musicbassman

For those technophobe BCers like me not suffering from perpetual GAS, please could you explain what this is, what you hope it might do, and why it's important ? I'm not being sarcastic, I'd genuinely like to know.

I was 16 at the time and I was certainly doing it wrong

Year: 1970 Place: large youth club in the wrong part of Exeter. Job: Dodgy local band with a stand in lead guitarist as we'd had a massive row the previous day and regular guitarist had flounced off, taking his homemade Les Paul copy with him. It became clear soon after we shakily started the first number that we were really there just to provide some background music whilst there was a massive brawl between two rival gangs of skinheads which soon took up the entire dance floor. It was serious stuff and we were close to trouser soiling in case the rival gangs decided to vent their frustrations on the band instead. We stopped after four numbers as the police arrived. I've never been so glad to have a reason to stop playing. It was the bands first and last gig.

It's a generation thing also - some people of my age (60's) both male and female are still unreasonably impressed if they find out I play bass and follow up by asking the usual rather naive questions. Whereas kids in their 20's or 30's who find out the same thing are completely uninterested. Or in one case looked up from her phone and said "Well, if you were playing in bands in the 1970's why weren't you famous ???" I didn't sleep well that night... 😳 😳 😥

Yup, this thread is turning into a secret confessional - oh, the shame we feel when we discover we've been doing it the 'wrong' way. It's like discovering that some people stand up to wipe their bums while others remain seated...

You lucky, lucky guy ! I, (and I guess many other BCers) never had any teachers even remotely like this at their school

Isn't it good to be on a forum where people can openly admit to possible gaps in their musical knowledge and don't get immediately crucified and name-called by others ? Meanwhile, I shall continue trying to avoid hearing "Top 10 Eurovision Songs You Won't Believe You Don't Know ! ", or something similarly clickbaity on YT...

Totally groovy !

Jeez - these guys must be about 40, and here they are still 'rebelling' against their parents with their stoner rock. C'mon lads, give it a rest, lay off the drugs and maybe try listening to some other types of music with what's left of your hearing.

Some of you may already know of Nahre Sol and watch her videos. I know of her via Adam Neely. She posted this piece yesterday about YouTube negativity - she has quite a large following and it would seem that the recent performance piece she posted didn't ...er...go down too well with some viewers The comments make an interesting read also.

I suppose that must also apply to an event that took place on 23rd June 2016...

Many years ago I came across an Irish heavy metal band called 'Third Effect' ...Oh, go on, say it....

It's just a form of pointless verbal vandalism. People who have no status or influence in their lives can resort to this - it's all they have to offer. It's a bit like local yoofs beating up the bus shelter, throwing litter around or throwing stones at fire engines - it's the only way to make them feel like they are getting noticed or are important. Apparently having your face tattooed is another sensible option sometimes chosen... .

So, here's Ced Mitchell doing a great bass cover of 'Make Daddy Proud' by Blackbear. Excellent playing - great phrasing, musicality and feel. And then, if that wasn't good enough, along comes Dunkan Robertson and does an even more incredible arrangemnt of Ced Mitchells' arrangement... Lots to like here, methinks, and anyone ever says bass playing is stuck in a rut, here's evidence to the contrary. Enjoy.

Thanks to everyone for their sympathetic and thoughtful replies. Well - I've bitten the bullet and joined Facebook. I have to wait to get access to 4 FB groups I've joined, I will report back when I've had a chance to see what's about. They each appear as if they could be useful, but will the reality live up to the expectations ? Watch this space. 🤞

Because I had gigged constantly for 30 years I must admit it's something I really missed when I stopped. For decent function work, it's not really an income stream I'm looking for, it's more about the satisfaction of playing live in nice venues and being appreciated, and equally it's the delight of working with quality musicians who really know their chops and are absolute professionals in their attitude. So, no Dad rock down the Dog and Duck for me, thanks, and also I don't really want to be in a band where I have to tell the keyboard player he's clearly playing the wrong chord.

If only it was that simple, HappyJack. I gigged continuously for 30 years in numerous different cover bands 1971 - to 2001, then I'd had enough and stopped playing for 16 years. I retired 18 months ago and decided to take up playing again. But the world I left in 2001 was mostly pre digital and many of the bands, musicians, agents and venues I knew have closed, retired...or, ahem, are no longer with us. It's a different world out there now. I'm confident my playing is back up to scratch and I'm sure there's a bass gig out there somewhere, but I feel I'm not sourcing it. Which is why I'm on here asking for advice.

I assure you, Happy Jack, a Dad-rock outfit is the very last thing on my mind. I'm more familiar with doing high end function work.

It's not being 'unable to work' social media, purpleblob, I'm not a complete luddite! It's the information harvesting that I ( and apparently many others) have a natural aversion to. But if people on here really think this might be where I'm missing out, then it could be a price I'm prepared to pay.

Hi Steve - I'm at Chichester. Yes, jams can be good fun (unless they are just excuses for guitarwanks) and can be a great way of meeting other musos, but (as you suggest) I might be unlikely to find guys already playing in covers/functions bands to be in attendance.

Hello BCers, So, I live on the South Coast, I’m 66, and I’m having a real problem sourcing a bass vacancy in a quality well established covers/functions band anywhere in Sussex, Hampshire or Surrey. I’ve been looking for over a year now, and have only chosen to do one audition – this was the only gig on offer I’d come across which had the decent level of playing ability and professionalism I would expect. I didn’t get the gig - I don’t think there were any problems musically, but the rest of the band (and the two other auditionees I saw) were about 25 years younger than me, and maybe who really wants their Dad on stage with them? I’m not expecting to find a Vulfpeck or a Natalie Williams Soul Family, but surely I should have been able to find more than one suitable vacancy worth auditioning for in the last 15 months. Am I looking in the wrong places? I use Bandmix, JMB, Find a Musician, Gumtree and Starnow. Maybe I should use the dreaded Facebook ? – I’ve avoided signing up to this for reasons many will understand – but is this worth selling my soul for now? I’ve been lucky to have found two long term dep gigs over the last 12 months, the second of these finishes after this NYE, so I’m hoping I’m not about to enter a gig desert and still be looking for something in 12 months’ time. Any reasonably polite suggestions welcome, apart from “Why don’t you just pack it in, Grandad?”

Well, this is either gold plated genius, or absolutely appalling - you decide. Stumbled upon by chance in one of the stranger back streets of Youtube. I'd go for genius.

Definite shades of early Return to Forever from 6.00 to the end.

I used to do a lot of high end function work and the general rule seemed to be - the posher the function, the less likely you were to be allowed anywhere NEAR the buffet. You were merely 'staff' and got a plate of sandwiches in the kitchen. Admittedly, I also remember doing some gigs where we were offered first dibs at the buffet - and this was clearly to the great annoyance of some of the guests. I remember a Hooray Henry at one do being particularly offended. He told us in no uncertain terms that we needed to 'learn our place' and threatened to 'sort us out' later.... but I suspect the shampoo may have been doing most of the talking here...

Late 1970's - The roadie of the band I was in somehow managed to leave my '63 Precision (in it's case) overnight leaning up against his gatepost at his house after returning home after a Sat night gig - we were playing the Sun lunchtime and he'd agreed to leave the gear in the van but take all the guitars indoors overnight. Two little boys had knocked on his door about 10am on the Sun and asked him if he wanted the 'old guitar' that he'd left outside and 'was it for the dustman ?'.....