played without the guys knowing anything about the underlying theories of what they were doing.

Bloody hell Lewis. I just read day 13 back again for the first time since I wrote it. I had a few genuine shocks and a couple of laughs too. Guess I'd deleted parts of it from the memory bank. Day fourteen and Costa Blanca comes to a climax with Madrid looming large.

Cheers man.

Blue, great to see you on here. As to what you said, I have to very respectfully disagree. First off, if your attitude is professional, then you've decided to take that attitude. Therefore, you decide if you're professional or not. But bottom line. If you get paid, you are professional. End of. No matter how good or bad you are. Also, if you don't get paid but think like a professional and take that in all that you do, then you're more likely to actually become professional. But yes. I get what you're saying about famous guys you wouldn't call pro because if X guy wasn't in Y band, would he be working as a bassist? In many cases, probably not. That's not the first time I've come across that. But still, he/she gets paid. So, profession? Bass player. Also, I think that no matter how good we get, there's always another ten levels to aspire to so there will always be that feeling of inadequacy or, 'Oh man, I'm still not pro yet.' Unless you are indeed Victor Wooten. To quote American Beauty, 'In order to be a success, one must project an image of success at all times.' Paraphrasing that. 'In order to become professional, one must project an image of professionalism at all times.'

Oh, I should probably add that my last post means that day 13 is actually up now. Along with day 14.

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1452090658' post='2946272'] I think a fair number of people will have considered doing what you've done at some point in our lives Mark, I know I have - that's what makes this such an interesting read.. [/quote] Lewis, it is so cool to hear that and I have heard similar thoughts to what you've said from quite a few people. It does make me feel a touch of responsibility and that in turn makes me go for more experiences to write about. And really, it has kept me going at times. It actually kept me going through day 13 of the Cost Blanca Diary. There was a moment there, and I know exactly when it was, when I thought, 'Oh man, this is so ....ed up. But wow, it will read well in the diary.' And it did. I looked back on it today and there was an absolutely huge reaction to just that one entry. I still can't quite bring myself to read it though.

Oops. Sorry guys. Looks like I got a bit ahead of myself there. Anne Marie, who's putting this together, sent me a message today about reading day 13 and getting ready to put it up. Looks like I misunderstood her. Hopefully it will go up today. But guys, great to know you're looking out for it. Thanks a lot.

Day 13 is up and it's definitely a stand-out day. I remember waking up that day and thinking, so it's the 13th. But I don't believe in that stuff so I won't worry about it. Oh, I so should have been worried about it. Anne Marie, who is administering the site for me and who read it all from the beginning said this today. [size=4][color=#373E4D][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"That one almost killed me. Too much emotions. Was there one single day worse than day 13? Apart from ... ?[that one will have to wait]. I can't think of one more terrible than what I just read... "[/font][/color][/size] [color=#373E4D][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I might actually have to go back and have a look at it myself. But maybe not just yet. [/font][/color]

Thankyou very much Lewis.

Days 10, 11 and 12 of the diaries are now up.