Barking Spiders

I normally avoid guitar hero albums like the plague but the exception to the rule is Joe Satriani's 80s to early 00s albums, bar his 1995 eponymous misfire. Thing is these show he has a real knack for melody and a memorable hook, most of which his peers lack, IMO.

I'm a fan of the accordian AND the bagpipes. Here's some double trouble for your pleasure. IMO they work really well together. Could do with a bit of 5 -string banjo though

For instance?

AI can't do any worse than many people have been doing since around 1995. The big name pop and rap stars that've dominated the airwaves this century have set the bar very low. What with Autotone, backing tracks made using Pro Tools, Logic Pro etc AI is only a tiny step further down the line towards the automation of music. If AI also means news about Taylor Swift having a cold sore etc will no longer be a thing then bring it on

The lack of real funk in the world is what's wrong with people in general. Too many blahs. Lovely bit of Bootsy there. Anyway viz the OP the following may be pre 2000 but they're well known so should fit the bill, plus the fact they don't feature brass... Word Up One nation under a groove Nutbush city limits It's a love thing Last night a DJ saved my life Ain't gonna bump no more Oops upside your head There it is

Been listening to a lot of Herbie Hancock's 70s jazz funk albums and I'd nominate all his band members who both excelled on their instruments and also featured on hundreds of recordings by other artists. In particular there was guitarist Wah Wah Watson, the man behind the guitar on Papa Was a Rolling Stone by The Temptations. Other credits include Blondie, Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Cher, Boz Scaggs...

Never can get too much of Herbie Hancock. Here's a nice live vid from 76.. e

Currently caning Pixies phase 2 albums, which are all real growers. I used to think they could never top Doolittle but while that's still their masterpiece, albums such as Head Carrier and Doggerel, from which this track comes, run it close.

A long time ago when I was living in London and back then quite partial to rock, we used to go and see The Hamsters play in venues like The Half Moon in Putney. They used to do ZZ Tops sets, regular sets featuring own material and Hendrix sets. The guitarist played Hendrix tunes off pat and note perfect.

I've never seen tribute band but I'd least expect to see the exact instruments e.g. Hofner violin bass for a Beatles, left handed Strat for Hendrix etc. If it's a tribute to bands with a strong visual image then I'd expect to see very near lookalikes as with Bjorn Again. Where the original bands aren't visual then looking alike them isn't important so long as the sound, particularly the vocals are spot on. I mean I wouldn't expect a Genesis (the trio version) act to be fronted by a balding midget.

Down The Line on Fourble. If you don't know Fourble, it's an online depot for podcasts, where you can get hold of almost every BBC radio drama and comedy show ever made.

Bought nowt in 2023 and have almost got half way through this year, purchase free though twice I nearly succumbed, including last weekend in Bass Direct where I almost bought a pre-owned Musicman SUB 5-String White 2003 for £799. Some lovely stuff in stock at the mo'. I could've comfortably afforded it but I went home to re-think in the cold light of day and common sense won out.

If it does then it'll be a first for the world!

PhDs are not about passing exams but involve extensive original thinking and research. GCSEs may all be about box ticking and A levels don't really require much critical thought but higher degrees, especially in STEM subjects, are special and do indicate advanced intelligence.

This guy is Andy Edwards, who used to drum with some prog bands called IQ and Frost and played in Robert Plant's band and is a pro drum tutor. I dare say you proggers here know these. Although stuff on prog, straight jazz and fusion aren't my bag I still subscribe as he's pretty good value and is also a bit of a wind-up merchant. Anyway, a lot of the chat in this vid is about the costs of gigging and how there's really no money in it for most gigging bands and how it's generally beyond the reach of working class peeps to get into playing in bands etc. I dare say most of us here recognise this.

Just wondering what the reaction from punters might have been if you played anything by Alice in Chains, Cure etc. Or do landlords rule out anything like that from the off?

Just watched the errm. performance by some LGBTQHMVUSSRSOS....creature by the name of Bambi Thug. And to think My Little Horse scored nil points

A seminal tune by Autechre from 1994, Flutter, which gave the middle finger to the Criminal Justice and Order Act, which banned raves – randomly defined as gatherings where music with “a succession of repetitive beats” was played. No bars in nearly 10 minutes contain identical beats.

Impressive techniques but can't say I'm a fan of this metal-come-hey nonny-no post-medieval widdling

where'd you say anti-Englishness is quite rife? As 50% Italian I spend a good amount of time back in Italy. I don't sense much Anglophobia there then again nor is there much Anglophilia either. In Spain, especially along the Med coast there's currently little love for the English so I bet the Spanish public gave the UK entry a resounding 'sin puntos'.

This came out two years ago but sounds like all that 5th hand punk pop dreck on heavy MTV rotation in the 90s. Derivative of the derivative. Feeble.

Hmm mi dispiace but this type of lounge jazz-soul passes me by and the vocals are a bit meh. I watched all the way through but couldn't remember a single melody a few minutes after. Some good bassface from Mohini Dey though

I've got the debut and follow up albums and Teenage Kicks is the only track I skip. Many of their best tunes are album cuts like the cracking Hard Luck

I play guitar and drums as well as bass and viz guitar I really like a lot of post-punk/New Wave players such as Will Sergeant, John McGeoch, James Honeyman Scott etc and a whole bunch of acoustic fingerstyle, bluegrass and country Tele players e.g. Leo Kottke, Scotty Anderson, Brent Mason, Tommy Emmanuel, Tony Rice...there's loads. As for drums there's a lot from greats from the heyday of jazz e.g. the Jones's (Jo and Elvin), Gene Krupa , etc to funkers like Dennis Chambers, Ziggy Modeliste, Mike Clarke, Jabo Starks,. Clyde Stubblefield etc. Away from drums and guitar big faves are Dobro meister Jerry Douglas, bluegrass banjo players Earl Scruggs and Bela Fleck, loads of jazz trumpeters like Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd and Randy Brecker. My first instrument was alto sax so I've loads of time for the great jazzers from Coltrane, Parker, Rollins to Michael Brecker. Here's a clip of Randy and Michael Brecker doing their thing.. BTW check out the ace bass playing (James Genus) and drumming (Dennis Chambers)

Just gone through the list again and checked out many unfamiliar players and have revised my opinion. Actually it's a pretty rubbish list. I lean towards jazz and funk drumming but I've a lot of respect for metal and proggy drummers, many that are not included or are rated lowly: Tomas Haake, Marco Minnemann, Mike Portnoy, Charlie Benante, Chris Adler, Mario Duplantier, Joey Jordison and Matt Garstka. I'd kick out all of the 'indie rock' drummers and many who happen to be in famous bands included to make space. From the jazz side there's no Louis Belson, Jimmy Cobb, Art Taylor, Joe Morello, Chico Hamilton, Roy Haynes anxd Kenny Clarke. Ay caramba. Be good to hear what other drummists in the BC community think. I think it's a readers choice list which would explain it.