SteveXFR

We auditioned a few. Either they could play well enough but wouldn't commit to a fortnightly rehearsal or they would commit but weren't up to the job. The last one said he could commit, could play very well but then when it came to it, he said he couldn't make rehearsal because he was going to spend the day online gaming.

We're not very metal, none of them blast beats, more like Black Sabbath mixed with Soundgarden.

How did it go down with audiences not having a live drummer?

The drum machine suggestion isn't too far off our best current option which is recorded drum tracks played through the PA but it would be better to have a real drummer there playing and making mistakes with the rest of us.

Maybe it's a particular problem down here in Somerset but drummers are really hard to find, good ones even harder to find and good ones who are reliable and play metal are like unicorn turds. Fortunately our rhythm guitarist / singer is a pretty handy drummer for recording but unless we buy him one of those old fashioned one man band kits we need an actual drummer for gigs. Is it always really hard to find them? Is there somewhere online they hang out?

Trace Elliot amps and cabs are dirt cheap and really decent. I've got a GP12SMX with the higher spec 4x12 and 1x15 whichI got for £300. They sound amazing for such a low cost. It's a bit short on volume though so I'm using my Orange Terror 500w head with the Trace cabs. For someone in a normal band (not stoner metal) it would be more than enough.

They played our local punk festival a couple years ago and were excellent. Best band of the night.

Our local punk band, Far Cue do a pretty decent cover. Last time I saw them play it the drummer/singer was wearing hot pants and a boob tube with "stop looking at my tits" written on it. You may think she can wear what she wants but it's a bloke in his mid 50's

I saw Pearl Jam at Hyde Park several years ago. It was OK but like all massive festival type gigs it's too big and even if you're at the front you're still further from the stage than you would be at the back in Brixton Academy.

The Ace Of Spades is one song which is best left alone. No one could ever match the original. Lemmy's vocals and bass were just perfect for the song.

We're they green when you bought them or did that colour develop a couple decades later?

Of course the ultimate posers wore tartan doc Martins.

That's not real punk. The bassists tartan is blue FFS. Everyone knows the punk clan tartan is red. Bloody poser.

My daughter has been trying to find some songs for her and her friend to cover as a guitar & vocal duo. They wanted something interesting and a bit dark so obviously I introduced her to Chelsea Wolfe. She's decided on 16 Psyche and already working out how to combine two guitar parts in to one.

I was getting satanic black metal / k pop fusion from the photo

Its like every other non conformist sub culture. You can rebel and be an individual as long as you dress act and sound like everyone else in your chosen sub culture. I was an individual who looked like every other goth.

Surely that's pop, not punk. Is it actually recorded as slap? It's top of the pops so it's being mimed. There's no reason slap couldn't be used in punk. Isn't punk all about not conforming?

Make sure they know you've arrived and you're in charge. Arrive at least an hour late with a bottle of Jack on the go. Spot the smallest member of the band, throw your car keys at him and tell him to fetch your gear. You need to tell them how lucky they are you've shown up, their music sucks and from now on things will be done your way.

I can see those lyrics replacing Shakespeare in the school curriculum.

Guns N Roses came at an odd point in life for me. I was at an where I was still learning what I liked and I liked the loud fast guitars and drums of GNR but hated the vocals but it was enough to push me to search out other heavy rock music and discover Faith No More and Motorhead and Sabbath and other good stuff. Their awful Spaghetti Incident album helped me discover some great punk bands.

That's terrible. Every member of that band (Axle excepted) can and has done much better. I'd rather listen to Nickelback 🤮

Hi. Here's my Ray35. It's been around a bit, previously owned by two other basschat members. It sounds great, feels great to play and looks pretty good as well. The dark colour one is my Subray 5. Also from another basschat member. I've swapped the preamp for a Darkglass Tone Capsule which is a big improvement and will probably put in a Seymour Duncan pickup as well.

I would do terrible things for one of these. An active, long scale would do for me.

Yes, I tried one and decided I had to plus they're so in demand used there's little to lose.

Compression can be quite complicated and the Cali76 is a moderately tweakable pedal. It's surprising what it can do to the sound of a bass. A good EQ is definitely next on my shopping list, possibly an MXR 10 band.