spongebob

Just read the sad news that Max Bennett has passed away, aged 90. Amazing player with so many credits....particularly for his work with LA Express and Joni Mitchell. What a player. There's a discography section on his website - awesome reading. From Mel Torme to Zappa. Thanks for the inspiration, Max...may it long continue.

I used to use D'addario nickels, but switched to Fender flats. However, picked up a US Geddy Lee earlier this year, wanted some brighter strings that could offer me something a little different, step forward the NYXL's. Absolutely love them. They give the crisp highs and mellow lows that I've found lacking elsewhere. The bass can sound as alive, or as muted, as I want. They allow me to cover the complete tonal palate. NYXL's have given me control back over my bass. 😀

Good album, that new one that the photo is the back of! 😀

Love JB. There's a great CD/stream/download called 'Spirit'. Takes you through a lot of BBC live stuff right through the 70's. Really good, and broad as well. Bass work is, as you'd expect, a lesson from start to finish. I've been working my way through his solo records since I first heard it. Up until that point, I knew about Cream and his early work, but was quite in the dark about how much he'd packed in since. Very eye-opening. I'm a big fan of his 'How's Tricks' album. The title track alone, is sublime.

It's a massive yes from me. However, just as rock had a 'golden period', for me, jazz did the same. Late 50's to mid-70's. I loved it when it was pushing the boundaries - Coltrane, Miles, Mingus, Albert Ayler.....other day I was jamming with Cannonball Adderley's 'The Black Messiah'. There is so much amazing jazz, but I think perception tends to put a lot of people off....the polite, Pizza Hut stuff. That amazing period of innovation, that's where I like to be. I have enjoyed Marcus Miller's recent records, and Victor Wooten....Stanley Clarke's new album is pretty cool. But I personally don't think they're in the same league as say, 'A Love Supreme'. Same as most, if not all modern rock records don't come close to 'Who's Next'. I'll leave you with this -

Mel Schacher on the Terry Knight-era produced Grand Funk Railroad. Bass monster....and mixed waaaay up there. A blueprint, surely! Quite underrated over here, but there's great bass lines on those records.

Funny how opinions differ - I actually adore the sound of that record, in particular Geddy's bass! Got the album and the DVD! 😁

Great album(s)! Some nice tones on there....for me, the '78 Ricky tone is the weakest....never dreamt I'd ever have said that. Guess our tonal goals all change over time.😀

I'm actually the opposite, and love his later Jazz tone. Really lively and crunchy. On an 'it's in the fingers' type-thing, I was watching the 'Grace Under Pressure' DVD last week, after doing the 'Exit Stage Left' a few days before. 'GUP' is the Steinberger, 'ESL' the Ricky. What I noticed was on the DVD's, how similar the tones were. Never really paid much attention to it before, but there really wasn't much in it. I did an EP with a band a few years back, used a '77 4001 on 3 tracks, and a '78 on another (both long gone). Sounded great, but the tone of the '78....a few people thought that it (and to a certain extent the '77) was a Jazz bass! Some Jazz basses can do classic Ricky better than the real thing - I've had both - and to me, that is sometimes certainly the case.

I think all if this GAS might be covering other deep issues. Tell me about your mother, etc......🤔

At least there might be some SG basses available at last. The US had the 2018's in stock last November. I pre-ordered, with deposit, one over here from a dealer. 4 months later (March/April), I cancelled the order, as there was clearly no sign of it ever arriving. Was originally promised a few weeks....over 16 later, deal not done. I could have probably walked to the States quicker to pick one up. The UK stock apparently comes from the US to Amsterdam, and then sent here. I kept being told 'there's a shipment next week....yours is on that'. Never again, another lost customer for Gibson! 😤

I tend to only sell on BC now, or on the noticeboard at work. 😀

Bit late now, but I'll just add a +1 to the TGI Extreme. I can't fit a hard case in the car, so was forced into gig bag-dom. After some research on here, went for one of these....great price, great protection. Bass is only going from car to venue/rehearsal, so more than adequate. Good luck with your new purchase! 😀

I used to play with a sax player down in East Sussex. She was taking singing lessons at the time (about 10 years ago) from Paul Roberts. I was ever-so-slightly impressed. Ended badly...me and her, not her and Paul!

Hard to believe it, the engine room of The Stranglers for so many years is now 80 years old! Cracking drummer, and the bands' 77-82 works remains peerless in my book. Jet's drumming certainly put them in a different league. I'm so pleased I got to see them whilst Jet was still with them. It was his last full. UK tour with them (2011 IIRC) and he was on stunning form all night. Happy Birthday Jet!

Stay away from Rickenbackers, it'll save you a packet and much disappointment.....!🤣

JB? The Godfather, no doubt. Soul Brother No. 1. All titles deserved.

I can appreciate this. I've owned a few Jazz basses, various price points, and to me, they all sounded a bit polite. Never really any of the tones I was hearing when others played them. It may be over budget, but the Geddy Lee range I have found I love over any other Jazz's. Had MIJ, MIM, and now a MIA. It was more the point of looking all over. I always thought if I had a US Standard, it would sound better than xyz...I found to me, that wasn't the case. Well built, but a little sterile.

^^^^This^^^^^! In terms of rock covers, I don't think it's ever been bettered. I still love it every time.😀

Guess it was a period where 'alternative' actually meant something. Personally, I think Britpop was responsible for the death of such line-ups. Killed of an era of music overnight. Crossover bands like PWEI (played at Phoenix '94 IIRC) were gone a few years later, and it was all Oasis and the aforementioned Shed Seven. Writers talk about how music fans of today genre-hop, and how the 'barriers' have been broken down. Those kind of line-ups prove that happened a long time ago. Reading had great bands before I was listening/born, but many are bands I enjoy today. Something went seriously wrong in the late 90's, of which we're still suffering the consequences of today. Hence 2000 now being seen as a highlight - unbelievable!.

I read a piece on the NME site the other day, and they were discussing a piece that had been written comparing the 2000 line up to 2018, showing posters of both. The NME was defending the 2018 festival, whilst the piece it was discussing, was talking about how good 2000 was! It has come to something when a line up with Shed Seven, etc. (in all fairness some of it was quite good, that's just a bad example) is now, retrospectively, seen as a golden period. Having seen the 2018 line-up, I'm (sadly) inclined to agree. I never went, but as a 90's (+early 00's) NME reader, recall the big thing every year about it. A quick search brings up the '94 line-up.....what an inanely brilliant mix. https://www.readingfestival.com/history/reading-1994

Might be in the next wave...

This was the album released to advertise the Feat/Montrose/TOP (plus others) tour - https://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=293657 I bought a copy in the early 90's, and it was a great intro to some of the bands on there. Already loved LF, so the others we a bonus.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/23-prince-albums-new-anthology-come-to-streaming-services-712529/ Quite glad to see this. I stayed on board until about 2006, and even then missed out on loads of what he released. And there's more to come! I wasn't a fan of giving records away with newspapers, always thought it devalued things a bit - but I guess it was an idea quite ahead of it's time, and how music has become to be consumed and distributed. I know he fell out of favour for a while - maybe he just released too much music with such variety. Triple albums....The Rainbow Children (which I loved)....it would be good if this can redress the balance, that he made numerous great records after he left Warners.Guess that's the downside of lengthy career - that you wind up competing with yourself.

Traveler 102P is a seriously cool cab. Love mine. I went for the (slightly) more powerful 4 ohm version, as I had no intention of adding to it. They can DI me out if I need to stand in front of any more than 400w! FWIW I used to run a 2x12 MB rig, and to my ears, the 2x10 is a lot more direct.