Pseudonym

1998? That sounds about right to me.

I am Santa in this instance, and I've already decided that I've been nice this year. Just biding my time waiting for the right one to come up. Might pay Rob Green a visit next time I'm in England, though. (A sentiment I'm sure you'll understand!) May all your Santas be so indulgent. A happy 2020 to all.

I joined earlier this year so that I could gain some insight before deciding what to buy as my first bass in thirty years. I never expected to have so much fun. Thanks to everyone who makes it work, and to everyone who contributes to the atmosphere. It's digital alchemy. Still haven't bought the bass. I've narrowed it down, though. These things take time.

I wonder if this is a matter of technological change. It isn't hard to find a relationship between stylistic and technological innovation in popular music throughout the twentieth century. In terms of music production, however, the improvements since the 1990s strike me as incremental rather than revolutionary. It still astonishes me that my recording kit (total cost of a few thousand including workstation PC) can potentially get results that might have required a high-end studio twenty or thirty years ago. That said, I don't come across much music that a 1990s studio wouldn't have been able to produce if necessary. Up to the mid-1990s, I regularly heard music that depended heavily on very recent technology. There is certainly some genuine creative energy lurking to one side of mainstream commercial, and risk-averse chart fodder. I wouldn't be surprised if that energy is quickened drastically should new technology emerge, or should a new form gain traction. That's usually how we get from "it all sounds the same" to "this is what the world has been waiting for". Regarding Oasis and Britpop, my own interest in that era is in the visual arts -- but with art and music both, it's not hard to see by now who had real staying power and who was little more than a reflection of the moment. That moment found all kinds of unfinished business in the recent past, all kinds of potential along with the nostalgia. If there is no new popular music now, might that be because the current moment is somehow unable to shape it? This does seem to be a remarkably incoherent time. I'm very interested in this kind of topic, so I'm glad MacDaddy raised it. I'm also keen to hear people's thoughts.

Yes, the curse of friendly joshing. Probably won't keep you up at night. It really is a splendid bass. You must be elated to get hold of one. There's one for sale in the U.S. but it has really been through the wars and I lack the medical skills necessary to deal with it. Still, it's nice to know they come up from time to time.

Two fine examples of sage advice on this point. Give it time. I wish you either a joyful reconciliation or a painless parting of the ways. Bridgehouse, I'll just add a slightly different point of view. If your bass weren't such a lovely and distinctive example, I doubt you'd have much trouble knowing what to do. It looks like a work of art to me. Works of art often need drastic restoration. That can be quite traumatic (and very expensive) for the owner but, in time, the trauma fades. The beauty doesn't, nor does the underlying emotional attachment.

Curse you, EMG456. I was happy in my ignorance of these objects of desire until you inflicted your four-string erotica upon my retina. Finding one of these is an extremely intriguing prospect that will probably turn into a cautionary tale. I'll become like Bogart in Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I wish you much joy with your Odyssey, EMG. It's beautiful. Congratulations on finding it.

"Lame" is one word for it. There are others. It sounds like these people are rather spineless as well as inept. It's always scant consolation to say that you are better off without them, but in this case is is surely true. Good luck to you and best wishes for a better match with some real musicians who are as competent and professional as you.

Fixed. Frank, I would be seriously tempted to back you as a variety impresario. Loved the Gottwald idea.

You got there while I was writing my post, HazBeen, thus confirming the excellence of your name.

I can see why you might have had your ups and downs with them. If I were in your shoes, I would "think about it" for a week, then tell them on the weekend before Christmas that I have gven it a great deal of thought but decided against doing it. Then, if they called in a panic because finding a new bassist is as hard as you suggest, I'd agree to do it for the entire proceeds of the booking, in advance. Then I'd try to give the best performance of my life. Of course, if there are no proceeds, I'd tell them to stuff it.

Pound to a penny she's called Sue M. Hall.

Well, if it was George playing, at least it would be a Wonderwall. Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame.

In the price range you mention, I'd also take a look at a few models from Alhambra. The 1C (with or without Fishman pickup), and the Z-Nature (with or without Fishman pickup and/or cutaway) are all listed under £425 on the Thomann site. Certainly worth finding out more about them. I just looked at the Alhambra site and they list 4Sound as the dealers for Norway. Good luck on your quest.

Skankdelvar's Intermediate Course in Gamesmanship -- now available online. I knew you reminded me of someone. Of course. You're the wandering spirit of Stephen Potter, aren't you? Good to have you back.

Wise one, the masses await your insights so that we might all reach this zen-like state.

Because it's cheaper than sending out the ambulance every time one of us goes a bit extracurricular. This place is a marvel. I'm completely impressed.

It's a pleasure to see this developing, and it's also a great service on your part to demystify the process. Please keep us posted. Many congratulations on the young 'un, which weighs in at a tidy 12".

At least you enjoy access to a wide range of instruments with free monogramming.

That makes sense. I had a Hohner Jack guitar years ago. The EMG-licenced pickups were rather good but the pots were barely adequate. (On which point, is your user name a coincidence?) The Hohner was really quite impressive given its low cost, which is no doubt why they have appreciated so much as secondhand items. As others have said, I'd also keep a sharp eye out for a Hohner Jack bass if I were the OP. The "weak pot" problem: the bane of so many a musician's life, or so I am given to understand.

That's worth considering. The model number is XZ-25. A shop in the U.S. has one listed at the moment for $550, so they do exist but are elusive. A bass like that, plus very good replacement electrics, would be well within the OP's price range. A nice project. I sympathise with the OP's plight. I'm considering simply ordering a new Status because good, headless, full-bodied basses are so difficult to find. Good luck with your search, D-D.

We have to lose that sax solo! More strength to your funky ways, Fleabag.

Agreed, and thanks for acknowledging Freeman in this way. These three covers, along with his photos for the cover of A Hard Day's Night, capture everything I like about Freeman's photography. His Sunday Times work (such as his photos of Mod culture in 1964) had a similar blend of spontaneity and solidity, as though history were caught unawares but always ready to strike a pose. What a legacy.

The only reason for you to feel guilty is if it will turn you into a roiling cauldron of creative angst, and/or help biographers to explain your legendary status in years to come. Otherwise, enjoy the plaudits and the epiphany. If it works, it works. If at any point it goes seriously pear-shaped, double points for stopping dead and glaring at the band like it's all their fault. In all seriousness, though, maybe you have a genuine knack for finding the right "largely random" notes.

Poetic justice is often a self-activating phenomenon.