Dr.Dave

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357134393' post='1917872'] F*uck off, Nike!! [/quote] Inspired - I'll write that in felt pen on my plain white ones.

I like wrist bands because I can quickly wipe my forehead between beats though I wear a bandana these days. I get less sweaty since we went all LED with the lights too.. I've taken to doing gigs in wooly fingerless gloves - getting quite used to it now. It was just because I forgot to take them off one night.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1357099656' post='1917497'] Dave is right on the money with all of these points as far as I am concerned . I would be interested to know why you wouldn't want a Jazz yourself though Dave . [/quote] When I was young - shortly after the last dinosaur died out - there were 3 basses in the world plus a load of cheap , unsuable sh*te. The 3 were a Precision , a Jazz or a Ric. I expect whichever one I'd bought and learned on would have ended up being my bass of choice forever more and it was the Precision because the opportunity to buy a Precision came up first. I can't get on with a Jazz not because of the thinner neck - as many Precision players would tell you - but because of the off set body design. It puts the bass in the wrong place for me , esp when sitting.

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1357068903' post='1917139'] That's true, and nowt sits in the mix better then a P... perhaps a PJ combo like the Fender Aerodyne Jazz is a better bet? [/quote] An Aerodyne is a marketing/redesign exercise to me. A PJ is an adaption players have been making for ever and a day to try and combine the two classic Fender types - with a degree of success somewhere short of total. I suppose that's a fair stab at the 'ultimate' bass but not it's definition. I can't think why anyone would mention a Stingray in this thread. They are wonderful instruments but they sound like one thing only - a Stingray. Long may that continue. 5 strings........ I think there's yet to be a classic 5 string. Most well known ones are upstringed versions of successful 4 strings rather than a design that set out to be a 5. Having said that - if you can only have one instrument and you need to do a lot of jobs on it it's a good choice , but not the choice of dinosaurs like me. It's all pretty subjective - but I still maintain that if you want to be mainstream classic and versatile with one bass - buy a no frills jazz. I wouldn't give one house room myself , but that's what I think.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1357071154' post='1917198'] I am only complaining about the fact that no one was willing to pay what we were 'worth'. [/quote] Not directed at you , it just reminded me........... A femake singer once said that exact same thing to a mate of mine who chirped up with 'I know , love... but 8 quid's a lot of money '

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1357070484' post='1917181'] Those of you complaining about the state of a NYE audience are obviously playing the wrong kinds of gigs. [/quote] My point re. this - not particularly in this thread - is that the right kind of gig (ie one that you've played and enjoyed many times) can be spoiled at times like mad Friday and NYE because pillocks who get too pissed BECAUSE it's those particular days. The venue has probably asked you (as was the case with us this year) to do those dates because ou're among the most popular of it's acts and the most experienced so likely to deal with an incident well. Besides - and let's be fair about this - if you choose to play in pubs you resign yourself to coming across the odd pissed up toss rag. If I chose not to play in pubs because of that fact gigs would be very thin on the ground for me.

A Jazz bass can make any sound you want.......... unless you want a Precison sound ! That's the irony.

[quote name='Inti' timestamp='1357059836' post='1916965'] You simply fail to recognize what technique is al about then but hey... Who am I to teach you? [/quote] Who am I , though , to not take the opportunity to learn from you - or from anyone else. I've learned stuff from players who many would say aren't fit to carry my amp as well as from world famous names.

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1357042348' post='1916601'] I think there's a pretty good balance between appearing humble (recognising that no matter how good you think you are, there's always someone better) and encouraging improvement in less skilled players / those who haven't had the years of experience. [/quote] Appearing humble......... humble?....... hum ble ???? Nope - you got me there , gonna have to google that one !!!!!!!!!!! All I know is this Re. better or worse - if I play/practise I get better , if I don't play or practise I get worse. And re. knowledge/skill being unimportant when it comes to art........ you can't break the rules or push the boundarys uness you know what they are to start with.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1357039073' post='1916539'] Place was rammed at £150 a head. Recession my a*** [/quote] Excellent. I hope your non-capitalist conscience allowed you to take your fair and rightful share !!

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1356972031' post='1915861'] The Hop - Leeds. Owned by Ossett Brewery who are now our most regular employer. Hardly a weekend goes by without we do something for them. I dont much like the Leeds Hop. You play on an upper level and most of the punters are beneath you. Plus it sounds dreadful , being built into a railway arch (It's directly under Leeds station). It's never much of a gig but we'll do what we can and will have a ball amongst ourselves anyway as we always do. It'll be full of what Rodders , our guitar player , calls 'Fanoir' which is a bonus !! Weirdest of all - they want us on early and off early , like 10.30 early. ( they need a band for licensing purposes but want the early finish so as not to endanger that licence if neighbours complain on noise grounds). House PA means a fast exit putting me in the pub over the road from my gaff before 12 - which means I'll likely be jamming with the band there into the wee hours. I think it's our fellow member 'Funkmaster' and his band. Haven't seen him in ages. [/quote] It was OK. Not packed , but city centre joints can be like that on NYE. Sounded better than usual , at least it did to us as we took and controled our own monitors. Got back to see Dave's band in Wakefield but they were nearly done so no jam. Atmos there was cosy but again , not rammed. I've taken to playing in a pair of fingerless wooly gloves. Honestly , it wasn't planned - a few gigs back I just forgot to take them off. Now it's becoming a sig. Downside is I blew my already ravaged throat out totally and can't talk today.

I listen to new stuff on youtube because I can't hear the basslines on my little laptop speakers. I do that on purpose. That way I have to roll my own.

The Hop - Leeds. Owned by Ossett Brewery who are now our most regular employer. Hardly a weekend goes by without we do something for them. I dont much like the Leeds Hop. You play on an upper level and most of the punters are beneath you. Plus it sounds dreadful , being built into a railway arch (It's directly under Leeds station). It's never much of a gig but we'll do what we can and will have a ball amongst ourselves anyway as we always do. It'll be full of what Rodders , our guitar player , calls 'Fanoir' which is a bonus !! Weirdest of all - they want us on early and off early , like 10.30 early. ( they need a band for licensing purposes but want the early finish so as not to endanger that licence if neighbours complain on noise grounds). House PA means a fast exit putting me in the pub over the road from my gaff before 12 - which means I'll likely be jamming with the band there into the wee hours. I think it's our fellow member 'Funkmaster' and his band. Haven't seen him in ages.

My much loved 73P has a value of about £300 to me. I'd never sell it while there's breath in my body and if it was nicked I wouldn't even attempt to replace it with a similar instrument (probably about 2 grand). I'd just pick up a Jap P to chuck about as a spare and carry on using the 54 Reish. as my main stage bass. Having said that I expect - beyond the wailing and gnashing of teeth - I could get 'creative' with the insurance claim !

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1356945585' post='1915340'] but seems a waste to have a £500 bass/£1200 bass doing nothing. [/quote] Fair play to you BUT........ if you have a spare bass at gigs , even if you have never used it and hope you'll never have to , it is NOT sitting there doing nothing.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1356942557' post='1915312'] +1 I've never needed a back-up in thirty-eight years of gigging. So I don't have one, either. Just one bass! [/quote] Funnily enough in about the same time span I've only NEEDED to swap istruments once - and Rayman and Niceguyhomer were there to watch me need to. ( A PA guy blew the electrics out of my Shuker with a dodgy phantom powered DI box and had to use the Precision)

I like to have a spare like I have a spare of all my gear - seems reasonable for a gigging player. If I continued with that logical approach it would , of course , be another of the same instrument. But logic is kicked in the head by asthetic desire and financial concerns so the back up to my 73 P is a jap 54 reish. single coil jobby. Because it's less valuable both in bangers and mash terms and in sentiment (to me) it gets taken around the foul , scumbag ridden toilets I tend to play in and the 3 stays safe at home most of the time. I also have my Shuker because....................... well , it's my money and I wanted one. It makes very few gigs because it's too refined for Doc B's sound and because drunken tossers try to pick it up. I'll only end up unloading on one and get myself banged up and I have little ambition to be taken roughly in the showers by the Kray twins. I think if you have a life interest as I - an many of us - have , it's quite natural to want to own and play several instruments. It's also a sound approach because different jobs require different tools. In no way am I a collector , though. Nothing wrong with being a collector , I'm just not one.

I'm 51. That means I had no - none whatsoever - anti drug education. Had I become a junkie there would have been no rehab and no sympathy for me. Maybe it would have been understandable if I had - after all many musicians I had heard of were known drug users. It could have seemed quite the thing to do had I viewed it that way. These days - education re. drug abuse is there from junior school and upwards. Help is as hand for anyone who wants it. How much sympathy am I expected to have for someone who still - with all that support going for them - steals from me to fund a habit and then is let off with half a sentence BECAUSE of the drug abuse. I went on an updated drugs awareness course not long ago where the first thing out of the instructors mouth was 'how can we make drug abuse safer for the abuser'. 3 people stood up and left - including 2 prison officers. Am I an old fart with a daily mail attitude - maybe sometimes. Have I ever smoked a joint. Yes. Have I ever let it get out of control and affect my life - to include my playing - No. Has anyone ever suffered as a result of the few joints I've smoked - No. To my mind - using drugs as a performance enhancer or inspiratiion for art is just bollocks. In an altered mind state how can you put your true self into your art. I have to say it's an interesting debate . I expect , though , that that debate will have less effect on me and my views than the next time - which will be the third time - when I have to ring in the dead , soiled drug user I find in the stairwells of my workplace.

For the last year I've been using an orange tool bag I bought in Wilkinsons. I was going to source a GK patch or similar to put on it , covering the Wilkinsons label , but instead I printed off 2 Wilkinsons logos and stuck them on my GK combo and cab for a laugh !

I had a bottle of Bank's Bitter (from the Midlands) as I watched the 2 docs on Virgins catch up iplayer thingy. Not because I wanted an authentic midlands experience but because it's on offer in Morrisons !! BTW - wine dinkers - Dancing Bull red Zin and sauv blanc on offer in Morrys too. You won't get better for the coin.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1356295942' post='1908981'] I would like to play bass and breath at the same time. Anything additional I am completely in awe over so much respect to you folks. Practice. I sort of thought that might be the key, but I think your brain has to be wired in a certain way first. [/quote] It does. It has to be wired to tell you ' yes I can ' whenever the rest of you starts to say 'maybe I can't' !

Well - I sing while playing bass and I find it very easy. I sort of freaked myself out about it when I first tried and had to practise my way out of that silliness til my confidence returned - but anyway........ I always find myself singing other players parts in my head while I'm playing bass in songs where our guitar player does the lead vocal. Often the vocal line but sometimes guitar parts or solos. I also sing them or 'la la' them out loud. No reason - I just do. My pal and part time 4th member of DocB, Gobiron Ryan , as good a harmonica player as you'll find , as was his late Dad (who I played with for years) both told me that harmonica playing - or at least blues harmonica playing - is just like singing with something in your mouth. That's how both of them approcahed it. Ryan is a multi instrumentalist (inc being a decent bass player) and I know that he can play bass and harmonica at the same time even thoigh he doesn't live. So - I put all thise facts together and they tell me that if you were acomplished enough at bass playing and playing harmonica it wouldn't be any more difficult than singing and playing.

1st set tomorrow will run - Gimmee All Your Lovin Bad case of Loving you with Gary Glitter medley in the middle True Blood theme tune Werewolves of London/Kid Rock/Lynyrd Skynrd Sweet home Alabama ...ish Why Did You Do It / Brick in the Wall medley Beastie Boys 'Party' with Monster Mash in the middle Winner Takes It All (insane Metal version !!) Roadhouse Blues/Blockbuster/Jean Genie Medley Detroit Diesel with bits of Thriller and AC/DC in the middle plus a verse of Cigarettes and Alcohol that turns into Get it On then a Great Balls of Fire singalong before it goes back into Detroit Diesel. Second Set. God only knows - all depends on what went well in the first.

I'm down the road in Wakey but I play in Leeds a lot and when I do I live there overnight in Clarence Dock !! I'm no Christian but I do like churches and we have a couple of crackers in our Cathedral and Chantry Chapel. Always good to hear from Westy bass players - welcome.