meterman

Spot on. It’s hard to describe it to folks who haven’t lived in amongst it just how crazy it is for the two and a half days it’s on. Our last carnival was in 2018 and we’d moved up to Notting Hill Gate by then so the sound systems were just a distant rumble. But the whistles were as loud as ever. I can still hear them now, from France. Or maybe it’s just tinnitus 😂

I remember Acid Mothers Temple being painfully loud, at Tmesis in Manchester, early 2000’s. They were also hopelessly rubbish which didn’t help. I went outside after 20 minutes and could still hear them above the traffic noise. I’d rammed my earplugs so far down my ears, one of them had got stuck and my mate had to try and get it out by using a house key, then a biro pen top, etc. Folks in the street thought we were a performance art duo and we drew quite a crowd, until eventually a very kind passing lady offered us a pair of tweezers from her bag which did the job 👍 Can attest to Notting Hill Carnival being crazy loud too. I used to live in a road in the middle of it, with a sound system about 20 metres away and another on the corner where our road joined Kensington Park road. The bass from both was oppressive even indoors with the windows closed 😂 Have played live at Carnival too, and it’s not much easier onstage either. But above all else, it’s the whistles that get you. Thousands and thousands of whistles. Tinnitus for dayssss...

“Homework” is one of my favourite albums of all time, I’ve worn copies out on multiple formats. Was never as keen on anything they did after that but what an album.

Van Morrison - yep, walked out after about 25-30 minutes, he wasn’t even phoning it in. Waste of money and time. Bob Dylan - almost walked out after 25 minutes of him just fannying about really... like, playing reggae versions of “Mr Tambourine Man” in 3/4 time and stuff like that. There was grown men, proper Dylan heads, around me crying into their beer and stuff, it was painful. Then it was like somebody flicked a switch and he suddenly tore into about 70 minutes of “Maggie’s Farm”, “Positively 4th Street”, loads off “Blonde On Blonde” and “Highway 61 Revisted”, “Bringing It All Back Home” etc... gig saved 😂

I just look in the mirror. No need to add music.

A couple come to mind. The Fall, mid 80s, somewhere in Newcastle. Absolute shambles, just a mess. And I loved the records, but they were not on form that night. Didn’t make it to the end of the gig and never saw them again. Psychic TV, somewhere in London, can’t remember the year but I was young enough not to know better. Very, very ‘off’ vibes in the audience, the atmosphere was really tense. And musically PTV were utter shee ight. I’d gotten dragged along by a super-fan girlfriend but even she gave up early and we left after about 20 minutes. Never saw them again. The Cranberries, early 90s at one of the Fleadh festivals at Finsbury Park, London. They were big enough at the time to have played the main stage but Dolores O’Riordan had broken her leg, so they did a sit-down acoustic set in one of the smaller tents. I wouldn’t have gone in to see them by choice but it was pishing it down, so... Anyway after maybe 3 or 4 songs it became clear that all their songs were gonna be a 4-chord plod with a bit of yodelling during each 4th chord, and it got really wearing, really quickly. I bailed after maybe 12-15 minutes and went back out into the rain to get away from it. Never saw them again. There’s probably a load more but those stand out just now.

Very handsome 👍

That is a beauty 👍

Badfinger were great. “Straight Up” is such a good album, with production work from George Harrison and Todd Rundgren. Just really well written songs, performed without too much 70s excess getting in the way. “No Dice” has some cracking tunes on it as well. Shame that their management and label bosses let them down. Read a biography of them a few years back and it was so grim I was down for days afterwards. But I listened to them again more recently and the Apple albums are great.

That Blazer is a beauty! I’m guessing that most people that own them hang onto them? I don’t see them for sale so often. Natural finish tho... 🤤 so nice!

Bread Milk Eggs Veggies Chicken Breakfast cereal Bog rolls Lego JMJ Mustang (any colour) Peanut butter (crunchy) Vesta Chow Mein Top Deck lager n lime shandy x48 Pepto Bismol maybe some felt picks can’t think of owt else, best ask my wife, she does lists better than me...

I’d like to say never, this bass has got me playing more than I have in many years, it’s a short scale lightweight delight. Luckily my playing rarely calls for sustain, or correct intonation on the E string, so this one might be with me forever 👍

That throw is a keeper too. Getting a Fabulous Thunderbirds vibe off the pair of them 👍

Make the trip South again Douglas and I’ll set up my drums for you mate. I’ll even make the tea 😂 Paiste Formula 602’s? 1971 Ludwig Acrolite snare etc? Hello, honky tonks!

Whoever it is who plays on this: But if he’s not available then whoever’s on this would come a pretty close second: Not arf!

Love the finish on that, it looks beautiful 👍

I’ll probably never sell my little Tanglewood mini P bass, for two reasons: 1) I’ve used it on records so I know I can rely on it for sessions now and again, and: 2) It’s the cheapest bass I’ve ever owned (less than £10) and nobody in their right mind would ever be daft enough to want to buy it off me 😂 I’ve never been sentimental about gear, it’s just gear to me, but I totally get why some folks hang onto things. 👍

I know I joked about the OP’s bass but I can’t deny it’s a stunning piece of work. The shape doesn’t do it for me, and personally I could probably take four of those strings off (and it would still be more than I need 😂) but it takes vision and skills to produce an instrument of that calibre. I could get away with half a P bass to do most of what I need to do, but for a proper player the OP’s bass would be wicked. (with flats and tort, obvs)

I’m absolutely bushed as my meds have kicked in but I reckon I did alright to get 124. Considering I’ve only got about 50% hearing left (I’ve got hearing aids but I never wear them) it’s not bad, although if I hadn’t worn headphones I’d have scored less than half of that. The beat / beep placement was where I scored highest, probably only because my main instrument has always been percussion. I enjoyed doing the tests though, that probably helped a bit as well. I’ll have another go tomorrow when I’m not so tired 👍

If he hasn’t already sent it, maybe there’s still time to get him to cover up all that crazy bling with a nice Olympic White refin. And add a splendid tort guard. Stick some flats on it? Ooh now you’re talking! Hello, honky tonks! Phwoar, etc

I did say we should have picked it up when you were in the UK! It would have been worth a detour 👍

I don’t think we’re exactly neighbours 😂 But I tell you what, she’s got the vibe nailed hasn’t she? Tres bon, super bon 👍

While I’m still awake and can’t sleep, let’s have a tune from Pachyman in the studio. He really does have the roots vibe nailed down, and he plays all the instruments as well - respect! I’m not actually sure what his main instrument is but his drumming and Hammond organ playing are totally spot on. Bonus points for him using a 1970s Fender Musicmaster bass as well, and making it work for dub reggae. Most reggae players wouldn’t touch a Musicmaster, let alone use one as their main bass. Good stuff!