leschirons

France certainly is😆

Bloody brilliant. A week long huge exhibition for the town of Montlucon. 4 enormous exhibition tents displaying local businesses. We played in the grande salle with all the bars and restaurants. We should have been booked to play tonight but as I was playing another gig tonight with a jazzy RnB band, they gave us the Friday instead. Had about 500-600 there for the off and kept them all there until the end of a no break 2 hour set. Very grateful bar owners shaking our hands afterwards as it seems the bands on the three previous nights had all cleared the place by 10pm. Really enjoyable gig.

Saw Roger Hodgson supporting Toto in Switzerland three or four years back. TBH, they knocked spots off Toto. Fabulous mix. Was never a huge Supertramp fan in the early days but it all became more appealing the older I got. He gave the crowd all they wanted which was basically Breakfast in America and Crime of the Century, played to perfection, leaving the crowd in a great mood of expectation for the headline. We were then treated to the worst mix you've ever heard, with a bunch of blokes that looked like they were all on their way to the cafe from the local building site. Grubby jeans, shabby T-shirts, a Lukather that you couldn't hear, a vocalist that should have insisted on dropping the keys down a full tone, a geriatric David Paiche dancing around with an arthritic shuffle and a crowd shouting "bring back Roger" All in all, a great Supertramp gig which made the whole trip worthwhile.

And he's just introduced Lliam Gallagher as the greatest frontman ever. Have I missed something?

The point may be, that people being nude on beaches and in their gardens, that they want an all over tan. On stage? Exhibitionism or publicity without doubt. Around the house? Probably just like the feeling of being naked, same as swimming nude, feels great. First nudity I ever saw on stage was way back in the very early 70's when we supported Black widow. They used to sacrifice a naked girl on stage in Come to the sabbath I think. It's been going on for 50 years. I certainly don't have a problem with it.😆

Fish out of water for me (Chris Squire) Great bass playing but seriously well written numbers.

Sex farm, Spinal Tap How much more disgusting can it be? None, none more disgusting.

Great duo gig tonight, just acoustic and vocals with lots of banter. Private birthday party we've done for the last three years for a venue owner. Great crowd but absolutely shattered before the start as only flew back to France tonight after a 600 mile drive. Then, a 120km drive to home, loaded up and then off to the gig. Having a lie in tomorrow. The things we do for a gig😳

My main band know I play a few gigs with other bands and if the calendar says I'm not available when they're offered a gig, I'm not available. Admittedly, they'll ask if my gig can be changed but if I say no, then they either try to get the client to change the date, or turn it down. I've played plenty of 100€ per man gigs and had to turn down 300€ per man with our main band but, I will always honour the gig that I've taken on first. Even, if it's a freebie charity gig. The OP's singer has acted more than fairly in asking in the first place and the OP is being totally reasonable about it all. The drummer however, sounds a bit immature. It's not cheating and he should be told that he can't dictate what others do in their spare time.

I'm getting Tip-toe through the tulips by Tiny Tim but Heinz is definitely on bass, Joe Zawinal on keys, and Gordon Giltrap and Frank Gambale on guitars with Bernard Purdey on drums.

Me too. Played this for years and don't think I ever listened to what was actually really going on. It's very easy to busk and no-one ever pulled me up about it. Play what feels good and right for you.

19th October, London Palladium. Cradle of filth. Just doesn't sound like they go together.

Second set, last Saturday, Brit wedding here in France. Had a dep drummer and he wasn't up on Walking on sunshine hence the choice at No 4 Lisa & Sean Set 2 Shout (Lulu, not TFF) Valerie You can’t hurry love Walking on sunshine / I want to break free, depending on Nico Faith Mack the knife (requested by bride’s father, he sang it) All about the bass Superstition Last night a DJ saved my life Le Freak Respect Kiss Havana Stand by me Roll over Beethoven Blue suede shoes La Bamba 500 miles I’m yours Good times Purple rain Hey Jude Encore if required Walk this way

I don't suppose a certain little lady came by did she?

Bit of a weird one. Played a private garden party this afternoon. Duo gig. Vocals and me on acoustic. One lady guest had a bass in the car and sat in and the client's 5 year old grandson's drum tutor was there too and he sat in on the boy's kit. After we'd finished, we got another gig from one of the guests😆 For a band that doesn't exist. However, we're all up for it so it's in the diary😳

I have a love/hate relationship with gigging, probably due to my age (67) With the party band, a 2 hour gig usually means I'm out of the house for anything up to 12 hours. They insist on taking ridiculous amounts of P.A. equipment and lights which I am morally obliged to help set up and after we've finished playing? they want stay on, have a chat to everyone and have a few drinks before the take down. All I want to do is go home. I'm simply too tired for all this and, we get a lot of gigs. Sometimes four in a row and I just can't manage it. The upside is that 95% of the time, we go down great, they scream for more and I get handed anything from 150€ to 300€ to take home. I play with lovely band mates, one of which is the best front person I've ever worked with. Audiences are great here and we get fed and watered. I know it sounds like the pros outweigh the cons but with arthritis, Carpal tunnel syndrome and now Trigger thumb, I'm really struggling to enjoy gigging.

Yes, I'm usually stuck out in the stage suburbs. The band always puts carpets down which are promptly occupied by the drummer, guitarist and singer. It doesn't usually bother me tbh but what DOES, is when every bugger uses my rig as a coffee table, sunglasses, drinks glasses, handbag, cups of coffee, car keys, spare batteries and bottles of water. Does my brain in.

Undoubtedly a great quality build, I've owned a couple of F basses although not a VF. Looking at the controls, the electrics will be the same as the BN5s. I had a little lacquer problem on both basses regarding some crazing but apart from that, were incredibly well built. Price-wise, I would personally want something without huge scratches for that price but, if you like the mojo and it plays well. Why not? They can be a little on the heavy side but, they have a huge tonal palette which is always beautifully balanced across the strings and a really nice feel to the low B. Give it a try, you may just love it.

With a little printed plate that says "Looks like Phil Lynotts one" 😆

Bought an EUB from Graham. What a nice, accommodating guy. Easy to deal with and as helpful as can be. Buy/ sell with confidence. Great deal too, thanks.

Last night. Played a lovely venue on the river. Nice owners, great welcome. good crowd. We were told they'd all be gone by 9.30 as it was a Sunday night. Still dancing on the road at 11.00 PM. We were all shattered from the night before and it felt quite subdued on stage but we actually played better than the previous night. Three "this is definitely the last song" encores with the last being an extended Pride, in the name of love. Smashed it. Think it's our new final number. They went crazy.

How about a 600watt 4 Ohm 2x10 cab that weighs 5lbs. That'll do me.

3.am. just in (again) too old for all this. Played the French national gliding championships final competition day and trophy awards. (Spanish lady won overall but appears to be a French national) Outdoors, nice and warm but not too hot. Gig went well but bloody guitarist blamed me for starting a song in the wrong key!! I seem to be the ONLY one who remembers it's in C#😆 He uses a Digitech whammy pedal to transpose keys. Lazy git, and forgot he hadn't turned it on and came in on D. Seems the norm over here is that the punters want to really start partying when you're three numbers away from finishing😳 Still, good payer, and got next year booked again.