mikel

He was obviously popular but I never rated him, or the Ramones come to that. I think if you have heard one song by each of the aforementioned acts you pretty much know what they can do.

Almost got to play there back in 73. The originals band I was playing guitar in made a local demmo and shlepped off down to London to "Make it" as they use to say. We played the tape to an AR man at Island records and he said "I would like to hear you play live, Ill just give the Rainbow a ring and see if they have a slot open tonight or tomorrow" We were staying two days, sleeping in the van. We just looked in awe at each other. After the call he gave us the bad news, nothing doing, every slot is full. He said he would keep in contact, but, well, you know how it works. Could have been a contender. I bet there are a million stories like that.

I think if I had to "simplify" the bass line so I could sing lead or BV I would drop the vocal part. My job, and what I enjoy most, is playing bass. I like singing but not to the extent I would compromise my playing.

Agreed. For me the classic rock, and the "Blues" band thing, have been done to death. I play now because I love it, but only because I enjoy the music I am playing. Gone are the days I would join a band simply because they are gigging and making money. I had proper 9 to 5 jobs that I did for over 40 years that were simply ways to make money and pay the mortgage, so there is no way I am going to spoil music by doing that. I now love to play Funk, Soul and fusion stuff cos it interests me and makes me feel good playing it. If I break even money wise then its all good. If I make money then its a bonus.

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1489073480' post='3254186'] Bottom line is as far as most pub/club audiences are concerned they're generally far more impressed if you can replicate a well known bassline, even if it's quite simple, rather than some shredding solo that they cant relate to. I often wonder at jazz and fusion bassists and other musicians putting in all that effort in just to remain largely unknown outside their tiny niches. If that's their bag fair play but if I were a professional I'd want to reach as big an audience as possible. [/quote] Yep, with you 100% on that. I greatly admire musicians who stick to there principals and are still hugely successful. A lot of people attribute success with selling out or going mainstream. its not always the case but some, like Sting or Mark King for example, get stick simply for playing what they love.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1489032461' post='3253858'] All successful musicians I know that have reached the international touring and better than average living level from music have always told me they attribute their success to, always being prepared. Blue [/quote] I know what you mean but that was not my drift. What I meant was, you could be the most ambitious bassist alive but without the drive to practice till you bleed you will never be a top pro. Talent is not enough, you need the will to work harder than the rest. Some of the most well known pro's might not be the most gifted, but If you work at it harder than the rest a bit of talent could be enough.

Playing bass and singing is to my mind more complex than with other instruments. Depending on genre. Bass lines tend to be out of kilter with the vocals a lot of the time. How Sting managed to sing and play with the Police still impresses me. Straight on the beat stuff is ok, but real singing whilst playing is beyond me. Trying to express a vocal and lay down a good bass line at the same time? Genius.

There is a 4. The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to PREPARE to win. Some have lots of talent, but lack the desire to put in the work needed to be a success.(Whatever that means) If you poses the natural talent and are prepared to also work harder than the rest, you will make it. Most are a mixture...... 1. Not the most talent but work hard. 2. lots of talent but fairly laid back.

[quote name='mzarsh' timestamp='1488281766' post='3247456'] Hey Fender P with Custom Handwound Pups by The Creamery (Adjustable poles) - Strung with .115 Labella Flats Stagg EUB Selmer TnB 50 MkIII Hand Made 2x10 Cab with Eminence Basslites Trace Elliot 1153T (Which for some reason looks really tiny and manageable in the picture - IT ISN'T) Also a MarkBass LMIII for when I can't be arsed to carry stuff. [/quote] A Selmer T n B 50. What a flashback. I had one back in 1980 for guitar. How old is it, how does it cope with gigs, do you have to mic the cab?

I would still check out the rest of the bass first before spending money, its the sensible thing for anyone to do. If all is fine then you can look at pickup advice.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1488811635' post='3251952'] If they are paying lots purely to make it sound better they are wasting their money. Sure, if you want it to look great with the wood on show then yes, go exotic. Nothing wrong with basswood (apart from it looks boring). Music Man use it under solid finishes. Some plywood basses sound great, as do some metal and composite ones. Yes, wood and build has some impact on the final sound, but nowhere near as much as it is given credit for - that's all thanks to the marketing departments. [/quote] What I am say is you cant polish a t**d. The guy is asking for ideas regarding replacement pickups to make his "dead" sounding instrument sound "amazing" He says it also sounds "dead" un amplified. I believe he should check out the rest of the bass for problems, like neck to body integrity, bridge and nut. Why waste money on expensive new pickups if the problem is something else. Throwing good money after bad is rarely a joy filled experience.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1488821123' post='3252081'] Can't stand them. Awful, awful band. I'd happily never hear them again. The only good thing about them is that they're aptly named. Bet you're all glad you know that. [/quote] Well, it is a thread for people who appreciate MKs and DS music, so not sure why you read through it and felt the need to put a downer on it. There are quite a few bands I have no time for, so I avoid them, and threads relating to them.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1488571801' post='3250233'] Got any evidence for this? Most (some say all) of the tone of a bass comes through the strings and the pickups. My main bass is fretless and strung with flats. Unplugged it is not a patch on the bitsa I have with roundwounds on. Plugged in, the fretless is big, full, warm through the Nordstrand P pick-up. The bitsa is OK, but a bit aggressive and nowhere near as full sounding. Yes, it's lovely to have a bass that sings when it is not plugged in, but when plugged in the acoustic properties are quite negligible. [/quote] If all of the tone of a bass comes from the pickups why do people spend a fortune on fancy timbers for a better sounding bass? If a bass is poorly made or badly set up or has inherent problems that show up when played acoustically then you will never get the best out of it no matter how good the pickups are, or we would all be playing cheap basswood body basses with cheap bridges.....and great pickups. If a bass sings un amplified then you have something to work with, and it is worth spending money if the pups are not cutting it.

Tunnel of Love is my all time DS song. The Spanish City was a stamping ground of mine in my youth and that song puts me back there every time I hear it. An the Hoppings, with the line "In the roar of dust and diesel" ahhhhh....magic times.

Great band. The original lineup was classic with Pick Withers and John Illsley as the rhythm section. Making Movies is one of my all time top albums.

How does the bass sound un amplified? If it sounds flat and lifeless then new pickups wont make it sound amazing.

[quote name='Wayne Firefly' timestamp='1485526896' post='3224655'] I think you may mean Thunderstruck if I may stick one's oar in.... I used to love DC but the way they have become soooo overused and overhyped etc, they are the same as Dire Straits to me now. [/quote] What? I love AC/DC but they will never be as good as Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is a genius.

I think the real question is...do the band want to stick to the genre and there musical principals, regardless, or do they want a bigger audience playing something different. If the Goth scene where you live is small then its a yes or no answer.

Yamaha TRBX 174 Bass. Lead. TCE BG 250 208 with Fane speaker mod for more projection. Spare strings and lead. I like to keep it simple. I love the sound of my bass and the sound of my amp. Job done.

Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, gets me every time. Only joking.

Its Jazz, and as my tenor sax playing brother in law says..."Its Jazz, there is no such thing as a wrong note."

Hmmmmm, good it isn't. Start up bands are difficult, always have been. But if you can get the right people there is nowt better. I was in a start up that I thought was going to be the best band I had ever been a part of. We had a great keys player who could play anything, by ear. Play him something, once and he picked it up. A guitarist who played subtle and tasteful parts at an appropriate volume. A bassist who was happy to sit on a groove all night if it was appropriate and had great backing vocals. Me on drums, and I felt I really had to raise my game to play with these guys, but it was magic. And a vocalist who had never sung with a band before. First problem. The vocalist just could not get it, he could not remember lyrics, could not grasp when to come in, and after a wasted 3 months we had to get rid of him. Next a wonderful female singer comes to try out. Boy can she sing, such feel and tone. Yep she is well up for the band. After four rehearsals she decides her health is an issue and leaves. Back to square one. To cut a long story short, after 3 more failed vocalists we get one who is ok but nowt special. He is a bit of a kn*b so the guitarist leaves. Doh. We get a new guitarist who is, to be charitable, not up to it, I get fed up as its 14 months now since we first got together and its going nowhere and without the old guitarist the magic has gone, so I jack it. I am still looking, as a bassist, and I am still hopeful, but an existing band is easier.

Chris Squire. No one plays bass like him, his playing with Yes is orchestral in its formation. His phrasing and note placement threw me completely when The Yes Album was first released. That tone, and his stage presence made him a one off.

Having no rehearsal is probably fine for some as they enjoy winging it or if they only play well known covers exactly as written. Personally I hate to see bands with music or charts on stage, I thinks its not professional. As has been noted, pro orchestras all sight read, but they still rehearse till they bleed. I like to do covers in a different style to the original. Sometimes with a different intro or ending, stops to make it more interesting etc. and I feel a well rehearsed band gets tighter and tighter till they can slacken of, and then they really start to play. If I am secure in the structure of a song I can then stretch out if the mood of the gig is flying. I agree if you are gigging two or three times a week you don't need to rehearse, unless you are working up a new song.