Cliff Edge

I use KZ ZS10 Pro IEM’s straight out of the Focusrite.

My father bought my first bass. My only input was similar to “dad a couple of school mates and I have formed a band, I’m the bass player and there’s a bass guitar in the window of (local music shop that mainly sold pianos)”. It was Framus Star Bass, and I had no idea whether it was good or bad. This was a long time ago when the only basses you ever saw were big hollow body Hofners and cheap solid body Futuramas. It was ok and I kept it for a couple of years while learning on the job as it were. Wish I still had it really.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/13/immediate-family-documentary-summary-stevie-nicks-james-taylor Should be an interesting film. The session players behind some of the singer songwriters of the 70’s and 80’s.

A Must To Avoid. Herman’s Hermits. she’s a muscular boy

The neck and headstock are surprisingly clean for an instrument that old. My ‘72 model is significantly more mellow. The damage on the back of the body says it’s been played a fair bit though. It’s still a lot of money for something that was thrown together in a draughty shed by un skilled labour. Bit like old British Leyland cars from the 70’s so beloved of hard up classic car buffs.

I recall seeing him perform that live on a TV show and he failed to get that high note at the end. So he apologised and told the band to play the ending again. And nailed it.

This. Some genre labels I’ve seen are frankly too stupid sounding to be taken seriously. Take Shoegaze as an example. Nothing to do with the music.

So true.

This is exactly how I feel, I was simply amazed at the figures. And who is it that names these genres and sub genres and what criteria is used in the process? Or do they just contact the artist and ask what the hell they’re playing at?

According to Spotify Bronx drill, ambient lo-fi and gym phonk were the three biggest growing genres on Spotify in 2023. What the hell is phonk? Apparently there are over 6000 genre classifications on there. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67111517?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Great story. My dad played the piano and had a Thomas electronic organ in the front room, which my mother hated. Not sure about the neighbours. He bought me my first bass, a Framus Star. I have two kids, one of each, and neither of them followed me into seriously playing music, which I’m sad about really. But they both enthusiastically encourage me to carry on playing gigs 🙂

Broke a bone in my right foot a couple of years ago. Tripped and fell running up the stairs. Don’t do that. It’s healed but still aches occasionally and I’m sometimes aware I’m not always walking in a straight line, which is weird. Reading this thread makes me feel lucky as apart from the cancer last year, and hopefully I’ve seen the last of that according to the surgeon, there is nothing yet interfering with my playing. I can still stand through a 2-3 hour gig with a 10lb bass and only a mild back ache afterwards. Apologies if this sounds smug to those worse off, it is not meant that way. I’ve had other non physical issues in the past that did get in the way.

I met him once when my band supported him at some minor festival somewhere in the UK. He came across as a nice guy in the short time I had to talk to him, but by then his career was on the decline.

Just after GarageBand came out I watched a demonstration in a London Apple Store. Some guy came on stage with a Stratocaster, plugged into an interface and proceeded to put together the basics of a song from scratch with drums and bass keys in half an hour. Yes he’d obviously done it before, but nevertheless it was very impressive and did look quite easy. Sold it to me, although I have since moved on to Cubase, GB is very easy from the get go. Plus its drum samples library is especially good. And you can’t argue at the price, if you ready have a Mac that is.

British Gas here. They have a deal whereby any Electricity used between 11 am and 4 pm on a Sunday is effectively half price via a refund to the account. My wife now calls herself the Sunday washer woman as the washing machine and tumble dryer get a good workout, along with whatever is used to cook dinner. My practice sessions don’t use much if any power as I use a laptop and a Focusrite with IEM’s so guilt free.

Sometimes it’s a recording of a live performance that changes your mind about a performer and performance. I took Neil Diamond a lot more seriously after listening to the Hot August Night album for the first time. Brother Loves Travelling Salvation Show made the hair on the back of my neck tingle. Possibly not to everyone’s taste these days but I still rate it.

If I were you I’d buy ‘67 Ford Mustang.

My fingers are starting to look a bit Keith Richards, predicting the onset of arthritis . Fortunately no pain yet and no impact on my ability to play the bass. However I do have issues opening some screw bottle tops these days. I’m sure they are done up tighter in manufacturing than in the past. Probably part of the inevitable health and safety. Can’t have the kiddies drinking the bleach can we.

Whitney started a trend. Every wannabe diva trying to sing as many notes as possible over a single syllable. Bloody infuriating.

Remarkably similar to you, schoolmates start a band need a bass player. Up to that point I was a dismal guitar player with I think 6 chords, might have been 5. Our school music teacher was helpful allowing us to practice in the school after hours. The original band went nowhere but one of the guitar players and I did go on to join up with a couple of older boys and do a few gigs until that folded. I carried on and have a great time, earning more than a few Bob in the process but what happened to the others I have no idea. One regret I have is that I never kept in touch with any of my schoolmates when I left school. Unlike my wife and my children who I’m pleased to say still support me in what is a consuming hobby.

“Is being 'average' bad..?“ If it is then I’ve been bad the last 50 years.

That falsetto by David Lindley in Stay always makes me smile. Saw them do that live a few times. Don’t forget Running on Empty on the same album. Another great song in my opinion.

His smile is creepy

I thought it was the Tales of The Unexpected channel.

That 71 show might have been the one I was it, although the evening set. It was definitely around that time anyway.