Pseudonym

Strictly speaking, MLK was shot just after midnight - and therefore early morning -- Dublin time. However, it was by then April 5th in Dublin. Poor old Bono. He can't catch a break here.

One pill makes you larger And one pill makes you small Not in 1967, Ms Slick. Also, had you known my mother, you wouldn't have been so sanguine about her sense of phamacological responsibility.

I feel you, brother.

I'm unbuttered, unadorned Ryvita. Plain and adequate, especially when there's nothing else. Occasionally the right dose of austere crispness. On guitar, I'm a fry-up in a four-star hotel. Untidy, filling, and a little bit too arty for most tastes.

This is a vague memory, and possibly wide of the mark, but I seem to remember seeing a list of banned songs in the free magazine Making Music that music shops started distributing in the mid-1980s. At least two shops I frequented (one in London's Denmark Street, the other in Aigburgh in Liverpool) had the same list. "Stairway to Heaven" was top of the list, and I think "Smoke on the Water" was at number two. I never played either of those, but I did once play a passage from "We're Not Gonna Take It" by the Who when I was choosing my first good guitar after months of adolescent agonising. The owner burst out laughing, and said, "That's the perfect song for you, because you never [obscene gerund suppressed] buy anything!" Shop staff got testy if you roadtested Boss effects pedals with the intro of "She Sells Sanctuary", too., but I can't remember if that was actually on the list. Those shops were extremely patient.

Well, I tried to recreate the infamous lost Spinal Tap album cover, and now I'm very much in the doghouse at Chateau Pseudonym. All privileges withdrawn.

I expect mods to deliver tight rhythms, stylish insolence, and sharp tailoring. I expect skins to deliver steel toecaps to my bonce, going by experience.

One of the upsides of social distancing: the impracticality of ensemble charity recordings. We can be pretty sure that Little Steven ain't gonna play Sun City, either.

"I only indulge at weekends."

No, he ain't. I pity the fool.

Good hints, Dave. 1. Sgt. Pepper was the first record I bought. I was nine. The Beatles certainly defined my parameters and horizons. 2. A mate got me into The Damned via Phantasmagoria and their 10th anniversary concert in Finsbury Park. That got me into punk, new wave, indie etc in a big way. 3. The Cocteau Twins. My first real girlfriend, 1980s squat scene, draw your own conclusions about why it's burned into my head. Part of me is always pursuing the sensations I associate with Treasure.

I did when I first arrived, but it was rolled into my visa category anyway. The process towards permanent residence and naturalisation was gruelling then, and I gather it is even more demanding these days. Could have bought a Porsche for what it cost me. Worth every penny, as things turned out.

Ambient, my friend, I don't think the polarisation with diminish anytime soon, and I don't think your life is likely to align successfully with the policies that the UK has decided to pursue. Much as I love Britain and sometimes miss it terribly, I no longer contemplate going back -- and I live in the Cheeseburger Republic. For people who operate primarily in the realm of information-rich creative innovation, there is little need to be tied to one locale. There's still room at the top.

Dood, many congratulations on your writing gig. That first appearance in a dream publication means a great deal. Unsolicited suggestion offered in good faith: I might have missed a detail, and different publications/fields have different conventions, but I should have thought that the magazine would send you at least one author's copy gratis. If not, or if one isn't enough, I don't think it's out of line to request from the publisher a couple of copies of each issue in which you appear. Apart from anything else, it's legitimate to have it for your records (and very important in the event of any legal or tax problems). I enjoyed your video reviews, by the way. Very effective and engaging.

My reading of Dave's original message to you was that he found himself in an invidious position related to friendship. That could happen to most of us. You are , however, rightly interested in these people as a band, not as a bundle of friendship dynamics. I think you would be completely justified in making it clear that you'd like to make this work, but only if they are willing to commit and respect that commitment. There are diplomatic and less diplomatic ways of making this point. I'd give them a chance, but would walk immediately if there's a recurrence of the "mates in the room" stuff when it isn't appropriate. Either this misfire was a one-off -- in which case it's probably worth granting a little latitude -- or it's a pattern of behaviour, in which case it won't change. Good luck.

Given the path they have chosen, you might yet be grateful that they decided to erase you after their Great Purge. Best of luck with the new outfit. A good drummer? That about 50% of your problems sorted, then.

They're real outlaws, these rock 'n' roll hooligans. You'd never get this kind of misconduct from the Stradivari.

I always wondered who really wrote the lyrics for the Psychedelic Furs.

My previous post should be read with the following caveats: 1. The OP didn't actually request advice, so please feel free to completely disregard what I wrote. 2. The general consensus on Basschat regarding basses seems to be: (a) if in doubt, buy it; and (b) if in doubt, keep it. It is possible that Basschatters are less than objective on those points, but I wouldn't care to generalise.

I agree completely with Doctor J here. Plenty of scope for exploring, especially with a Helix. It's a lovely gesture that also comes as a surprise -- maybe not a surprise you think you want, but a surprise that you might well be delighted by in due course. An exception that encourages you to push your own boundaries sounds like a great present to me. Pure experimental research doesn't always earn its keep in a direct way either, but that's where the wonders are to be found. If ever something deserved a waiver of your three-bass rule, I'd say an intriguing Christmas gift from your wife is probably it. Happy Christmas!

My respect for gigging musicians was always high. After reading this thread, it's positively stratospheric. Some of these situations are beyond ridiculous.

I can set your mind at rest on that one, Osiris. I wouldn't allow it.

Schrödinger's bass: when it's in the basket but you haven't checked out yet. There is absolutely no way Basschat is ever going to have its own twelve-step programme. Even its harm-minimalisation efforts leave a lot to be desired. This place is utterly top. Merry Christmas, Stewblack.

I understand your general mood, given your recent sour experiences, but I truly think this is a moral victory of the highest order. It is also a flat-out victory if you have prospects like this, which are surely better than anything involving your erstwhile bandmates. It's pretty clear who enjoys the local musicians' respect. Everything about this is working out in your favour, as things turn out, even if you do legitimately feel mistreated. It's a nice Christmas present that you have earned. I'm glad to see it. Best of luck, whatever you decide.

Oh, I have seen it and think it is truly stunning. I must admit, I did seriously consider it weeks ago. However: 1. With a Status, I'd go for a headless; 2. I'm in the U.S. and want to check them out in person on my next visit; and 3. I've sworn to myself that I'll only spend that much if a pending book deal gets finalised. (Let's see how long that vow lasts if the book deal falls through!) Many thanks for the suggestion, though, and apologies for temporarily diverting this thread.