Barking Spiders

British rap aka Grime and most UK originated dance/electronica stuff (Garage, drum n' bass, breakbeat) has never broken through in the US, though I spose Dubstep sort of did albeit an American version. It's also kind of peculiar that while Black Sabbath, Led Zep and Judas Priest are credited as pioneers of hard rock/metal, no such major scene/genre has ever come out of the UK unlike in N America with Grunge, Post Grunge, Nu Metal and Thrash.

By chance I came across this https://business.yougov.com/content/42773-what-are-top-5-favorite-music-genres-us-and-uk Seems thereabouts maybe. Think about it. In the late 70s-mid 80s, Hair Metal (in which I include Van Halen) and the AOR stuff from Boston, Journey etc were both a big deal in the US but meant practically nowt in Blighty, which was more into New Wave, New Romantics, synth pop, dance and the like. Some might say but what about NWOBHM? It was only ever a niche thing in Blighty. Then in the late 80s-mid 90s thrash, Grunge, post-Grunge and Nu-Metal were where it was at Stateside whereas the UK mainstream was more preoccupied with Madchester, Rave and Britpop. Even going back to the 70s when all the huge British classic rock bands were at their peak, it was in North America where they hit the big time massively whereas success in the UK was much more modest. I had a quick butchers at some UK rock acts that are a far bigger deal in the US than at home e.g. Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Bush and Bad Company. One thing about the graphic that 's surprising is that in the UK, Country music ranks at 21%! Maybe the decimal point should move left one space. Classical looks a bit high considering the BPI's annual sales stats. And not sure why Soul & R & B are separate. I thought R & B was just another term for Soul.

A chunk of Amon Tobin, his ace Permutation album to be exact, released last century on Ninja Tune when it was a great label. A fusion of bebop jazz, breakbeat, film noir scores, drum n' bass, horror film soundtracks, bossa nova...

Actually I'd be more interested someone told me they're a data engineer in genomic research than a bass or any other musical instrument player. Sounds perverse on a site like this but whenever someone tells me they're a musician I leave it at that

One of my fave bass albums and fave albums full stop. Every track has a great bassline the best being 4ever 2gether and Valentine's Day. I've searched high and low on the web for other bass credits for Brad Lang but nada.

Off to the Bearded Theory festival in May. Never heard of it till I saw a flyer last week. Top line-up for me..Orbital, The Orb, New Model Army, 808 State, Utah Saints, March Violets, Sleaford Mods...

Yep I hear you. I've always been too partial to my own bed and toilet to ever be away from them for too long. Besides, I only like playing music I'd choose to listen to and could never bring myself to be a hired hand, whether in someone's band or as a sessioner. Then there's the stuff about being away too long getting in the way of lurve and a good social life. Playing in bands as a hobby has been enough for me..

Never cared for PMT or any of the other chains. Much prefer indies even if they do have smaller selections. Always have had better service and rapport with the owners and staff

Mrs Spiders and the teens are out for the evening so I've gone full post punk retro to make catching up with paperwork more endurable. At the mo ' it's Red Lorry Yellow Lorry with these belters...

Yep one of my fave JS albums with it's laid back acoustic vibe which contrasts nicely with his Uberjam funky jazz/jazzy funk grooves

Mike Clark has to be one of the most underrated/overlooked drummers ever. Just check out Headhunters' God Made Me Funky to see what I mean

Only recently decided to check out Smooth Chill on the DAB band . Definitely the best of the DAB radio stations specialising in downtempo and ambient electronica and other laid back stuff that aren't played anywhere else. Playlist includes the likes of St Germain, Fila Brazillia, Massive Attack, UNKLE, Moby, Groove Armada, Bent, Nightmares on Wax, Royksopp and Bonobo. Great stuff!

I've also a feeling that a previous owner has tinkered about and not properly realigned the strings or the bridge. I've a Ray4 HH in cherry red and the strings and bridge are aligned just fine.

only one nom for Vic Wootten I see and not from me either

At the mo' it's Ulrich Schnauss's 'A Strangely Isolated Place' and best of all this tune. Imagine crossing Shoegaze with epic electronica, sort of Slowdive meets Jean Michel Jarre...

somehow methinks this a urine extraction of Steve Lamacq, the doyen of $h01t3 indie rock

It's shorthand for 'inde(scribably) awful' and covers a wide range of atrocious drivel in terms of time-span and errm...styles.

While I've time for You Tubers like Charles Berthoud, I've not seen or heard them in a group playing songs so for that reason I don't include them. My list is pretty much set in stone...which links me straight to...Larry Graham and then Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Louis Johnson, Mark King, Julian Crampton, Deon Estus, Bakithi Kumalo, Bernard Edwards, Rocco Prestia, Stuart Zender, Neil Jason, Paul Jackson, Derek Forbes, Andre Berry, Kai Eckhardt, Richard Bona, Nate Watts and Armand Sabal-Lecco

Today i dug out my copy of Groove Armada's 15th anniversary edition of their debut album, Northern Star, which is nothing like their other stuff. It's mostly uptempo fusion of funk and House with a lick of jazz. The bonus CD2 is great. Particularly love this toon. If I was a dj I'd be caning this to death

I could take any 3 song run from Pixies' Doolittle as it's the greatest rock album ever...IMO ....including Monkey Gone to Heaven/Crackity Jones/Mr Grieves, the opening trio of Debaser/Tame/Wave of Mutilation and La La love you/No. 13 baby/There goes my gun Stranglers' Rattus Norvegicus runs it very close with a cracking start...Sometimes/Toulouse/London Lady and a strong final flurry with Grip/Ugly/Down in the sewer

I used to buy Bass Player or was it Bassist, can't remember exactly but it was a UK mag. Used to be occasionally good and I 'd buy it if there was a main feature on MK, MM, Louis Johnson and the like. Then the content gradually got skinnier while the number of ad pages multiplied. Cant see there's any need for print music mags now there's so much bass content on YT etc.

thanks for putting this classic track up. Level 42 were such a tight class act.

Some well known players like Geddy Lee often dig in really hard but IMO start off softly using the fingertips rather than the pads. Another tip is to just fret the bottom string and strike with with the index finger first playing quarter notes then advancing to 8ths gradually adding the index and then the ring finger. Of course, it goes without saying to do this with a metronome.

Now I've got a newish car fitted with DAB radio I've discovered Jazz FM, which is now my default station when driving. Nice to hear the Jackson Sisters 'I believe in miracles' after many years. Cracking bassline, which is next on my list to suss out Lovely

agree with suggestions doing chromatic exercises. Try playing scales slowly with just the index finger first, then moving to the middle finger when ready and so on. Do this while watching TV etc to develop muscle memory but avoiding getting bored. BTW I played classical guitar before picking up a bass so it was quite easy to transpose. Conversely I've never played acoustic with a pick and am still not comfortable using one to play bass after 30 years!