Stub Mandrel

The suspect identifies as amorphous.

I've neglected my Embassy. Not sure why

Looks shiftily about for @Frank Blank...

Let's Stick Together (turbo version), Bluesfire, Earl Haig concert room. Sunburst AVII 1960 p-bass. I was shattered, pumpedn took and at one point my fingers invented a new riff that wasn't the same as the one my brain was telling them to play.

There's a joke there about ensuring your g-string is kept clean 😉

Got contacted today and offered first dibs on a 1971 EB0, the first of the 'slot head years'. Offers approaching £2k which seems usual for UK but high for the USA. Wisely, I declined as beyond my bass budget for 2024 (£0.00). Question- am I allowed to buy a ticket for a bass bash raffle? After all it's for charidee. Don't say 'as long as you don't win anything' as 90% of bashers win....

I have a guitar with stainless steel frets and the bass I have now has stainless steel strings on it and I've not had any issues. If I touch anything nickel plated it results in blisters after a day or two. Stainless steels form a surface layer of chromium oxide that effectively insulates the user from the nickel content, or at least helps keep exposure low enough not to cause problems. That's why most people with nickel sensitivity can still eat using stainless steel cutlery.

When you are looking at a Venue's 'upcoming gig' list and discover you've got a gig that's not in your diary... 😧

The Borough Blues Festival next weekend. We are halfway up the running order I've discovered, although poster makes us look like the openers. Which is nice.

A bit different for me last night. Went to see Alex's (our guitarist and bl in Bluesfire) other band for the first time The Rogues. A bunch of youngsters playing rocky britpop. Their new 'Live at Rockfield' ep has a definite Oasis vibe, probably because they had an ex-Oasis producer. On stage they were really good and had a more aggressive sound closer to the 'phonics, kaiser chiefs or manic street preachers. Compensation for not being on stage was being recognised by their bass player's dad 😁 They also announced they are Number 3 in the physical singles chart! 449518951_784893787140517_1242004675697746669_n.mp4

Fire and Water isn't a particularly difficult song to earn the bass for. BUT If anyone is remotely interested... there's an error on (the original) guitar solo for Fire and Water. It's 31 bars long plus a 2 bar drum break. It should be 32 bars, but after bar 17 it goes back to B a bar early. Which is really annoying me, as otherwise all the bass bits are neat figures alternating between two bars on B and two on E.

Here's what appears to be an AI generated discussion of piano styles. Broadly accurate it claims jazz piano is the easiest style to learn and that slong with Elton John, Roger Waters is one of the foremost rock and pop pianists. (Exemplified by the inaudible piano on Julia Dreams (sic).) https://enthu.com/blog/piano/types-of-piano-music/

We need to lobby politicians to ensure that AI can never access the Jools Holland archives...

Sound a right mess

So sorry Dad 😞

We had a brief debate about the encore last gig. I wanted something dancy (Let's Stick Together) Al wanted purple rain. He said Let's do both and it worked (but lasted 15 minutes... 🤣)

For Bluesfire Alex has got quite good at calling it as we go along. We haven't got enough to do that with Bendricks yet, but that's where we plan to get. We pick things up quickly.

Is the front as nice as the back?

Band went for a beer last night 🙂 Agreed a list. Ticked off Peaches today (I already sort of knew it). Already know most of them, but Sweet Sensation is new, and I've only ever busked Delilah. <edit> seems it's 'New Sensation'...

I know, but I have an itch...

I'm feeling the urge to upgrade the tuners on my 2002 Squier Jazz. 😧

Is there a pass for spending the money one has saved on not going to see the 'Eras Tour' on gear?

I find 'election communications' ideal. You can guess which give an aggressive tone, produce false notes or 'dog whistle' sounds...