meterman

I like his 1960’s records, but I know very little about him, other than: Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor all played in his bands at some time or other. He lived in a treehouse in Manchester as a teenager, up until he got married. And he was reputed to have owned one of the largest collections of pørńögráphy in Britain until he move to the US. Rest In Peace, JM.

Thank you Daryl. Yeah, I was gigging and recording whilst I was still at school. 15 years old and being allowed in bars, underage - fantastic! However, while I was still 15 I involuntarily spent time in a psychiatric facility on and off for the next two years, so I didn't get to do any school or exams or anything. I really wanted to become a graphic designer and work in advertising or something, but I'd missed too much education to even get into art school. So I worked in a warehouse for a year, then rejoined a few old school mates, started up a band, and that was it. I have no real transferable skills outside music so I just focused as best as I could on earning enough from music to cover the mortgage. Sometimes it was pretty $hitty, but then other times it could be great. Never earned a rock star fortune with flash cars, or even a decent career wage with fancy holidays and a good pension, but I did the best I could with the meagre skills I've got, and I've done okay. I reckon it's being prepared to take risks that gets the work coming in. I have no doubt that most folks here on BC could run rings around me as a bassist. But then there's probably lots of folks that wouldn't give up their day job to be kinda thrifty and get by, just from playing music. Personally I'd have chosen a career every time instead of music but my limited education and bipolar issues ruled a career out for me. I envy day job folks!

It's not for everyone, that's for sure. I was 25 when I moved from being in a signed (albeit rubbish) band, to doing session work. But I used to do a couple of night shifts at a bakery as well, just in case there were quiet weeks. Sometimes I'd turn up to a studio session or a dep gig or something, and I'd get the "ooh, look out - here's little bakery boy" chants or get called a master baker or whatever. Wahey! It was usually done in jest so I could have laugh along with the banter, no big deal. But I did start to notice that other musicians I was playing alongside were living in rented rooms or bedsits and living off cup-a-soups, or still with their parents, whereas I had a mortgage on a flat in central London because I had a side hustle and they weren't prepared to do that. I was usually totally knackered - imagine finishing a drumming gig and then heading straight off to do a night shift at a bakery, already sweaty and fit for sleep. But without the bakery side hustle for a couple of years I wouldn't have been able to carry on, I was rarely 'first call' as a player, my skills weren't up to it. I wasn't A-list, more like S-list 😂

Tell ya what, I am quite partial to a western snap front shirt - they used to be my #1 choice when I'd be touring with a country-soul artist. They always felt like the right attire for the occasion. Top look 👍

I think he’s an amazing player but - and this is all on me, it’s not meant to be a personal attack on the guy in any way - but the jazz bass bridge pickup tone has always been too nasal for me to listen to for very long. I lasted about 90 seconds into that first tune before bailing out. It sounds like ‘pages from Ceefax’ background TV music from the early 1990’s or something. Like Dad, drums (well, percussion mainly) are my main instrument. But unlike Dad I absolutely love house music and repetitive beats. Or even just repetition (disco 12”s, dancehall, Velvet Underground, Steve Reich, etc). But that kind of mix of jazz fusion and musak - fusak? - goes straight past me, regardless of how great the players are. The trio recording was more to my taste though, and I liked his muting technique, super clean, and perfect for that setting. Thank you for sharing that 🙏 I just wish someone would rip the bridge pickup off his bass 😂

I don’t really count, being a percussionist first and foremost, but guitar wise it would either be a Telcaster of some kind or a Danelectro DC59 (late 90’s reissue), they’re my go-to’s for guitar but I’ve got all sorts - Mustang, Jazzmaster, couple of Guild Starfires (one’s a 12-string) a Bigsby-ed Silvertone, 3 Teles, plus an electric sitar and some acoustics and a couple of ukes. Around 100 guitars and basses have passed through the ranks over the last 40 years and I’m currently Strat-less and have no Gibsons. Although I would love a late 1953 / early ‘54 Gibson Les Paul - the gold top ones with the wraparound bridge and the pair of P-90s. At some point when a decent chunk of money comes in, I’ll track down one of Gibsons many reissues of these. But if I pick any instrument up to write on, it tends to be a Precision or Jazz Bass. I always found it easier to write on bass, despite it being my 4th or 5th instrument, in order of playing ability.

I'd totally wear one of them onstage, or even just round the house, or down the shops 👍

My sentiments exactly!

Is it not possible to thread some replacement corks back on it? Shame to have to replace it, it looks like it’s seen some action, I’d be wanting to keep that one 👍

Not currently gigging or planning to, but I'd have nae problem wearing my latest headgear purchase onstage. I mean - Tunnocks Caramel Wafers in hat form, go on ya wee scruffbag 👍

My wife assures me it's the standard British average, really, er... Back when I was doing the pubs and working men's club circuit as a teenager we'd do an hour of chart hits, then have a 15-20 minute break for a pint, then do an hour of classic rock - AC/DC, Zeppelin, Free, Bad Company, Stones, Faces, Little Feat, Deep Purple, Sabbath etc. Basically two hours with a break halfway through. Function gigs? We'd just ask the organisers and play as long as they wanted (if the money was there) I played in an Afrobeat band once and I swear this is true - we'd often play 3 or 3 and a half hours non stop, and all the songs seemed to blur into each other after about an hour. Weird thing is, a 3.5 hour set of Afrobeat might only have 12 or 13 songs in it. The intense repetition would make you sort of zone out but focus right in, if that makes any sense. Nowadays I'd be gauging audience reaction to figure out how long to play for and whether to take a break or not. Also, "where's my money?". Or "Are there any pies?" etc

That's bad, but mine is worse. This is 1960's Connery-era James Bond quality compared to my horrible soldering which is not even Steptoe & Son quality.

Thank you The Brig, I totally appreciate your knowledge 🙏 I think it's going to be a Squier neck on a Fender body, which probably doesn't happen too often, (and it means I'll never be able to try and pass it off as a Fender so my conscience is clear) but if I can fettle it I'll be very happy 👍

He hasn't got back to me yet. If I can get it, he'll be bringing it over from the UK as he's visiting me next month. Will keep everyone updated and take pictures if it works out. I hope it does 👍

Yes, I know - mandatory! That Bassmute looks a bit compimicated to me. I'm still using the bit of old acoustic foam that I nicked from a recording studio in 1989. I should have nicked a few more bits and started my own company - "ToneFoam" or something...

I think you folks have twisted my arm, I’ll give him a shout and see if the loaded body is still up for grabs 🙏 Thank you!

Oh wow, that looks great! What’s the thingy by the bridge? A custom mute or something?

That’s my default setting for everything 😂

As the title says, will a Fender (or Squier) be like for like at the heel end? I love my Jazz neck but also love the rock solid sound of a Precision. Could I do a swap? A friend has a Precision body he’s moving on and it’s tempting, if I can put a Jazz neck on it. Although I’ve done this many times with Fender Telecaster necks and bodies, I’ve never done it using Jazz and Precision parts. 🙏 Thank you in advance for any advice or help given, you lovely folks. Even if it’s just “buy another bass, you know you want to” 😂 (I mean, I don’t want to but, well, there’s plenty basses out there isn’t there? Hmmmm, I’m not really helping myself here am I?) (Mods please feel free to move this if it’s in the wrong section!)

Just thought of another. It’s a tiny little festival on the Isle Of Wight called Rhythmtree. Only a couple of thousand punters, and not at all corporate in the way that IOW is and Bestival was. Local food stalls, local beer tents, easy load in and out, and probably the nicest staff I’ve encountered at a festival in the UK. I have played there before with several different bands and artists but I would absolutely love to be able to play there again, even if it would be my last ever gig, I’d be well happy if it was that one. Btw, if you’ve never been, it’s quite family oriented, loads of kids activities, loads of boutique little stages set up in woodland areas etc, and the music often has a global slant to it, so there might be a number of African or Indian or Czech or Brazilian artists and so on. But the last two times I played we went on after The Blockheads one year and after The Orb on my last island gig. Definitely a great weekend if you can do it 👍

Although I never had a bucket list of venues as such, I’ve done almost all of the big festivals in the UK and Europe several times over, done pretty much every toilet venue in the UK and every pïśšhouse in London too. Done some fancy places like Sadler’s Wells, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Ally Pally, Tatton Gardens, Royal Festival Hall, Bloomsbury Theatre and stuff but the one place I always wanted to play was the Royal Albert Hall. Came close when I was depping for someone who was on the bill for the Ronnie Lane tribute concert there, but the band got bumped off the bill so that Midge Ure could come on and play instead : ( Even though I don’t play live anymore I’d change my mind in a second if RAH was a possibility 👍

Years ago I tried buying a book from Amazon because it couldn’t get it anywhere else. But they delivered a different book to what I’d ordered. Wasn’t impressed but I know all companies can make mistakes, it just happens. Sorting out the return was a pain in the ärśè as well. Tried buying an extension ladder from them and received a socket set instead. Again the return and refund process was a right old faff on. That was 12 years ago and I haven’t bothered with Amazon since. I’m sure they’re great for some folks but I wasn’t lucky enough with them to want to give them another go. Politics aside, they’ve been 100% rubbish with me, so I never use them.

Bloody hell, I'd rather have an accordion than that. Whatever it is, it makes my eyes hurt 😂

Saw them live (only once, sadly) and they were amazing, probably one of the best gigs I've seen, although I bet it would have been proper hard graft for them, absolutely belting it out 100% every night. Their guitarist was later involved with the Parisian band Elzef who I posted earlier in the thread. Les Negresses Vertes though 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

@Bassman68 Blimmin’ kids, I don’t know what they’re all about these days!