Leonard Smalls

It may have been Bob Dylan's "Hard Rain" in 1980... Mr. Quigley, an RE teacher at our school put together a sixth form band to play before a screening of the BBC's docudrama "The War Game". We did two other songs as well, that I have no memory at all of - probably CrosbyStillsNash or somesuch knowing Mr Q. I was on keys, and on bass was the brother of our own @lurksalot - I had a go on his rubber-stringed Hohner violin thing which possibly kindled my future musical direction (and it wasn't Dylan covers, or Hohner basses!).

I used to work with Doc Cox! Anyway: Still Smoking - Trouble Funk

Porn to be alive - Patrick Hernandez

Ich Tu Dir Weh - Rammstein

I often go lower than this with my 4 string not-bass (see, I'm using the new terminology, though not-bass is perhaps a touch clumsy; I shall contact Bootsy, Victor, Stanley and Jaco's ghost for suggestions). Octavers are ace, in moderation! Though most bass cabs have a quoted low end response of around 40Hz, and that's usually -6dB...

I do like a rap battle, so long as there's some humour (there usually is!). I often watch Rap Game too...

Whole Lada Love - Led Zepp

Mustang Sally!!!!!

Travolta - Mr Bungle

And the top bass argument which invariably leads to full on fisticuffs and world war: Slap?

Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk - Parliament

Personally, I spent about 1/2 an hour playing a five string, plus about the same again being harangued by the chap at Bass Direct saying that I had to buy a five string if I wanted to be a proper bass player. I decided I was happy with four and that I probably wasn't willing to practice for the thousands of hours it would take to master it to what was possible on that, never mind learning the extra stuff a fiver would entail. That way I saved myself £Loads which I spent a bit on doing the Gary Willis bass course, and the rest on hookers'n'coke.

There are some good 'uns! When RATM released "Killing in the name of" with it's iconic "F you I won't do what you tell me" refrain those wags at Suicidal HQ came up with this (though they were, as ever, just a bit tongue in cheek which sort of runs against the self-obsessed norm of some "talents"):

Last gig of the year for us, unless we get another booked sharpish! At Worcester's excellent Marrs Bar celebrating the release of local legends Phon's album release...

Sensemilla - Black Uhuru

Of course they can. This is the internet!! 😁

The Power of The One - Bootsy Collins

In Times Of Trouble - Trouble Funk

Mine are usually either leopard or zebra print suede brothel creepers...

The harder they come - Jimmy Cliff

Pic from last night...

I've tried fivers and not got on with them - I'd already been on 4s for 20 odd years and didn't like the extra width. I knows what I likes and I likes what I know!

Multi Band event for us in Hereford last night as part of a celebration of Rebellion Festival promoter Daz Russell's 40th anniversary of putting on gigs... Was a bit worried about being able to get there due to the many flooding hotspots on the way, but all was fine (apart from the lack of working pay machines in the carpark meant downloading the dreaded RingGo app). We were on at 8pm after Rat Boy's famous magic show (!); all went fine apart from having no vocal monitoring which meant having to remember changes without vocal cues but we mostly got it right - though a notable exception was drummer posing for a video when he was meant to be watching me as he never remembers where we stop on "3"... I was pleased with my tone - Parker bass into Helix, heavily gated and compressed with light overdrive and sweep delay for my solo bits into BBE pre, DBX compressor, bridged Crown power amp and Markbass 4x10. Had a decent full room too despite the rain - perhaps 100 of 'em - but I have no idea if anyone liked us as I'd packed everything onto my new lightweight trolley and was off like a rocket (can carry everything in one run!). I heard that Culture Shock (headline) and the Samples were good though. Treated myself to a bit of 85% cocoa chocolate and a dram of Port Charlotte Cask Strength with Jools Holland (very impressed by St Vincent's first song!).

Soldier Soldier - Spizz Energi

As I said, listen to Bootsy! Here's a fine example - bear in mind it's a PFunk show so it's often daft and/or cheesey with jokes galore, both musical and lyrical. There's very occasional tasters to build the mood, then eventually it becomes this huge thing that is Bootsy's bass. I saw him on this tour, and it was awesome, in the true sense of the word! Sounds best loud...