leschirons

I find it strange that whilst accepting that not all the French have led sheltered lives musically, here in the centre, not much filtered through in the 60's or 70's and less so in the 80's. Of course they all love "Johnny" (yes I have been pulled up on the futility of using his second name ) and Piaf. I did once, even have to explain to a 43 year old session musician who Frank Sinatra was. You'd think everyone would have at least heard the name. Yet, we get away with stuff that I wouldn't think suitable for a mainly middle aged country audience. Not in the league of your duo-at-a-wedding-gig Court of the Crimson King though However, it is great fun to see some 60 year old farmers and their wives freaking out on the dance floor to Walk this way (complete with record scratching noises)

My mate just saw Hans Zimmer in concert. Full 20 piece band with Guthrie on guitar and Yolanda Charles on bass, French choir plus another full orchestra. Apparently it was awesome.

Having played in bands / pubs etc for many many years in the UK, I noticed recently that our standard set list wasn't particularly tailored to where I now live. Still has loads of stuff I would play to a UK audience. There are a few Brits here but it's not teeming and audiences are usually 90% French, yet in the band, we only throw in a couple of French numbers. They go down well but no-one has ever asked for more of them in preference to the Brit and American stuff even when we've asked them. I play in an acoustic duo too and we stick about 15 french numbers in but it's a totally different audience. So, a question to all you lot living in foreign lands. Does your set list reflect where you are based?

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1464856467' post='3063125'] Did you actually PAY for all that lot too? You aren't a babysitter, you are a.....VIRGO! [/quote] It's all my stuff anyway so I guess at some point, yes. I just take it because I can't trust the others to cover all bases. you've no gig if there isn't a pair of sticks etc etc. I forgot the pair of 12AX7s on the list And I'm a Capricorn

Ah, but do any of you lot take.... Drum stool Spare mic for anyone that needs it. Set of 9-42 guitar strings A new pair of 5A drum sticks 2 guitar straps, with, and without straplocks Spare mic stand and XLR cable 2 extra cable extension reels Box of 50 assorted plectra A Line 6 Pocket Pod. It usually all stays in the car but has on occasions, all been needed. I even used to keep a pair of 14" hi- hats in the spare wheel well but gave that up when I bought a car with the spare on the back door. I'm like a sodding baby-sitter.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1464303972' post='3058395'] And that's exactly the kind of middle-aged middle-class thinking that dooms you to failure. There's nothing to stop them from finding someone who can afford the insurance and the transport to drive them about. And before you say that's impossible I've done it several times in bands I have been in over the years. IME there is very little that can't be overcome with a bit of ingenuity and the attitude that you never know what you can get for nothing (or very little) until you ask. My first band had been played on John Peel when the closest thing we'd done to a proper gig was performing 3 of our songs at our school music evening. Said recording cost less than £40 for the day in the studio including getting the band there with our gear on the bus! My next band managed to blag free recording time in the university music studio, and results got us major record label interest. Over the years the bands I've played in have made a good number of promo videos including a couple done in the 80s when it wasn't anywhere near as cheap and easy as it is nowadays. Total video production spend to date? Well under £1000. It's all doable so long as you have the right attitude and don't give up before you've even started. [/quote] Remind me to use emoticons more often, you seem to have taken my remark a little too seriously.

Love the enthusiasm and hope they make it but doomed to fail. The stumbling block being transport. If you're 18-21, it must cost a couple of grand to insure the cheapest car. Bring back the good old days with a band van full of dog-ends and vomit I say.

Used properly and tastefully, they're a great tool. A lot depends on where on the stick you're hitting the rim. When I used to play regularly, I'd sometimes throw one in but the rim contact was only about 4" from the stick tip. I found this kept the volume right down but gave the required effect. Muscle power aside, the nearer to the hand that the stick contacts the rim, the louder (and more annoying) it's likely to be. I've met a couple of drummers who can only actually keep time if their playing super loud rim-shots and once they're in the habit, all is lost.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1463830229' post='3054373'] Doesn't seem that unreasonable. Bands I've played for have often been asked to. It would cost more though. [/quote] Well we have offered them a no extra cost solution which they've happily agreed to having had the logistics explained to them.

Leaving at 2p.m. for a big function gig 170 kms away. Huge 50th birthday bash in a chateau ballroom. Taking full kit with us. (Huge HK P.A., full lighting rig and everything else associated with the band. E-mail at 11am. this morning to the singer. We've decided to put up a large open ended marquee to welcome all the guests before going in so could you set up outside first, play some quieter numbers for an hour from 18.00 - 19.00 whilst guests arrive and have drinks and then after that, move your equipment inside for the main party event in the evening Er, no (But we're not unreasonable so the singer and me will do an hour of acoustic jazzy pop stuff and I'm taking a little P.A. to set up in the grounds)

Born in the early 50's, and didn't have a bad childhood apart from an overbearing and verbally violent father. 60's Were cool, discovered smelly Afghan coats and music courtesy of older brother and started going to the Marquee every week. It was great. Met the wife and I had BIG hair. 70's Played loads of gigs as a drummer then switched to guitar. Music was great (I was into rock so plenty of it) 80's I loved the music but not the Club-Sport track suits that everyone seemed to be wearing. Started a business. Took up bass. 90's Company went well so wasted loads of money on exotic cars, guitars and Italian restaurants. Loved every minute and no regrets. 00's Kids left home so we decided to move to France. 10's Still here and although we miss family and old friends, probably won't go back due to all the crap you lot have to put up with on a daily basis. I don't see it as remembering the past and waxing lyrical about the "good old days" so much as just realising I enjoyed what was the present time, at the time.

[quote name='operative451' timestamp='1463493747' post='3051778'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSNSTerj2Kc[/media] [/quote] She lived opposite my sister.

Hate to admit it but have played 23 of the 25. However, my excuse is that I have been around for about 200 years My only saving grace is that one of the two un-played songs is the song I hate most in all the world. Did I say world? I meant Universe. (Maggie May)

Sorry if this has been on before but I couldn't resist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHsjFdsd5lA MJ's Beat it in a major key. I couldn't stop singing "Dance the night away" in the solo.

[quote name='MrDaveTheBass' timestamp='1463146984' post='3049039'] I'm a bit disappointed that the casting director has decided to play it safe and go for the obvious choice of Ms Gaga. She is so blatantly influenced by our Cilla, and is such a similar artist, that surely it would have been better to choose a more 'off-the-wall' candidate? [/quote] The director has taken exactly the same "play it safe" route using Kanye West as Burt Bacharach.

First off, really nice job there. Looks a million dollars. Can see why you really like it. Secondly, hats off to you for not being tempted to put a Fender logo on the head-stock

All the time, but to be honest, I'm quite often amazed that the original players didn't play it properly in the first place like me

Anyway, back to the original title of Twincam's post. My talent to bass ratio is 1 - 6 with talent level being the "1" and the 6 being basses I probably shouldn't own.

If it's a mainly Brit audience, Le Freak and Uptown always get them up. If it's the French, our reggae version of Je ne regrette rien always packs the floor.

Although I've never been sacked from a band, I have left one which made the rest of the band very happy so I guess it was just a matter of time anyway. On reflection, my leaving was well deserved as I was probably a nightmare to be with and brought everyone down. They all just wanted to have a laugh and a jolly-boys night out and I thought we should actually be putting some work in to play stuff properly and actually deserve the money we were being paid Of course, I realise my mistake now

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1462275690' post='3041616'] Ive been using it for best part of 20 gigs. Never had an issue. Brilliant bit of kit. Not to say the other digital mixers aren't good, i just haven't tried them. But the Behringer has been excellent for us. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about them [/quote] Exactly the same for us. Great bit of kit, as yet no problems whatsoever and don't expect any. As always, with any bit of kit, it's success will depend on who's in charge of it on the night.

Anastacia at the Palladium Monday night. Absolutely brilliant. Not moving around like she used to but voice was superb and she had a great band. Bass player (and MD) was the old Sugarbabes guy Orefo Orakwue. Had heard of him but never actually experienced his playing before. Seriously cool player. (5 string Smith and some sort of Jazz) All in all, a great gig.

My main reasons are 1) other people not living up to my (probably) unreasonable expectations and 2) yes it should be fun, but not at the expense of quality.

Good on you. Get up there again asap.

Had, and got rid of, a Marshall AS50 and a Fishman. Good as they were, I get a better sound from my Takamine through a Danelectro 15watt bass practise combo. Actually gig it too. If you're not looking for effects and plugging mics in, small bass combo is the cheaper way to go for electro acoustics as you still gt a practise amp for your bass.