RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

As long as you enjoy what you're doing, that's what matters . From being very ltd in ability, I had desire to play in a band and eventually live. I come from a big family , and there was no way I could really practice properly until I was in my early 20's . Looking after nieces and nephews also , it was heavy going . I managed to be good friends with a couple of musicians at work , and the guitarist is one of my closest friends to this day, even though he lives miles away . He showed me a lot . He used to do birthday gigs , and he and a few friends managed to help me play my 1st gig ( my 30th birthday ) in front of 200 people in a pub we hired out. ( well the upstairs ) . It showed I could actually play and hold my own. I improved. Stopped for a few years . I was in a few bands , and after being rusty got into it , but although I always made sure I looked as though it's enjoying myself, playing to one man and his deaf dog 🐕 plus Dodgy pub landlords put me off for good . I bought a moog synth a couple of years ago, and am only now getting to grips with it . I record short bits on soundcloud for practice and to improve in my new angle of enjoying playing my gear . No band members causing friction or missing rehearsals etc . In other words, if I can do it ..so can you ! If you're not in the mood ..so what !😼

No! But it means you have your priorities right 😺

Great points Paul . Back when cds came out, we were told that it was th3 future etc etc and I started to sell vinyl and buy CDs . Some albums were recorded direct metal mastering ( master of puppets for example as the original pressing sounded like it was recorded in greasy joe's 🍟🥩) Then we have remastered CDs such as thr stones with original artwork for about £8 Back in the day , it was something to look forward to , when buying vinyl . As we can now listen to music more or less 24/7 on phones etc while on the bus etc the novelty seems to be gone . I too have many ( cheaply paid for 😼) downloads and ripping stuff onto iTunes for example is a pita with glitches etc. Vinyl is harder to maintain . What I'll probably do, is keep CDs as I like the sound quality and if a virus happens I'll still have a hard copy 😼

Trouble with jmj , is that he sells expensive speakers as well as music . If it were me , I'd just buy the remastered CDs ( latest versions );.

Yeah, that green bass is the nuts. As I only play at home, I did think of buying it . This would mean I'd have to let a bass go . Or maybe all of them ..😼

Years ago when mummy got me my first piece of firewood ( Hondo 2 ) , I just thought of using a pick . As I got older and started reading tuition books and after seeing stevie Harris, I thought I'd concentrate on fingers only . Over the years , I've had mixed results which took time . What I found out , was If I play with one finger only I sound better than using any other technique . While trying to do 3 fingers I was making unnecessary noises which got picked up by the pickups and my guitar friend who was teaching me . After joining a band where the guitarist wanted me to use a pick,I couldn't do it and was baffled . It wasn't until gigging , I found that I could do both pick and fingers ,which came about by accident . Now, I can do any of those , as I feel ..

17 seconds is a great album 😼👍 Totally different from what I normally listen to. I'm not sure if there are any cure albums as good . I find them patchy , imho. Peace sells is my fave megadeth album , but I think that Dave mustaine sounds too much like Richard dastardly and his voice is the weakest link imho

So, I'm decluttering the flat again and come across a couple of cd albums in their digipacks . One of those was Jean michel jarre oxygene trilogy . I purchased that a few months ago brand new for £10Bargain! Having said that , I have all 3 albums on cd . This got me thinking . (Obviously too much time in my hands ) I have 4 versions of master of puppets, ride the lightning ( metallica ) 3 versions of some slayer albums .A few different versions of rush albums etc . It's nice to have a bit of a passion about something , but I realised that I have become ..maybe over obsessed and let's face it ..how many versions of the same album do you really need ?? I get that there are previously unreleased and added tracks that make things collectible . So, I'm considering once again of letting my vinyl go . I very nearly sold one of my basses a few weeks back , while asking a similar question about how many basses do I really need . Anyway , how many of you out there have got more than one version of the same album ? It can't be just me ,can it ? 😼

You're not being rude . Just your own findings which has to be respected 😼 A lot of headbangers I knew at the time , didn't actually like metallica . To me, they came out at the right time , as the nwobhm movement was dead, and there was a lot of watered down stuff around at the time . I saw ride the lightning in virgin , on the new release rack and took a gamble .I heard bits of them on the Friday rock show, when I came home drunk and never liked what I heard . That was stuff from kill em all 😺. I managed to see them at the Lyceum on the lightning tour when they were spotty underdogs Love most of their stuff , and have everything but am bored with them now. I'm still torn between puppets and lightning as to what is their best album. I'll leave it there..

What's happening lately, is the same stuff as mentioned . However, some of these people give me 'reposts' . All well and good , but I ignore . I 'follow' those that follow me and leave it at that ..

Just had a quick browse . I assume you've adjusted the phono / line selected on your turntable a couple of times . ( Best done at low volume ) . A phono preamp will do the job . Once you have that, you're all set .

All great advice as usual . Could I ask what model no your Denon is ? We may be able to get pic of rear on richer sounds website , just to make sure everything is connected as it should be . Some turntables used to have an earth wire iirc, which had to be screwed in the back of the amp . A pre amp should sort . Thick speaker cable ( 79 strand ) is not too expensive , and you'd hear a lot more bass and definition . Also in the future funds permitting, when the stylus is worn out a change of cartridge would work wonders . But that's a while yet . Enjoy your new system 😼👍

Nice gift ! 😼👍

Great stuff 😼👍 I was at the hawkwind one . Wish I was at the venom one 😺 I remember the magnum one., where the frontman couldn't be heard . Very funny 😹 After seeing warlock on there, doro mentioned that warlock were playing the marquee that same evening . Great gig

Brilliant stuff!😼👍 Have you got the box set with full concerts ?

Being young , dumb and 'enthusiastic ' for a better word , I do appear on 2 nwobhm live recordings . Myself and my friend , kept shouting for " if I were king " on the vardis album . They played 100mph instead . The other recording is a bit more embarrassing , and a nice roadie let me do the following : At the marquee when iron maiden played 4 oversold out shows, I went to 2 of them . The first and the last one . They were filmed , but not on the gigs I went to . Anyhow , after maiden encored with "I got the fire " on the final night , the microphone was left on the stage floor . I picked it up . I thought about having it as a souvenir , but I saw roadie come with a smile on his face , and I just shouted " ooh iron maiden " . That is on the sanctuary ep.🥲( can't find embarrassed emoji ) Regarding jarre at the dock lands . I went to the rainy Saturday night . I met jmj at virgin records with my friend . We were among the last dozen or so before the rest got turned away . I didn't know what to say to him , so I just said " have a nice day '. He saw the funny side and thanked me . Again , I can't find embarrassed emoji. 😼 There's probably more , and I may chip in later ..

Believe it or not , it was a very calming reminder from my mum . No shouting 🗣. Bizarre 😺

Just briefly skimming through before I nod off... If it hasn't been mentioned , have you considered ceiling speakers ? You could play your bass through an audio interface which then gets connected to them.. Also handy for your tv/ hifi etc.. Regarding errors : years ago when living with my parents I was wide awake at about 2.30 in the morning . I decided to crank my headphones full blast for a session listening to merciful fate. Mum came in politely , and advised me that it may be a bit loud. I realised that the place was virtually shaking as the headphones were not fully plugged into my stereo . I'll leave it there ...😼

I was browsing one weds afternoon in our price Tottenham Court Road and found timewind . As soon as I played it, I realised it to be an ambient classic.Great gatefold sleeve . That was mid '80s As for obituary , I saw that in the new release section of virgin records one Friday afternoon . I Love it . ! 😼 The album cover is more blue in the flesh ..

Tangerine dream ..ricochet

To this day , 2 gigs standout : Iron maiden on the metal for Muthas gig at the Lyceum . Paul Di'Anno was actually asking mr sound engineer to turn it up more . We lasted about 2 songs into the encore but couldn't take anymore , and even die hard muthas were leaving also. Then there was the Mano war gig at the hammy o in '87 on the blow your speakers tour . They were good , lots of Marshall's on display My very first gig ( quartz, girl , praying mantis ) was ok until girl came on and deafened me . Didn't like them at all, but the sound was like the birds film . Lots of high screeching . Then again , it was my first gig...

Probably Lego ..😼

This is as good as it gets I guess . Gas boiler needs to be boxed in . A bit of filling on the walls , and eventual painting . Oh, and the Elvira picture needs to be properly alighned 😼

It would have to be Roland, alesis or linn . Yes drum machines , so they wouldn't swear at me or throw their sticks at me Then again , the drummer at the wrong gig would probably be my choice ..